Who ought to — and shouldn’t — use electrolyte powder to hydrate

Drinking plenty of water is crucial to staying hydrated, however for some folks, H20 alone doesn’t reduce it, says Dr. Matthew Sedgley, a doctor specializing in sports activities drugs at MedStar Health. Those who do strenuous train, have a labor-intensive job or spend lengthy intervals within the warmth might also have to replenish their electrolytes. “Electrolyte is a elaborate phrase for minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium, they usually’re substances our our bodies have to perform,” he says. “Your physique makes use of them as you do bodily exercise, which makes changing them necessary.”

A quick and handy manner to do this is mixing electrolyte powder into your water, says Amy Goldsmith, a registered dietitian specializing in sports activities vitamin who owns Kindred Nutrition & Kinetics. These powders typically are available pre-measured packets, so you already know precisely how a lot of every mineral you’re getting, they usually’re obtainable in numerous flavors, in order that they style good.

I talked to medical doctors and nutritionists about how to buy electrolyte powders, in addition to who ought to — and shouldn’t — use them. But keep in mind: Before you’re taking something, remember to seek the advice of your physician.

SKIP AHEAD Electrolyte powders 101 | The best electrolyte powders of 2024 | How much electrolytes should you drink? | Signs of electrolyte imbalance | Can electrolytes powder help with a hangover? | Why trust NBC Select

Electrolyte powder 101

Before shopping for electrolyte powder, it’s useful to grasp what it’s, the advantages it affords and who it’s designed for. Here’s some key info specialists need you to know.

How I picked the best electrolyte powders

While purchasing for electrolyte powders, specialists suggest maintaining the next in thoughts:

• Mineral composition: An electrolyte powder’s vitamin label particulars what minerals it’s made with. The most necessary minerals to search for are sodium and potassium — whereas sweating, you lose them on the highest charges, says Jones. Some powders additionally include electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, chloride and phosphorus, however they’re not as rapidly depleted, in order that they’re much less necessary from a hydration standpoint, she says.
• Mineral focus: The vitamin label additionally tells you the way a lot of every mineral the powder is made with, measured in milligrams. Formulas differ by model. Overall, the correct amount of every mineral for you relies on components like your degree of bodily exercise, sweat price and well being standing, so discuss to your physician about what they suggest. As a baseline, our specialists break down their options under.
• Sugar content material: Many electrolyte powders include sugar as a result of it’s a carbohydrate that acts as gas on your muscle mass and aids in fluid stability, says Goldsmith. Sugar is helpful for the typical wholesome particular person partaking in strenuous bodily exercise for 90 minutes or longer, like marathon runners, says Sedgley. If that doesn’t sound such as you, you may go for a sugar-free electrolyte powder, when you desire, says Reavis. Check the electrolyte powder’s vitamin label for details about the supply and focus of sugar, measured in grams. If you’re delicate to sugar, seek the advice of your physician about what’s greatest on your physique. (Read extra about sugar in electrolyte powers under.)
• Additional components: Beyond electrolytes and sugar, some powders produce other components, like vitamin C and vitamin B. Read the vitamin label to verify the powder doesn’t include components you could keep away from, whether or not that’s on account of a well being situation or since you’re getting loads of it from one other supply, like a day by day multivitamin, says Dr. Sandeep Mallipattu, chief of the division of nephrology and hypertension at Stony Brook Medicine. Also be sure to don’t purchase a powder made with caffeine. “Caffeine is a diuretic, which causes our physique to lose water, and that’s the alternative of our purpose with hydration,” says Reavis.
• Flavor: Electrolyte powders are available numerous flavors, a few of that are extra pronounced than others when you combine them with water. Try to keep away from synthetic coloring and flavoring brokers if potential, says Jones. Also, do not forget that the extra sodium in an electrolyte powder, the saltier it’s going to style, says Goldsmith.

