Boston Dentist Creates a New ‘Energy Drink’

After finishing the Boston Marathon a decade ago, Hudson-based dentist and Boston University grad, David Paquette, found himself in a medical tent for dehydration. “The doctors gave me an IV of electrolytes, and I felt so amazing I was ready to keep running,” Paquette remembers. “I thought, why isn’t there something this powerful for when we go out and have a few drinks?”

That’s when Paquette had the idea for Biba, an all-natural, sparkling hydration drink that he packed with electrolytes and vitamins C and B12. “It has a light lime taste and the feel of a sparkling water,” he says. “It has the function of a sports drink and the feel of a soda, and is designed for ‘off the field’ hydration issues such as medication, illness, and travel.” He also says that Biba has transformed into something that you could mix with alcohol, as a healthier alternative to Red Bull or soda.

“If you are going to drink, why not be smart about it?” Paquette says. “Mix alcohol with a drink that has vitamins and electrolytes.”

When he originally created Biba, Paquette thought that he’d give it to his patients who were dehydrated from other issues such as an illness or from taking medications, traveling, or exercising. But soon he found that there was a market for his product. “Many people drink Gatorade when they’re sick and it is loaded with chemicals,” he says. “How is that going to make you healthy?”

Although it does seem like a good alternative to sports drinks, Biba still has 15 grams of sugar. And while that is less than most soda and sports drinks, it still brings the small canned drink to 55 calories. Paquette says that the next step is to develop a drink that has less sugar, and that he and his team have already begun experimenting with a new formula.

Available at Shaw’s; drinkbiba.com