Health and Wellness

Healthy development begins before birth and continues throughout life. The body depends on oxygen, water, nutrition, sleep, movement, and appropriate healthcare to support normal growth, cellular energy production, brain function, immune function, circulation, tissue maintenance, and physical development.

Preventive health focuses on giving the body the foundations it needs to function normally, respond to physical and mental demands, and maintain resilience. Strong health supports the body during growth, activity, recovery, and aging.

This page examines the established biological roles of oxygen from infancy through every stage of life. PerformanceDrink laboratory results, studies, and evaluations are identified separately according to the measurements and conditions used.

Research available through NIH and indexed in PubMed confirms that oxygen is essential for human health and performance. Oxygen allows cells to produce ATP, the energy required for normal cellular activity. The brain, heart, muscles, organs, immune system, and natural repair processes depend on an adequate and continuous oxygen supply.

• Cellular ATP and energy production
• Normal brain and neurological function
• Attention, memory, reaction time, and executive function
• Heart and cardiovascular function
• Muscular work and exercise capacity
• Blood circulation and tissue oxygenation
• Formation of new blood vessels
• Collagen production
• Immune-cell defense against bacteria
• Tissue maintenance and repair
• Wound-healing processes
• Bone formation and fracture-healing pathways
• Physical and cognitive performance under increased demand

Independent laboratory testing has verified elevated dissolved oxygen in formulations containing the PerformanceDrink oxygen ingredient. In January 2025, a METS laboratory test of an Airo Water formulation containing the PerformanceDrink oxygen ingredient measured dissolved oxygen at 20.8 mg/L.

PerformanceDrink-specific testing has also reported increased blood oxygen saturation after PerformanceDrink Oxygen Water was consumed.

PerformanceDrink research has examined oxygen-related responses through:

• Blood-oxygen saturation measurements
• EEG brain-activity measurements
• Cognitive performance testing
• Blood-glucose measurements
• Heart-rate measurements
• Respiratory measurements
• Core-body-temperature measurements
• Physical work and exercise-performance testing
• Exercise and recovery measurements
• Professional-athlete evaluations
• High-demand operational field evaluations

These findings show elevated dissolved oxygen in a formulation containing the PerformanceDrink oxygen ingredient and measurable oxygen-related responses after consumption in PerformanceDrink-specific testing.

NIH-hosted and PubMed-indexed research explains the documented roles of oxygen throughout the body. PerformanceDrink laboratory testing verifies elevated oxygen in the formulation. PerformanceDrink-specific studies and evaluations measure biological, cognitive, physical, and performance-related responses after consumption.

How the evidence connects: NIH-hosted and PubMed-indexed research establishes the roles of oxygen in human biology and performance. PerformanceDrink research measures the formulation and the responses observed after consumption. Each result is presented according to the method and conditions used.

PerformanceDrink was developed to support the physiological foundations of mental performance through hydration, carbohydrate availability, and its stabilized dissolved-oxygen technology. PerformanceDrink-specific evaluations have also examined cognitive performance and measured brain activity.

The brain depends on a continuous supply of oxygen to support cellular energy production and normal neurological function. Changes in oxygen availability can influence attention, executive function, memory, reaction time, and other aspects of cognitive performance.

Independent scientific research demonstrates this relationship from both directions. Reduced oxygen availability has been associated with impaired cognitive performance. Controlled studies examining increased inspired oxygen have reported favorable findings in several cognitive domains.

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 controlled studies found that increased oxygen availability produced favorable findings across several areas of cognition, including memory, attention, reaction speed, executive function, and information processing. These findings support the established role of oxygen in brain energy production and cognitive function. Results varied across study designs and cognitive measures, providing direction for continued oxygen research.

A 2017 systematic review and meta-regression of 22 experiments found that acute hypoxia had a moderate negative effect on cognitive performance. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 137 eligible records and 458 effect sizes also found that acute hypoxia impaired cognition overall, with effects varying by cognitive domain and experimental condition.

Glucose is a major energy substrate for the brain. Under normal aerobic conditions, oxygen supports the efficient production of ATP from glucose and other metabolic fuels.

A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials in athletes found that executive-function outcomes varied with carbohydrate intervention type, dose, administration method, exercise conditions, and individual response. The pooled result did not reach statistical significance.

PerformanceDrink combines hydration, patented controlled carbohydrate delivery, and stabilized dissolved-oxygen technology. The direct PerformanceDrink study summarized below evaluates cognitive and physical responses to the complete formulation.

A randomized, double-blind crossover study involving PerformanceDrink is summarized in the PerformanceDrink-Specific Evidence section below.

Shaw DM, Bloomfield PM, Gant N. The effect of acute normobaric hyperoxia on cognition: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. Physiology & Behavior. 2023. PMID 37121344.

McMorris T, Hale BJ, Barwood M, Costello J, Corbett J. Effect of acute hypoxia on cognition: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2017. PMID 28111267.

Bloomfield PM, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of acute hypoxia and cognition: Domain-specific effects and the role of barometric pressure and carbon dioxide. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2026. Volume 184. Article 106603. PMID 41672258.