• Third-party certifications: The FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplements like electrolyte powders previous to them being bought. The company is just chargeable for regulating them after they’ve entered the market. However, firms can decide to have their merchandise examined by businesses just like the U.S. Pharmacopeia, Consumerlab.com and NSF International, says Patruno. These organizations give merchandise their seal of approval, which is commonly mirrored on packaging, as long as they meet efficiency, purity and high quality necessities; include the components listed on their label within the said quantities; and are free from contaminants. Elite athletes are sometimes drug examined earlier than competitions, so they have to purchase an electrolyte powder that’s NSF Certified for Sport or has the Informed Sport certification to make sure it’s freed from banned substances, says Jones.

The best electrolyte powders of 2024

Below, I rounded up electrolyte powders I’ve tried or specialists suggest. I included the quantity of sodium and potassium each has per serving since they’re crucial minerals to search for whereas purchasing, specialists say.

It’s necessary to notice that while you add a powder to water, you’ll want to offer it an excellent stir — when you don’t, the powder gained’t absolutely dissolve into your water, and it’s possible you’ll find yourself sipping salty clumps. I like to recommend utilizing a shaker bottle or investing in a handheld electric mixer to totally incorporate the powder into water.

Best taste choice: Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier Electrolyte Drink Mix

Liquid IV, which Goldsmith recommends, is among the most well-known manufacturers within the electrolyte powder house. It is available in over a dozen flavors like lemon lime, strawberry, concord grape and passion fruit, so that you’ll possible discover one you want. Each pack has 11 grams of sugar, which I discover provides it a really candy style, so I are inclined to dilute it with just a few extra ounces of water than the model recommends. Liquid IV’s sodium- and potassium-based electrolyte powder is vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Sodium: 560 mg. | Potassium: 370 mg. | Sweetener: cane sugar, stevia leaf extract, dextrose | Form: single-serve packets

Best for inexperienced persons: DripDrop Fast Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix

DripDrop’s number of flavors is just like Liquid IV’s, however the formulation has decrease sodium and sugar concentrations. That provides it a much less pronounced style, so I discover it ultimate for many who’ve by no means tried an electrolyte powder earlier than and are getting used to ingesting it. The powder is made with sodium, potassium and magnesium, and its formulation is gluten-free and vegan. You should purchase flavors like fruit punch, orange, lemon-lime and berry.

Sodium: 330 mg. | Potassium: 180 mg. | Sweetener: sugar, fructose, sucralose | Form: single-serve packets

Best synthetic sugar-free powder: Liquid IV Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier Electrolyte Drink Mix

Because I discover Liquid IV’s customary electrolyte powder very candy, I desire the model’s sugar-free sodium- and potassium-based formulation.

Instead of cane sugar or synthetic sweeteners, it’s made with allulose, a pure sugar present in fruit like figs and raisins. My favourite flavors are lemon-lime and white peach, which style particularly refreshing in ice water. Liquid IV’s sugar-free, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free electrolyte powder additionally is available in raspberry melon, green grape and rainbow sherbet flavors.

Sodium: 510 mg. | Potassium: 380 mg. | Sweetener: allulose, stevia leaf extract | Form: single-serve packets

Best sports activities drink different: Gatorade Gatorlyte Rapid Rehydration Electrolyte Beverage Powder

Gatorade’s electrolyte powder, which many specialists suggest, has an ingredient profile that’s just like its Gatorlyte sports activities drink.

The powder is a good choice when you just like the style of Gatorade however need the comfort of a single-serve packet you may throw in your gymnasium bag. You should purchase the powder, made with sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride, in flavors like cherry lime, orange and watermelon.

Sodium: 490 mg. | Potassium: 350 mg. | Sweetener: sugar, maltodextrin, stevia leaf extract | Form: single-serve packets

Best tasting powder: Body Armor Flash IV Electrolyte Packets

Goldsmith recommends Body Armor’s electrolyte powders over the model’s pre-mixed beverages for hydration as a result of they’ve much less sugar and extra sodium: One packet of the powder has 510 milligrams of sodium and nil grams of sugar, whereas one pre-mixed beverage has 30 milligrams of sodium and 29 grams of sugar. I’m additionally a giant fan of this electrolyte powder, which the model despatched me to attempt. Its taste isn’t overpowering or too candy, and past sodium and potassium, it’s made with chloride, calcium and magnesium. I really like the tropical punch taste, and it’s obtainable in choices like lemon-lime, grape, strawberry kiwi and cucumber lime, too.

