Health advisory · Adults 45+

A warning for anyone over 45 from Dr. Derek Alessi, Ph.D.

If You Wake Up With Leg Cramps, Get Headaches by 3 P.M., or Feel Foggy No Matter How Much Water You Drink, Read This

Dr. Derek explains the "Mineral Leak" that starts around 45, why more water can make it worse, and the 10-second morning habit his clients use to ease cramps, headaches and brain fog.

By Dr. Derek Alessi, Ph.D.

Ph.D., Exercise Science · M.S., Nutrition · Author of 11 books · Founder, Strength Genesis · 6 min read

4.7 from 1,011+ Strength Genesis reviews 27,000+ orders shipped

For more than 30 years, I've heard the same thing from the people I work with.

Quick check

Tap any that sound like you:

Tap the ones that apply.

"Dr. Derek, I'm doing everything right. I walk. I lift. I eat well. I drink my water. So why do I wake up at 2 a.m. with my calf locked in a knot? Why do I get a dull headache every afternoon? Why do I lose words mid-sentence?"

A woman in her 50s sitting on the edge of her bed at 2:07 a.m., gripping a cramping calf — 2:07 a.m. If you've had this cramp, you know it.

These aren't careless people. They're executives, retired teachers, grandparents who still hike, couples who walk three miles every morning. Many take a blood pressure pill or a statin, manage a stiff knee, and still show up for life.

Dr. Derek talking with a client at his clinic — Dr. Derek with a client at his clinic.

And almost every one of them had been given the same advice: "Just drink more water."

So they did. Eight glasses. Ten. A big bottle on the desk. They spent half the day running to the bathroom… and still felt dry, foggy and tight.

A man in his 50s at his desk pressing his forehead, a full water bottle beside his laptop — A full bottle on the desk, and a headache by 3 p.m. anyway.

What I see almost every week

She's 58. Walks four mornings a week, does a strength class on Thursdays, and keeps a 32-ounce bottle on her desk that she refills twice a day. She takes a small blood pressure pill her doctor started last year.

Around 2 a.m., her right calf seizes. She stands on the cold floor until it lets go. By 3 p.m. there's a dull band of headache behind her eyes, and in meetings she reaches for a word that isn't there.

"I'm drinking more water than I ever have," she tells me. "And I feel worse."

She's not doing anything wrong. She's just pouring water into a body that's leaking the minerals it needs to use it.

A composite of what Dr. Derek hears from clients, not a single person's story.

After 45, the problem usually isn't how much water you drink. It's what your water is missing. I call it the Mineral Leak.

You're not the only one

What Dr. Derek hears every week

"I was waking up with tight calves and occasional cramps. I just assumed it was part of getting older."

58 · walks every morning

"By 3:00 almost every afternoon I was fighting a headache and reaching for another cup of coffee. I thought I was just tired."

Afternoon headaches

"I drink a ton of water, so I never understood why my mouth, eyes and skin could still feel so dry."

Drinks plenty, still dry

"I still lift three days a week and golf whenever I can, but at 61 I don't bounce back like I used to. Some afternoons I feel completely drained, even after drinking water all day."

61 · lifts and golfs

"I love gardening, but on hot days I come inside exhausted with a headache and just want to sit down."

Gardens most days

"I take a water pill. There are days I drink plenty of water and still feel dry and run down."

Takes a diuretic

"Nothing makes you feel older faster than waking up in the middle of the night grabbing your calf."

Night-time calf cramps

"I'm not training for a marathon. I'm a 59-year-old guy who works out, plays golf and wants enough energy to enjoy the rest of my day."

59 · works out, golfs

"Diabetes runs in my family, so I watch sugar. I don't want a hydration drink that tastes like liquid candy."

Careful with sugar

"Hot flashes, workouts, summer heat. I feel like I'm constantly losing water, and I'm dried out before lunch."

Menopause + workouts

"I travel constantly for work and always feel terrible after flying: dry mouth, dry eyes, headache, no energy."

Frequent flyer

"I hit a wall around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I assume I need caffeine and pour another coffee."

