Best Sports Drinks (2024): When Salty Sweaters Need to Rehydrate

If you’re leaving a trail of sweat after that hard-hitting workout, chances are your body is THIRSTY. And while plain water is the MVP, sometimes it just doesn’t cut it. Enter sports drinks.

Sports drinks are designed to replenish the fluids, electrolytes, and glucose that we lose through sweat during intense exercise. Electrolytes¹, especially, are essential for many of the body’s basic functions. As a result, these sports drinks include a specific amount of electrolytes and sugar to maximize hydration and absorption in the body. But with so many brands and products to choose from, finding the right sports drink for your needs can feel overwhelming.

Our experts product testers—who are registered dietitians, competitive triathletes, and certified personal trainers—tested more than a dozen sports drinks and analyzed their electrolyte count to find the best for your fitness goals.

The GGR supplement testing methodology takes these four factors into consideration:

• Formulation: Does it contain multiple electrolytes?
• Dosages: Does it contain research-backed dosages to maximize its benefits.
• Taste: Is it tasty?
• Price: Is it affordable?

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

8 Best Sports Drinks

• Best Organic Sports Drink: Nooma Organic Electrolyte Sports Drink
• Best Budget Sports Drink: Powerade
• Best Sports Drink for Athletes: Gatorade Zero
• Best Caffeinated Sports Drink: Tailwind Caffeinated Endurance Fuel
• Best All-Natural Sports Drink: Harmless Harvest Coconut Water
• Best Sports Drink for Weight Loss: Propel Electrolyte Water
• Best Electrolyte Powder: Transparent Labs CoreSeries Hydrate v3
• Best On-The-Go Sports Drink: Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Single Serve Packets

Best Organic Sports Drink: Nooma Organic Electrolyte Sports Drink

Good for: People who want to rehydrate with ingredients they can feel good about

Best Organic

NOOMA Organic Sports Drink

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• 5 premixed and delicious flavors 
• Hydrating sports drinks with electrolytes
• Only 30 cal and 5 g of sugar
• No artificial sweeteners or preservatives
• Great for workouts, traveling, when feeling sick, and hangovers
• Certified to be organic by the USDA

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Made with coconut water
• Packed with 35 mg of calcium, 340 mg of potassium, and 20mg of magnesium
• No artificial sweeteners or preservatives
• Reviewers love the taste
• Keto- and paleo-friendly
• Non-GMO and gluten-free
• Added performance adaptogens
• Climate Pledge Friendly from Amazon
• For recovery during or after activity

Cons

• It needs to be refrigerated after opening
• Some reviewers don’t love the taste
• More expensive than other options in the category

Bottom Line

Get the benefits of a healthy alternative sports drink with NOOMA’s low-sugar, natural ingredient-, and electrolyte-packed beverage. Try the variety pack to find your favorite flavor of this organic and plant-based flavored water.

Designed to provide rapid hydration, NOOMA’s Organic Electrolyte Sports Drink is one of the best sports drinks available on the market today. The sports drink is formulated for fast absorption to help keep cramps, dizziness, and headaches at bay so you can stay at your best throughout your workout.

Its key functional ingredients include organic coconut water, Himalayan pink salt, ashwagandha, and cordyceps mushrooms. And at only 30 calories per carton, you know the electrolyte drink doesn’t contain any unnecessary ingredients.

That said, NOOMA’s 60 milligrams of sodium and 150 milligrams of potassium are on the lower end of the amount of electrolytes we’d like to see in a sports drink for people who sweat a lot while training.

NOOMA offers the beverage in five flavors without any added sugars. Amanda Capritto, a GGR fitness writer and a competitive triathlete who’s tried dozens of sports drinks wasn’t a fan of Pineapple Mango. “It’s alright after a few sips, but I’d definitely reach for something else first,” Amanda says. “There’s a slight odor upon opening the can and an aftertaste that’s similar to the smell.”

The product is certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and it’s naturally gluten-free and contains no genetically modified organisms (non-GMO). Follow a vegan lifestyle? Not to worry! NOOMA Organic Electrolyte Sports Drink is totally plant-based.

NOOMA recommends drinking its Organic Electrolyte Sports Drink during or after your workout or any other time you feel dehydrated.

