Interview with Dr. Sal Tirrito, CEO of XOOD

May 30, 6:01 PMWomen's Cycling ExaminerKathryn Bertine

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XOOD - The natural healthy endurance drink.

One time, at a triathlon, I got so dehydrated I answered “Tucson” when the ambulance driver asked me what my name was. That was in 1999, and I wasn’t just dehydrated but hyponatremic. Which is a fancy word Don’t-drink-gallons-of-water-leading-up-to-your-race-or-you’ll-deplete-your-sodium-levels-so-bad-it-could-kill-you. Or, in my case, turn me into a moron for a couple days. To avoid both moronism and death, it is best for endurance athletes to mix water with electrolyte replenishment products. Ten years ago, there weren’t a lot of choices for electrolyte drinks. Gatorade, Powerade, and other-ades were common, but often full of high fructose corn syrup and food colorings seemingly leeched from lightbulbs along the Las Vegas strip. Many a tummy have been troubled by such ingredients, especially during the utmost level of physical effort, and many a tummy have silently cried out for change. Luckily, Dr. Sal Tirrito and Dr. Lou Lancero two cardiologist-athletes in Tucson, heard the cry and created the best tasting, most effective, stomach-friendly electrolyte sports drink (technically, mix) on the market: XOOD.

KB: Hello Dr. Sal Tirrito, peacemaker of intestinal disfortitude. Tell me a little bit about yourself. For example, what the heck is a cardiologist doing creating a sports drink?

ST: Being a cardiologist was a natural fit for creating XOOD. I specialize in cardiovascular disease prevention and really what that is about is not drugs, but exercise, maintaining an appropriate body weight and eating a healthy diet. Sport nutrition has always been an interest of mine, and having a background in medicine and how the body works allows my to look at things in a different light.

KB: Was there an “ah-ha moment” when you were on the swim, bike or run when you knew you had to create this product?

ST: Actually, there was. I was about 60 miles into the Cochise Classic [cycling race], had been dropped by the pack and was struggling against the wind. All I had in my water bottle was the sport drink that I was drinking at that time (which I will graciously not name). I was tired, angry that I was dropped, and getting dehydrated but I just couldn’t take another sip. I would have killed for a sip of plain water but all I had was this overly sweet, thick and syrupy sports drink. I knew then that I could make something better.

KB: Your product comes in the flavors of Pomegranate, Mangosteen, and Green Tea-Lemon. A far cry from the orange and lemon-lime staples of drink mix. Why the exotic palate, and what exactly is a mangosteen?

ST: I like to call our product formulas instead of flavors. Flavor gives taste but nothing else. For example, you can make a green tea flavor drink that has no real green tea in it. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to blur the lines between a sports drink and a health drink. Our formulas contain actual extracts. For example, our Green Tea-Lemon formula contains 50mg of green tea. Green tea has been shown to have various health benefits so when you add a scoop of Green Tea-Lemon XOOD to your water bottle, not only to you get all the calories, electrolytes and vitamins you need for peak performance, but also the health benefits of drinking a cup of Green-Tea. It’s like getting the best of both worlds. The same holds true for pomegranate and mangosteen. They were chosen for their health benefits and contain actual pomegranate and mangosteen. Most people are familiar with the health benefits of green tea and pomegranate. A mangosteen is a fruit from Asia which contains potent anti-oxidants and is high in xanthones which have natural anti-inflammatory properties and may be help reduce fatigue and aid in muscle function and recovery.

KB: I see that you’ve created a XOOD triathlon team for amateurs, and that you also sponsor other endurance athletes like ultrarunner Pam Reed and that weird cyclist-writer chick that tried to get to the Olympics and now writes interviews on The Examiner…I forget her name. Anyway, as a business owner, how important is it to give back to the community to which your product caters?

ST: Endurance athletics is all about community. That is what draws me to it. It is like one big family. Your fiercest competitor can still be your best friend. It’s all about love of the sport. Nothing can be more rewarding then giving back to the community that I am so proud to be a part of.

KB: You’ve just completed a new book, entitled “So You Are Fat, Now What?” First, kudos to your directness! Second, what was the inspiration for it?

ST: One my interests as a cardiologist is weight management and exercise physiology. Everybody is also looking for the easy way out. This book is my way of letting people know that there is no easy way. There is no magic pill so stop looking for it. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less and exercise. It really is that simple.

KB: Where can we buy XOOD and, in case we get fat, where can we purchase your book?

ST: XOOD is available retail at select locations in Tucson and also at www.xoodhealth.com. As always, we offer free shipping on all online orders. My book is available online at www.soyouarefatnowwhat.com

KB: Ok, last and most important question. Is XOOD pronounced Exude or Zoo’d?

ST: Exude.

KB: Thank you, Sal! XOOD on!