Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The 9 Best Electrolyte Drinks in 2022 for Superior Hydration

Steven Johnson
By
A biker drinking an electrolyte beverage from his water bottle while cycling on the street.

When it comes to hydration, there’s nothing wrong with good ol’ H2O. However, there are certain scenarios where your body might need a few things added to the water to assist in recovery, the main components being electrolytes. Electrolytes conduct electricity when in solution with water, and your body needs constant electric pulses to work effectively.

When your body is under stress from illness, overexertion from intense physical activity, or dehydration from a long night at the bar, physicians and nutritionists alike recommend that you consume electrolytes. That’s why saline solutions at hospitals contain sodium and chloride ions. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium, are key electrolytes. These minerals improve hydration levels and assist your body by regulating nerve impulses and maintaining a healthy pH balance.

Related Videos

Hence, it’s natural to seek out a drink containing electrolytes when you exercise or when you’re just not feeling 100%. However, when purchasing an electrolyte drink, be wary, because not all electrolyte drinks are created equal. Many are loaded with sugar and have a lot of other additional ingredients you may not be expecting. So, it’s best to read the label if you’re cutting back on high-sugar energy drinks or opting for sugar-free options. Below, we’ve run down our list of the best electrolyte drinks so you can perform at your peak levels regardless of the season.

Related

Best All-Round: Nuun Sport, For Exercise

A tube of Nuun Sport, For Exercise on white background.

Nuun sports drink tablets are made to replace essential minerals and electrolytes lost through sport. A serving can be consumed before, during, or after your workout. Simply add a tablet to 16 fluid ounces of water, and allow to dissolve. Each drink contains only 15 calories and 1 gram of sugar. It also contains avocado oil, beet powder, and all the essential electrolytes, ensuring your workout is optimized. There are 10 servings (tablets) in each tube.

Best When You Are Sick: Advantage Care Electrolyte Solution

A sealed bottle of Advantage Care Electrolyte Solution on white background.

Sometimes when you are sick, your body requires additional electrolytes to support it in fighting the sickness. Diarrhea, in particular, is known to deplete your body of its essential minerals and nutrients. By drinking an electrolyte solution, you are assisting your body to maintain a healthy pH and healthy blood with the correct amount of minerals and electrolytes. This solution does just that, replenishing and hydrating your body while giving you healthy probiotics to restore gut health. It is also safe for children and adults alike.

Most Highly Praised: Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier

A large pack of Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier beside a tube of the same product.

This electrolyte drink utilizes breakthrough science known as Cellular Transport Technology (CTT). CTT is an optimal ratio of nutrients, that aims to hydrate you two to three times faster than water alone. Even better is the fact that this product contains three times the electrolytes of traditional sports drinks while containing half the amount of sugar and calories.

Best Calorie-Free: Hi Lyte Adapted Nutrition

A bottle of Hi Lyte Adapted Nutrition.

If the idea of downing a sugary drink after a workout doesn’t sit well with you, you’ll be thrilled to know that this product is completely sugar-free, calorie-free, and vegan-friendly. You buy Hi Lyte in concentrated form and dilute with water. With high amounts of potassium, zinc, and magnesium, this drink mix is full of high-quality electrolytes.

Most Affordable: Great Value Electrolyte Kiwi Drink Mix

A box of Great Value Electrolyte Kiwi Drink Mix.

Get your electrolytes in with a burst of flavorful kiwi, with the tangy Great Value electrolyte supplement. Add one squeeze to 8 ounces of water, and take your sports drink to the gym, tennis, or work to replenish you from the day’s strenuous activities. There are 10 packets in each box, and a range of vitamins in each drink, making this an effective, yet friendly in-the-pocket option.

Best Keto: Maximum Keto

A black bottle of Maximum Keto.

If you’re on the keto diet grind, you’ll be relieved to know that there is a sports drink made just for you. Maximum Keto aims to support those on the keto diet by providing them with ideal quantities of B-vitamins, salt, magnesium, and potassium. If this doesn’t excite you fat-eaters out there, Maximum Keto also contains a hangover prevention morning recovery ingredient to help you out after drinking too many White Russians and eating too many cherry-wrapped bacon bites.