Best Budget Sports Drink: Powerade

Good for: Those who want to rehydrate on a budget

Best Budget

Powerade Sports Drink

GGR Score: 3.25

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Product Highlights

• Unique ION4 advanced electrolyte system
• Gain energy, replenish nutrients, and stay hydrated
• 8 delicious flavors
• Supports metabolism with vitamins B3, B6, and B12

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Features 4 electrolytes: sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium
• Includes vitamins B3, B6, and B12
• 6% carbohydrate solution for energy
• Caffeine-free

Cons

• Contains large amounts of added sugar
• Uses color dye
• Some reviewers don’t enjoy the taste
• Issues with shipping for some users

Bottom Line

A great product with some nutritional value, recovery benefits, and a reasonable price compared to others.

When it comes to accessible and affordable sports beverages, Powerade gets a lot of well-deserved hype. It’s been around for years, and over the decades, they’ve certainly figured out how to give customers the most bang for their buck.

Powerade is designed to replenish the electrolytes you lose in sweat. The formula prioritizes sodium, calcium, and potassium for maximum hydration, but it also provides carbohydrates to boost energy. Each 12-ounce serving of Powerade provides 19 grams of carbs. The formulation gets a 5 out of 5 from us because of its energy-boosting effects.

Unfortunately, the carbs bump the calorie content, which may deter those trying to keep their calorie intake low. However, Powerade has sugar-free flavors available that contain zero grams of carbohydrates and provide zero calories per serving.

Expert product tester and GGR Performance Editor Anthony O’Reilly tends to go for the sugar-free option, which he enjoys, but people who are training really hard and for long periods of time might enjoy regular Powerade.

Anthony’s go-to Powerade flavor is the classic Mountain Berry Blast. “It reminds me of the berry-flavored gas station slushies I had as a child,” he says.

Regardless of your choice, all Powerades contain B vitamins, including  B3, B6, and B12, that can help support important pathways essential for physical activity.

Best Sports Drink for Athletes: Gatorade Zero

Good for: Athletes who need hydration without carbohydrate energy

Best for Athletes

Gatorade Zero

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Features electrolytes for improved hydration  
• 10 delicious flavors
• Comes in a ready-to-go 28 fl oz bottle or on-the-go powder packets
• 0 added sugar
• Same hydrating benefits as the Gatorade Thirst Quencher

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Relatively low prices
• No caffeine
• It is low in calories, sugar-free, and kosher

Cons

• May cause stomach distress
• Reviewers mentioned some shipping and damaged product issues
• Not a dietary supplement
• Some ingredients vary based on the flavor
• Must be refrigerated after opening

Bottom Line

Gatorade does an excellent job providing hydration options that are easy and on-the-go. Gatorade Zero may be a great option if you’re looking for a reasonably priced, low-sugar, and super-refreshing sports drink.

Gatorade Zero offers the same hydration benefits as Gatorade Thirst Quencher but without the carbohydrate content. While it may not provide the same energy boost, its lack of carbs makes it a low-calorie hydration option. It is a zero-calorie option, to be exact.

Instead, Gatorade Zero focuses on providing electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, to rehydrate users. Each 12-ounce serving provides 50 milligrams of potassium and 160 milligrams of sodium.

And since you can choose between 10 different flavors, chances are you’ll never get bored with your chosen electrolyte drink. If you enjoy the classic flavors, you might like Fruit Punch and Lemon Lime. If you prefer to switch it up, go for the Glacier Berry or Glacier Freeze. Each flavor gets a 5 out of 5 from our group of certified fitness experts.

“This is my go-to sports drink for post-workout hydration,” says GGR performance editor and certified nutrition coach Anthony O’Reilly. “The regular stuff hurts my stomach too much, but with this, it’s the perfect way to replenish electrolytes after a long run or workout. The colder the bottle, the better the flavor (and I feel more refreshed if it’s ice cold, but that could very well be a mental thing). I’ll drink any flavor but Cool Blue is my top choice.”

Best Caffeinated Sports Drink: Tailwind Caffeinated Endurance Fuel

Good for: Endurance athletes who also need a little pep in their step.=

Best Caffeinated

Tailwind Endurance Fuel

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Endurance mix for energy, electrolytes, and hydration
• 8 delicious flavors, 4 of which include caffeine
• Get your boost of energy with 20–24 oz of water
• Recommended for endurance events
• Good flavors that supports stomach health

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No gluten, dairy, or soy
• A non-GMO and vegan-friendly product
• No dyes or preservatives
• Supports gut health
• Premixing is possible, but water should be refrigerated

Cons

• Not FDA-approved
• Some reviewers did not enjoy the “light” taste of the product
• Reviews suggest that it tastes salty

Bottom Line

A clean, easy, and delicious way to gain endurance and hydration with only 24 ounces of water and a packet of Endurance Fuel from Tailwind.

