Stay Hydrated Before And After A Workout With These 7 Electrolyte Drinks
If you missed the electrolyte lessons in biology, electrolytes are electrically charged minerals produced by your body. They help to regulate muscle cramping and nerve signaling, and even balance your pH and keep you hydrated. Long story short: You need electrolytes—but every time you break a sweat, your body loses some of the ever-important minerals, which can lead to fatigue, nausea, abdominal and muscle cramping, and more. Hence why you’ll want to stock up ahead of your workouts—and replenish your supply after the fact—by sipping on some of the best electrolyte drinks on the market.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite options to keep you hydrated and functioning optimally… whether you’re headed out on a 10-mile hike or, ya know, battling a morning-after wine hangover.
The best electrolytes to drink after a workout
Shop the Best Electrolytes
I’ve personally tried a majority of the electrolyte offerings on the market, and the Liquid I.V. ones are hands-down my favorite. After experiencing non-stop cramping for a week when training, my coach told me to try Liquid I.V. and it worked wonders. It’s powered by cellular transport technology, which enhances the rapid absorption of water and other key ingredients into your bloodstream. Plus, they’re made without artificial ingredients.
The ladder must be of good quality as its founder is Lebron James. It renews the electrolytes loosed during workouts by containing sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc.
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Yes, Pedialyte is for babies and children, but adults can’t get enough of it. It’s helpful to have on deck after a night of drinking alcohol to fend off hangover-related dehydration and is also equally great to consume before and after workouts or competitions. While the regular Pediatlye packets will suffice, Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus has 33 percent more electrolytes and is formulated with prebiotics to help with your digestive health.
By now you should probably know that your beloved sports drinks are often high in sugar. If you’re looking for low-sugar options to replenish the fluids and electrolytes you’ve lost, Cure has got you covered. These electrolytes were made with organic coconut water powder (coconut water is packed with electrolytes) and pink Himalayan salt, and taste delicious without any added sugar. The flavors options include grapefruit, watermelon, berry pomegranate, ginger turmeric, and matcha green tea so you’ve got lots of choices to choose from.
Most people like to have Nuun tablets for electrolytes. The Nuun tablets are made without artificial flavors and they are in many different flavors which means that you can buy the flavors you like. Before going to the gym consider having these tablets in your bag or purse and be sure that you don’t worry about dehydration during the workout.
DripDrop electrolytes were created by a doctor on a relief mission and are formulated with a mix of electrolytes and glucose to provide relief from dehydration quickly.
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The Goodonya electrolytes are made with pure pink Himalayan salt, coconut water powder, and other sea minerals to keep you hydrated and feeling your best, and there’s only one gram of sugar per serving.
Why you need to replenish electrolytes
“Electrolytes are particularly important when it comes to avoiding dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities, which can contribute to significant decline in performance,” Tamanna Singh, MD, previously told Well+Good. She notes that it’s a good idea to get electrolytes into your system before going into any sort of physical activity, but it becomes even more important if you’re starting a sweat session feeling lackluster or dehydrated.
Post-workout or after spending an extended period of time in the heat, replenishing the liquids and electrolytes you’ve lost via sweat is imperative as well. “Post-exercise hydration and electrolyte repletion is incredibly important, particularly if you sweat a lot or completed an intense workout, long workout, or in heat where the likelihood of dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities is high,” says Singh.
Pro tip: You can also stay hydrated and replenish your body with electrolytes by eating hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, and sweet potatoes—yum!
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