Useful information
Prime News delivers timely, accurate news and insights on global events, politics, business, and technology
Finding the right sports drink that will actually hydrate you and provide you with electrolytes during recovery can be difficult with all the marketing out there. Sometimes it’s hard to tell what has too much sugar and won’t be as refreshing. You want to find something that will give you the right hydration, recovery, and fluid balance. After an intense workout, you’ll need to have a drink on hand.
To help you choose the best sports drink, I’ve combined my own knowledge with input from other fitness professionals. I analyzed over 50 ingredient lists to determine which sports drinks are best for particular goals and types of training. I’ve combined all that research into this guide to help identify the best sports drinks for rapid hydration, resistance training, CrossFit, weight loss, and a all natural diet.
Sports drinks can be a healthy hydration alternative to water, if you know what you’re looking for.
In recent years, smaller beverage companies and startups have gained popularity with their sports drinks, which are often targeted at specific activities and different types of exercisers, such as runners or CrossFit enthusiasts. Commercial sports drinks like Gatorade remain a popular choice, but there are many other options today. Whether you’ve had an intense workout at the gym or need to hydrate after working up a sweat on the trail, we’ve found the best sports drinks that come in all flavors and forms to replenish electrolytes.
Hide our expert opinion
Photo gallery 1/1
Personal trainer and gym owner. Holly Roser says Nuun It is the perfect sports drink for hydration and energy. “Made with just electrolytes and caffeine, these little tablets are easy to drop into water and turn into a fizzy drink,” he says, adding that they’re great for a morning run because of the caffeine content.
Nuun’s entire line of products promises to help you get through grueling workouts, but Nuun Resistance It is specifically formulated to support you during a sweat session for 90 minutes or more. It is widely used by marathoners, triathletes and other long-distance athletes, professionally and recreationally.
Each tablet contains 15 grams of sugar, 380 milligrams of sodium and 200 milligrams of potassium, as well as chloride, magnesium and calcium. Together, these ingredients prevent cramps and keep muscles moving during long workouts.
I used Nuun Endurance while training for long distance races and it has yet to let me down. I usually only used it for runs of 8 miles or longer, but I also picked up a tablet when I felt like I needed an energy boost for a shorter run.
Hide our expert opinion
Show our expert opinion
Photo gallery 1/1
Let’s do a little math here: What do you get when you have a gym in a warehouse, subtract the air conditioning, add the summer temperatures, and multiply by one of the most intense fitness regimens out there? The answer is sweat. A lot of sweat.
A lot of sweat means a lot of lost electrolytes, and Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier says it can help replace what’s lost through sweat. According to Liquid IV, one packet of Hydration Multiplier powder is equivalent to drinking three bottles of water because of something called Cellular transport technology — I don’t necessarily doubt the statement, but take it with a grain of salt.
The Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier formula has its roots in a medical therapy developed by the World Health Organization called oral rehydration salts.
Hydration Multiplier is not a medical therapy, but since it is closely based on a hydration solution used by major health agencies for decades, I’m sure it can replenish even the sweatiest CrossFitters.
According to Liquid IV, salt, sugar, potassium, vitamin C, multiple B vitamins, and water combine in just the right amounts to deliver nutrients to your bloodstream faster than water alone. It is also gluten-free, dairy-free, GMO-free and vegan.
Show our expert opinion
Read more: How to make treadmill running more fun
Show our expert opinion
Photo gallery 1/1
Miss Shahcertified personal trainer and yoga teacher, recommends Ultima Replenisher as a sports drink for those looking to lose weight because it is sugar-free and has zero calories.
“I turn to Ultima when I have a long day teaching hot yoga in a 100+ degree room and personal training,” says Shah. “Electrolytes are essential for muscle function and for you to perform at your best, and (Ultima) provides them to you without calories.”
Ultima Replenisher has no sugar or artificial sweeteners (it’s sweetened with stevia) and the first ingredient listed on the powder packets is magnesium citrate, which is a good indicator that this product is high quality. Magnesium is one of the electrolytes lost in sweat; The fact that it is the first ingredient listed means that it is the most common ingredient by volume in Ultima Replenisher.
Ultima powder also contains calcium, zinc, manganese, chloride, potassium, sodium and phosphorus, all essential nutrients that need to be replenished after sweating a lot.
Show our expert opinion
Show our expert opinion
Photo gallery 1/1
We’re going super natural here. No, not supernatural. super natural, as in the most natural drink you can drink while you exercise and on the same level as water.
Finding an all-natural sports drink is difficult because most are packed with artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors. Even sports drinks that don’t contain any of these are still made in factories or laboratories and have minerals added that may not be as bioavailable as those found in natural products.
Shah recommends Harmless Harvest coconut water to those looking for a truly natural alternative. While not explicitly marketed as a sports drink, Harmless Harvest Coconut Water It has the ingredients you should look for in a sports drink: sugar, sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. However, the only real ingredient in the bottle is organic coconut water. Coconut contains all these minerals without the need for fortification.
“It has all the electrolytes the body needs without any of the artificial ingredients,” says Shah, who tries to stay away from processed foods and drinks as much as possible. “Coconut water is not only hydrating, it also helps muscles and reduces pain, and coconut water has been better than most energy drinks I’ve tried in the past.”
Show our expert opinion
