In Spanish, the word "vivo" means life. The product ViVo Plus, then, might be taken to mean the enhancement of life.

For this Eureka-based water product, the creators believe it's true, both inside and out.

The product's bottle notes it is completely biodegradable. Eureka resident Kevin Larson, one of three company owners, said the container is the only biodegradable water bottle on the market.

But what might be even more important about ViVo Plus is what is in its water -- what one doesn't see.

Company spokesmen claim the product can achieve a plethora of healthy results for the body, including giving more mineral and vitamin bang for the buck compared to food and helping with arthritis, cramping and Type 2 diabetes.

"ViVo Plus hydration fluid is so advanced we had to patent the process," a promotional leaflet states.

Ingested for about 21 days straight, the product cleans out the cells of the body, said company co-owner Jim Nash, of Hannibal, MO.

It's also a super-hydrator. A concentrate that's added to the 100 percent distilled water both modifies the size and shape of the water molecules, Nash said, making it easier for the body to absorb.

"So it hydrates faster than anything else. That can be measured."

Nash added that about 75 percent of the U.S. population is consistently in a dehydrated state.

When provided to nursing home residents, ViVo Plus helped improve the elderly patients' memories, he said.  It also helped make them more physically active, said Nash.

He admitted the way he describes the product makes it sound like a miracle,  yet Nash said he doesn't want to build it up too much. "Anything that is involved with cells in your body, it is beneficial," he said.

Currently, Nash said, the product's effect on Type 2 diabetes is being researched in China.

Outside the United States, the product -- known as simply ViVo -- has been on the market for 22 years, primarily in Asian markets, such as China and Japan, Nash said. This summer, he said, the product was approved for sale in Thailand. Europe and Russia are also markets.

A 16.9-fluid ounce bottle of ViVo Plus retails for about a dollar, said Nash. The product is sold through Walgreen's and County Market stores.  County Market, based in Quincy, IL, has 17 stores, including in the Champaign-Urbana and Springfield areas, Nash said.

Though the ViVo Plus bottle is biodegradable, the process still takes a number of years and the bottle must be exposed to the elements, rather than encapsulated in a landfill, the company spokesmen said. In contrast, a normal plastic bottle can take thousands of years to break down.

The product is marketed through Larson Packaging, 116 Workman Court in Eureka. Larson's father, Don Larson of Eureka, is also a part-owner of ViVo Plus, Nash said.