Past research has found that these beverages are one of the top sources of artificial dyes. Interestingly, one small study published in May in Frontiers in Nutrition found that runners ran faster when they rinsed their mouths with a colored solution compared with a clear one, but additional research is needed to determine whether the color of a sports drink has any significant effect on athletic performance.

Research has documented that when you sweat, you lose not only water, but electrolytes as well. Sports drinks are designed to replace both. Another paper notes there is some evidence that they may help fuel a workout, usually with some kind of simple carbohydrate like sugar , which may give them an edge when it comes to athletic performance and recovery.

While nutrition experts generally advise limiting sugar-sweetened beverages in your diet, athletes who train long and hard enough to deplete their natural energy stores may benefit from replenishing them through sports drinks. Still, not every workout is going to be that rigorous — in fact, there is no conclusive proof that exercise causes enough electrolyte loss to affect the hydration levels of the average person.

Sports drinks have come a long way since their inception, and brands are constantly innovating to keep up with consumer trends and demands. One such innovation is the addition of protein — the trendiest macronutrient. In line with combining sports drinks with protein shakes, dairy-based sports drinks are a new-to-market option.

GoodSport , a line of dairy-based sports drinks, hit shelves as the first sports drink piggybacking off the popularity of chocolate milk as a post-workout beverage. Milk has been shown to increase fluid balances better than plain water, according to one study published in March in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Brands are also ditching sugar in response to consumer awareness surrounding added sugars in sports drinks. Both Gatorade and Propel offer low- or zero-sugar sports drinks that use no-calorie sweeteners like sucralose in lieu of added sugars.

Gatorade Fit, which according to Beverage Digest launched in early , opts for stevia in its formula. Whether you should reach for a sports drink over another type of beverage depends on the length and intensity of your workout. An intense workout lasting an hour or longer is sure to have you dripping in sweat, making it a good time to replenish your electrolytes, research shows.

But does the average person need sports drinks? Not necessarily, but under the right circumstances, they can be appropriate, Westerkamp says. Sports drinks can also be a good choice for heavy sweaters, Moriarty says. Sweating in any capacity can lead to electrolyte imbalances, and sports drinks can help with replenishing and preventing dehydration.

Chan School of Public Health. Ingredients like artificial sweeteners and dyes are also a concern. Research also provides evidence that sports drinks are unnecessary for children and may contribute to childhood obesity.

For that reason, sports drinks are generally considered unnecessary for children engaged in routine or play-based physical activity. People who participate in prolonged, high-intensity exercise may benefit from sports drinks, but for most people, drinking water before, during, and after exercise is sufficient to rehydrate.

Joanna Gregg, RD , food data curator for MyFitnessPal , recommends LMNT for athletes participating in prolonged exercise, noting that it should be consumed with post-workout protein and carbohydrates.

Athletes exercising for long periods of time, like marathon runners or long-distance cyclists, can use this for fueling purposes, due to its carb content.

Spano's other top pick for endurance athletes is Tailwind Endurance Fuel. In addition to sodium and other electrolytes, each serving contains calories, 25 grams of carbohydrates and 25 grams of sugar. So, athletes participating in sustained physical activity for long periods of time, like marathon runners or long-distance cyclists , can use it for fueling purposes, too.

However, if your sweat typically contains a high concentration of salt, you may need more than the included mg of sodium per serving. Tailwind Endurance Fuel is sold as a bulk powder and in convenient, single-serving packets. It's available in multiple flavors, including "naked," which is tasteless, and four caffeinated flavors — matcha, raspberry, tropical and cola — that contain 35 mg of caffeine per serving.

GU's product is low in sugar and available in multiple flavors. Taste is subjective, so picking just one hydration drink that everyone finds palatable is a bit of a fool's errand. But citrus is a classic, time-tested flavor that's always refreshing, and we have it on good authority that GU nails it with their Hydration Drink Tabs in lemon lime.

Todd Buckingham, PhD , professor of movement science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, relies on GU products himself when he trains. Buckingham, who is also a triathlete and coach, says lemon lime is his favorite flavor. Each tab contains mg of sodium, enough salt to be effective but not so much that it tastes like you're chugging ocean water.

And if you're curious about some of GU's other popular flavors, including orange, tri-berry, and strawberry lemonade, the company sells a variety box that contains a tube of each. Small and portable, these tablets are ideal for those doing low-to-moderate-intensity exercise,.

