Plain ol' water is out. Hydration dietary supplements are in. However do these high 8 manufacturers actually work?

You see them crowding checkout counters at grocery shops — a rainbow of bubble-gum pink, lime inexperienced and blueberry packets, slender and upright, like a multicolored refrain line of dancers tempting an impulse buy. On the health club, they’re dissolved into monumental jugs of cherry-tinted water.

They’re particularly prevalent on TikTok. Simply search #watertok for a flood of #watergirlies, clutching Stanley tumblers at their #waterstations, that are full of neon-bright hydration powders and flavored syrups. #Wateroftheday? How about Strawberry Birthday Cake Water. Or Caramel Apple Sucker Water.

“In case your water isn’t turning your mouth blue, you’re apparently hydrating improper,” one skeptical dietitian noticed on TikTok final yr.

Hydration dietary supplements within the type of powders, tablets and liquid components have turn out to be a norm amongst shoppers over the past decade, and are extra common than ever. The worldwide electrolyte hydration drinks market was valued at $1.72 billion in 2023, in response to Information Bridge Market Analysis. And it’s rising. The enterprise of boosting one’s H2O is projected to achieve $3.26 billion by 2031.

Why hydration is necessary

This bonanza of recent hydration merchandise performs to a primary however essential want: Greater than 50% of individuals across the globe, together with within the U.S., are chronically underhydrated, in response to the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, which cites worldwide surveys. (“Underhydration” refers to individuals who don’t meet the beneficial each day fluid consumption, whereas “dehydration” refers to a extra extreme fluid deficit.)

These statistics are regarding, contemplating hydration is the oil to our physique’s engine. It aids in muscle restore, digestion, vitality and focus. It’s vital for lubricating joints, regulating physique temperature and eradicating toxins from the physique. It carries vitamins to cells and is essential for hormonal stability, which may have an effect on blood stress and the menstrual cycle. Our degree of hydration additionally contributes to our hair and pores and skin well being.

“Correct hydration retains each system of the physique operating easily,” says dietitian-nutritionist Vanessa King, a spokesperson for the Academy of Vitamin and Dietetics.

After years of striving to stick to a 1945 U.S. Meals and Vitamin Board advice of eight glasses of water a day, it tracks that we’d need to zhuzh up the ritual. (Some research, nevertheless, recommend we want much less water each day and that water necessities range for people.) However is there any precise well being worth to those water components? Do they help with hangovers, improve our exercises or energize us? Or are they merely there to make plain outdated water style like a piña colada?

It depends upon what product you’re peppering into your Hydro Flask.

“Hydration dietary supplements can replenish you when your fluid standing is down — so after exercises, for hangovers or while you’ve been sick,” says Dr. Vijaya Surampudi, an endocrinologist, vitamin specialist and professor at UCLA. “Relying on their composition, some get higher absorbed and enhance your hydration. Some are only for flavoring and so they can have quite a lot of sugar or synthetic coloring — it may be like consuming a soda.”

She notes that as a result of these powders and tablets are categorized as dietary supplements, they aren’t regulated by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration. “So that you simply must belief what’s on the label.” (To fill this hole in regulation, some sleuthing social media customers have even carved out a distinct segment content material style during which they analyze the components listed on the labels of celebrity-backed dietary supplements.)

What’s in hydration dietary supplements?

As a rule, a hydration powder or pill consists of a mixture of 4 fundamental components: electrolytes (reminiscent of sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride), a carbohydrate (reminiscent of glucose), nutritional vitamins (sometimes B nutritional vitamins, generally C) and amino acids. Relying on their amount, and the way they work together with each other, these components could assist hydrate your physique extra effectively.

How these components chemically work together with each other immediately impacts hydration. Water follows sodium for absorption, for instance, and sodium molecules journey greatest with glucose molecules throughout the liner of the gastrointestinal tract, Surampudi says, so carbohydrates like sugar aren’t a nasty factor in your dietary supplements — they’re really most well-liked.

