PommeMD Science

FAQs

Why is sugar an important part of rehydration?

Sugars like glucose facilities the absorption of the fluids and electrolytes significantly. The amount of glucose in solution matters. Too little sugar won’t allow for enough absorption, while too much sugar can potentially lead to worsening dehydration as high amounts of sugar can lead to increased urination. The ratio of glucose to water in our Pomme MD solution is designed to provide the optimal amount of absorption of water into our bodies. 

Why is the sugar from apple juice especially good for hydration?

Apple juice contains a mixture of naturally occurring sugars including: fructose, glucose, and sucrose. In our intestines, there are multiple glucose transporters (eg. SGLT and GLUT-5 transporters) that allow our bodies to absorb sugar, electrolytes and water. Each of these transports use a different type of sugar such as glucose and fructose. The mixture of sugars in apples improves the hydration capacity by utilizing different transporters in our intestines. The multiple types of sugars in apples allow us to use multiple transporters to improve hydration capacity even more! 

Reference: Effects of carbohydrate type and concentration and solution osmolality on water absorption. X Shi et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995 Dec.

Why did we choose sodium, potassium and citrate to be in our rehydration solution?

Our rehydration solution contains the essential electrolytes for rehydration based on the World Health Organization recommendations: sodium, potassium and citrate! Sodium and Potassium are need to replace the body losses during illness or from sweating. Sodium is also very important in hydration. When you consume a hydration beverage with sodium the sodium is absorbed and water follows thus helping replenish losses in blood, muscles and tissues.

During times of vomiting and diarrhea, the acid base balance of our blood can change leading to increased acidity which can be harmful.  Citrate helps normalize the acid base balance in our blood. 

How Pomme MD taste? With the addition of salt, does the drink taste salty?

Rehydration drinks often contain added sugars and artificial flavours to help mask the sodium (salty) taste. Our mixture of tart and sweet apples go well with the added electrolytes. In fact, sodium elevates then natural flavour of apple.

Artificial sweeteners harmful?

Unlike the naturally occurring sugars found in PommeMD, artificial sweeteners play no role in supporting hydration. Furthermore, artificial sweeteners are non-nutritive, meaning they offer no energy or nutritional value. While widely found in the food supply, the lack of research with human subjects is enough to cause pause with respect to safety. While many studies have shown that many sweeteners are safe, there’s still no clear consensus among the scientific community, and concerns persist. More evidence is needed. The majority of studies have been short in duration, animal-based and not indicative of real life conditions or doses.

How much can children consume of Pomme MD?

We recommend 1 cup (250mL) per day based on the Canadian Food Guide recommendation of unsweetened juice and on the content of sodium in our Pomme MD. 

 If your child is unwell from vomiting or diarrhea, the amount of Pomme MD can be increased to an additional 10mL/kg for every episode of diarrhea and 2mL/kg for every episode of vomiting. 

Is Pomme MD safe for breastfeeding mothers?

Yes, our Pomme MD is safe for breastfeeding mothers and a great way to maintain hydration while breastfeeding. Hydration is a pivotal element of maintaining breast milk supply.