A MULTIPLE world record holder is on a mission to get more people drinking water.
Jamie Douglas-Hamilton is teaming up with the UK’s fittest man Zack George and CrossFit athlete Jay Younger to “supercharge hydration in the UK”.
A study has shown that 90 per cent of Brits failed to drink the recommended daily amount of water, with one in 10 consuming no water at all and one in five drinking more than a litre of coffee each day.
Jamie, who founded ACTIPH Water, the UK’s first alkaline ionised water brand, said: “Not only are we chronically dehydrated as a nation, but we are drinking highly acidic, high-sugar, artificial drinks and not drinking what we need most.
“Water is the forgotten nutrient that is more essential for health than any other.
“There is not a single cellular function in the body that does not requires water.
“The human body is 70 per cent water, our blood is 92 per cent water, our muscles and kidneys are 80 per cent water and our brains and heart are 73 per cent water, even our skin is 64 per cent water, yet British consumers choose energy drinks and carbonated soft drinks over water and this is why Britain is one of the most dehydrated and obese countries in Europe.”
READ MORE: Adventurer Jamie Douglas-Hamilton on record-breaking rowing trip
According to a 2022 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, the UK has the third highest rate of obesity among adults in Europe and hydration choices are a major contributor.
Jamie, who grew up near North Berwick, is teaming up with Zack and Jay to take on the beverage giants in an attempt to improve the health of the nation.
Zack is one of the world’s top CrossFit athletes and was named UK’s fittest man after winning UK CrossFit challenge in 2020.
He has launched a health and fitness campaign across primary and secondary schools with the aim of engaging them to be the healthiest they can be.
He said: “Statistics show that one in five children leaving primary schools in the UK are obese.
“Less than one-third of children take part in the recommended levels of activity for their age.
“I will be running workshops in schools across the country on health, hydration and mindset and how I overcame all odds through fitness to achieve the impossible, and want this story to inspire kids to take charge of their own health and achieve great things.”
Former Belhaven Hill School pupil Jamie founded ACTIPH Water after he discovered its benefits during a eureka moment after setting off on a 5,000-mile row from Australia to Africa.
Due to the high volume of desalinated water the crew were drinking, they would often hallucinate or even lose consciousness as the purified water, lacking in minerals, flushed vital electrolytes out of their bodies.
This all changed when one crew member mixed sea water with fresh water.
READ MORE: Jamie Douglas-Hamilton setting off on 1,000 mile row from Antarctica
The replenishing effect was so profound that the crew mixed every second bottle of drinking water with one-quarter salt water, increasing their power in the water, and it was instrumental in them breaking two Guinness World Records for the longest and fastest row in the Indian Ocean.
Jamie said: “Consumers kept telling us they like the way alkaline ionised water makes them feel and is especially popular with athletes and those suffering from reflux.”
Jamie endeavoured to bring the innovative product to the European market and launched ACTIPH in 2017.
Supermarket giant Tesco was so impressed with their plans that it took ACTIPH on as part of its Incubator Programme, offering the company mentoring and business insight and helping them grow.
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