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For an added edge to your workout, you might consider electrolyte powders. This popular supplement replenishes your body with minerals lost through sweat, and can help keep you hydrated. When it comes to electrolyte powders, though, finding one is generally nowhere near as difficult as choosing one. With a wide variety of products on store shelves—and new ones continuously entering the fray—it might feel overwhelming to narrow down the options and select the best one for you.

That’s why we’ve rounded up the best electrolyte powders of 2022, according to experts. To do so, the Forbes Health editorial team consulted a panel of four accredited nutrition experts who provided their recommendations for the best electrolyte powders of 2022. Star ratings were then determined solely by the editorial team, factoring in cost, amount of sugar per serving and user satisfaction.

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Ready to shake things up with the perfect electrolyte powder for you? Find our experts’ top picks below, but be sure to continue reading for more information about what electrolyte powder is, how it works, what the benefits are and pro tips on how to use it to support your athletic and nutritional goals (note: prices are accurate as of publication and are subject to change).

Melina Jampolis, M.D., an internist and board-certified physician nutrition specialist and Forbes Health Advisory Board member, recommends this product, as it doesn’t have artificial sweeteners or flavors and offers a solid amount of key electrolytes, including sodium, potassium and magnesium. “Plus, no added sugar, and it dissolves well in water and tastes great,” she says. She also notes that it’s a unique option because it contains amino acids, which, according to a 2014 study, may help with cellular hydration and muscle recovery post-workout, making it an especially good pick for older exercisers, since those amino acids may help protect muscle[1]Tai CY, Joy JM, Falcone PH, et al. An amino acid-electrolyte beverage may increase cellular rehydration relative to carbohydrate-electrolyte and flavored water beverages. Nutr J. 2014;13:47. .

“This product contains among the highest amount of potassium in a supplement, which not only helps hydrate but also prevents high blood pressure,” says Forbes Health Advisory Board member Elliot  Dinetz, M.D., who is double board-certified in family medicine and functional medicine. “It also contains a solid amount of sodium to keep water in our cells, as well as moderate magnesium.” He also recommends this product because it’s gluten and sugar free and made with natural ingredients. The downside, however, is that he finds the salty taste hit or miss, so he suggests mixing it with plenty of water (a liter or more) and drinking it slowly.

This product comes recommended by Forbes Health Advisory Board member Toby Amidor, a registered dietitian and food safety consultant, because one serving of this zero-calorie, zero-sugar product can help you hydrate before, during or after a workout. It’s naturally sweetened, has no artificial ingredients, is particularly high in magnesium and provides five essential electrolytes, which can help you replenish nutrients lost from sweat during workouts, she notes. Amidor recommends a serving of UCAN mixed with 16 to 20 ounces of water every one to two hours before, during or after exercise.

Not only does it contain less than a teaspoon of sugar per serving while providing six important electrolytes, as well as the antioxidant vitamin C, but Dr. Jampolis says, “The product also contains alpha-ketoglutarate, which may enhance NaCl [sodium] absorption via a unique pathway, and also contains L-tyrosine, which has been shown to increase energy and endurance.” However, it’s important to note that this product is far lower in sodium than many other electrolyte products, Dr. Jampolis adds, so if you’re in a hot climate or sweat excessively, you may need to consume food with salt or try a different product.

“I like that it has higher levels of potassium and magnesium,” says Forbes Health Advisory Board member Taylor Wallace, Ph.D., principal and CEO of the food science and nutrition research firm Think Healthy Group. He also likes that it uses magnesium citrate, which, he says, is more absorbable than other forms of magnesium. “That tells me this product is about quality and doesn’t use cheap ingredients,” he adds. “It contains no sugar and would probably perform well in athletes.”

“If you are in need of electrolytes during sports, then Nuun is a good option,” says Amidor. It comes in a convenient tablet form that you drop into 16 ounces of water. “It has 1 gram of sugar and is perfect for on the go,” she adds.

“Very well thought-out product,” says Wallace, who recommends this powder. Between its high doses of magnesium (an electrolyte of which, Wallace notes, about half of Americans fail to meet the minimum intake), B-vitamins, potassium and extra vitamin C, it provides a variety of essential nutrients. “I also like that this product has collagen peptides for that extra hair/skin/nail and joint boost (and at an efficacious dose),” he says. That being said, he does not recommend taking more than three servings daily to avoid too much of a particular vitamin.

