Herbalife Sports Nutrition Survey: Sporting Trend Puts Hong Kongers at Risk of Dehydration During Exercising

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - Jun 23, 2016 - A recent survey[1] launched by Herbalife, a global nutrition company has shown that 81% of those who purchased sports drinks consume them after a workout or when they are thirsty, putting themselves at risk of dehydration due to profuse sweating. Only less than one out of 10 (7%) consume them before a workout. Herbalife saw this demand for a sports hydration product that fulfills nutritional needs of active individuals engaging in sports of different intensity including short workouts, team sports, or even during endurance sports and hence launched CR7 Drive in Hong Kong.

CR7 Drive provides users with the necessary nutrients during sports: carbohydrates, electrolytes and vitamins B1 & B12

(From the left) Steven Sze, Senior Country Manager, Herbalife Hong Kong and Macau and Dr. John Heiss, Ph.D., Senior Director, Sports and Fitness, Worldwide Product Marketing, Herbalife

"Consumers' demand of sports nutrition products is on the rise so we are launching a series of products as part of our Herbalife24 sports nutrition line, offering the most complete nutrients needed pre, during and post exercise," said Steven Sze, Senior Country Manager of Herbalife Hong Kong. "The brand new CR7 Drive sports drink was created following rigorous research and development process to deliver specific nutrition and hydration needs to a wide spectrum of consumers, including fitness enthusiasts, casual and professional athletes alike."

Named after professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, who played a vital role in the development of the drink, CR7 Drive provides three key components necessary for performance without the use of artificial flavors or sweeteners: enhanced hydration, metabolism support and energy. With only 50 calories per scoop, CR7 Drive is formulated with a high glucose to fructose ratio, along with 320 mg of vital electrolytes to deliver optimal hydration when the body needs it most. CR7 Drive also contains vitamin B12, the essential vitamin required to support metabolism, as well as a good mix of carbohydrates to provide the energy required for peak sporting performances.

Lacking awareness in sports nutrition needs: Water is not enough, not even for regular active people

Results from the survey showed a high penetration of sports nutrition products in Hong Kong, where 69% of Hong Kong respondents indicated that they have purchased sports nutrition products in the past six months, making the city's sports nutrition product penetration the 2^nd highest among 11 countries/cities among the APAC region. However, over half (52%) claim to have "a lack of understanding of their benefits" when asked about the key obstacle to consuming sports nutrition products.

As much as 30% Hong Kongers also think sports nutrition products are for professional athletes only, revealing a lack of awareness of sports nutrition needs among the active population of Hong Kongers.

"In our research and development process for CR7 Drive, a sports hydration product, we discovered that regular active people and top athletes have similar nutritional needs: carbohydrates for energy refuel, electrolytes such as magnesium, sodium and potassium for hydration and Vitamins B1 and B12 for metabolism support. The primary difference is with the total energy intake required," said Dr. John Heiss, Senior Director of Sports and Fitness, Worldwide Marketing of Herbalife and creator of CR7 Drive.

Regular active people may not think they need specific sports drinks because they don't have any "performance" goals. However, having some fluid with the optimal level of calories from carbohydrates and minerals like sodium to enhance hydration will help them get more out of their workouts, feel better, and in the long run, contribute to better results. "As a former professional athlete, I experienced first-hand the power the right nutrition during sports and what it does to my body and mental state. The right nutrition, in right amounts makes a world of difference in not only how I performed but also how I felt during any race or practice," said Dr. Heiss, who is also a former US athlete, with experience as a competitive downhill skier, cross country runner, and USA category 2 cyclist.

"From the results of Herbalife APAC our Sports Nutrition Survey, we see that Hong Kongers wait until they feel thirsty or after a workout before replenishing fluids. Thirst is a sign from your body signaling dehydration so essentially the best way to prevent it is to hydrate well throughout the day and well before exercising," said Pan Chow, Dietitian with Herbalife Hong Kong.

Understanding nutrition concentration for effective replenishment: Carbohydrates

While certain nutrients are needed for active individuals, it is also important to get the amount right. Fruit juices are a popular choice for hydration among those who prefer drinking something with taste than plain water. However, fruit juices with over 10% of carbohydrates, as found across many brands on the market, may not be a good choice for hydration around sports, according to Chow.

"A maximum of 8% carbohydrate concentration is recommended for active people to maintain their carbohydrate supply. Fluids with a carbohydrate concentration over 8% will decrease your body's ability to absorb water. It may cause abdominal discomfort as the digestion process will draw water from the other parts of the body to the digestive tract, increasing the risk of dehydration." said Chow.

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CR7 Drive provides users with the necessary nutrients during sports: carbohydrates, electrolytes and vitamins B1 & B12

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(From the left) Steven Sze, Senior Country Manager, Herbalife Hong Kong and Macau and Dr. John Heiss, Ph.D., Senior Director, Sports and Fitness, Worldwide Product Marketing, Herbalife

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About Herbalife:

Herbalife is a global nutrition company that has been changing people's lives with great products since 1980. Our nutrition, weight-management, energy and fitness and personal care products are available exclusively to and through dedicated Independent Herbalife Members in more than 90 countries. We are committed to fighting the worldwide problems of poor nutrition and obesity by offering high-quality products, one-on-one coaching with a Herbalife member and a community that inspires customers to live a healthy, active life.

We support the Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF) and its Casa Herbalife programs to help bring good nutrition to children in need. We also sponsor more than 190 world-class athletes, teams and events around the globe, including Cristiano Ronaldo, the LA Galaxy and champions in many other sports.

The company has over 8,000 employees worldwide, and its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HLF) with net sales of US$4.5 billion in 2015. To learn more visit Herbalife.com.