The Best Electrolyte Powders

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Amazon (Regular, 16 Servings)

Amazon (20 Servings)

Amazon (60 Servings)

Amazon (8 Servings)

The best electrolytepowders can vary from person to person and situation to situation. If you're running a marathon in a hot, humid climate, you might want to reach for an electrolyte drink mix with a higher sodium content than, say, a severely dehydrated hungover person just trying to get their headache to go away (in which case, a lower sodium content will be fine). We spoke with experts and tasted powders galore to narrow down your hydration options, like our top pick,Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier ($23).

Overall, you want to find something with a good balance of electrolytes, sugar, and carbohydrates. And make sure you're drinking water on a daily basis—no magic powder is going to help if you're just plain thirsty.

Be sure to check out our related buying guides! We've got recommendations for theBest Protein Powders,Best Greens Powders, andBest Fitness Trackers.

Liquid I.V.

Amazon (Regular, 16 Servings)

Amazon (Sugar-Free, 14 Servings)

Amazon (Immune Support, 14 Servings)

Amazon (Kids, 16 Servings)

Liquid I.V. has been a staple in my household for years. I love using it atmusic festivals—it helps my ragged throat feel better, my dry nostrils feel better, and my pounding head feel better. And when I inevitably run out of ice on day three, it helps my water taste better, too. I have yet to try a flavor that I actively disliked. They're sweet but not too sweet, and the packets are easy to open. This powder has a solid mix of ingredients in concentrations that aren't too high, making it a reliable option to reach for in day-to-day life.

Skratch Labs

Amazon (20 Servings)

Sktratch Labs (20 Servings)

This hydration mix may as well be candy. But it's delicious in a very juicy way. It's way higher both calorie-, carb-, and sugar-wise than other hydration powders on this list. But it doesn't bother my stomach despite those higher ingredient concentrations, and it's easy to drink a lot of, whereas some other powders are a bit of a slog once you get the first few gulps down. It's high in carbohydrates, which translated to a boost in energy while working out that I noticed after just a few minutes, and it's also a bit higher in sugar content than some others I tried. This is a good powder for athletes that are quickly running through their body's stores.

SaltStick

Amazon (60 Servings)

If you need electrolytes fast or you simply don't want to guzzle down a bottle of water, these electrolyte tablets are what you're looking for. SaltStick electrolyte chews taste really good. They're sweet, salty, and candylike, immediately making you produce a bunch of saliva. (Which is good, since the company recommends letting the chews melt in your mouth for optimal electrolyte absorption.) They're available in large pill bottles as well as small five-serving packets, making them ideal for when you truly need electrolytes on the go. The balanced sodium and carbohydrate content makes these a good option for when you're working out intensely and need to re-up your electrolytes every 30 minutes.

Electrolit

Amazon (8 Servings)

Electrolit has nursed me through many a hangover, and I like every flavor I've tried. I wish it didn't have artificial coloring, but otherwise it's great (and editor Kat Merck agrees with that sentiment, having tried it as well). The packets are on the larger side, and a $12 box has only eight of them. But darn if I don't like it anyway. It does have a balanced mix of sodium, carbohydrates, and sugars, making it a good option for rehydration outside of intensive exercise. I find that the pleasant flavor and higher sodium and carb content help my hangovers go away quickly in comparison to just drinking plain water (or something with higher sodium content, which can taste a bit abrasive when my head is spinning).

Celsius

Amazon (14 Servings)

Walmart (14 Servings)

Celsius is known for its (frankly delicious) energy drinks, but the manufacturer makes caffeine-free hydration packets too. The packets were frustrating to open sometimes, but upon mixing with 16.9 ounces of water, they're tasty. This formula is distinctly saltier than others I tried. It's sugar-free, and I appreciate the low price. It does contain artificial sweeteners, and it's on the lower end of the sodium and carbohydrate scale. It'll give your water a little bit of a boost, but if you want to really replenish lost electrolytes, something else might be a better option.

Bodyarmor

Amazon (15 Servings)

Bodyarmor has a few different caffeinated flavors, with 95 milligrams of caffeine per serving. There are caffeine-free options, too. The resulting color is basically neon, and the flavors are concentrated enough that I found them most palatable when mixed with nearly 30 ounces of water. They're also quite salty—this powder made me thirsty long after it was gone, which could be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at it. I don't love the mix of ingredients—it has a high sodium and potassium content, but it's very low in carbohydrates, so pair this drink with a snack if you can.

