Best sports drinks of 2023
I’m a certified personal trainer with a lot of sports nutrition education, and even I have always found it difficult to get into sports drinks. Most sports drinks offer unique benefits that set them apart from the competition. So how do you cut through all the marketing to choose the best one for you?
To help you choose the best sports drink, I have combined my own knowledge with input from other fitness professionals. I analyzed more than 50 ingredient lists to determine which sports drinks are best for certain purposes types of training. And I’ve combined all that research into this guide to help identify the best sports drinks for rapid hydration, endurance training, CrossFit, weight loss, and a completely natural diet.
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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 aimed at niche activities and different types of athletes, such as runners or CrossFit enthusiasts. So while Gatorade is still a popular choice, there are many other options these days. Whether you’ve just had an intense workout session at the gym or need to rehydrate after sweating on the road, we’ve found the best sports drinks available in all flavors and forms to replenish electrolytes.
Personal trainer and fitness studio owner Holly Roser say Nuun is the perfect sports drink for hydration and energy. “Made with just electrolytes and caffeine, these little tablets are easy to pop into your water and turn into a fizzy drink,” she says, adding that the caffeine content makes them great for morning runs.
Nuun’s entire product line promises to help you with grueling workouts, but… Nuun endurance has been specially developed to support you during a sweat session of 90 minutes or longer. It is widely used by marathon runners, triathletes and other long-distance athletes, both professional and recreational.
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 your muscles moving during long workouts.
I’ve used Nuun Endurance during long-haul training and it hasn’t let me down yet. I normally only used it for runs of eight miles or longer, but I’ve also used a tablet when I felt I needed an energy boost for a shorter run.
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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 it by one of the most intense fitness regimens around. The answer: sweat. Lots 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 pack 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 claim, but take it with a grain of salt.
That said, the formula for Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier is rooted in a medical therapy developed by the World Health Organization oral rehydration salts.
Hydration Multiplier is not a medical therapy, but is closely based on a hydration solution has been used by major health agencies for decadesI’m confident it can replenish even the sweatiest CrossFitters.
According to Liquid IV, salt, sugar, potassium, vitamin C, multiple B vitamins, and of course water come together in just the right amounts to deliver nutrients to your bloodstream faster than water alone. It is also gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO and vegan.
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Read more: How to make running on a treadmill more fun
Lipsa Shahrecommends a certified personal trainer and yoga teacher Ultima supplement as a sports drink for people who want to lose weight, because it is sugar-free and low-calorie.
“I turn to Ultima when I’m teaching a long day of hot yoga in a 100-plus degree room and personal training,” says Shah. “Electrolytes are essential for muscle function and ensure you perform at your best [Ultima] gives you that without the calories.”
Ultima Replenisher contains no sugar or artificial sweeteners – it is sweetened with stevia – and the first ingredient listed on the powder packages is magnesium citrate, which is a good indication that this product is high quality. Magnesium is one of the electrolytes lost through sweat; being the first ingredient on the list means 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 a good sweat.
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We’re getting super natural here. No, not supernatural — super natural, as in the most natural drink you can drink during exercise and at the same level as water.
Finding an all-natural sports drink is difficult because most are packed with artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors. Even the sports drinks that don’t contain this are still made in factories or laboratories and infused with minerals 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. Although not explicitly marketed as a sports drink, Harmless harvest coconut water has the ingredients you should look for in a sports drink: sugar, sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. However, the only actual ingredient on the bottle is organic coconut water. Coconut contains all these minerals without the need for fortification.
“It contains all the electrolytes your body needs, without any artificial ingredients,” says Shah, who tries to stay away from processed foods and drinks as much as possible. “Not only does coconut water hydrate, it helps your muscles and reduces pain, and coconut water is better than most energy drinks I’ve tried in the past.”
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