KEEPING healthy is an important part of any athlete’s life, so who better to sell a brand new nutritional drink than some of Saints’ leading stars?

Southampton footballers Adam Lallana, Lee Holmes, Wayne Thomas and Tommy Forecast have all signed up as distributors of MonaVie – a fruit drink made from the Brazilian acai berry.

The new drink is aimed at athletes, outdoor enthusiasts and people who are on the go.

It is designed to harness the antioxidant benefits of the purple berry, found growing in the Amazon rainforests, and 18 other fruits.

“The benefits are that it helps me sleep better, makes me feel better, and most importantly, it makes me more focussed on my profession as a footballer,”

said Mr Holmes.

MonaVie has recently launched its products in the UK, but already trades in 11 other countries around the world, earning $1.6 billion (£1bn) in revenue since it was introduced to the US market four years ago.

It is one of the fastest-growing companies in America, reporting annual growth of 230 per cent between 2004 and 2008.

Its independent distributors receive commission based on product sales and can receive further rewards for signing up more people to sell the drink as part of its own sales network.

In America, the firm has courted some controversy over its health claims surrounding its drinks.

However, the US Food and Drink Administration has since said concerns raised had been fully addressed by the company.

The firm has recently announced its drink has been cleared for use by athletes after it was found to be free of all banned substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.