With the 12 vitamins and minerals Key Nutrients boasts, Wallace says, “[I]t’s basically a multivitamin in the form of an electrolyte powder.” He recommends this supplement, as he’s also a fan of the extra vitamin C and the fact that it has no added sugar. Overall, he says it seems like a great product (although he suggests avoiding multiple doses), but notes that without a full ingredient list (which he says the label lacks), it’s hard to know the quality of the ingredients.

This organic product has less than half the sugar of traditional sports drinks, according to Dr. Jampolis, and is made with food-based ingredients you’ll recognize, like organic cane sugar, lemon juice powder and pink Himalayan salt, she says. “This powder is enhanced with a superfoods powder blend that includes tart cherry, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, so it also provides antioxidants, which may help with recovery as exercise increases the production of free radicals,” adds Dr. Jampolis. However, she recommends it for more serious exercisers putting in more than 60 minutes a day, since they may need the extra calories. It could also be a good option for low blood sugar, she adds, like for an early morning workout or if you haven’t eaten a meal in several hours and need a boost.

*Dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ingredients and their amounts may vary. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement.

Functional Medicine, Family Medicine, Certified Integrative Medicine Physician

To determine our best electrolyte powders of 2022 ranking, the Forbes Health editorial team consulted a panel of four accredited nutrition experts, who provided their top picks and why they stand out. Star ratings were determined solely by the editorial team, based on factors like cost, user rating and amount of sugar per serving.

To understand what electrolyte powder is and the benefits it provides, it’s important to first understand that electrolytes are essential minerals (like sodium, calcium and potassium, among many others) that perform many different functions in the body, including keeping you hydrated, balancing your pH levels and more. “When electrolytes are dissolved in water, they naturally have either a positive or a negative charge. This allows them to conduct electricity,” says Wendy Lord, a registered dietitian in Johannesburg, South Africa. “The optimal electrolyte balance ensures that nerve impulses are transmitted successfully from one nerve to another, and that muscle fibers contract normally. Electrolytes are also essential for maintaining the amount of fluid in the body.”

Electrolyte powder contains electrolytes (and sometimes a carbohydrate) and is generally mixed with water. These powders are simply the powdered form of the electrolyte drinks we often see athletes chugging, and electrolyte solutions are also used as a treatment for those suffering from dehydration due to health issues.

Most of us can maintain a stable level of these key minerals in our bodies through the foods we eat and beverages we drink on a regular, low-activity day, but, “when people lose fluid from their bodies, they also lose essential minerals,” says Lord. “If you have been ill with vomiting and diarrhea, or you have engaged in some strenuous physical activity that resulted in you sweating a lot, you may need to replace the electrolytes that have been lost along with the fluid.”

Electrolyte powders are a simple and effective way to provide the body with the minerals it needs. “In other words, it’s an immediate gap-stop for vital functions that are put under constant demand in normal daily function—and under extra pressure when we’re active,” says Kirsten Screen, a registered dietitian and certified dietitian nutrition coach.

As an integrative performance dietitian in Charlotte, North Carolina, Screen helps her clients find the right nutrition—including electrolyte powders—to meet the demands of their active lifestyles. The fact that the products recommended by our panelists differed greatly aligns with what she knows to be true. “Different electrolyte powders provide different compositions of these minerals, particularly sodium, potassium and magnesium,” she says.

The real benefit of using electrolyte powder is it’s a simple and effective way to provide the body with the minerals it needs to replenish enzymes, support hormones and regulate fluid balance, says Screen—particularly in situations where, without that boost, we would experience electrolyte depletion.

“Electrolyte powders fill a gap and extend time to exhaustion of processes within the body,” she adds. “For example, when we’re working out and constantly losing sodium through sweat, breath and urine, electrolyte powders replenish that sodium so we don’t bonk [also known as ‘hitting the wall’ due to severe depletion of glycogen stores]—or worse, go into true hyponatremia and require medical attention.”

During exercise, and especially if we’re training for a challenging goal and want to improve our performance, keeping processes governed by electrolyte balance working properly is key to working out for as long and hard as we need in order to achieve certain goals. “Electrolyte powders provide a steady resource of solute (minerals) so our bodies can hold on to solvent (fluid) more efficiently and thus keep us hydrated,” says Screen.

