Some people believe that chia seeds somehow give us extra energy. That is what Christopher McDougall leads us to believe in his book Born to Run. I've done some reading on this though, and what I summarize is an indirect effect. The chia seeds absorb the liquids you take in (like a sponge since they expand as they absorb liquid) allowing you to hold onto that liquid longer therefore preventing dehydration from setting on too quickly. When our muscles are without hydration, they fatigue quickly and lose energy.