I use Liquid IV (which I wish came in big jugs instead of single serves!) They’re not too sweet and the proportions work well for my sweat ratio. On really gross days, though… cantaloupe melon for potassium and pickle juice.
Since others are throwing out sport fueling mixes, I’ll also throw in a vote for my favorite, Tailwind. Not super sweet like Gatorade and mixes up well.
I would get crippling leg crams during the summer. It’s hot and humid here in Michigan… so I started with Liquid IV. It tastes good, not too sweet, TONS of flavors, and they now have sugar free options. It also got me through two bouts of COVID.
ETA: I have several GI conditions that make it tough for me to drink gatorade, powerade etc. Liquid IV and Pedialyte are the best usually. Pedialyte should be sipped on though, I wouldn’t chug it.
I personally prefer to control electrolyte content and fluid intake separately. I also prefer to drink plain, unflavored water. So I use (and have turned several others at my barn onto) SaltStick capsules instead.
Just another option to consider!
I like Dr. bergs keto electrolytes, which are sugar free. I get the raspberry lemonade flavor and put a scoop in my first bottle of water in the morning. During the summer I sometimes have a second scoop. I can definitely tell when I skip it.
I also recommend the nuun tablets. I live in a very dry climate ( and hot in the summer 34C+). I run, ride, cycle and do barn chores and it really makes a huge difference. Also helps with preventing some migraines.
After I down that I then sip on water from my soda stream. The electrolytes help with hydration and the sparkling water quenches my thirst.
You won’t find things like LMNT in a regular grocery store but should find them in athletic stores - cycling and running shoe shops, maybe places like Dick’s Sporting Goods, also places like EMS or camping supply stores usually have them.
I would also check your vitamin/mineral balance. Leg cramps is a sign of low potassium, magnesium and/or calcium. It is a sign of a lot of things, but if you think it is just a general hydration/electrolyte issue and supplement with something that does not have what you are missing or not enough, then you are not solving the issues.
I take a potassium and magnesium supplement because that is what I am specifically low on. That and water is all I need most days. I use gatorade if I am doing a lot of exercise, but I don’t really sweat so I don’t lose electrolytes unless I am expending a lot of calories.
I live in the desert where the summers range in temp from 105 to 120. I use a product called Hy Lite. It’s an electrolyte pill. Works really well. I usually only take it after the fact if I start feeling wonky. Works really well and easy to swallow.
Cramps are often magnesium related, I take a supplement every day.
For hydration and electrolyte support I use Liquid IV, though it is ridiculously expensive. And I usually eat a banana on the way to pickleball.
If I’m not being lazy, I make my own. It’s pretty easy to do and you can adjust the sugar, sodium and potassium levels for what works for you. I calculated based on the commercial products. I use regular salt and salt substitute (since it is potassium chloride) some sugar (helps absorb the sodium) and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime. very refreshing and no artificial flavors or colors added. And cheap!
I have a weird system, my body will not store water, so if I am going to exercise, I have to fluid load or I will get heat exhaustion pretty fast. I won’t sweat and mt blood volume is normally low (very low blood pressure). And I need the sodium to pull the water in and hold it and keep my blood volume up to a level where I can do hard exercise. My kidneys will start kicking out the sodium and water a few hours later (as opposed to just peeing out all water immediately which is the normal case if I drink plain water).
I was coming in here to recommend coconut water and I also LOVE aloe water with the bits in it. We also use Nuun. Nuuns are great due to their small size and ease of use.
A lot is trial and error. I have tried to use ones with less sugar but always come back to Liquid IV. I get mine on Costco on sale or when they are doing a 25% off sale on their website. I have found that I need that little extra kick of sugar (and it’s such a tiny amount compared to a Gatorade, etc.) to get over my sickly weak feeling in the Texas heat and humidity. (Currently 91 with 79* Dew Point and real feel of 106.)
As someone else mentioned, make sure you are aware of the impact of the sodium on your blood pressure.
Good shout. Saltstick saves my bacon on particularly humid days. And I can always tell if I start taking them too late… I wish they didn’t taste like chalk, but it’s better than feeling like death the rest of the day.
If you are looking for a drink, I like Skratch, but I only use it while cycling. For everything else I use Salt Stick. I can’t stand electrolyte drinks, Skratch is the only one I can tolerate, and even then I dilute the strength and add Salt Stick if I need more.
I use Zip Fizz daily, as I cannot stand drinks like gatorade or powerade. It’s a powder you add to water. While Zip Fizz does have a bit of caffeine in it, it is not enough to make me jittery or crash after a bit of time (I am very sensitive to caffeine and will get the shakes from half a can of cola). It comes in a bunch of flavors and I was surprised to find many I could tolerate and several that I actually like.
If I am going to be riding or working out, I also use Salt Sticks as they do not bother my overly-sensitive stomach. They are very similar to a Hammer nutrition product but about 1/10th of the cost.
I use LMNT (it is really salty so depending on your diet, this may or may not work for you) and Hammer Fizz
VEGA Powder. Add to a glass, jug, or bottled. I have the berry flavour, but I believe it comes in citrus too (blech). I drink it after exercise, not before (then it’s just plain water).
Another vote for Liquid IV.
Love these, Nuun.
In the heat we’ve had this past week, they’ve been a godsend
But I split a tab in half for a 16 oz bottle
So I’ve tried Nuun and Skratch. I found the Nuun, whilst they did their job, left an aftertaste for me. I think its the stevia.
The Skratch is pretty good. I do better with a higher liquid to powder ratio, but its certainly helping me with my stamina in this heat.
I added a banana after my ride today. I was soaked through from head to toe when I got off so I drank my electrolyte laced fluids and ate a banana and I actually feel pretty darned energized right now!
A nurse practitioner recommended Drip Drops to me, and I quite like them. Nunn are good but only when the water is cold. As it warms up, it starts tasting funny to me.
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