Best Variety: Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Hydration Powder

A box containing packs of Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Hydration Powder.

Ultima Replenisher combines a solid sugar-free, zero-calorie electrolyte drink while offering 5 different flavors in each box of 20 stick pads. Simply tear open each stick and pour it into your water bottle to make this delicious electrolyte drink.

Best Pre-mixed: Gatorade

Bottles of Gatorade on white background.

You should have seen this one coming. Gatorade is the American sports drink favorite, and for good reason. This drink has the added advantage of containing less than half the calories of the original Gatorade. It’s made to assist with hydration and is used by some of the world’s best athletes. Packed with electrolytes to help you perform at your best, you can buy delicious, ready-to-drink Gatorade for a convenient boost.

Best Electrolyte Enhanced Water: Vitaminwater xxx

A six-pack Vitaminwater xxx on white background.

Vitaminwater is known for delivering nutrients and minerals in convenient-to-drink waters, without added flavorings, preservatives, and other unnecessary chemicals. With a delicious acai-blueberry-pomegranate taste, this Vitaminwater is packed with vitamin C, B, and electrolytes.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Want to build muscle? A doctor says you should eat these foods
If you're looking to bulk up those biceps, these are the foods you should be eating
Fish fillets, chicken meat, and red meat on top of distressed white cutting boards along with nuts, cheese, dairy, and eggs.

The world of nutrition and muscle growth can be a terribly confusing one. Between the madness of the latest trends in health, fad diets, the newest "must have" workout gear, and toxic weight-loss culture, it's easy to want to throw in the towel and reach for a box of Twinkies. But tucked in, hidden in all of this confusion, there are some things about fitness and muscle growth that are just always true. The biggest truth of them all is that abs really are made in the kitchen. You can work yourself into a frenzy with a fancy gym membership, but without proper nutrition, your body is just running on toxic fumes.

Muscle building requires a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Dr. Noel Abood, owner and director of Solon Spine & Wellness Center in Ohio, shared with us his expert advice on the top foods one should be eating for ultimate muscle growth. So if you've been frustrated with the results of your workout routine, or are looking to bulge those biceps a bit more, here are some of the foods you'll want to add these items to your grocery list.

Read more
These 9 foods will boost immunity naturally with zinc
Zinc is a crucial part of a healthy immune system. Get your fix with these foods
Meat and poultry served on a chopping board.

When most people focus on eating well, they focus on the overall diet and large macronutrients like protein, fat, and carbohydrates. However, depending on the foods you gravitate toward and how varied your diet is, it’s still quite possible to have deficiencies in certain micronutrients—the key vitamins and minerals your body needs for optimal health and function—such as zinc.

Zinc deficiencies are particularly common in vegans and vegetarians, but many people would benefit from increasing their dietary intake of this immune-supportive mineral. As an essential mineral, zinc must be consumed through the diet because the body cannot manufacture it endogenously. Moreover, zinc is a necessary component of over 300 enzymes in the body. It is heavily involved in immune support, wound healing, building DNA and biological proteins, smell, taste, and fertility. Foods high in zinc, such as oysters, are also great foods to help prevent hair loss, as zinc plays a key role in protein production and hair follicle cell differentiation.

Read more
1 of 2 American adults aren’t getting enough magnesium — these foods will help
Magnesium is a vital mineral that can help the body in a myriad of ways
Dried fruit and brazil nuts high in magnesium.

Magnesium is more than a fun-to-say word that sounds like something a super hero gets their power from. It's a vital mineral that can offer a big assist to your mood, quality of sleep, heart, and more. But how do we take in more of the stuff, aside from going the supplement route?

Foods high in magnesium, of course, and tasty, snack-able ones that that. Fortunately, you've got options in this department, so adjust your grocery shopping list accordingly. And you should, because the mineral helps with protein synthesis, keeping your blood pressure in check, and helping your muscles work better. Magnesium also keeps bones and teeth healthy, one more reason to load up.

Read more