The 3 p.m. wall

"I'm 71, not dead. I still work out, play golf and chase my grandkids around. I want the energy to keep doing all of it."

71 · still training

Paraphrased from what clients tell Dr. Derek about their symptoms. These are not reviews of Hydrate.

Why it gets worse after 45

The "Mineral Leak": 3 Reasons Water Stops Working After 45

123

Your thirst alarm gets quieter

In your 20s, your body tells you loudly when you need fluid. With age that signal fades, so many older adults feel less thirsty even when they're running low.¹ By the time you notice, you're already behind.

Plain water doesn't hold

Your body needs minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium and others) to absorb water and keep it where your muscles and brain can use it. Without them, much of what you drink passes straight through. That's why "drink more" often means more bathroom trips, not better hydration.

Some everyday medications pull minerals out

This is the one almost no one connects. Some common blood pressure medications, especially diuretics ("water pills"), work by flushing out fluid, and they can take potassium with it.² If you take one, ask your doctor whether your mineral levels have been checked. (Never stop or change a medication on your own.)

That's the Mineral Leak: you drink plenty, feel dry anyway, and have no idea why. Even mild dehydration has been linked to headaches, poorer concentration and fatigue³: the exact afternoon slump so many of my clients describe. And when your muscles run low on the minerals they need to relax, they cramp.

Where you often notice it first

Dry skin. Tired, gritty eyes. Same leak.

The problem: Skin that feels tight and dry by evening, no matter how much lotion you use. Eyes that burn or feel gritty by mid-afternoon, worse on screens or after a flight. Most people blame age or the weather. But your skin and the thin film that keeps your eyes comfortable both depend on water, and when your body runs low, they're last in line. Researchers have found people with dry eye were more likely to show signs of under-hydration in their blood,⁸ and people who habitually drank too little measurably improved their skin hydration when they drank more.⁹

The fix: Not just more glasses of water. Water your body can actually hold. Hydrate pairs your water with sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride so more of it stays in you, instead of passing straight through.

Hydrate is not a treatment for dry eye disease or any skin condition. If symptoms persist, see your eye doctor or dermatologist.

"So why not just grab a Gatorade?"

A Drink Built for 1965 Football Players Wasn't Built for You

When I'd tell clients they needed electrolytes, most reached for a sports drink. Some told me their own doctor had suggested Gatorade.

But Gatorade was created in 1965 for University of Florida football players sweating through practices in the Florida heat.⁵ It was never meant for a 55-year-old who wants a clear head at 3 p.m. and a full night's sleep without a cramp.

A red sports drink bottle beside a row of measuring spoons heaped with sugar — One 20 oz bottle of Gatorade has 34 g of sugar, about 8½ teaspoons.

34 g

sugar · 20 oz Gatorade

≈ 8½ teaspoons

0 g

sugar · Hydrate stick

Sweetened with allulose + stevia (Reb M)

10 calories

A 20 oz bottle has 34 grams of sugar, about 8½ teaspoons.⁴
The "Zero" version swaps sugar for sucralose, acesulfame potassium and artificial dyes.
Neither has any magnesium or calcium.

The trendy alternatives aren't built for you either. One popular brand packs 1,000 mg of sodium into a single stick.⁶ Another is sweetened with cane sugar and dextrose.⁷

Per serving	SG Hydrate	Gatorade 20 oz
Sugar	0 g	34 g
Artificial dyes	None	Yes
Sodium	600 mg	270 mg
Potassium	300 mg	75 mg
Magnesium	100 mg	None
Calcium	50 mg	None
Chloride	900 mg	Yes (salt)
Vitamin B12	50 mcg	None
Vitamin C	400 mg	None
Built for	Adults 40+	1965 football field

Per serving. Gatorade figures from the 20 oz Thirst Quencher label.

