Best With Caffeine. The main types of electrolytes fog sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphorus. Classes and events.

Sports drinks for hydration -

Tamar has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Teachers College Columbia University and specializes in working with plant-based athletes, often those who are interested in incorporating electrolyte drinks.

Her goal is to help people understand how to properly fuel their bodies and supplement if needed! to optimize performance and well-being. Brad A. Exercise and Fluid Replacement: Brought to You by the American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's Health Fit J. National Institutes of Health.

Dietary supplements for exercise and performance: Fact sheet for health professionals. Kurtz JA, VanDusseldorp TA, Doyle JA, Otis JS. Taurine in sports and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, et al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. American Heart Association AHA.

How Much Sodium Should I Eat Per Day? Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics, dietitians of canada, and the american college of sports medicine: nutrition and athletic performance.

J Acad Nutr Diet. National Institutes of Health: Potassium - Factsheet for health professionals. National Institutes of Health: Calcium - Factsheet for health professionals.

National Institutes of Health: Magnesium - Fact Sheet for health professionals. Fitness C on N and the C on SM and F. Sports drinks and energy drinks for children and adolescents: are they appropriate? Ferraro PM, Taylor EN, Gambaro G, Curhan GC.

Soda and other beverages and the risk of kidney stones. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Kenefick RW, Cheuvront SN. Hydration for recreational sport and physical activity. Nutrition Reviews, ; 70 Suppl. Von Duvillard SPV, Braun WA, Markofski M, Beneke R, Leithauser R.

Fluids and hydration in prolonged endurance performance. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance.

Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Sports Nutrition. By Tamar Kane, MS, RD ,. Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN. Learn about our editorial process.

and Anne Cook Carroll is a Registered Dietitian with a master's degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. Anne Cook Carroll, MS, RD. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research.

Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Medically reviewed by Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN.

Learn about our Medical Review Board. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article.

Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Rich Scherr is a seasoned journalist who has covered technology, finance, sports, and lifestyle.

Fact checked by Rich Scherr. Editor's Note Our team of registered dietitians reviews and evaluates every single supplement we recommend according to our dietary supplement methodology. Our Top Picks. Best Overall:.

Best With Caffeine:. Best for Heavy Sweating :. Best Ready-to-Drink :. Best for Daily Use:. Best For Competitive Athletes :. Best with B Vitamins :. In This Article Expand.

Our Picks. Where We Stand. We Also Tested. How We Tested Sports Drinks. What to Look For. Our Experts. Why Trust Verywell Fit. Best Overall. Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix. Our Ratings. Pros Great flavor and texture Contains quick absorbing carbs for energy and electrolytes No artificial sweeteners or colorings.

Cons Higher sugar content may not be suitable for all. Best With Caffeine. Tailwind Nutrition Caffeinated Endurance Fuel. Pros Contains caffeine for an extra energy boost Contains quick absorbing carbs for energy and electrolytes No artificial sweeteners or flavorings.

Cons Some may be sensitive to caffeine. The 11 Best Pre-Workout Snacks of Best for Heavy Sweating. Hydration Multiplier Electrolyte Powder. com View On Vitamin Shoppe. Pros Higher sodium content for heavy sweating Contains quick-absorbing carbs to accelerate rehydration Contains B vitamins and vitamin C.

Cons Salty tasting. Best Ready-to-Drink. Gatorade Gatorlyte Rapid Rehydration Electrolyte Beverage. View On Gatorade. Cons Contains artificial coloring Plastic waste. The Best Creatine Supplements of , Tested and Reviewed. Best for Daily Use. Harmless Harvest Coconut Water.

Pros Made from one simple ingredient USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified Easy, ready-to-drink option. Cons Lower sodium content may not be adequate for more intense workouts.

The 10 Best Protein Powders of , Tested and Reviewed. Best For Competitive Athletes. Precision Hydration PH Pros Informed Sport Certified Variety of sodium and carbohydrate options to meet your needs Convenient, single-serve packets.

Cons Only one flavor option. The 7 Best Protein Shakes of Best with B Vitamins. Thorne Research Catalyte. NSF Certified for Sport Higher sodium content for people who sweat heavily No artificial sweeteners or flavorings. Comes in only one flavor. Where We Stand We like Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix for its versatility the balance of carbohydrates, sodium, and other electrolytes make it useful for many people , its simple ingredients, and how well it dissolves in water.

We Also Tested While not a top pick for any category, we also tested these electrolyte drinks and think they are still worth highlighting: Maurten Drink Mix : For endurance runners running 1. Maurten offers several different options, including higher sodium and carbohydrate options for ultra-endurance training.

However, it did rank relatively low for taste and texture in our testing lab. Drink LMNT : LMNT is a popular electrolyte powder with a very high amount of sodium at 1, milligrams per serving. While high amounts of sodium may be beneficial in some settings think strenuous, sweaty exercise , it may not be suitable for everyone.