Post TE, Heijn LG, Jordan J, van Gerven JMA. Sensitivity of cognitive function tests to acute hypoxia in healthy subjects: a systematic literature review. Frontiers in Physiology. 2023. PMID 37885803.

Yang J, et al. Effects of carbohydrate drinks ingestion on executive function in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology. 2023. PMID 37637918.

Gilsenan MB, de Bruin EA, Dye L. The influence of carbohydrate on cognitive performance: a critical evaluation from the perspective of glycaemic load. British Journal of Nutrition. 2009. PMID 19278571.

Physical performance depends on adequate hydration, available metabolic fuel, oxygen delivery, training status, and the demands of the activity.

Research shows that fluid replacement after dehydration can improve continuous exercise performance, particularly during longer exercise and in hotter conditions. A systematic review examined 64 trials from 42 publications. Its meta-analysis of 22 continuous-exercise trials found a significant benefit from fluid intake after dehydration. The strongest pooled evidence applied to continuous exercise, while the other performance categories contained fewer or more varied findings.

Carbohydrates provide an important fuel source during prolonged physical activity. A systematic review of 61 performance studies found that 50 studies, or 82%, reported statistically significant performance benefits from carbohydrate supplementation compared with water. Benefits were more evident as exercise duration increased.

A separate meta-analysis of 136 studies found that carbohydrate intake during endurance exercise significantly improved performance compared with placebo or control conditions. The effect was greater during longer-duration exercise and in time-to-exhaustion tests.

As physical demand increases, working muscles require oxygen to support aerobic energy production. Oxygen delivery, circulation, hydration, and metabolic fuel are interconnected components of sustained physical performance.

PerformanceDrink combines hydration, patented controlled carbohydrate delivery, and stabilized dissolved-oxygen technology. Independent hydration, carbohydrate, and oxygen research establishes the scientific basis for these components. Direct PerformanceDrink research below reports the responses measured with the complete tested formulation.

McCartney D, Desbrow B, Irwin C. The Effect of Fluid Intake Following Dehydration on Subsequent Athletic and Cognitive Performance: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine Open. 2017. PMID 28316054.

Stellingwerff T, Cox GR. Systematic review: Carbohydrate supplementation on exercise performance or capacity of varying durations. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2014. Volume 39, issue 9, pages 998-1011. PMID 24951297.

Ramos-Campo DJ, et al. The ergogenic effects of acute carbohydrate feeding on endurance performance: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2024. PMID 37449467.

The brain, muscles, heart, and other tissues require a continuous supply of oxygen to support normal cellular energy production and function. Unlike carbohydrate and fat, which the body can store in meaningful quantities, the body's oxygen reserves are limited. Oxygen must remain continuously available to meet cellular demand.

At the cellular level, oxygen and metabolic fuels work together. Glucose and other fuels provide metabolic substrate. Oxygen is essential to oxidative phosphorylation, one of the body's principal pathways for producing ATP, the usable energy required by cells.

This relationship becomes increasingly important as demand increases. During exercise, physical work, and other periods of increased metabolic activity, oxygen requirements increase along with the need to process available energy substrates.

PerformanceDrink was developed around a fundamental physiological principle:

PerformanceDrink Oxygen Water is formulated with stabilized dissolved oxygen in a drinkable form. PerformanceDrink Athletic combines its dissolved-oxygen technology with patented controlled carbohydrate delivery. PerformanceDrink-specific studies and evaluations measure the responses associated with these formulations.

Emotional experience and the physiological stress response involve the brain, nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, sleep, hydration, nutrition, and many other factors.

Oxygen, water, and nutrients support normal brain and body function. This established physiology provides the basis for PerformanceDrink research into emotional performance, mental fatigue, readiness, and stress-related recovery.

• Stress resilience
• Mental fatigue
• Emotional regulation
• Mental endurance
• Alertness during demanding situations
• Recovery following physical and mental stress
• Brain and nervous-system function
• Physical and mental readiness

These priorities define the next areas for controlled PerformanceDrink research and measurement.

Recovery is a continuous biological process. Throughout life, cells require oxygen, water, and nutrients to produce energy, maintain normal function, and support natural maintenance and repair processes.

Oxygen is fundamental to aerobic cellular metabolism. Inside the mitochondria, oxygen participates in the process that allows cells to produce ATP efficiently.

The brain, heart, muscles, and other tissues continuously depend on oxygen delivery and utilization. As people age, cardiovascular function, circulation, physical activity, hydration, nutrition, and oxygen delivery remain important to normal physical and cognitive function.

This established physiology supports continued research into oxygen availability, recovery, physical capacity, cognitive function, and healthy aging.

PerformanceDrink places dissolved oxygen at the foundation of its Health and Wellness approach. PerformanceDrink Oxygen Water is intended to make its dissolved-oxygen technology part of everyday hydration rather than limiting the PerformanceDrink concept to competitive athletics.

