Liquid IV, V. Hydrant offers food and beverage services. As for flavors, it offers most of the options of all our selections. We put 8 of the best electrolyte powders to the test on our adventures for more than a month.
To be honest, we subject them to a blind taste test. At the end of it all, Vitalyte electrolyte replacement powder is our best choice. If you have a sweet tooth, we recommend Ultima Replenisher Mix. Although it tasted like an artificial sweetener, it was by far the sweetest in our test and was our “guilty pleasure” form of replacing lost electrolytes.
One tester described it as “very smooth, but super tasty and refreshing”. Another said it “tastes like electrolytes, with no weird flavors or fake sugar.”. During our (admittedly subjective) hydration test, Vitalyte felt it was one of the most hydrating blends. Maybe it was because its light, unpretentious flavor made it very easy to swallow a whole bottle.
Whatever the reason, we found that we turn to Vitalyte more often, especially when temperatures reach triple digits. This electrolyte powder has a very mild flavor and was one of the least sweet in our test. If you're looking for something sweet, check out Ultima Replenisher Mix, which we discuss below. Skratch Labs Hydration Drink Mix came very close to Vitalyte.
It tastes just as refreshing, though it's noticeably sweeter. Our flavor testers liked the real sugar and the fact that it doesn't contain artificial sweeteners or fake flavors. One tester said it had a “good balance between sweet and savory flavors”. Skratch's electrolyte blend was a win for our testers, and it's perfect if you prefer a sweeter, fruity flavor that's both refreshing and crunchy.
It has a strong fake sugar flavor and aftertaste. Nor did it seem as hydrating as our two best powders, especially since the aftertaste left us an uncanny thirst for a little water to wash it off. Our consensus was that Ultima was too sweet to be our favorite hydration blend, but it would be a good treat to satisfy those with a sweet tooth from time to time. Hydration Multiplier is aptly named, we found this blend to be one of the most refreshing and hydrating in our test.
It also contains a large amount of sodium in each package. That was reflected in the flavor in a good way, and our testers said it was “somewhat sweet and salty, maybe a little saltier,” and that it “has a good balance of salty, sweet, and sour flavors.”. Overall, it's a great-tasting, hydrating option, great for anyone who needs to replace a lot of sodium lost during long, active days. The Gatorade Endurance Formula Powder was halfway through the package in our blind taste test.
Nobody liked or disliked it. It wasn't very sweet, although it had a slightly artificial flavor. One tester thought the flavor was reminiscent of that of Jolly Ranchers. While it's not as refreshing or hydrating as some of our best powders, it has a mild flavor that was easily absorbed and left us ready to continue venturing.
Price's electrolyte mix was similar to Liquid I, V. In that it had a great sweet and salty balance with a little bit of acidity. It fell a few points in the standings because it tasted somewhat artificial and didn't taste so good overall. Nuun's flavors were unpredictable among our tasters.
What we liked the most was the tropical flavor, followed very closely by Fruit Punch. Some of the flavors, in particular the grape, tasted too mineral and medicinal. While they all tasted salty, we agreed that they weren't as well balanced with the sweet flavors as our best options. Overall, the flavor just didn't keep up with other electrolyte blends in our test.
Still, we liked the tablet shape. They dissolve easily and quickly and have a pleasant effervescence. Nuun also has a good amount of sodium and other nutrients. We like mineral water and we don't mind a strong mineral flavor or a little fizz.
But the Electro Mix flavors from Emergen-C didn't work for us. It left all our tasters embarrassed and looking for something else to take the taste out of our mouths. When you sweat, you lose an average of 1 g of sodium per hour, although this can be much greater. Although we often think negatively about sodium, the body needs it to function properly.
When it goes too low, you can suffer from cramps, fatigue, and, in extreme cases, a dangerous condition called hyponatremia. So it's important to replace lost sodium, especially when you're active for hours at a time or when it's really hot. For long days on the trail or days of extreme heat, look for an electrolyte drink that is high in sodium. Sugar gets a bad rap in the diet world, but on an active day, sugar is your friend.
