Alenni Nemitz, O⁺ Team Member

From a biology standpoint, oxygen is critical for your body to function. Every single cell in your body--the cells that make up your muscle tissue, your heart tissue, and your lungs, all of which are hard at work when you are playingsports--needs a hefty dose of oxygen to perform its essential duties. During a strenuous workout, your muscles sustain small tears--and "filling" these tears is what makes you gain muscle mass. As an athlete, you know that protein is essential for muscle recovery, but you may not be as familiar with oxygen's role.

Every single process carried out by your cells requires energy, which is produced in small organelles inside your cells, called mitochondria. This energy cannot be produced without lots and lots of oxygen. Without it, your muscles cannot extend and contract (which allows you to move). That's why your coach tells you to put your hands on your head (to open your lungs), take deep breaths, and drink water (guess what the "O" in H2O stand for!?) when you get muscle cramps--oxygen deprivation is one of the most common reasons your muscles cramp up.

Your heart, which is also made up of muscle tissue, requires a constant supply of energy (and, thus, lots of oxygen) to pump blood throughout your body. Your blood, in turn, carries oxygen to every part of your body so that they can function, too. You know that tingly feeling when your arm "falls asleep" in the middle of the night? That's because the way that you were laying on it was hindering your blood from traveling down your arm, so it wasn't getting the oxygen it needed. Without proper oxygenation, your arms and legs won't move the way they should. That could make playing tennis pretty difficult!

Oxygen is also essential for your brain cells to operate at their highest efficiency. When youare playing in a tennis match, you know how important it is to be awake and alert. When you feel sluggish, that may be your body's way of telling you that it needs an oxygen boost. Psst... sometimes you yawn, not because you are tired, but because your body is craving more oxygen.

The benefits of oxygen are immeasurable. The problem is, may people don't realize when their oxygen levels are lower than they should be. Many associate their "sluggishness" with being tired but, chances are, an oxygen boost is all they need to feel more like themselves. That's where our products can help you--they can give you the Energy + Recovery you need to be on your game. They can help you to stay alert, while optimizing your energy with everymove on the court. And they can help you to recover more quickly, so you are always ready for the next big match.