Sodium: 510 mg. | Potassium: 700 mg. | Sweetener: stevia leaf extract | Form: single-serve packets

Best balanced formulation: Transparent Labs Hydrate Electrolyte Powder

This electrolyte powder’s formulation has a 2:1 ratio of sodium to potassium, which Goldsmith goals for when selecting a well-balanced product for her shoppers. It’s additionally made with calcium and magnesium and is free from synthetic sweeteners, synthetic coloring, dyes and gluten. You should purchase flavors like peach mango and tropical punch.

Instead of single-serve packets, Transparent Labs’ Hydrate electrolyte powder is available in a jar with a scooper. Make positive you degree off the news earlier than mixing with water, says Reavis. If you don’t, the electrolyte focus could also be barely better than what’s listed on the product’s vitamin label.

Sodium: 500 mg. | Potassium: 250 mg. | Sweetener: stevia extract | Form: scoopable powder

Best tablets: Nuun Sport Electrolyte Drink Tablets

“Some manufacturers supply electrolyte tablets quite than powders, which are usually much less messy,” says Jones. “The tabs dissolve in water and often are available a small tube that’s straightforward to maintain available when you’re on the go.” In my expertise, electrolyte tablets take a bit longer than powders as a result of you may’t combine them — you must wait till the pill fully dissolves by itself earlier than ingesting.

I’ve used Nuun’s electrolyte tablets for over 5 years. They make your water fizzy once they dissolve, which I discover is extra fulfilling to drink. The tablets have sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride, plus they’re gluten-free and vegan. You should purchase Nuun’s electrolyte tablets in flavors like strawberry lemonade (my favourite), watermelon, citrus fruit and tri–berry. They’re additionally eligible to purchase with a flexible spending account (FSA).

Sodium: 300 mg. | Potassium: 150 mg. | Sweetener: stevia leaf extract, dextrose | Form: tablets

Best for athletes: Thorne Catalyte

If you need a barely candy style and fewer added carbohydrates than a sports activities drink, “Thorne Catalyte is a good choice, and it’s additionally NSF Certified for Sport,” says Jones. “With 485 milligrams of sodium and 5 grams of carbohydrate, it’s excellent for energetic people.” Young additionally recommends this lemon-lime electrolyte powder, made with sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride. Thorne Catalyte has no dairy, sugar, gluten or synthetic flavors.

Sodium: 485 mg. | Potassium: 96 mg. | Sweetener: tapioca maltodextrin | Form: scoopable powder

Best for average train and energetic careers: Skratch Labs Hydration Powder

Since it has a average sodium focus of 400 milligrams, Jones recommends Skratch Labs’ Hydration powder for many who have energetic careers, like development employees, nurses, teachers and landscapers, and those that train for below an hour however are inclined to sweat so much whereas doing so. The vegan powder is made with sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, and it’s gluten- and dairy-free. Skratch Labs’ electrolyte powder is available in flavors like pineapple, strawberry lemonade and orange.

Sodium: 400 mg. | Potassium: 50 mg. | Sweetener: cane sugar, dextrose | Form: scoopable powder

Best for intense train: LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix

“For these with very excessive sweat charges, I typically counsel incorporating LMNT to assist in rehydration and sustaining vitality ranges throughout train,” says Jones.

LMNT’s vegan, gluten-free electrolyte powder has the very best sodium focus out of all of the choices on this listing at 1,000 milligrams, making it appropriate for these engaged in extended intense bodily exercise, like marathon runners and long-distance bikers. Its formulation has magnesium in addition to sodium and potassium. You should purchase the powder in flavors like citrus salt, watermelon salt, raspberry salt and mango chili salt.

Sodium: 1,000 mg. | Potassium: 200 mg. | Sweetener: stevia leaf extract | Form: single-serve packets

Best FSA-eligible: Cure Hydration Electrolyte Drink Mix

Electrolyte alternative merchandise that assist forestall dehydration and don’t include added dietary supplements are eligible for reimbursement with an FSA, a well being financial savings account (HSA) or a well being reimbursement association (HRA). Very few manufacturers at the moment qualify, however Cure is certainly one of them. Its 240 milligrams of sodium is a low focus, which makes it a fantastic choice for first-timers. Cure despatched me flavors like berry pomegranate, watermelon, lemonade and strawberry kiwi to attempt, all of which tasted nice and dissolved rapidly after I stirred the powder into water.