It helps you increase your energy and fuel your trip. Most electrolyte powders have a fairly high sugar content. They're designed to be eaten when you're very active, and the sugars will burn quickly. Some beverages contain artificial sweeteners and are lower in sugar and carbohydrates.
It may be best to drink them when you're less active, such as when you're resting at camp and rehydrating on a hot day. We use these electrolyte powders to fuel our adventures for more than a month. We take them with us on day hikes, trail runs, backpacking trips, and even a few days paddling on nearby lakes. All of these adventures involved spending most of the day outside, under the sun and heat, with temperatures reaching triple digits at any given time.
We make sure to drink at least one Nalgene of an electrolyte mix every day. These electrolyte drinks have what you need to recover from everything from running a marathon to going out on the town at night. A super effective solution for a variety of uses Soluble tablets are easy to use on the go. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
Learn more › The Problem? Every time you start to sweat, your body loses some of those minerals, leading to dehydration. This can lead to fatigue, nausea, abdominal and muscle cramps, and much worse. It's safest to stock up on the best electrolyte drinks to be prepared for any situation, whether after cardiovascular exercise or when you're recovering from the flu. The FDA does not review the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements before launching them on the market; therefore, this was not a determining factor in our selections.
PopSci staff and writers have years of experience in competitive sports and other dehydrating activities. To find the best electrolyte beverages, we surveyed and considered dozens of different options to find those that meet these standards. While sweating while exercising or playing sports may be the first thing you think of in terms of dehydration, there are actually plenty of ways to exhaust these precious resources. These can include food poisoning, traveling, heat, stomach flu, and even alcohol consumption.
The best electrolyte drinks we list below are sure to help you recover and rehydrate. It's one of the best sports drinks with electrolytes on the market, especially for athletes, which makes a lot of sense since it was developed while the founder was working with a professional baseball team. After realizing the need for natural, effective electrolyte drinks, he partnered with nutrition scientists to create what he calls a hydration booster. With every purchase consumers make, Liquid I, V.
Provides hydration in disaster areas, hospitals, impoverished communities and more people in need around the world. Pedialyte is an advanced medical-grade hydration formula that contains potassium, sodium and chloride. These key electrolytes are designed to restore the body's sugar and electrolyte balance, making it the best electrolyte drink for a hangover. You've probably had it several times in your life, as it's usually recommended for sick children who have a fever or who have trouble keeping their usual fluids down.
You can get Pedialyte in liters (liquid), powder packs, and freezing paddles that come in 17 flavors. However, the flavorless version is a great option that does not contain artificial dyes or dyes. Some people have reported that the unflavored option still has flavor, but if you drink it cold, it tastes much better. Nuun has been the best electrolyte drink for runners and athletes for years.
Nuun tablets contain only one gram of sugar derived from high quality stevia. It also contains only 15 calories and zero artificial sweeteners or flavors. There are a wide variety of flavors to choose from and it's easy to take them practically anywhere, since they are in tablet form. All you have to do is dissolve one tablet in 16 ounces of water.
While caffeine may be a disadvantage for some, studies have shown that caffeine can increase athletic performance, which could help runners during training and competition. In addition, caffeine is derived from green tea extract. Nuun also has tablets focused on energy and immunity, as well as a powdered electrolyte blend. Vita Coco is never made of concentrate.
The coconuts are picked, broken and packed directly at the source. Vita Coco also has coconut water options available in pineapple and peach flavors and 26% mango if you don't love the taste of natural coconut water. The bottles are practical and easy to store, so you don't have to worry about mixing a drink to replace it when you're already sold out. While many electrolyte drinks may be designed to rehydrate you after training, Hydralyte + Energy Boost has the added benefit of 100 mg of caffeine from green tea, making it the perfect pre-workout drink.
