In late August I received the opportunity to try Oral I.V. and write a review of it on my blog. I received two packages of vials (eight vials total) at no charge and all I had to do was try it and tell you what I think… Easier said, than done.
Firstly, I am a somewhat skeptical person and have learned not to immediately buy into what I read and hear; and secondly, reviewing a product such as Oral I.V. is somewhat subjective and I just don’t know if I can honestly endorse a product that I’m not 100% sure of. With that being said, let’s give it a whirl!
From the Oral I.V. website: ORAL I.V. is a revolutionary hydration aid product based on a proprietary blend of electrolytes, minerals and purified water.
While researching Oral I.V. I learned the following (also from their website):
- It is considered a hydration aid, not a sports or energy drink
- It is formulated from electrolytes
- It does not contain sugar, caffeine or other stimulants
- It contains less sodium and potassium than sports drinks
- It should not replace water or electrolyte intake, but be used to enhance hydration strategy
- It should be taken with 16 ounces of water about ten minutes before exercise
- It should be taken every four to six hours during strenuous exercise
- It can be used as a recovery aid, and shortens recovery times
- It increases potential performance
- It improves focus and concentration
- It is considered a supplement, and therefore not regulated by the FDA
- No contraindications have been reported
The ideal “testing ground” for ORAL I.V. is an activity where physical exertion and the potential for dehydration exist. To experience the intended benefits of ORAL I.V., the product should be used prior to, or during activities of physical exertion that can contribute to dehydration, such as fitness, exercise or sports. It is recommended to take one vial of ORAL I.V. as a hydration aid along with water prior to your fitness activity. An additional vial can also be used during your activity if it spans for several hours or more.
On a pretty warm day in early September I decided to try my first vial of Oral I.V. Because of my schedule, I ran about six miles mid-day when the temperature was 92 degrees with 65% humidity. I already felt a little dehydrated because I had been very busy that morning and hadn’t been drinking enough water. Before my run, I took a vial along with a large glass of water and immediately felt better. Note: I always feel better immediately after drinking a large glass of water when I’m dehydrated. I intentionally didn’t carry water with me on my run so I could see if I felt any more or less hydrated than usual since I rarely carry water on six-mile runs. I didn’t notice a difference…
About a week later, when it was 89 degrees and very humid with storms threatening, I tried it again before a mid-day six-mile run.
As you can see from my running shorts, I sweated a lot! I felt great during the run, but here comes the subjective part… How would I have felt if I hadn’t taken Oral I.V? Who know, I certainly can’t tell you.
During the remainder of September I used five more vials on hot mid-day runs. And finally, this past Thursday on a somewhat humid day for October, I used my final vial.
So what’s my opinion overall? I felt fine on my runs, I didn’t feel dehydrated, and I ran really strong on some runs and not so strong on others. When I ran well, was it because of the Oral I.V. Was it because I’d eaten well and slept well the day and night before? Or was it because I had well rested legs from taking the previous day off? I can’t answer those questions because I didn’t keep those types of notes. Would I use Oral I.V. if it were given to me for free? Yes, because of the twelve positive attributes listed above; assuming they are accurate. But would I buy it at $2.75 to $3 per vial (four-vial packet for $ 11.99 or ten packets for $109.90)? I don’t think so…
If you are interested in purchasing Oral I.V. you can use the discount code: FITNESS when placing an order on their website. You can also follow them on Facebook and twitter.
Disclosure: Oral I.V. was supplied to me free of charge for me to try and review. All opinions are my own.
- Questions:
- Have you ever tried Oral I.V.?
- Bloggers: Have you tried products to review on your blog?
- Who’s racing tomorrow?
Never tried oral IV, curious about it though. I have done a few product reviews of compression socks and a clothing company about their tshirts. No racing for me tomorrow, let my hubby take the Army 10 Miler since I’m always racing and he doesn’t 🙂
Good luck to your hubby tomorrow! I’m so glad that the MCM didn’t have to be canceled.
Debbie…
Thanks for the honest review. I appreciate knowing that while you’re branching out and reviewing products that you’re staying true to who you are.
I’ve never tried to do a product review. Wouldn’t know where/how to even make something like that happen!
I received the opportunity through Sweat Pink. After I received the product I regretted my decision, because the product is not something that I would normally use, or see at a race expo and think, “Hey, I need to try that.”
I’ve never tried Oral IV, and have to confess there’s a lot here that weirds me out. For example:
“It is considered a hydration aid, not a sports or energy drink” [What does this mean??]
and
“It contains less sodium and potassium than sports drinks” [But isn’t that the point of such things? If I don’t want salts, I’ll drink water. And if I do…then, I do!]
and
“It should not replace water or electrolyte intake, but be used to enhance hydration strategy” [Again…what does this MEAN!?!]
Did they provide you with any more info on what this MEANS? Because honestly? It sounds like a bunch of slightly advanced words being strung together to make something out of nothing.
And while I agree that, as one person, with one run per day, it’s hard to run a direct comparison, I’ve also found that when something really makes a difference – I realize it. Compression gear is one great example. I was ridiculously skeptical of CW-X, and compression gear in general – until I wore their tights on a few long runs, and realized that I ALWAYS felt consistently better for having worn them. And thus, I was converted. So maybe something that makes a slight difference would be hard to detect – but I’m quite sure you’d notice if anything made a substantial difference. [my opinion]
The information I provided, was all pulled from their website. Only the two packets with very little information on them was provided when the package was shipped to me, and that bothered me. My second quote in my post was the only information that was emailed to me other than the discount code, and links to their social media accounts.
Sorry, Deb – I should have been more clear. This wasn’t a criticism of you – I trust that you provide the most accurate, thorough review that you can, and I did realize that your quotations were directly from their materials. This was more skepticism/uncertainty about what the company provided…
No worries, Holly, I didn’t take it as such. Just thought it would be a good idea to put it out there, that very little information was provided to me and that I had to dig for it. In hindsight, I wish that I’d mentioned that in my post.
I’ve never heard of Oral I.V. before, and I deal a little with supplements at work. I’m a little confused on what it is supposed to do for you. That being said, thanks for your honest review! I’m glad you felt comfortable sharing your true opinion on a product provided to you for free, for your review. Sometimes it looks like bloggers feel obligated to give positive feedback since they received the product for free. I’ve never done a product review, but I would hope I’d also be able to constructively share my honest opinions.
I have never seen a hydration like that. Looks like the ones they use at the hospitals. Looks very intriguing. Thanks for the review. I may have to look into it! 🙂