Thorne

Amazon (30 Servings)

Thorne (30 Servings)

Thorne Daily Electrolytes are darn easy to drink. They're super sweet, thanks to the inclusion of stevia, but the flavors are pleasant and dissipate quickly. My favorite was the watermelon flavor, which I could happily guzzle all day long. I found the sweetness to be refreshing rather than overly sticky, and the colors were pleasant too. The manufacturer recommends using at least 12 ounces of water per stick, but it tasted the best to me if I dissolved it in around 18 to 20 ounces. I also liked that the calories were negligible—I don't have to worry about meeting my deficit as much as I do with some other packets.

Shaklee

Shaklee (20 Servings)

I quite liked the light blood-orange flavor I tested of these caffeine-free electrolyte packets, as well as the fact there are no artificial colors or off-tasting chemical notes. (There’s also a raspberry melon flavor, but I can’t vouch for that one.) They’re 20 calories each, sweetened with cane sugar, and have added potassium nitrate and beet powder for cognitive function.The scienceis actually decenton this, but subjectively, the jury is still out. I drank a packet while writing this and some other guide updates, and while I did feel sufficiently hydrated, I don't think I'll be winning a Pulitzer anytime soon. One packet is enough for 8 ounces of water, though more often than not I used 16 ounces and could still taste enough of the flavor. In fact, the only thing I don’t like about these is that Shaklee is anmultilevel marketer. One of the oldest, in fact—around since the 1950s. If that doesn’t bother you, you can buy directly online without a rep, and your purchase is FSA and HSA eligible. —Kat Merck

DryWater

DryWater (15 Servings)

My favorite part about DryWater's electrolyte powders is how nuanced the flavors are. They're not overly sweet or flavorful—they're still a bit sweet, but they taste more like enhanced water and less like an entirely different beverage altogether. They're quite fruity, but in a “real fruit” way—probably because they're made with real fruit. If you want assisted hydration without the zip and tang of typical sports beverages, this is what you're looking for. It doesn't have a remarkable carbohydrate or sugar content, but there are added vitamins and minerals that make this fine to drink on a daily basis if you just want a bit of a hydration boost when you're not exercising intensely.

Klar

Klar (28 Servings)

Sure, Klar’s got electrolytes, adaptogens, and additives like B-vitamins and ginseng, but this is a powdered energy drink, plain and simple. One packet mixes with 16 ounces of water and contains 150 mg of caffeine— more than the average cup of coffee and more than twice Bodyarmor's packet—and you will definitely feel it. The taste won't win any awards, as it’s sweetened with stevia, and that’s definitely the predominant flavor of all the varieties (blood orange, cactus pear, pineapple ginger, “tidal wave”), but if you’re used to energy drinks, this is a cheaper, more multifaceted way to get your fix at just under $2 per packet.—Kat Merck

Experts We Spoke With

Heather Gosnell, MD,pediatrician, and plant-based health coach.

Shelley Balls, MDA, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian and nutritionist forFlawless Bloom.

Hallie Zwibel, assistant dean of clinical operations and director of the center for sports medicine atNew York Institute of Technology.

Melissa Jaeger, RD, LD, head of nutrition forMyFitnessPal.

Amy Brownstein, registered dietitian nutritionist atMyNetDiary.

Electrolyte Powders 101: What to Look For and How to Choose

TL;DR Don't choose something with ultra-high amounts of sodium, carbohydrates, or sugar unless you need to based on your exercise levels or a sweat test.

Amy Brownstein, a registered dietitian nutritionist atMyNetDiary, says electrolytes are minerals that exist naturally in your body. These include magnesium, calcium, chloride, sodium, potassium, and phosphorous. Electrolyte powders usually contain these, as well as sugars and carbohydrates which can help a little bit with the absorption of the electrolytes.

Shelley Balls, a registered dietitian nutritionist, says humans usually lose sodium when working out or spending time in hot temperatures and also that carbohydrates are important to help replenish and preserve muscle glycogen stores to prevent fatigue, especially if you'll be active for more than 30 minutes. Basically, if you're working out a lot and not replenishing lost carbs, you'll feel fatigued much faster—and that's especially true for intense workouts or long sporting events, in which case she recommends re-upping carbohydrates every 30 to 45 minutes. Sugars like glucose serve similar purposes, helping to replenish muscle glycogen as well.

