The 5 Best Electrolyte Powders For Hydration & Recovery
Updated 10/30/2024Which electrolyte powders give you the hydration you need to focus, exercise, and fight off sickness — and which are just cutting corners?
Whether you’re exercising, or working hard, fighting off a bug (or fighting off last night,) you need electrolytes to stay focused, energized, and hydrated. As Americans become more aware of the need for good hydration, millions are turning to electrolyte powders.
Stir a packet of tasty electrolyte powder into a glass of water, and you’ve got enough electrolytes to help fight off cramps, keep your mind sharp, and stave off nasty symptoms. Plus, they’re less expensive and have less sugar than sports drinks.
However, increased demand for electrolyte powders has flooded the market with new products, all claiming to provide quick hydration. Not all electrolyte powders are effective, though. Some are loaded more sugar than electrolytes, or made with cut-rate, weak ingredients. With so many options, it’s become difficult to find a quality electrolyte powder.
That’s why Consumer Survey is here to break down what to look for, what to avoid, and the Top 5 electrolyte powders, all in this quick guide.
A Quality Electrolyte Powder Helps:
Boost HydrationElectrolytes allow your cells to absorb the water you drink more efficiently. This helps keep your muscles prepared for physical activity, your mind clear and calm, and your body ache-free.
Support RecoverySickness, hangovers, and feeling “wiped out” after a workout all have one thing in common: dehydration. In any type of recovery, the body needs a ton of electrolytes so it can produce the energy necessary to repair itself. A quality electrolyte powder fills in that gap, helping you recover quicker.
Improve FocusOn top of keeping you hydrated, electrolytes play a key role in neural signaling. Even thinking straight requires electrolytes! To help sustain focus, keep your thoughts clear, and calm your mind, having an electrolyte powder on hand is huge.
Promote Good ExerciseYour muscles need electrolytes to contract and relax. A good electrolyte powder gives your body the supply it needs for sustained, comfortable workouts. Since electrolytes are also responsible for delivering nutrients to your cells, refueling is a great way to help increase energy.
Fight Off Cramps & HeadachesOften, these annoying aches happen because your muscles lack the electrolytes to relax. A quality electrolyte powder is a reliable way to help fight headaches and cramps.
To get the very best of these benefits, look for a powder that supplies all six electrolytes:
Quality Electrolyte Powders Should Supply 6 Minerals:
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Sodium
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Calcium
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Potassium
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Phosphate
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Chloride
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Magnesium
Add Antioxidants For Recovery & Immune Support
Exceptional electrolyte powders include antioxidants, powerful nutrients that help protect your body from damage. They do so by helping fight off dangerous particles called “free radicals.” Free radicals are unstable elements that enter our body through unnatural food additives and environmental pollution. Once inside, they can cause chemical reactions that put your health at risk.
Thankfully, antioxidants neutralize free radicals, protecting your long-term health. Electrolyte powders that contain antioxidant sources like Vitamin C, spirulina, or apple cider vinegar can help keep you healthy.
what To Avoid In An Electrolyte Powder
High Calories
It’s simple: nobody needs more empty calories. Getting more electrolytes shouldn’t make your diet harder, so look for one with less than 25 calories.
High Sugar
High sugar intake has been shown to increase body fat and cause annoying cravings. The best electrolyte powders taste great, even without high sugar content. That’s why we recommend electrolyte powders with less than 5 grams of sugar.
Artificial Sweeteners
Companies use artificial sweeteners because they’re cheap and carb-free, but some experts believe they’re even worse than regular sugar. Several studies have even indicated that artificial sweeteners are additive. To steer clear of these issues, avoid common sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame, and sucralose.
3 Perks Of Exceptional Electrolyte Powders:
Money-Back GuaranteeThese guarantees demonstrate a company’s faith in its product while allowing you to try out multiple powders without extra cost. That’s why we recommend looking for at least a 60-day money-back guarantee.
GMP CertifiedIf a product is Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified, it means it was made safely and responsibly. You can trust GMP-certified products to be made by trustworthy manufacturers and free of harmful adulterants.
Subscription PlanA quality electrolyte powder keeps you so hydrated, you won’t want to give it up! Subscription plans remove the hassle of re-ordering and come with discounts, giving you better value.
The Results Are In…
After evaluating dozens of electrolyte powders across numerous criteria, we’ve narrowed them all down to the Top 5 powders on the market today.