• Cellular energy metabolism
• Physical recovery
• Mental recovery
• Brain function
• Muscle function
• Circulation and oxygen delivery
• Maintenance of physical capacity
• Maintenance of cognitive performance
• Healthy aging and independence

These priorities define the next areas for controlled PerformanceDrink research and measurement.

Oxygen plays important roles in cellular metabolism and normal tissue-repair processes. Scientific reviews identify oxygen as important for cell proliferation, defense against bacteria, angiogenesis, collagen synthesis, and other components of wound healing.

A systematic review examined 65 studies of clinical oxygen therapies. Results varied according to oxygen-delivery method and study design.

These studies establish oxygen-dependent mechanisms in tissue repair and show how changes in oxygen availability affect healing processes under the conditions examined.

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials involving older adults found that exercise training can improve muscle oxygen extraction, microvascular blood flow, matching of oxygen delivery with oxygen utilization, and muscle oxidative capacity.

This review establishes that muscle oxygen extraction, microvascular blood flow, oxygen delivery, oxygen use, and oxidative capacity are measurable and responsive parts of human performance.

Vatnehol SAS, et al. Effect of Drinking Oxygenated Water Assessed by in vivo MRI Relaxometry. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2020. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. PMID 32100358.

Izawa H, et al. Effects of Drinking Oxygenated Water on Blood Oxygen Saturation During Exercise Under Normobaric Hypoxic Conditions: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Single-blinded Trial. Juntendo Medical Journal. 2022. PMID 39021722.

Schreml S, et al. Oxygen in acute and chronic wound healing. British Journal of Dermatology. 2010. PMID 20394633.

de Smet GHJ, et al. Oxygen therapies and their effects on wound healing. Wound Repair and Regeneration. 2017. PMID 28783878.

Fiogbe E, de Vassimon-Barroso V, Takahashi ACM. Exercise training in older adults, what effects on muscle oxygenation? A systematic review. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 2017. PMID 28410504.

PerformanceDrink has been evaluated through independent university research, controlled comparative testing, laboratory analysis, physiological measurements, cognitive testing, EEG measurement, athlete evaluations, and operational field observations. The page identifies each result by its method so visitors can distinguish controlled research, laboratory evidence, and real-world performance evaluation.

A randomized, double-blind, three-treatment crossover study involved 12 trained cyclists, including 9 men and 3 women aged 18 to 45. Participants consumed 500 mL of PerformanceDrink, Gatorade, or a flavored-water placebo before cycling for 120 minutes at approximately 70% of VO2 peak.

The paper described PerformanceDrink as a 2% carbohydrate-electrolyte solution containing 80 calories. Gatorade was described as a 6% carbohydrate-electrolyte solution containing 160 calories. The published formulation description focused on carbohydrate and electrolyte content and did not include a dissolved-oxygen concentration.

Researchers measured blood glucose, lactate, heart rate, core body temperature, respiratory variables, perceived exertion, total work output, and pre-exercise and post-exercise cognitive performance using the ANAM test battery.

PerformanceDrink throughput scores improved from pre-exercise to post-exercise in six of seven cognitive test batteries. Gatorade scores improved in four of seven batteries. Placebo scores improved in one of seven batteries. Three PerformanceDrink changes reached statistical significance within treatment.

Statistically significant within-treatment PerformanceDrink findings included a 16.4% improvement in delayed code-substitution throughput, a 7.6% improvement in spatial-processing median reaction time, and a 17.0% improvement in matching-to-sample throughput.

PerformanceDrink produced the highest mean total work output. It was 9.5% higher than Gatorade and 36.1% higher than placebo. These between-treatment differences were directional findings and did not reach statistical significance in the 12-participant sample.

This randomized, double-blind crossover study provides direct PerformanceDrink evidence from 12 trained cyclists completing a defined acute exercise protocol at one research center. The small sample limited statistical power. Larger multi-center studies can test the precision and consistency of these findings across broader populations and conditions.

The available publication did not provide a funding statement or conflict-of-interest statement.

Williams BT, Horvath PJ, Burton HW, Leddy J, Wilding GE, Rosney DM, Shan G. The Effect of Pre Exercise Carbohydrate Consumption on Cognitive Function. Journal of Athletic Enhancement. 2015. Volume 4, issue 1. DOI 10.4172/2324-9080.1000192. Read the complete study.

PerformanceDrink-specific testing and observations have included:

• Independent university research
• Double-blind comparative testing
• Physical performance measurements, including time, distance, and workload
• Cognitive performance testing
• EEG brain-activity measurements
• Blood glucose measurements
• Blood oxygen saturation observations
• Exercise and recovery measurements
• Professional athlete evaluations
• High-demand operational field evaluations

Each method measures a different part of human performance. Study design, participant selection, comparators, instruments, statistical analysis, and testing conditions determine how each result should be interpreted.

Across controlled cognitive testing, EEG, blood glucose, blood oxygen saturation, exercise performance, recovery measurements, biofeedback, and field evaluations, PerformanceDrink research has recorded performance-related changes after consumption. Agreement across different measurement methods provides converging evidence while preserving the identity and conditions of each study.