Sodium: 240 mg. | Potassium: 300 mg. | Sweetener: stevia extract, monk fruit extract | Form: single-serve packets

Most refined taste: Moon Juice Mini Dew Electrolyte Powder

I typically crave an intensely flavored beverage throughout exercises, however I can’t at all times abdomen one thing tremendous candy or salty earlier than I train.

That’s after I use Moon Juice’s electrolyte powder, which the model despatched me to attempt. It helps me preload electrolytes earlier than a future or scorching yoga class, however I barely style the powder. Moon Juice’s Mini Dew electrolyte powder is sugar-free and made with sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride. Moon Juice additionally affords a pomelo-flavored model.

Sodium: 270 mg. | Potassium: 130 mg. | Sweetener: stevia leaf extract | Form: scoopable powder

Best for while you’re sick: Pedialyte Electrolyte Powder

You lose electrolytes when you’re sick when you’re vomiting or having diarrhea, says Mallipattu. In these circumstances, he recommends ingesting Pedialyte, obtainable in powders or as a pre-mixed liquid answer. It has a quite simple formulation primarily composed of sodium, potassium and chloride, which is analogous to what you’d get by means of IV fluids on the hospital, he says. You can get Pedialyte powder in flavors like grape, fruit punch and cherry.

Sodium: 270 mg. | Potassium: 130 mg. | Sweetener: dextrose, sucralose | Form: single-serve packets

What amount of electrolytes should you drink?

The FDA sets Daily Value recommendations for quantities of sure vitamins you shouldn’t exceed every day, together with electrolytes like sodium, potassium and calcium. However, these suggestions don’t account for the way a lot of every mineral you lose and want to switch whereas doing bodily exercise, says Goldsmith. Use the FDA’s Daily Value suggestions as a information whereas evaluating electrolyte powders’ vitamin labels, however discuss to your physician about what’s best for you, says Patruno.

Sodium

Sodium is crucial mineral to prioritize when shopping for an electrolyte powder because you lose it on the highest price whereas sweating, says Jones. However, how a lot sodium you want relies on your exercise degree, sweat price and total well being standing. Below, specialists share their suggestions for sodium focus in electrolyte powder, however seek the advice of your physician to find out what’s greatest for you.

• 200 milligrams of sodium: Someone who engages in average bodily exercise for an hour or much less, or works a job that requires them to be on their ft all day.
• 500 milligrams of sodium: Someone who engages in average to intense bodily exercise for over an hour, works a labor-intensive job and/or spends an prolonged time period outside within the warmth.
• 1,0000 milligrams of sodium: Someone who engages in extended intense bodily exercise, like marathoner runners, long-distance bikers and people taking part in crew sports activities.
• Over 1,000 milligrams of sodium: Don’t take an electrolyte powder with over 1,000 milligrams of sodium until you’re directed to by a medical skilled. For instance, a nutritionist could suggest certainly one of these extremely concentrated powders for elite athletes competing in occasions like Ironman Triathlons, says Jones.

Potassium

After sodium, take note of potassium because it’s the mineral you lose on the second highest price by means of sweat, says Jones. Many electrolyte powders have a 2:1 ratio of sodium to potassium, like 500 milligrams of sodium to 250 milligrams of potassium, for instance. High sodium consumption with inadequate potassium can rapidly improve blood strain, however a balanced 2:1 ratio helps forestall that from taking place because the electrolytes transfer by means of the cells, says Sedgley.

Other minerals

Some electrolyte powders include further minerals like calcium, chloride, magnesium and phosphorus. They’re much less necessary from a hydration standpoint, so don’t fear about them until your physician advises you to, says Jones.

Why is there sugar in electrolyte powder?

