Disclaimer: I received Ultima Beauty Hydration Drink to evaluate as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews.
I have been a fan of Ultima since my first BibRave campaign many years ago. One of my biggest issues with hydration products is they usually taste terrible and have lots of sugar, which makes them undrinkable on long runs. After discovering Ultima, all those issues are are thing of past. I have tried many Ultima flavors and I am excited to evaluate new the beauty line.
The Ultima Beauty line has 9.5 g of grass-fed (cow) collagen. Collagen is a protein that is found throughout the human body (I teach biology). The drink contains collagen type I (found in bone) and III (found in hollow organs)*. It provides structural support. The collagen in the drink provides the amino acids, when digested, that help build other proteins in the body. Those proteins can help build strong bones, hair, and nails. I received the mango pineapple and strawberry kiwi flavors to evaluate. Similar to all Ultima products there is no sugar and plenty of electrolytes to keep you hydrated.
Mixing the product
The 12.5 g Ultima pack is mixed in 8-12 fl oz of water. One thing I noticed is that the powder didn't completely dissolve in cold water. Collagen is large protein and its ability to dissolve in water is not as easy as water. When I prepared and drank it, I always made sure to mix the solution to shake up any settled material. Warming the water might have helped, but I didn't want to drink a warm drink.
Taste Test
Regular Ultima is my current electrolyte drink. The beauty drink was sweet, but had a slight after taste. It may have been due to the added collagen. I used the drink my weekly training runs, gym workouts, and post run meals. The electrolytes were fine and I had no issues with dehydration.
Overall thoughts
I enjoyed testing this product. I plan to use it for my gym workouts. My goal is incorporate more weight training in my cross training routine. I think this drink will provide the additional protein and nutritional support for muscle recovery and strength. For my runs, I want a higher tasting drink.
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*Sources
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/type-i-collagen
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6579750/