If you're just looking for supplements for day to day life or to soothe your hungover brain, you don't need as much sodium or carbohydrates. Brownstein says to choose a powder within the context of your daily habits and diet; Most people already consume the recommended 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, so if you're not depleting sodium stores with intense exercise, you probably don't need a powder with a high sodium content. The same can be said for sugar.

Ultimately, the best way to figure out exactly what you need is by getting a sweat test done to analyze the contents of your sweat. But short of doing that, your best bet is to choose a powder that lives somewhere in the middle of ingredient concentration—unless you're sweating a ton, working out in high heat, or training in high altitudes. Brownstein adds that if you notice white, chalky residue on your skin or clothes after working out, you might need to up your sodium intake.

When it comes to synthetic dyes, Balls says that it comes down mostly to personal choice. Luckily, if you want to avoid these ingredients, many of our recommendations omit them.

To avoid stomach upset, Balls mentions that you might want to look for powders that are lower in magnesium (which can have a laxative effect in high amounts). She also mentions that calcium and iron can interfere with the absorption of one another, so choose a powder that has balanced, lower amounts of those two supplements. Brownstein mentions that high sugar and sodium content can upset some peoples' stomachs, too, and that you should read the labels to make sure you're not over-supplementing (or over-caffeinating). If something contains 100 percent of your daily recommended zinc content, for example, you want to make sure you're not also taking a multivitamin with the same amount of zinc.

Per Heather Gosnell, a pediatrician,sodium is the key ingredientfor effective rehydration. She also saysa little sugarandcarbohydrateshelp your body absorb water but to avoid high-sugar drinks.

Balls says to look for a powder that includes the key electrolytes lost: sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. She says, if possible, to avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners.

Hallie Zwibel, director of the Center for Sports Medicine at New York Institute of Technology, adds that “in addition to causing upset stomach and reduced fluid absorption, repeatedly consuming high sugar foods and beverages can lead to diabetes, as well as potential weight gain.” He also said, “While electrolyte packets can help replenish essential minerals lost through sweat, they should not replace daily water intake.”

Is It Better to Just Drink Plain Water?

Brownstein says that checking the color of your urine is a solid indicator of how hydrated you are. (Very light to pale yellow is normal; amber to dark yellow is potentially dehydrated; completely colorless is potentially over-hydrated.)

Gosnell saysfor most people, water and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provide all the hydration and electrolytes you need. She adds, “Electrolyte drinks are helpful after intense exercise or heat exposure but avoid high-sugar options. For everyday hydration, simple water and healthy foods are best.”

Balls adds that if you're sweating a lot or are physically active for more than 30 minutes, plain water won't be as beneficial to promote optimal hydration status. She also reminds us that a balanced diet can help with lost electrolytes—as can drinking dairy or soy milk, or just using plain old table salt to replenish lost sodium.

And to keep things simple, Heather Jaeger, head of nutrition at MyFitnessPal, says she recommends the “3H” method to know when to reach for a hydration powder: "If you’re active for an hour or more, exercising in hot conditions, or working hard enough to sweat, that’s when electrolytes can really support rehydration and recovery.”

Are Electrolyte Powders Safe for Everybody?

You should always talk with your doctor before changing your diet or taking a new supplement.

Gosnell says that hydration solutions and powders are safe for most healthy adults when used as directed, but for children and those with medical conditions, consult a doctor first. She adds, “If you have health concerns or severe dehydration, seek medical advice before using electrolyte drinks.” Brownstein adds that, over time, unnecessarily high sodium concentrations can contribute to high blood pressure and can potentially contribute to other problems, so avoid ultra-high sodium concentrations unless you're exercising intensively.

How We Tested and What's Up Next

I drank each powder, dissolved in water following the packaging instructions. I tested these powders over the course of a few weeks in my day-to-day life, including while working out and while hungover. I looked for adequate nutrition (per my conversations with dietitians), convenient packaging, and good taste.

We're testing hydration and electrolyte powders fromOnly Hydration,LMNT,Gatorade,DripDrop, andNuun Sport.

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