When you do over an hour of intense train like working or biking, your physique makes use of sugar, a carbohydrate, as gas on your muscle mass, says Goldsmith. Sugar additionally helps with fluid stability and masks the salty style of electrolytes, she says. Because of this, many electrolyte powders have 10 to twenty grams of added sugar per serving. “In phrases of athletic efficiency, we consider sugar in an electrolyte powder in a different way than added sugar in common meals,” says Goldsmith. “This quantity of added sugar per serving may very well be thought-about extreme when you’re sedentary and eat lots of meals with added sugars, however from an train perspective, it’s mandatory on your muscle mass.” That stated, it’s necessary to consider your day by day sugar consumption to correctly assess your wants, so seek the advice of your physician.

Electrolyte powders are made with various kinds of sugar, together with pure sugars like honey and agave, cane sugar and synthetic sweeteners like stevia and xylitol. Each kind of sugar has a distinct taste and glycemic index, that means how rapidly it raises blood sugar ranges after you eat it. The common wholesome particular person doesn’t need to suppose a lot about the kind of sugar in an electrolyte powder and might prioritize their style preferences, says Young. But in case you have a medical situation like diabetes and have to be cautious about sugar consumption, seek the advice of your physician about what’s greatest on your physique. Young additionally says that synthetic sweeteners have a tendency to offer some folks an upset abdomen, so take into account avoiding them in case you have a historical past of gastrointestinal points.

When should you drink electrolyte powder?

There’s no excellent time to drink electrolyte powder. Everyone’s physique is completely different, so determining what’s best for you entails some trial and error, in addition to consulting your physician.

• Drinking electrolyte powder about two hours earlier than bodily exercise ensures your physique has an ample provide obtainable, so while you begin sweating and shedding electrolytes, you don’t get depleted rapidly, says Reavis. Preloading electrolytes is particularly necessary when you’re doing bodily exercise outside within the warmth for an prolonged interval. High temperatures exacerbate sweating and, subsequently, electrolyte loss, which places you extra in danger for fast depletion, says Reavis.
• Drinking electrolyte powder throughout bodily exercise helps you continuously replenish your provide so that you don’t hit a degree the place you’re working on empty, says Reavis.
• Drinking electrolyte powder after bodily exercise might help construct your provide again up after you’ve used every part obtainable, says Reavis. However, your physique wants electrolytes most while you’re actively sweating, so ingesting them after bodily exercise isn’t usually essentially the most useful, he says.

Overall, “hydration is so much like ache administration,” says Goldsmith, “Once you’re behind, it’s actually onerous to get forward of it.” That stated, make sure you’re ingesting sufficient water day by day, no matter whether or not you’re including electrolyte powder in some unspecified time in the future.

Who should not use electrolyte powder?

Suppose you don’t interact in a lot bodily exercise throughout your day-to-day life and aren’t closely sweating. In that case, you may possible get loads of electrolytes from a wholesome, balanced eating regimen, says Reavis, so electrolyte powder is pointless. However, some folks discover that including a small quantity of flavored electrolyte powder to their water — like half a packet or much less — encourages them to drink. So, so long as you seek the advice of your physician and select an electrolyte powder with a low quantity of sodium (200 mg to 300 mg.), do what works for you, says Reavis.

Additionally, just a few teams of individuals have to be further cautious in relation to utilizing electrolyte powder, making it much more necessary to work intently with a physician to search out the best choice:

• Anybody with a cardiovascular situation. Consuming excessive sodium ranges could result in fluid retention, which may be harmful for these with coronary heart situations that make it onerous for the physique to do away with water, says Sedgley.
• Anybody with a kidney situation that makes it onerous for the physique to do away with extra electrolytes, says Sedgley. If you’re susceptible to kidney stones, pay shut consideration to how a lot vitamin C is within the powder you’re contemplating — in extra quantities, it will possibly result in kidney stone formation, says Mallipattu.
• Children, who mustn’t drink electrolyte powder until they’re directed to by a physician since most merchandise are created for adults, says Sedgley.

What is an electrolyte imbalance?