Even so, it’s a fragile stability. A complement with an excessive amount of sugar may go in opposition to your purpose to be more healthy.

“The physique shops extra sugar for vitality later, and that’s saved as fats,” Surampudi says. “And should you drink an excessive amount of [sugary fluids], that may result in well being issues.”

Whereas sugar and sodium assist gas hydration, these with diabetes or hypertension needs to be cautious with hydration dietary supplements, listening to their sugar or salt consumption.

“Use it with warning and focus on together with your healthcare supplier,” Surampudi says.

Do we want them?

Hydration dietary supplements aren’t unsafe for most individuals to take each day if the sugar content material is average — however they’re typically not vital, says Dr. Christopher Duggan, editor of the American Journal of Scientific Vitamin and a Harvard Medical Faculty professor.

Most adults and kids don’t meet each day hydration suggestions, he says, which is presently 13 eight-ounce cups of fluid for wholesome males and 9 for wholesome ladies, in response to the Nationwide Academy of Drugs. (Word this advice consists of all fluids, not simply water. And we are inclined to get 20% of our water consumption from meals.)

“So if including a light-weight flavoring will get them to drink extra water, that’s in all probability not a horrible factor,” Duggan stated. “But when the expense is excessive, it’s finally not worthwhile. As a result of until you’re collaborating in vigorous train or your GI tract doesn’t work usually, water alone might be an sufficient hydration.”

Some hydration dietary supplements even comprise components which can be not hydrating when consumed in giant portions, reminiscent of caffeine. Although caffeine is a diuretic, consuming as much as 400 mg of it each day can really assist with hydration, in response to the Academy of Vitamin and Dietetics’ King. Different flavored powders comprise varied B nutritional vitamins, which can trigger issues in extra.

“B6, should you eat an excessive amount of of it since you’re getting it elsewhere, there’s a danger for some folks of neuropathy, which suggests harm to the peripheral nerves (that are exterior of the mind and spinal twine), and which may trigger numbness and tingling, amongst different issues,” Surampudi stated.

Surampudi recommends consuming hydration dietary supplements solely in moments when your physique is particularly challenged.

“If there’s a state of affairs the place you’re fluid down, or in a excessive altitude or in a particularly sizzling local weather, that’s the place this stuff will be useful,” she stated.

How 8 high hydration complement manufacturers carry out

So take your hydration boosters with a wholesome dose of skepticism. Right here’s an evaluation of eight hydration dietary supplements — the great, the dangerous and the meh — in response to L.A.-based dietitian Katie Chapmon.

Liquid I.V.’s Hydration Multiplier. “I might not have somebody select this to make use of every single day as a result of the added sugar is admittedly an excessive amount of — it’s the primary and second listed components. The opposite factor is: They boast, on their web site, that the hydration multiplier has ‘3x the electrolytes of the main sports activities drink.’ And which may be great for somebody who’s doing very high-impact sports activities or who would require severe electrolytes substitute, but it surely’s not for the common individual. Electrolytes stability out our cells, but when now we have an excessive amount of it throws off that stability and our cells can really turn out to be oversaturated; it might make it tougher for that cell to work and to get hydrated. For this reason a extra average quantity of electrolytes could also be a greater possibility for athletes and heavy sweaters.”

Nuun Sport Hydration. “This one has a decrease quantity of added sugar. It is perhaps for somebody who needs to taste their water — which, alone, would assist enhance fluid consumption and subsequently their hydration. It has electrolytes — your sodium, magnesium, potassium, chloride — however I might not have somebody use this from a severe athletic standpoint as a result of athletes have to not solely replenish electrolytes misplaced but in addition sugars misplaced by means of expelling vitality by means of train. Wouldn’t it assist hydrate cells? Certain, a bit of bit. However most individuals will find yourself consuming this as a result of they just like the flavors — and lots of people like Nuun’s flavors.”