Tailwind Caffeinated Endurance Fuel is a vegan-friendly blend of calories, electrolytes, and hydration designed to fuel all your endurance adventures. Each serving provides 25 grams of carbs and 100 calories. And while it’s available in eight delicious flavors total, there are four caffeinated options that provide 35 milligrams of organic caffeine.

Be warned, however, that this is a sports drink for high-volume endurance workouts such as triathlon or Ironman training. “Tailwind is not something I would (or anyone should) drink on a regular basis just for funsies or flavor,” says competitive triathlete Amanda Capritto, who recently won her age group at a Miami half triathlon. “It’s a true endurance drink intended for long (as in, two-plus hour) workouts. I used Tailwind for some shorter workouts but wouldn’t take a whole serving. When dosed correctly, Tailwind kept me satisfied on long bike rides, both in terms of hunger and thirst.”

Endurance Fuel is easy on the gut, containing ingredients that the small intestine can absorb. It’s soy-, dairy-, and gluten-free and doesn’t contain preservatives or dyes. It mixes clear and rinses clean.

Tailwind recommends mixing two to three scoops of the supplement in 24 ounces of water for every hour of your endurance workout. You can adjust your servings as you dial in your calorie-rate sweet spot. However, on hot days, you may need to maintain your calorie intake but increase the water portion of your drink.

Best All-Natural Sports Drink: Harmless Harvest Coconut Water

Good for: Anyone who want the benefits of coconut water without any added ingredients

Best All-Natural

Harmless Harvest Organic Coconut Water

GGR Score: 4.25

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Product Highlights

• Certified Organic & Fair for Life
• Refreshing, pure, and crisp-tasting coconut water
• Bottles made from 100% recycled materials
• Available in 12 oz or 32 oz sizes
• No gluten, added sugar, dairy, artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners
• 4.5-out-of-5-star Amazon rating

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Contains potassium and electrolytes
• A plant-based and vegan-friendly product
• No pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or sewage sludge used in production
• Fun recipes for boba tea and mocktails are on their website
• Only 90 calories per 12 oz serving

Cons

• Must be refrigerated after opening
• Pricey compared to competitors

Bottom Line

Harmless Harvest is an excellent choice for an organic, on-the-go refreshment option for your workout or day-to-day life. They use sustainable methods for production, and the drink has natural nutrients and no added preservatives, making it the ideal one-ingredient hydration drink.

Harmless Harvest was founded with the mission to make the most amazing coconut water using the most ethical practices possible. So far, they seem to be nailing it. Harmless Harvest holds a Fair for Life certification, which ensures its commitment to social accountability and fair trade.

Harmless Harvest uses organic Nam Hom coconuts from Thailand, sourced from certified organic farms. So what does Nam Hom mean? Great question. It means “fragrant ones,” which is fitting for this delicious sports drink.

“This is a fantastic option for people who want to prioritize two things: all-natural ingredients and sustainable, friendly manufacturing and farming,” says competitive triathlete and certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto. “I drink this after workouts and just when I want something to quench my thirst a bit better—or if I’m craving flavor and freshness.”

The coconut water is certified organic by the USDA and contains no artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors. All you’ll find in Harmless Harvest Coconut Water are naturally occurring electrolytes that can help you maintain fluid balance and hydration.

Drink it as you cool down on a hot day, or enjoy it as part of your post-workout routine.

Best Sports Drink for Weight Loss: Propel Electrolyte Water

Good for: People who are being mindful of their calorie intake

Best for Weight Loss

Propel Electrolyte Water

GGR Score: 4.25

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Product Highlights

• 9 fruit-flavored electrolyte water options
• Offers immune system version
• 0 calories and 0 g of sugar
• Includes vitamins B3, B5, B6, C, and E
• Colorless fitness water made for on-the-go hydration

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Refreshing endurance water for workouts or daily activities
• 0 cal
• 160 mg of sodium and 40 mg of potassium
• Colorless water to boost hydration

Cons

• Not a dietary supplement
• Damaged and messy packaging is mentioned in the reviews
• Some users say the water is too sweet

Bottom Line

From the makers of Gatorade, Propel Electrolyte Water is a great option to help you hydrate and recover after a workout.

Propel Electrolyte Water, from the makers of Gatorade, is a zero-calorie, zero-sugar fitness water. While it lacks carbohydrates, the sports drink contains B vitamins and the antioxidant vitamins C and E.

Sodium, the key electrolyte in Propel, supports hydration by stimulating thirst and encouraging fluid balance. You can choose from eight flavors, including Lemon, Black Cherry, and delicious Kiwi Strawberry. Our expert product tester and GGR Senior Editor Nicole Davis tried Kiwi Strawberry, and said that although it’s a bit sweet, the flavor is good and it’s definitely a thirst-quencher.

