If you’re an exercise enthusiast, high-performance athlete, or just love being outside moving, electrolyte supplements can really improve your game.
What Are Electrolytes?
Electrolytes replenish the minerals depleted during a hard workout, like sodium and potassium, to get your body back to a healthy balance so you can continue your workout. Feeling dehydrated halfway through a run or bike ride? Your body needs more salt, plain and simple. This is also clear when you have a lot of salt stains on your clothes after a workout. This usually only happens on hot summer days, when your body is sweating more from the sun.
Dehydration can come on really quickly, almost without your noticing, so it’s important to drink water even when you don’t feel depleted or thirsty, because your body is losing water and electrolytes at a rapid pace. If you feel suddenly tired, exhausted, and unable to continue your workout, you’ve likely hit what’s called a “bonk” and need to rehydrate and stock up on salt. If you don’t have any electrolyte supplements with you, a coke or a bag of chips can save the day. Be prepared for a hot, long workout with plenty of water, energy gels, snacks, and electrolyte supplements. We’ve listed some of the best electrolyte supplements below.
1. Nuun Hydration Tablets
These pure electrolyte tablets are low-calorie and fruit-flavored for an easy option when working out. They provide fluid balance in the body as well as aiding in efficient muscle performance and minimize cramping when grinding through a workout or high-endurance adventures. Drop a tablet into 16 ounces of water, let it fizz and then drink up.
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2. Hi Lyte Tablets for Rapid Rehydration
For a quick hit of rehydration during activities, take a Hi Lyte tablet that aids to support muscle function through their use of Manganese, which allows the body to convert protein to energy. Chloride also helps the stomach process the salts better so you avoid irritation after taking a tablet. The all-natural supplement is ideal for high-performing athletes who need to recover quickly.
3. LyteLine Electrolyte Concentrate
Sugar- and additive-free, this electrolyte concentrate is an easy-to-use product that you simply squeeze into water mid-workout, giving you rapid hydration. They really focus on a fast-acting formula without any calories or unnecessary ingredients, so they recommend adding a touch of lemon juice to water and then mix in your liquid electrolytes for a sweeter taste.
4. SaltStick Fast Chews
Salt sticks are a runner and cyclists’ dream snack: easy to open and eat while mid-workout and they act fast. Salt sticks are pure and simple pieces of salt for easy digestion and work quickly to replenish your body’s natural store of sodium. This bottle has 60 tablets so stash a few in your pocket and chew when needed. These tablets are also great for stamina and reducing stress during your workout.
5. Elite Sportz Electrolyte Pills
These keto-friendly and gluten-free electrolyte pills are great for producing more sodium, relieving stress, and reducing cramps during a long workout. Try these to improve your sodium intake, enhance your recovery post-workout, and maintain a healthy balance of salt while exercising.
6. Boulder Salt Electrolyte Powder
Just add one to two servings of Boulder Salt Electrolyte Powder into 16-20 ounces of water and feel the benefits of extra salt. Your body will thank you when you digest the added minerals and you’ll be able to continue on with your workout. The Boulder salt brand will neutralize your metabolic acids and prevent muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue, headache, and fainting.
7. Zeal Naturals Electrolyte Powder Recovery Drink
Zeal Nautrals has an excellent recovery drink that is full of electrolytes, potassium, and BCAA’s and amino acids. While you can’t take it with you on your run or ride, this is a great post-workout supplement to energize your body and ready it for recovery. Sustain your day with a recovery drink and don’t fall prey to dehydration by drinking plenty of water.
8. Nuun Sport + Caffeine Tablets
Nuun tablets are great to take on the go, easy to pop into a full water bottle to drink quickly or over a short period of time. The Nuun Sport and caffeine tablets have a combination of the right amount of electrolytes and caffeine to get your body back on track to peak performance. If you find yourself feeling sluggish or tired mid-way through a workout, salt and caffeine will give you the boost you need, so Nuun tablets are an excellent choice to save yourself to keep going.
9. Key Nutrients Electrolyte Salt Tablets
Key Nutrients is a great choice for electrolytes tablets. They are full of sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and are vegan. These keto-friendly salt tablets are easy to store in a cycling jersey or shorts pocket and popped into a water bottle mid-workout. You’ll be up and ready to go even when you’re feeling tired, so stock up for your next long workout.
10. PolyFit Salt Tablets
PolyFit’s salt tablets come in a two-pack for extra value and contain pink Himalayan salt. During exercise, your body loses its natural salt stores through sweat and fatigue and taking a salt tablet will help restore your body’s natural balance so you can keep working hard.