So I stopped looking and started making my own

Introducing Strength Genesis Hydrate

Most of the good-tasting ones were sugar bombs. The "zero" ones were full of artificial sweeteners and dyes. Nearly all were built for 25-year-old athletes. Nothing on the shelf was something I'd hand my own clients. So I didn't go looking for another alternative. I began manufacturing my own: the formula I wanted, made to my specs, with my name on it.

Strength Genesis Hydrate electrolyte drink mix pouches in Berry Blast and Tropical Splash

It helps relieve muscle cramps caused by dehydration and low electrolytes.Magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium are the minerals your muscles use to contract and relax normally. When you run low, muscles cramp. Hydrate puts all five electrolytes back, plus B12 and vitamin C, in one stick you stir into your morning water.

Per stick	Amount	Why it matters after 45
Sodium	600 mg	Helps your body hold on to water. Balanced, not a 1,000 mg "salt bomb"
Potassium	300 mg	Works with sodium to balance fluid in and around your cells
Magnesium	100 mg	Helps muscles relax. Missing from Gatorade entirely
Calcium	50 mg	Supports normal muscle contraction
Chloride	900 mg	The fifth electrolyte, from sea salt
Vitamin B12	50 mcg	Methylcobalamin. Supports energy; absorption declines with age
Vitamin C	400 mg	Antioxidant support
Sugar	0 g	Sweetened with allulose and stevia (Reb M). 10 calories

Zero sugarNo artificial sweetenersNo dyesNon-GMOVeganGluten-free

See the full Supplement Facts panel ↓

Strength Genesis Hydrate Supplement Facts panel

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Free shipping + free socks · 30-day guarantee

"Okay, but does it taste good?"

We Stopped Unsuspecting Exercisers Mid-Workout and Handed Them a Cup. No Script. No Retakes.

Here's what they said on the first sip.

"It's nice and smooth. It's not biting."

"Tastes delicious."

"Very beachy. Very beachy."

On Tropical Splash

"Those are your electrolytes for the day."

No salty aftertaste. No chemical finish. Most people pick a favorite by day three: Berry Blast or Tropical Splash.

What the next 30 days could look like

One Stick. One Glass. Ten Seconds.

A woman pouring a Berry Blast Hydrate stick into a glass of ice water next to her morning coffee

You sleep through the night without a calf cramp jolting you awake.
You tear open a stick with your morning coffee. Ten seconds and you're done.
Your afternoon doesn't fall off a cliff at 3 p.m.
You get through your walk, your round of golf or your grandkids' game without feeling wrung out.
Your water bottle finally feels like it's doing something.

Woman gardening with a Strength Genesis Hydrate Berry Blast pouch and a pink drink

Man drinking Strength Genesis Hydrate after a workout

Give it two weeks of daily use. That's the window I tell my own clients to judge it by. You have 30 days to decide, and if it isn't working for you, you don't pay. (More on that below.)

Start My 40-Day Reset →

About $1.62 a day · Keep it anyway guarantee

Who's behind this

Why 27,000+ Orders Have Trusted Dr. Derek's Recommendations

Dr. Derek is the author of 11 books and has spent more than 30 years working with adults over 40 on strength, nutrition and healthy aging. Strength Genesis is the line of products he uses himself and recommends to his own clients.

Dr. Derek handing out Hydrate samples at his clinic

Dr. Derek talking with a client during the taste test

Dr. Derek with clients at his clinic during our unscripted taste test.

27,000+orders shipped

4.7★1,011+ Strength Genesis reviews

30+years helping adults over 40

72%of first Hydrate buyers ordered 2+ pouches

The question I get most

"I Take Blood Pressure Medication. Is This Safe for Me?"

It deserves a straight answer, so here are the exact numbers in every stick:

600 mgsodium (26% DV)

300 mgpotassium (6% DV)

Most adults can use that comfortably every day. But if your doctor has you on a sodium or potassium limit, or you take a medication that affects potassium, do this first: print the one-page doctor sheet below and show it to your doctor or pharmacist. It lists every ingredient and the exact questions to ask. It takes 30 seconds, and it's the right call.