Top Picks are updated monthly based on testing and analyses:
Top Pick
Consumers Survey Recommended
- 10 calories
- 2 grams of carbs
- All 6 electrolytes
- Antioxidants
- GMP Certified
- Subscription Plan
- 365-day money-back guarantee
#1: Hydration By essential elements
Best Electrolyte Powder
Essential Elements’ Hydration came out on top on all of our criteria, providing strong doses of every electrolyte, powerful antioxidants, and only 10 calories.
We were impressed by Essential Elements’ inclusion of apple cider vinegar, a great source of both antioxidants and electrolytes. Apple cider vinegar is also gaining popularity for its ability to support healthy metabolism, weight management, and energy production.
Hydration is flavored with spirulina, a natural sweetener. Even though it only contains 2 grams of sugar, reviewers love the taste, and it comes in multiple flavors, including yuzu lime, blue raspberry lemonade, and watermelon cucumber — so there’s something for everyone.
To top it off, Essential Elements backs up Hydration with an outstanding 365-day money-back guarantee and provides a subscription plan. It’s a clear Number One.
Rating
#2: Hydration Multiplier by Liquid IV
Great Electrolyte Powder
Hydration Multiplier is a strong source of most electrolytes. Each serving brings 500 mg of sodium, 350 mg potassium, as well as potassium, phosphates, and chlorides. It also provides respectable antioxidants, with 110% daily value of Vitamin C.
Additionally, we appreciate Hydration Multiplier’s flavor variety, which includes lemon lime, acai berry, and passion fruit.
However, with 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar, Hydration Multiplier is likely to put a strain on your diet. Moreover, this powder lacks calcium, holding back its hydration support.
Hydration Multiplier’s electrolyte showing is still strong, though, and Liquid IV provides a solid money-back guarantee. It earns the Number Two spot.
Rating
#3: Electrolyte Drink by nuun sport
Good Electrolyte Powder
This diet-friendly electrolyte powder provides 500mg of sodium, with only 10 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrates, thanks to its spirulina flavoring.
However, Nuun Sport’s powder lacks many electrolytes. It doesn’t contain magnesium, calcium, or phosphates, and only brings 150 mg of potassium. It also misses an opportunity by neglecting to include any major antioxidants.
Electrolyte Drink does have redeeming qualities. Its sodium dosage is strong, it’s largely sugar-free, and leaves out artificial ingredients. Electrolyte Drink also comes in 10+ flavors, including tropical punch, strawberry kiwi, and strawberry lemonade. For these reasons, it gets a spot on this list.
Rating
#4: replenisher by ultima
Adequate Electrolyte Powder
With zero calories and carbs, Replenisher is a very light electrolyte powder. Its flavor comes from spirulina, it doesn’t contain artificial additives or GMOs, and it includes all six electrolytes.
However, all the dosages are weak. At 55 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 78 mg chlorides, Replenisher lacks the electrolyte content for truly effective rehydration.
Still, its inclusion of all the electrolytes and 110% daily value of Vitamin C stands above many other powders. That’s what earns it a spot on this list.
Rating
#5: dripDrop by ORS
Decent Electrolyte Powder
Coming in last place, ORS’ DripDrop contains weak doses of five electrolytes, some antioxidants, and 9 grams of sugar.
Unlike other top electrolyte powders, DripDrop is largely flavored with real sugar, giving it a high 35 calories. This powder contains five major electrolytes and Vitamin C, but low doses. To the diet-conscious, that won’t be worth the calorie count.
That said, DripDrop does provide some hydration support, and it leaves out unnatural additives and GMOs. It deserves a shout-out on this list.
P.S. While Essential Elements has the best electrolyte supplement we've found, we would still love to hear about any others you've tried. If you have had a great experience of your own, please send us an email to info@ConsumersSurvey.org with the details.
Sincerely,
Dean
Health Editor
What We Do
ConsumersSurvey uses a unique three-step approach to reviewing the most popular products in the online marketplace
1. Research First we conduct in-house research with a highly qualified editorial team comprised of individuals who specialize in various fields.
2. SurveyWe survey our readers who have tried the product over time in order to learn from their experiences.
3. OpinionWe monitor public opinion in the world’s most popular marketplaces, from Amazon and eBay, to Bizrate and Pricegrabber.