That’s probably because every 16.9-ounce bottle of Propel provides 230 mg of sodium and 60 mg of potassium. Propel also offers immune support versions that prioritize vitamin C and zinc. So now you can hydrate and help your body fight germs all in one handy sports drink. Our team of registered dietitians and certified nutrition coaches gives it a 5 out of 5 for formulation and ingredients.

This colorless fitness water is free from artificial flavor sources and is sweetened by high-intensity sweeteners Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) and sucralose.

Best Electrolyte Powder: Transparent Labs Core Series Hydrate V3

Good for: All-around hydration

Best Electrolyte Powder

Transparent Labs Hydrate V3

GGR Score: 4.5

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Product Highlights

• Includes taurine to help performance
• Naturally sweetened
• No artificial colors or flavors
• Contains SenactivTM for recovery

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Low cost per serving
• Easily absorbed electrolytes
• Aides in muscle recovery
• Subscribe & Save available

Cons

• Only one flavor option
• Contains the allergen tree nuts

Bottom Line

At an extremely low per serving cost, Transparent Labs Hydrate V3 is a great option for anyone looking to try out electrolytes or anyone looking for clean ingredients without the hefty price tag.

Transparent Labs helps users hydrate the body quickly by rapidly replenishing electrolytes. The carefully crafted formula includes critical electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and magnesium. It also includes other bioavailable components like taurine², an amino acid involved in almost every tissue in the body.

Certified personal trainer and GGR performance editor Anthony O’Reilly says when he takes this before a workout, he notices more endurance and just better overall hydration. “I feel like it gives me one more rep than I’d be able to do without it,” Anthony says.

Plus, it kind of tastes like Hawaiian Punch, so that’s yummy.

It is free from artificial colors, preservatives, and sweeteners. Instead, it’s sweetened with stevia extract. Its ingredients include 500 mg of organic coconut water powder and 50 mg of Senactiv^TM3, which has been shown to promote more energy and preservation.

To use Hydrate V3, mix one scoop of the electrolyte powder with 8 to 12 ounces of water. Transparent Labs recommends consuming one to three servings daily, so you can enjoy it before, during, and after your workout.

It’s important to note that Hydrate V3 contains some ingredients with proprietary blends, such as Senactiv^TM. While they have many purported benefits, users don’t have access to the complete ingredient breakdown of the combinations. Also, it contains tree nuts, so those with a tree nut allergy should avoid using the electrolyte powder.

Best On-The-Go Sports Drink: Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Single Serving Packets

Good for: Those who appreciate portable hydration

Best On-The-Go

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier

GGR Score: 4.5

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Product Highlights

• Cellular Transport Technology for rapid absorption
• Three times the electrolytes of a sports drink
• Contains 5 essential vitamins
• Non-GMO and free of artificial ingredients

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Hydrates faster than water
• Travel-friendly
• Contains essential vitamins
• Charity donations made with every purchase

Cons

• Can be too sweet for some
• Stevia can cause GI distress for some people

Bottom Line

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier is a great product to help boost your hydration quickly, especially for people who prefer a less-salty electrolyte drink.

Liquid I.V. has changed the game with its Hydration Multiplier packets. These convenient and travel-friendly packets make rehydrating easy. The non-GMO electrolyte mix is powered by their patented Cellular Transport Technology (CTT). This delivery system enhances the rapid absorption of water and other vital ingredients into the body.

Liquid I.V.’s precise ratio of sodium, potassium, and glucose creates an osmotic force that helps the body absorb hydration early in the digestive tract. Just one packet of Hydration Multiplier offers more hydration than water alone. Plus, every serving provides a list of vitamins, including vitamins C, B3, B5, B6, and B12.

Certified personal trainer and GGR senior editor Nicole Davis gave this a 5 out of 5 when it came to hydration and called it her saving grace during her most recent pregnancy. “I will buy more of this when it runs out, which I don’t feel like I’ve said often during supplements testing,” Nicole says. “I feel like I drink water constantly and am still thirsty, but I pop one of these bad boys and I’m good.”

There are nine delicious flavors to choose from, such as Lemon Lime, Tropical Punch, and Acai Berry. They are non-GMO and soy-, dairy-, and gluten-free. And artificial ingredients? Not a chance.

The expert product testers on team GGR are big fans of Liquid I.V., not only for its true thirst-quenching properties but the yummy flavor options. Read our full Liquid I.V. review to find out what we like so much about this supplement.