It also does not contain enough carbohydrates to enhance electrolyte absorption or replenish energy stores after exercise. We do like the simple ingredient list just salt, stevia, natural flavors and electrolytes , but the intense saltiness made it hard to drink, and we found the raspberry flavor to have a slightly artificial taste.

Nectar Daily Hydration : These electrolyte packets are a great option for those looking for an everyday electrolyte boost, with zero calories or added sugar. We love the simple ingredient list containing organic fruit, Himalayan pink salt, stevia, and electrolytes.

However, while we found this product to be refreshing, it lacked flavor with a slight tartness but a very mild taste and did not dissolve completely in water, with some clumps left at the bottom of the glass.

Nuun Sport Electrolyte Drink Tablets : We like that Nuun Sport Electrolyte Drink Tablets are Informed Choice Certified, so athletes can be confident they are free from any banned substance for sport.

They also contain an appropriate amount of sodium to rehydrate in athletic settings, but they fall short on carbohydrates. If you prefer to have a lower-sugar electrolyte drink, be sure to refuel with food as well when recovering from strenuous exercise. We found the flavor to be relatively balanced, and not overly sweet or salty, but it did have a bit of an artificial taste and a slightly unpleasant, bitter aftertaste that lingered.

It also took longer to fully dissolve in water compared to other products on our list. How We Tested Sports Drinks Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements.

When testing, we evaluated each product for the following six critical criteria: Nutrition : Our nutrition editors analyzed each product based on quality of ingredients, amount of electrolytes particularly sodium, potassium and magnesium , carbohydrates, and other nutrients added. Then they were rated in the context of their intended use, in this case for exercise and athletics.

We also considered third-party testing and associated certifications. Flavor : We tasted each product, noting how accurate it is to the flavor advertised on the packaging and if the flavor corresponds to the color of the drink.

We also took notes on if the flavor was good or bad, how strong each flavor is, and if we felt it was overly sweet or salty. Texture : We reviewed the texture of each product, noting if it was thin and smooth, or clumpy, grainy, separated, or otherwise unpleasant. For drops and powders, we reviewed the dissolubility of the product, noting how long it took to dissolve in water and if it dissolved completely , how much stirring was required, and if there was any product left at the bottom of the glass.

Aftertaste : We tested to see if any of the products left an aftertaste in the mouth after drinking it, and noted if it was unpleasant, how long it lingered, and if we had to eat or drink something after to mask the aftertaste.

Smell : Upon opening the product, we noted how it smelled, including salty, sweet, or chemical, and noted any pleasant or unpleasant aromas. We also reviewed if the smell was consistent with the flavor listed on the packaging, and if the smell impacted the taste when we drank it.

Value : We assessed the value, analyzing the cost in the context of the quality of the product, use and taste experience, and amount of servings per container. What to Look for in a Sports Drink Third-Party Testing Sports drinks vary in their degree of testing and regulation.

The Types of Sports Drinks Sports drinks come in various forms, including ready-made drinks, powders, and dissolvable tablets. Ingredients and Potential Interactions It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know the ingredients and how much of each one is included, relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient.

How Much To Take Sports drinks are designed to support hydration, refueling, and electrolyte replenishment during exercise. The adequate intake for potassium per day is 2, milligrams for adult men, and 2, milligrams for adult women.

The RDA for calcium is 1, milligrams for adult men and women. The RDA for magnesium for adults is between milligrams per day. Our Experts Kristy Baumann , a Registered Dietitian who specializes in working with runners.

Alena Kharlamenko, MS, RD, CDN , a Registered Dietitian that specializes in health and nutrition research and supplement testing. She developed our testing methodology for electrolyte supplements.

Anne Cook Carroll, MS, RD, CDN , is a Registered Dietitian that works with patients to meet their health goals, including athletes looking to improve their performance. She also specializes in supplement research and analysis. Frequently Asked Questions Are sports drinks good for kids?

Can sports drinks cause kidney stones? How many sports drinks can you drink per day? Can you drink sports drinks while pregnant? When are sports drinks appropriate for hydration?

How much do sports drinks cost? The 6 Best Energy Chews, According to a Dietitian. Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

x Von Duvillard SPV, Braun WA, Markofski M, Beneke R, Leithauser R. See Our Editorial Process. Skip to main content.

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Hyddration to main content. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. Back to top. Get to Know Us. Make Money with Us. Amazon Payment Products. Let Us Help You. Although sports drinks are designed to replenish hydrationn during and after exercise, some hydgation sports drinks for hydration may be dehydrating, according to crinks new study. Researchers in New Zealand analyzed drins studies on the Ulcer prevention after surgery effects of different sports drinks and found Post-workout nutrition tips hypotonic sports drinks for hydration drinks, which have a lower amount of salt and sugar, are the best for rehydration during long workouts. Many popular sports drinks on the market, however, are either isotonic or hypertonic. While isotonic drinks have a similar concentration of sugar and electrolytes salt compared to the body, hypertonic drinks have the highest percentage of sugar and salt, which contributes to dehydration. It's a misconception that isotonic drinks are the best for hydration, but choosing a workout beverage isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, he said.