Preview of the one-page Hydrate doctor sheet: Supplement Facts and questions to ask your doctor

↓ Free doctor sheet (PDF)

I'd rather you check and come back than guess.

A note on statins: if you take a statin and have new or worsening muscle pain, please tell your doctor. That matters on its own, and it isn't something a drink mix should cover up.

Claim My Limited-Time Offer →

Bring the doctor sheet. Order with confidence.

Limited-time offer

The 40-Day Hydration Reset

Most customers choose the 40-day Reset. It's enough time to find your favorite flavor and feel the difference before you decide.

✓ 72% of our first Hydrate customers ordered 2 or more pouches

Everything in your 40-Day Reset

40 sticks of Hydrate1 Berry Blast + 1 Tropical Splash pouch, if bought separately$71.98

SG FOX Fitness SocksFree, added with one click after checkout$19.97

US shippingApplied automatically at checkout$6.99

Printable doctor sheetEvery ingredient + the questions to askIncluded

30-Day "Keep It Anyway" GuaranteeRefund and keep the product and socksIncluded

Total value$98.94

Your price—

Best value

Buy 2 Variety Packs, Get a Can of Creatine Chews FREE

2 Berry Blast + 2 Tropical Splash · 80 sticks

$129.98about $1.62/day

Strength Genesis Sugar-Free Creatine Chews can

Limited time: FREE Sugar-Free Creatine Chews ($34.97 value)
5 g creatine monohydrate per serving. Strawberry watermelon, no water or mixing. 80 chews, formulated by Dr. Derek.

FREE SG FOX Fitness Socks ($19.97 value)
FREE US shipping
30-Day "Keep It Anyway" Guarantee

The 30-Day "Keep It Anyway" Guarantee

Drink Hydrate for 30 days. Put it up against plain water, your sports drink, whatever you use now. If you don't feel better hydrated and more clear-headed, email us and we'll refund every penny.

Keep the pouch. Keep the socks. No forms. Nothing to ship back. The risk is entirely on me.

— Dr. Derek Alessi, Ph.D.
Ph.D., Exercise Science · M.S., Nutrition · Author of 11 books

Questions

Does it help with cramps?

Yes. Hydrate helps relieve muscle cramps caused by dehydration and low electrolytes by replacing the magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium your muscles need to relax. If your cramps are new, severe, or started after a medication change, talk to your doctor too.

I take blood pressure medication or watch my sodium. Is this okay?

Each stick has 600 mg sodium and 300 mg potassium. If your doctor has you on a sodium or potassium limit, or you take a medication that affects potassium, show them the Supplement Facts panel (or our printable doctor sheet) before you start.

Will it make me bloated or thirsty?

At 600 mg sodium, it's a balanced amount, not the 1,000 mg "salt bomb" approach. It's built for daily use, not just heavy sweating.

How is this different from LMNT or Liquid I.V.?

Zero sugar, where Liquid I.V. uses cane sugar and dextrose. 600 mg sodium instead of LMNT's 1,000 mg. And 100 mg of magnesium per stick, versus LMNT's 60 mg.

What does it taste like?

Light and smooth, not salty or chemical. Berry Blast is bright and fruity. Tropical Splash is, in the words of one of our tasters, "very beachy."

Is it really sugar-free?

Yes. It's sweetened with allulose and stevia (Reb M). 10 calories a stick.

How do I use it?

One stick in 16 oz of water, once a day. Most people take it with their morning coffee or before a walk.

Is shipping really free?

Yes. Free shipping is applied automatically at checkout on US orders. You don't need a code.

How do I get my free socks?

Right after checkout, you'll see the socks on the next page. Click "Add". There's no charge.

When will it ship?

Orders ship right away from the USA, and you'll get a tracking number by email.

You've been told to drink more water for years. You've done it. And you still wake up at 2 a.m. with a cramp, still hit the 3 p.m. wall, still lose your words.

Maybe the problem was never you. Maybe it was what your water was missing.

For about $1.62 a day, with free shipping, you can find out for yourself. If it doesn't work for you, you don't pay, and you keep the pouch and the socks.