This selection is also formulated with vitamins that help energy metabolism (such as B12 and B), in addition to 225 mg of vitamin C, 9 mg of zinc, magnesium and potassium. If you're broke, hungover, and need something to fill the empty container of your spirit drink, look no further: this electrolyte blend from Emergen-C. In. Plus, it has as many, if not more, electrolytes, in some cases, as some of the more expensive options on this list.
Even better, it comes in packages so you can take it with you and not puke in public. You can grab everything you see in the store. Or you can buy something that fits your lifestyle. Here's What to Know Before You Put That Drink Mix in Your Cart.
Possibly the most important thing are the ingredients. Check the label to see exactly what you're getting in your electrolyte drink. There are a lot of different options and the one you choose may vary depending on what you're looking for, such as a way to help overcome the illness or a way to boost your exercise. It's also important to check for non-active ingredients.
Some sports drinks have the electrolytes you need, but combine them with tons of added sugar, which isn't ideal. There are different forms in which electrolyte drinks come in. These include the premixed liquid form, such as Pedialyte, the powder form, such as Liquid I, V. There are also naturally occurring electrolyte drinks, such as coconut water.
The type of electrolyte drinks you choose may depend on whether you need to travel with them, how much you need to carry with you easily, and also on your absolute preference. Some electrolyte drinks include additional ingredients such as caffeine or vitamin C. There are reasons why some of these additional additives may be beneficial and other reasons why some people may want to avoid them. In general, it's best to avoid any drinks that are high in sugar.
It doesn't hurt to consult your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if it's part of a new or particularly rigorous exercise program. You don't need to drink electrolyte drinks all the time. They are most beneficial during prolonged exercise (more than an hour), in hot environments, or if you are sick. Almost all electrolyte drinks have high levels of sodium, which you may not need if you don't lose fluids through sweat or other bodily functions.
Ask a doctor for the best information. Electrolyte drinks can be beneficial to the body, but not everyone needs to add electrolytes, as the body naturally replenishes them. In general, electrolyte drinks are great for those who exercise for a long time at high intensities, professional and competitive athletes, long-distance hikers, etc. They're also great for when you have the stomach flu, are breastfeeding, or need to rehydrate after a long night of drinking.
If you're looking for the best electrolyte drinks, there are a few things you should consider before making the final purchase. What ingredients do you want and which do you want to avoid? Do you want liquid, tablets or powder? Do you need something that's easy to carry or that you can travel with? Once you answer these questions, one of these best electrolyte drinks should work really well for you. The items may contain affiliate links that allow us to share the revenue from any purchase made. Registering or using this site implies acceptance of our Terms of Service.
I personally buy them directly from Liquid IV, mainly because they have all the flavors available, unlike stores like Costco and Amazon. Liquid IV is one of the few supplement brands that is even more popular than Athletic Greens and its alternatives. So when I took my friends to the Bubbles Fest in Oregon, I armed them all with Liquid IV so that we could be proactive in our hydration before trying more than 20 different bubbles each day. Hydration does not contain sugar, unlike Liquid IV, which has between 8 and 11 g of sugar (depending on the variant).
Liquid IV was originally designed as a hangover remedy (hence the B vitamins), but is now marketed for more general use as a “hydration booster” using “the innovative science of cellular transport technology”. Liquid IV is one of the best electrolyte drinks on the market, but more affordable alternatives, such as Hydration or Dripdrop from Essential Element, can offer the same results for less. The Nuun airtight tube holds ten tablets, while Hydrant and Liquid IV are individually wrapped and generate garbage with each use. Overall, Liquid IV offers a solid mix of electrolytes and vitamins, especially the B vitamins that provide an energy boost.
If you're looking for something low in sugar, we've included a lower-sugar alternative to Liquid IV. I tried the DripDrop and really enjoyed it, in fact, right from the start I thought it was better than the Liquid IV. Liquid IV also contains other vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, so if you're anything like me, I need all the help I can get these vitamins. Liquid IV is an electrolyte drink blend that hydrates the body and directly provides nutrients such as sodium, potassium, glucose and B vitamins to the bloodstream.
Potentially in response, Liquid IV released a “sleep formula” with much less sugar than the original. .
