Sports drinks are an important part of hydration during athletic performance. Most sports drinks have marketing labels that can make it difficult to tell which is a good electrolyte drink that will give you proper hydration, recovery, and fluid balance, and which are just sugary sports drinks. When you use sugary drinks, your body won't feel as refreshed as other sports drinks focused on healthy intake, especially after intense physical activity. If you're doing vigorous exercise, you'll want to make sure you have a drink on hand.
To help you choose the best sports drink, I've combined my own knowledge with information from other fitness professionals. I analyzed over 50 ingredient lists to determine which sports drinks are best for specific purposes and types of training. I've combined all that research into this guide to help identify the best sports drinks for quick hydration, endurance training, CrossFit, weight loss, and all natural diet.
Sports drinks can be a healthy alternative to water hydration if you know what to look 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 are still a popular choice, but there are many other options these days. Whether you've just had an intense workout session at the gym or need to hydrate after sweating it out on the trail, we've found the best sports drinks that come in all flavors and shapes to replenish electrolytes.
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Personal trainer and fitness studio owner Holly Roser says Nuun is the perfect sports drink for hydration and energy. “Made with just electrolytes and caffeine, these little tablets are easy to put in your water and turn into a fizzy drink,” she says, adding that they're great for morning runs because the caffeine content.
Nuun's entire product line promises to help you burn through grueling workouts, but Nuun endurance is specially formulated to support you during a sweat session of 90 minutes or more. It is widely used by marathonerstriathletes and other long distance exercisers, 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 cramping and keep your muscles moving for long workouts.
I've been using Nuun Endurance while training for long distance races and it hasn't let me down yet. I've typically only used it for runs of 8 miles or longer, but I've also popped a tablet when I felt like I needed an energy boost for a shorter run.
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Let's do some math here: What do you get when you have a warehouse gym, subtract air conditioning, add summer temperatures, and multiply by one of the most intense fitness regimens around? 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 you lose through sweat. According to Liquid IV, one packet of Hydration Multiplier powder is equivalent to drinking three bottles of water because of something called Technology of mobile transport — I don't doubt the claim, but take it with a grain of salt.
The formula for Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier is rooted 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 am confident that it can replenish even the sweatiest CrossFitters.
According to Liquid IV, salt, sugar, potassium, vitamin C, multiple B vitamins and water come together in exactly the right amounts to deliver nutrients into your bloodstream faster than water alone. It is also without glutendairy free, non-GMO and vegan.
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Read more: How to make treadmill running more fun
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Miss Shahcertified personal trainer and yoga teacher, recommends Ultima Replenisher as a sports drink for those who want to lose weight because it is sugar-free and has zero calories.
“I turn to Ultima when I have a long day of teaching hot yoga in a 100+ degree room and personal training,” says Shah. “Electrolytes are essential for muscle function and staying at your best, and (Ultima) gives you that without the calories.”
Ultima Replenisher has no sugar or artificial sweeteners — it's sweetened with stevia — and the first ingredient listed on the powder packaging is magnesium citrate, which is a good indicator that this product is high quality. Magnesium is one of the electrolytes lost through sweat; The fact that it is the first ingredient on the list means that it is the most prevalent 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 a good sweat.
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We're getting super natural here. No, it's not supernatural – great natural, as in the most natural drink you could drink while exercising and on par with water.
Finding an all-natural sports drink is difficult because most are packed with artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors. Even sports drinks that have none of that are still manufactured in factories or laboratories and infused with minerals that may not be as bioavailable as those found in natural products.
Shah recommends those looking for a true natural alternative to harmless coconut water. Although not explicitly marketed as a sports drink, Safe 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 on the bottle is organic coconut water. Coconut contains all those minerals without the need for fortification.
“It has all the electrolytes your 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 helps your muscles and reduces soreness, and coconut water is better than most energy drinks I've tried in the past.”
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