When you're traveling, a hydration drink's delivery system is almost as important as its ingredients. Nuun's single-serving, dissolvable tablets are packaged in a small but formidable plastic tube that can be tossed in a purse or squeezed into a duffle bag without the risk of a torn package or the mess of a scoop and canister.

And besides being available online, Nuun can be purchased in most pharmacies and grocery stores nationwide, so it's easy to re-stock when you're on the road. Amy Shapiro, RD, CDN , founder of Real Nutrition NYC , notes that she personally travels with Nuun Sport Tablets, and Gregg includes them among her recommendations for people performing low-to-moderate-intensity exercise.

For athletes who need more sodium and a higher calorie and carbohydrate count, Nuun offers an endurance formula, which is available in single-serving sachets. No powders or tabs here! This bottle of Gatorylte is great for keeping stores of electrolytes on track at a lower level of fluid loss.

Despite its ubiquity, Gatorade is often dismissed by athletes and sports nutrition pros due to its relatively low level of sodium and high sugar content. But Gatorlyte available by the bottle at Target, Walmart and your average grocery store tweaks the traditional formula by upping the sodium to mg per serving and cutting calories, sugar and carbohydrates.

However, those 12 grams of sugar may still be too much for anyone monitoring their sugar intake — but it may not be enough for people who have grown accustomed to the sugar-forward flavor of regular Gatorade and similar products.

Some online reviewers complained about Gatorlyte's taste, noting an overwhelming saltiness. Before you pop a tab or reach for that scoop of drink mix, read the nutrition label carefully and consider the following factors.

We also lose potassium, calcium, magnesium and a few other trace minerals in small amounts," Gregg says. These electrolytes are critical, as they play an important role in maintaining blood pressure, regulating heart contractions and ensuring proper nerve function and hormone regulation.

Shapiro explains that magnesium, potassium and calcium tend to stay in balance with a healthy diet. But just how much you need depends on multiple variables, including your diet, how much you sweat, your sweat's salt concentration, how long and hard you exercise and certain health conditions.

Finding the right formula for your needs may take some experimenting, but Gregg has some general guidelines. It's also a good idea to check labels for calories, sugar and carbohydrates.

These can help fuel long workouts and aid in recovery. But, if you're not an endurance athlete or you're already consuming enough calories and carbohydrates to cover your energy needs, extra sugar and carbohydrates may be unnecessary and work against your weight-loss or weight-maintenance goals.

Artificial flavors and sweeteners, like sucralose and aspartame, are sometimes added to sports drinks to enhance their taste without upping the calorie count.

Technically, these ingredients are considered safe for consumption, but some people find that they cause bloating and other gastrointestinal issues not something you want to deal with mid-workout.

Most of the dietitians we talked to recommended avoiding them when possible. Whether you need a scoopable powder, a dissolvable tab, individual packets or a ready-to-drink beverage depends on your personal preferences and how you plan to consume your drink.

For example, a canister of powder may be convenient for someone who primarily works out in their home gym and can mix their drink from the comfort of their kitchen.

But, if you're hydrating on the go, a tube of tablets or individual packets may be more convenient. The best hydration drinks work with your workout routine.

For most people who are going about their everyday activities, including periods of moderate exercise lasting under 60 minutes, regular water is sufficient for hydration. However, if you are eating a well-balanced diet, you are probably getting enough of these electrolytes in your food consumption," Gregg says.

But there are some instances in which downing an electrolyte drink will help you recover more quickly. Consider opting for one of the above picks when:. Nutrition Beverages Sports and Energy Drinks.

The 7 Best Sports Drinks for Hydration, According to Dietitians By Jenessa Connor, CPT, PN-L1 Jul 16, com may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here. Exercise duration and intensity plays a role in which sports drink is best for you.

Video of the Day. How We Chose. Electrolytes Vitamins Sugar content Price Flavor options Convenience Activity level. Best Overall: Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier. Best Overall. Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier This electrolyte drink powder comes in single-serving pouches and is available in nearly a dozen flavors.

Pros Convenient, individually-packaged servings Extensive flavor options Contains vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12 and C. Cons May be too high in sugar for some More expensive than other powders and tablets Doesn't contain magnesium or calcium.

Best With Caffeine: Raspberry Limeade Skratch Labs Hydration Sport Drink Mix. Best With Caffeine. Raspberry Limeade Skratch Labs Hydration Sport Drink Mix It contains 50 grams of caffeine derived from natural coffee berry.

Pros Available in multiple flavors, with or without caffeine Sweetened with fruit juice and natural sugars Caffeine derived from natural coffee berry.