The ingredients in DRVN threshold aren't guesswork — every gram of carbohydrate, every milligram of electrolyte, and every buffering agent is in there for a specific physiological reason. Here's the full breakdown.
Sodium - 1000 mg
This is the number that most clearly differentiates DRVN from the majority of the market. Most electrolyte drinks contain 200–500 mg of sodium per serving. Sweat contains approximately 800 mg of sodium per litre, and a heavy sweater training hard for two hours can lose 2–3000 mg of sodium.
Sodium is the key electrolyte driving fluid balance. It acts like a sponge via something called osmotic pressure - pulling water into cells and drawing fluid from the gut into the body. When sodium drops, performance drops follow: even a 1–2% reduction in body water affects both physical and cognitive output. Decision making, reaction time, and coordination all take a hit.
1000 mg per serving - with the option of a second serving for heavy sweaters or extended sessions - is designed to actually keep pace with those losses rather than provide token replacement. The sodium comes partly as sodium chloride, which also provides chloride (another important electrolyte), and partly as sodium citrate.
Potassium - 400 mg
400 mg matches the approximate potassium loss per litre of sweat and is the target for replacement during intense exercise. There are a few other products with a good sodium level, but none that also have enough potassium.
Potassium works closely with sodium to control muscle contraction and cellular function through a series of pumps in cell membranes. It does this through the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase pump which moves sodium one way in exchange for potassium the other. This ion exchange allows the body to move vital compounds in and out of cells.
Magnesium - 200 mg
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions, plays a direct role in glucose metabolism and energy production, and there's growing evidence that supplementation reduces lactic acid build-up and improves exercise capacity.
Magnesium deficiency is very common in a large proportion of the population, particularly athletes as intense exercise can increase urinary magnesium losses by as much as 30%.
DRVN uses the malate salt form, the reasons why are explained just below. Like potassium, cheaper magnesium salts (oxides and chlorides) are available and commonly used; they aren't nearly as useful.
Dual-source carbs - 30 g
The evidence for carbohydrate use during high-intensity training is very clear. Even a 1–2 hour session at threshold intensities depletes muscle stores of carbohydrate significantly, and replacing those stores allows you to maintain output across the whole session rather than fading in the second half. When glycogen runs low, performance drops: the quality of your work goes down, decisions get worse, and the session becomes harder to sustain. The performance benefit isn't subtle.
The choice of 30 g was deliberate. Higher doses - the 60–90 g commonly found in products aimed at cyclists - carry a real risk of gastrointestinal distress, particularly in more dynamic sports. 30 g sits at the effective end without pushing into uncomfortable territory for most athletes. A second dose can be taken for longer sessions.
The 1:1 ratio of maltodextrin and fructose uses two separate intestinal transport pathways to absorb carbohydrate more efficiently than a single source could. Maltodextrin and fructose use different absorption pathways. Combining them allows more carbohydrate to be absorbed with no risk of gut problems. These carbohydrates are rapidly absorbed and digested, just what you need for a workout.
Improved hydration
A major benefit of taking sodium and carbohydrates together is their effect on fluid absorption. This is the basis for Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) drinks such as Dioralyte. Our founder is very familiar with this mechanism as ORT was actually originally formulated by vets.
Glucose and sodium are absorbed together via a clever channel called the ‘sodium-glucose cotransporter’ in the gut. Water is then drawn in after them. Consuming carbohydrates alongside electrolytes enhances the absorption of water, which is why a combined carbohydrate and electrolyte drink outperforms either on its own for hydration.
Acid buffers and energy system boosters - 3 g
As training intensity ramps up, waste products begin to build up in your blood. These compounds include things like lactic acid, which are metabolic acids that degrade athletic performance, making your session harder and harder.
DRVN contains a significant amount of acid buffers. These buffers (citrate and malate) are used as part of the the body's energy cycles (the Krebs cycle) which generates energy in your body. As they are consumed, they yield bicarbonate precursors which act as sponges to absorb unneeded acid so your performance doesn't drop off.
Citrate and malate are ingredients in your body's energy cycle (the Krebs cycle) which allow you to generate more energy, quicker. They accumulate in muscle and support ongoing energy production.
The buffering ability of DRVN is roughly equivalent to the World Health Organisations recommendations for oral rehydration therapy, though to be one of the most life saving medical advances ever.
Why it matters for training at threshold
When we put all these elements together, we have clinically relevant electrolyte doses that keep pace with what you are actually losing in sweat. Carbohydrates that will keep your output high until the end of your session and improved hydration by combining carbohydrates and sodium. On top of that, 3g of citrate and malate buffer the metabolic acid that builds as intensity climbs, while feeding into the Krebs cycle to help generate energy.
When you want to push past your thresholds, DRVN will give you the edge you need.