Other Sports Drinks We Researched and Tested

Of course, there are other sports drinks that get our stamp of approval. Other reputable hydration products that we researched include:

• Nuun: We actually really like Nuun—it made it onto our “best electrolyte drinks” roundup—but because it’s technically an electrolyte drink we left it off here. 
• BodyArmor: While this is fairly similar to Gatorade and Powerade in makeup, our testers didn’t like the flavors as much.
• vitaminwater Focus: Our expert product tester felt that this was just OK—there wasn’t enough caffeine to really make a difference and the flavor was just so-so, so we left it off. 

How We Picked and Tested the Best Sports Drinks

Like with any product we review, we made sure to look at the big picture. We were diligent about finding and including products backed by reputable branding, evidence-based formulas, and electrolyte content.

• Brand reputation: Our top priority is providing our readers with trustworthy reviews, so we value trust and transparency from the brands we research. When choosing the best sports drink products, we looked for brands that offered more than just marketing ploys.

• Evidence-based formulas: When it comes to dietary supplements, choosing products that are backed by science is critical. Forgoing science puts users at unnecessary risk.

• Electrolyte content: The point of sports drinks is to enhance hydration efforts by including electrolytes, so we’d be silly not to examine the nutrition content. We looked for drinks that had important electrolytes, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, and others.

Benefits of Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are designed to take the power of plain water and kick it up a notch. They offer a long list of benefits to athletes of all levels, including:

Replacing Electrolytes

One of the most significant advantages of drinking sports drinks is their electrolyte content. When we sweat, we lose essential electrolytes⁴ like sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. When our electrolyte levels drop, we’re more likely to experience muscle cramps, confusion, and dizziness, ultimately affecting our athletic performance.

Restoring Fluid Balance

Vigorous exercise increases our fluid needs since we lose a lot of fluid when we sweat.⁴ The electrolytes in most sports drinks help our body absorb and retain water quickly and more efficiently.

Providing a Glucose Boost

Depending on your fitness goals and the type of workout you do, replacing your glucose stores might be an essential aspect to include in your training. For example, some sports drinks contain carbohydrates to boost your glucose during or after your workout.

Dosing and Interactions 

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention⁵ (CDC) recommends plain water for the average person’s hydration needs, sports drinks may be appropriate and necessary for those who engage in vigorous physical activity.

However, you should talk with your doctor or registered dietitian before consuming sports drinks regularly if you have a history of blood sugar control issues or kidney concerns.

Our kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins and waste from the body. They also help maintain a balance of electrolytes, but you may retain too many electrolytes if your kidneys aren’t operating at full strength, and that’s a whole other ball game.

If you have a history of diabetes, you might consider drinking the zero-sugar options to avoid episodes of hyperglycemia.

Buying Guide: What to Look for in Sports Drinks

Since no two bodies are the same and we all have different training demands, there’s no one-size-fits-all sports drink. Here are a few things to look for when shopping for your best sports drink:

Electrolyte Content

Replacing your electrolytes is the name of the game when it comes to sports drinks. Look for drinks containing sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

Calorie Count

Depending on your fitness goals, the calorie count of your chosen sports drink might have a huge impact. If your goal is to lose weight, consider looking for a sports drink with low to zero calories per serving.

Sugar Content

While checking the calorie count on those sports drinks, check out their sugar content, too. Most of the time, the calories in sports drinks come from their carbohydrate content. So if your goal is weight loss, look for drinks that are low in sugar. But if your training recovery calls for replaced glucose stores, look for sports drinks containing carbs.

Best Sports Drinks FAQs

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

References

1. Shrimanker, I., & Bhattarai, S. (2022). Electrolytes. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
2. Ripps, H., & Shen, W. (2011). Review: Taurine: A “very essential” amino acid. Molecular Vision, 18, 2673-2686.
3. Senactive. (2022, November 30). SENACTIV®: ReCharge & Reenergize Muscle Cells. NuLiv Science. Retrieved February 11, 2023. 
4. Baker, L. B. (2016). Sweating Rate and Sweat Sodium Concentration in Athletes: A Review of Methodology and Intra/Interindividual Variability. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.z.), 47(Suppl 1), 111-128.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 6). Water and healthier drinks. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 10, 2023.

Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD

Chelsea Rae Bourgeois is a registered dietitian nutritionist with several years of experience working in the clinical setting. Once a track and field athlete in the Southeastern Conference, she now finds joy in combining her passions as a health writer to help people embrace their wellness through nutrition and fitness. When she’s not writing, you can find her outside with her kids or dancing to Dolly Parton in the kitchen.

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