Enlyten Strips: The New Kid in the Supplements Game

As endurance athletes, we benefit from a huge amount of research and innovation. New gear, new clothes, new training regimens - new ways to improve performance are being released by universities and laboratories every day, and none more frequently than in the realms of hydration, sports nutrition, and supplements. Some of these "innovations" don't make it very far, either because they don't work very well under real-world conditions or because athletes simply don't like using them. There's a new kid in the supplements game - the Enlyten company in Amherst, New York has recently released Enlyten Electrolyte SportStrips, a new take on hydration and electrolyte loading during endurance exercise.

Nearly identical in appearance to the ubiquitous Listerine breath strips, Enlyten strips come in grape, orange, and vanilla berry flavors, and are intended to be dissolved on the tongue or (even better) between the cheek and gum. Enlyten claims that the SportStrips allow your body to absorb electrolytes directly into the bloodstream through "buccal absorption," or through the tissue of your mouth, rather than through the digestive system, as is the case with sports drinks and other oral supplements. Whether through this process or simply because the strips, when placed in your mouth, eventually find their way into your stomach, carrying with them their electrolytes to your stomach much as is the case with electrolyte pills and tablets, this delivery method seems sound.

The idea appeals to many athletes as a new means to eliminate sports drinks from their workout menus. If, like me, you have a hard time with the sticky-sweet flavor of sports drinks, or have issues with excess mucous production during long rides, these strips may allow you to get the benefits of a sports drink while keeping your airway clear by drinking only water. If this is the case, and there is even a little truth to the speed of this delivery method, these strips are certainly a solid way to gain an edge at your next race. They're affordable, as supplements go, running about eight bucks for 54 strips (in three "cassettes" for ease of portion control). If you're looking to get away from sports drinks during your workouts and races, consider giving Enlyten Electrolyte SportStrips a shot during your next long ride.