Esports Hydration

Hydration drives performance, recovery, and health. Gaming places unique physiological and cognitive demands on players, which is why standard hydration guidelines don't always translate. Our scientific team studied these realities in real-world settings and developed practical, evidence-based recommendations to help gamers support both health and performance.

Minimal Sweat. Maximum Neural Output. Our research shows that esports athletes lose very little fluid during play. Competition takes place in cool, controlled environments where sweat loss is minimal and salt loss is negligible. As a result, hydration in esports is not about replacing electrolytes lost through sweating, but about supporting the brain, which drives every performance decision. Esports is a mind sport, not a sweat sport.

On the one hand, gamers often under-hydrate consciously. Toilet breaks disrupt momentum, so many limit fluid intake, similar to some endurance athletes like cyclists and marathon runners. On the other hand, long gaming sessions combined with intense focus and stress can reduce normal thirst perception. The brain temporarily deprioritises hydration signals (described as stress-related hypodipsia), meaning players may not feel thirsty until performance has already declined. This effect is functional, temporary, and context-driven, rather than a medical condition.

This is why smart hydration is critical. Not just drinking more, but hydrating in a way that supports the brain and nervous system both short term and over time. Formulations built around natural, bioactive, nutrient-rich ingredients help players go longer, maintain high performance, and recover without relying on crude or short-lived stimulation. It should be simple: give gamers what they need so they don't have to think about it and can stay focused on the game.

Water is essential and today the best choice there is, but only water is not sufficient for high-performance gaming. Esports hydration must go further.

Sugar: In physical sports, carbohydrates fuel muscle performance. In Gaming and in general, they mainly trigger blood sugar spikes, jittery focus, crashes 60-90 minutes later and unstable decision making.

Zero sugar: No sugar is not automatically the better choice either. Most zero-sugar drinks rely on artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-K, or saccharin, which can confuse the body's normal glucose signalling. Sweet taste without energy delivery may trigger cravings, alter insulin and appetite responses, and increase the drive to seek carbohydrates later.

Some studies also suggest effects on gut-brain signalling and reward pathways, which can undermine satiety and self-regulation over time. There is growing scientific and consumer scepticism toward zero-sugar formulations, especially for sustained cognitive performance, where stable energy signals matter more than extreme sweetness without fuel.

The limits of gaming performance are neurological, not muscular. Most brands peak in energy boost, but underperform in neuro and cognitive KPIs like reaction, visual clarity, decision accuracy, emotional stability and mental endurance. A modern Player has a plan. To stay ahead of the game your body needs strong functional ingredients.

At Maysun, we don't assume what players need. We work with nutrition and medical testing to identify individual nutrient gaps, from key vitamins and minerals linked to cognitive load and recovery. Based on these insights, we help players build a targeted nutrition plan designed to close deficiencies and support brain performance, resilience under pressure, and long-term health customized for the digital world, rather than relying on generic, one-size-fits-all formulations.