5 Best Hydration Supplements for Athletes
By: Beth RushManaging Editor at Body+Mind
If you go hard on the football field or track, you know you need to hydrate. However, sometimes water alone isn’t sufficient to replenish your body. Adding the best hydration supplements for athletes can give you the competitive advantage you crave while nourishing your physical self.
What should you choose? Consider one of these five best hydration supplements for athletes and mindfully tune into your performance after trying them to select the best type for your specific needs.
Why Athletes Need Hydration Supplements
If you’re an athlete, you need one of the best hydration supplements for athletes because you lose more than water when you sweat. You also lose electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphate, which are essential to muscle function and keep the electrical synapses that move them working as intended. It’s why you’ll sometimes see adults shopping for Pedialyte for a rapid recovery from dehydration after working out or drinking.
That’s right — alcohol also depletes your stores of essential electrolytes, and athletes aren’t immune despite their healthy reputations. For example, more than half of student athletes report binge drinking, getting inebriated at higher rates than their more sedentary classmates. Savvy drinkers stave off dehydration by indulging in a glass of water between beverages, although they may do their body an even bigger favor by adding one of the hydration supplements below.
5 Best Hydration Supplements for Athletes
The best hydration supplements for you as an athlete depend on your unique needs. Here are five popular brands and their comparative benefits to help you select the right one.
5 Best Hydration Supplements for Athletes:
If you struggle to swallow pills, rejoice. Zaca Chewables come in delicious, berry-flavored tablets that you can suck on or crunch. This best hydration supplement for athletes is perfect for those who have food restrictions or allergies, as it’s free of the stuff you don’t want, including:
- Sugar free
- Gluten free
- GMO free
- Soy free
It’s also keto, paleo and vegan-friendly, with no artificial sweeteners. This supplement introduces an extract from the Japanese Raisin Tree to support liver function, making it particularly valuable to athletes who also indulge in alcohol. It also packs a wallop of fermented nutrients, which absorb better than synthetic versions.
Athletic Green combines the goodness of hydration with the healing power of plants. This product is manufactured in a facility that exceeds FDA and GMP standards for medical preparations, so you know it delivers consistent quality. It contains over 75 whole foods-based ingredients to increase your energy levels, aid in gut health and digestion and promote positive nerve health.
Choose this formula if you struggle to get enough dark, leafy greens in your diet. Such foods are high in phytonutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin, which benefit your eyes and may improve visual acuity on the field.
Your mitochondria are the powerhouses of each cell, playing a crucial role in chemical reactions that generate energy to power your body. Mitopure rejuvenates aged and damaged mitochondria, replacing them with fresh, new versions to power your performance.
Mitopure claims to be the first supplement specifically designed to support mitochondrial health. It’s not a drink additive but a handy tablet you can gulp down with water. Each dose unlocks six times the Urolithin A of pomegranate juice, a natural metabolite produced in your intestines that improves muscle function in older animals.
You know you should drink water — but the flat taste turns you off. That’s where Liquid IV comes in. This best hydration supplement for athletes comes in convenient packets with multiple flavors to choose from, including acai berry, lemon-lime, strawberry lemonade, seaberry and tropical punch.
Liquid IV’s formula uses an optimized ratio of electrolytes and clinically trusted nutrition. It contains multiple B vitamins for a needed energy boost.
Feeling salty? If you prefer that taste over sweet, then transform your next refillable bottle of recovery water into a healthy margarita with LMNT. This beverage additive comes in flavors like citrus salt, grapefruit salt, raspberry salt and mango chili.
As the flavors imply, this replacement packs a hefty wallop of sodium — 1,000 milligrams. It also contains potassium and magnesium to round out the electrolyte profile. Using natural stevia as a sweetener helps you avoid the artificial stuff as you start your day with a glass of water or recover from your workout by adding a packet to your favorite bone broth or smoothie.
This summarizes the best hydration supplements for athletes to consider, including in the list Zaca, Athletic Greens, Mitopure, Liquid IV, and LMNT.
Best Hydration Supplement for Athletes
Take your performance to new heights with Zaca, one of the best hydration supplements for athletes. Your body will thank you for the increased electrolyte and water intake, combined the power of healthy added nutrition. Not only will this give you the hydration and performance enhancement, but unlike many supplement it will give you the recovery you need after. Simply take 2-4 chewables before your athletic competition, and any as needed during and after. Try Zaca's hydration supplement today and power your athletic performance.
SOURCES:
1. Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily, Whole Food Sourced All in One Greens For Athletes Supplement Powder, NSF Certified, GlutenFree, Vegan and Keto Friendly, 30 Day Supply, 360 Grams
https://www.amazon.com/Athletic-Greens-Supplement-Certified-GlutenFree/dp/B084GZNKZQ
2. Timeline Mitopure Urolithin A - First Clinically Proven Supplement for Healthy Aging and Cellular Renewal - Mitoceutical for Athletes, Muscle Strength, Endurance, and Longevity - 28 Softgels
https://www.amazon.com/Timeline-Mitopure-Mitochondria-Supplement-Clinically/dp/B0BFRTB6MF
3. Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier - Lemon Lime - Hydration Powder Packets | Electrolyte Drink Mix | Easy Open Single-Serving Stick | Non-GMO | 16 Sticks
https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-I-V-Multiplier-Electrolyte-Supplement/dp/B01IT9NLHW
4. LMNT Zero-Sugar Electrolytes - Raw Unflavored Salt - Hydration Powder Packets | No Dodgy Ingredients | Keto & Paleo Friendly | 30 Sticks
https://www.amazon.com/LMNT-Zero-Sugar-Electrolytes-Unflavored-Ingredients/dp/B085LR9BM2
5. Electrolytes Study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123/
6. How Alcohol Affects Your Athletic Performance
https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/addiction-blog/alcohol-athletic-performance/
7. Health Tips About Water
https://bodymind.com/health-tips-about-water/
8. Healthy Foods That Improve Vision
https://bodymind.com/8-healthy-foods-that-improve-vision/
9. All about mitochondria: Definition and disease
https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/blog/all-about-mitochondria-definition-and-disease/
10. Effect of Urolithin A Supplementation on Muscle Endurance and Mitochondrial Health in Older Adults
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2788244
