Gx Sweat Patch: Gatorade’s wearable analyzes sweat profiles for personalized hydration
03 Mar 2021 --- Gatorade has launched Gx Sweat Patch – the company’s first-to-market wearable. The device uses lab-based sweat testing protocol to determine athletes’ unique sweat profile, which helps inform personalized hydration strategies.
The newly launched device is paired with the Gx App that enables athletes to access Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s 35 years of research and insights. The synergies of the two products help boost athletic performance with “intelligence, not just products.”
“The expansion of the sports-fuel company’s Gx system, which also includes the previously launched Gx bottle and pods, is a manifestation of the company’s commitment to science-backed innovation and personalized nutrition strategies,” states Gatorade.
Designed for simultaneous use, Gatorade’s Gx Bottle is a squeeze bottle with flip cap created to conveniently puncture its accompanying pods, which feature different concentrations of electrolytes and carbohydrates to optimize personal hydration and fueling strategies.
The GX App was designed to “seamlessly integrate” with Garmin Connect, Strava and Apple Health.Personalized hydration
The Gx App combines aggregated data from health and fitness apps with research from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to create actionable recommendations that help athletes meet their training goals and perform their best.
The app was designed to “seamlessly integrate” with Garmin Connect, Strava and Apple Health to provide insights on training load, recovery and nutrition. It leverages a curated number scale, the Gx Score, to outline how well the user is tracking toward their individual activity goals each week based on established benchmarks.
When used in combination with the Gx Sweat Patch, the Gx App can provide specific recommendations on hydration to ensure proper fueling before, during and after exercise.
The patch is placed on the left inner arm during a workout and will “fill up” as the athlete exercises. Once the workout is complete, the sweat patch can be scanned in the Gx App to reveal the athlete’s unique sweat profile.
Tailored to fit
The emergence of a broad array of sophisticated personalized nutrition offerings has prompted Innova Market Insights to peg “Tailored to Fit” as a Top Trend for 2021.
“Understanding individual needs based on data collected from genetic analysis, body analysis and personal preferences will make personalized nutrition products more tailored,” says Chang Liu, market analyst at Innova Market Insights.
GX App interface.Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of global consumers in an Innova Consumer Survey note that they have found more ways to tailor their life and the products they buy to their individual style, beliefs and needs.
During the onset of COVID-19, Nestlé-owned Persona’s CEO stressed that the pandemic would have a lasting impact on tailored nutrition and growth opportunities in telehealth.
In recent developments, a study using Garmin’s smart tech wearables has revealed myAir’s functional adaptogen bars improved 73 percent of participants’ anxiety scores and 84 percent of sleep quality.
Last year, Royal DSM bridged personalized nutrition with professional road cycling in a strategic partnership with Team Sunweb. Similarly, UK-based Chelsea Digital Ventures, a digital business spun out of Chelsea Football Club, launched a personalized sports nutrition service called Blue Fuel.
Edited by Benjamin Ferrer