An electrolyte imbalance happens when there’s both too many or inadequate electrolytes in your physique, says Sedgley. Some signs of an electrolyte imbalance overlap with these of dehydration, and you may expertise each situations concurrently — total, nevertheless, they’re completely different from each other. Dehydration has to do with water loss, whereas an electrolyte imbalance has to do with being poor or plentiful in sure minerals, says Mallipattu. (If you’re involved about experiencing dehydration and/or an electrolyte imbalance, seek the advice of your physician.)

An electrolyte imbalance can current in a different way relying on the minerals your physique has an excessive amount of or too little of, says Mallipattu. If you’re low or excessive in sodium, for instance, it’s possible you’ll expertise signs like confusion or an unstable gait, he says. If you’re low in potassium, it’s possible you’ll expertise muscle weak point and cramps or, in additional extreme circumstances, coronary heart arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), says Mallipattu.

Hyponatremia, a situation that happens when there’s not sufficient sodium in your blood, is among the primary varieties of electrolyte depletion Sedgley sees throughout marathons and comparable bodily demanding occasions. “If somebody stopped at each water station on the course they usually’ve drunk an excessive amount of, plus they’re sweating out salt, they might have diluted the sodium of their blood,” he says, noting that signs of hyponatremia embrace muscle cramps, nausea, complications, confusion and fatigue.

How does electrolyte powder compare to other electrolyte products?

Beyond electrolyte powder, manufacturers make electrolyte drops, chews, gels and pre-mixed drinks like Gatorade and Powerade. Each product affords its personal set of advantages, however for essentially the most half, they’re variations on the identical theme, so selecting one is a matter of non-public desire. However, remember the fact that electrolyte merchandise can differ of their common mineral focus, which impacts how a lot one serving might help enhance your hydration ranges.

“You can’t get as excessive of a focus in a single serving of an electrolyte drop or chew as you may get in a powder,” says Goldsmith. “That means you often have to make use of extra of these different merchandise extra typically.” Two of SaltStick’s Electrolyte FastChews, for instance, have 100 milligrams of sodium complete — when you’re working a marathon, it’s possible you’ll have to take them each few miles, relying on how a lot you’re sweating. But one packet of the model’s DrinkMix Electrolyte Powder has 430 milligrams of sodium — when you had it earlier than your race, you would possibly really feel hydrated sufficient to stay with ingesting water throughout and afterward.

Some folks additionally use completely different electrolyte merchandise relying on the scenario. Chews or gels, for example, are usually simpler for runners to slot in their fanny packs and rapidly take throughout a race. But those that play sports activities like baseball or soccer can hold a water bottle on the sidelines and blend in powders.

Does electrolyte powder help with a hangover?

Yes, to a point, ingesting electrolyte powder might help with a hangover, says Mallipattu. “You typically find yourself urinating so much when you drink lots of alcohol, so that you lose water and a few sodium,” he says. “Therefore the electrolytes do make a distinction, however consuming a salty meal could assist as effectively.”

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with specialists who’ve specialised data and authority primarily based on related coaching and/or expertise. We additionally take steps to make sure that all skilled recommendation and suggestions are made independently and with no undisclosed monetary conflicts of curiosity.

• Dr. Matthew Sedgley is a doctor who focuses on sports activities drugs at MedStar Health.
• Dr. Sandeep Mallipattu is chief of the division of nephrology and hypertension at Stony Brook Medicine.
• Kelly Jones is a sports activities dietitian who works with skilled and pupil athletes (MS, RD, CSSD).
• Amy Goldsmith is a registered dietitian who focuses on sports activities vitamin and owns Kindred Nutrition & Kinetics (RD, LDN).
• Michael Reavis Jr. is a medical dietitian on the University of Maryland Medical Center (MS, RD, LDN).
• Jay Patruno is a registered dietitian and authorized private coach (MS, RDN, LDN, CPT, CNC).
• Lisa Young is a registered nutritionist and an adjunct professor of vitamin at New York University (Ph.D, RDN).

Why trust NBC Select?

I’m a reporter at NBC Select who writes about well being and wellness, together with articles on KN95 masks, sunburn treatments, at-home Covid tests and ingrown hair treatments. For this text, I interviewed seven medical doctors and nutritionists about how to buy one of the best electrolyte powder. Experts beneficial a few of their favourite choices, and I additionally included merchandise I’ve tried.

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