Cure Hydrating Electrolyte Drink Combine. “I like this one as a water flavoring — out of all of them, it was one in all my favorites for that. However it’s not a real electrolyte mix. It consists of sodium and Himalayan salt. However there’s no chloride and magnesium. This is able to not be a advice for gym-goers or athletes because it doesn’t comprise any sugars, that are wanted for sufficient electrolyte and vitality replenishment. It’s only a water flavoring as a result of it incorporates decrease quantities of sodium and potassium than different hydration alternate options. The components are easy and clear — it has no added sugar, which is nice — but it surely’s not in the identical boat as an electrolyte product, though it’s marketed as that.”

MIO Strawberry Watermelon Liquid Water Enhancer and MIO Sport Electrolytes + B Nutritional vitamins. “Out of all of those, MIO might be one in all my least favorites. The primary is only a water flavoring, however all these components — like sucrose acetate and Pink 40 — they’re not good for you. Pink 40 is an artificial meals dye. It’s thought of protected, however lots of people can have allergic reactions inflicting complications. It’s protected however inferior to Remedy, which makes use of a pure additive like beet powder for shade. Mio Sport makes use of Blue 1 for coloring, additionally an artificial dye. It does comprise B nutritional vitamins — B3, B6 and B12 — however not the whole B advanced of eight B nutritional vitamins. It’s additionally not as robust of an electrolyte mix. Like Remedy, it’s lacking your chloride and magnesium.”

Ultima Replenisher, Broad Spectrum Electrolyte Combine. “This one is OK from a standpoint that it’s going to taste water and has the electrolytes that we’re on the lookout for, like potassium, sodium, magnesium and chloride. However they’re comparatively low quantities, containing one-sixth the quantity of sodium in Nuun and Orgain; subsequently, it isn’t for severe athletes.”

LMNT Zero-Sugar Electrolytes, Uncooked Unflavored. “It is a clear, easy model and 0 energy — simply your electrolytes. It isn’t flavored, although, so wouldn’t be an sufficient water flavoring product. It could be good for a smoothie enhance or if somebody is on an elimination weight loss plan. However you’d want so as to add in a carbohydrate supply, like fruit, for this to be extra hydrating. It must be an entire lemon squeezed in. Or, if doing a smoothie, add 1 / 4 cup of frozen berries to assist take in the electrolytes and assist hydration.”

Water Boy Hydration Electrolyte Drink Combine for Weekend Restoration. “I used to be nervous in regards to the excessive sodium content material right here. Sodium is the primary ingredient and it’s virtually 50% of your each day worth. In comparison with the opposite electrolytes — potassium, magnesium and chloride — the sodium may be very excessive and the others are low. It’s a very odd stability. However it has zero sugar and it has only one gram of carbohydrates, which, from the ingredient record, I’m assuming is coming from a pure taste or doubtlessly the vegetable juice. However it’s not sufficient carbohydrates to stability out the excessive sodium content material. This product is marketed as a ‘hangover’ treatment as a result of alcohol dehydrates the physique; dehydration is a serious contributor to hangover signs. Rehydrating the physique utilizing alkaline salt neutralizes the acid from alcohol and dehydration; nevertheless, this product would profit from a greater stability of all electrolytes, not simply excessive quantities of sodium.”

Orgain Hydro Increase, Fast Hydration Drink Combine. “I like this one for athletes. Sugar is the primary ingredient, however for athletes that will assist take in the electrolytes. And it could additionally replenish glucose storage within the muscle groups. And I just like the stability of sodium and chloride right here too. There’s additionally potassium. It’s lacking magnesium, however as a result of the sodium and chloride are so nicely balanced it outweighs that. There’s additionally no artificial flavoring. It’s all issues like natural lemon juice and natural monk fruit. It’s not for on a regular basis use due to the excessive sugar content material, however nice for athletes for particular use like a long-intense bike coaching, excessive vitality, intermittent exercises or an occasion, like a sports activities sport.”