Glycerol-+Matt

Glycerol is the main backbone of triglycerides found in both plants and animals. Glycerol is not difficult to obtain and is widely available online, as well as in stores. Glycerol is usually sold as powder, but can also be found in pills and even in liquid form. While glycerol is an inexpensive resource, costing 1-8 cents a gram, as a supplement like glycerol monosterate it can cost double that at around 15 cents a gram. Currently The NCAA and the IOC have banned the use of glycerol as it may be used as a diuretic, this means that it can be used to change the the body's fluid composition, this can allow the athlete to lose weight rapidly or to mask other banned drugs(Supplments 2012).
 * Glycerol: **

Though glycerol has many uses, when consumed with water it helps promote fluid retention and a state of euhydraton. Glycerol is easily absorbed just like other triglycerides in the intestine, then into the fluid compartments of the body(excluding the cerbrospinal fluid) and distributed evenly throughout. Once it is distributed, in plain English, the glycerol assists in water retention by using osmotic pressure to keep it to be filtered out(Wagner 1999). Now this might not sound like a very big advantage for athletes, but according to research, the loss of anything more than 2% of body weight as water is proven to have a detrimental effect on performance in endurance exercises, being able to hold and maintain this state of hydration is very beneficial if you are a distance or other kind of endurance athlete.The effect of glycerol is even more pronounced when consumed before exercise in mild to hot conditions and dehydration is a higher risk.Being in this state of hyperhydration has other benefits as well, including increased cardiac efficiency, better body heat regulation and a lower RPE during exercise, all of which would help increase endurance performance,(Van 2009). A study by Montner showed that among endurance cyclists, those that took glycerol with water before exercise where able to maintain a lower heart rate than before and increase their exercise time close to 10 minutes(Motner 1996).



: ** Montner, P., Stark, D., Riedesel, M., Murata, G., Robergs, R., Timms, M., & Chick, T. (1996). Pre-Exercise Glycerol Hydration Improves Cycling Endurance Time. //International Journal of Sports Medicine Int J Sports Med,// //17//(1), 27-33. Retrieved November 1, 2015, from [] **
 * References: **


 * Supplements. (2012). Retrieved November 2, 2015, from http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=140994321 **

Van Rosendal, S. P., Osborne, M. A., Fassett, R. G., & Coombes, J. S. (2009). Physiological and performance effects of glycerol hyperhydration and rehydration. Nutrition Reviews, 67(12), 690-705. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00254.x

Wagner, D. (1999). Hyperhydrating with glycerol: Implications for athletic performance. //Journal of the American Dietetic Association//,//99//(2), 207.