Before you mix electrolyte powder into your water bottle to sip throughout the day, keep in mind that, as beneficial as they are in certain circumstances, more doesn’t necessarily equate to better.

When it comes to using electrolytes outside of treatment for illness and exercise, there are a few things to consider. “The average person won’t need electrolyte powders if she or he consumes a balanced diet and hydrates adequately,” says Screen. “That being said, the average American doesn’t do either very well, so there may be space for an electrolyte supplement.”

So how can one tell if they should be regularly sipping on a beverage with added electrolytes?

Start by considering both your activity level and any underlying health issues, recommends Screen. “Sedentary individuals generally don’t require additional sodium intake, and those on blood pressure medications should be cautious when adding minerals,” she says, noting that working with a registered dietitian or other professional trained in nutrient intake and human metabolism is the best way to determine whether supplementing with an electrolyte powder outside of intense physical activity is something you should consider.

There are also signs of electrolyte imbalance to be aware of, adds Lord, like muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, weakness, fatigue, numbness and confusion.

However, Lord acknowledges that while many modern electrolyte products claim they’re safe to drink daily, she cautions against it. “It can be equally as bad if your electrolyte levels are too high,” she says. When your sodium levels are too high, you might feel restless, have difficulty sleeping, and experience abnormally rapid breathing. High potassium, or hyperkalemia, is another concern and can result in arrhythmias, muscle cramps, muscle weakness and more.

If you’re exercising in a way that’s causing you to lose significant fluid, (such as through sweat), whether for a short time or over a longer period, that loss of fluid—which may result in a change in body weight—is a sign that supplementing with electrolyte powder could be a good idea. “Significant weight shifts during exercise are not desired,” says Screen.

Pre & Post-Workout Supplements For Optimal Performance

Success is the inevitable result of solid nutrition.

To that point, she suggests using electrolyte powders in the following circumstances:

“In general, athletes will want to reach for electrolytes favoring sodium while exercising,” she says. She’s also a fan of adding magnesium-rich electrolyte supplements during non-active times for athletes, since they tend to have higher nutrient needs than non-athletes.

There’s more to the mix than just determining when you might want to use an electrolyte powder. The content of the electrolyte powder is also important, especially for athletes who are serious about dialing in their nutritional needs.

“A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 300 milligrams of of sodium per hour of exercise,” Screen says, but because individual needs can vary so widely, she strongly recommends serious athletes work with a registered dietitian specializing in sports and performance nutrition to determine the right formula for their needs.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a true athlete, there are a few things she recommends paying attention to on the nutrition label.

“Electrolytes usually come as stand-alone powders or mixed into electrolyte plus carbohydrate drink mixes,” Screen says, noting that the two serve different purposes. She recommends that athletes incorporate carbohydrates into their workout intake, so a product that combines electrolytes with a carbohydrate can kill two birds with one stone. But, if the athlete is getting their carbs through solid food, an electrolyte with no added carbohydrate (i.e. sugar-free) is a better option, she says.

Some electrolyte powders also contain caffeine, and while this can be helpful in some cases, Screen cautions there are special considerations to keep in mind. For example, are there any regulations for the specific sport that make caffeine a poor (or even illegal) choice? When is the workout taking place, and what is the purpose of the extra caffeine intake?

With these guidelines in mind, the electrolyte powder aisle at the supermarket should feel a little less intimidating. And by using these powders judiciously, your next hard training session might feel a lot more manageable.

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Kristen Seymour has spent the last 15 years or so creating and editing content for various publications including USA Today, AOL, Triathlete Magazine, Women's Running and the body positive website Fit Bottomed Girls, where she's a co-owner. She's held USAT Level 1 and USMS Adult Learn-to-Swim certifications, been named as one of the top 100 influencers in health and fitness by Greatist, and was recently awarded her local track club's volunteer of the year award. In her spare time, Kristen enjoys being outdoors and active, which might mean doing a yoga session at her local beach in Sarasota, Florida; hiking new trails with her husband; or dancing to her favorite '90s tunes with her dog—or anyone who's not too embarrassed to join her, really.

Sarah is an experienced writer and editor enthusiastic about helping readers live their healthiest and happiest lives. Before joining Forbes Health, Sarah worked as a writer for various digital publications including LendingTree, theSkimm, CNBC and Bankrate. When she isn’t writing or editing, you can find Sarah with her nose in a book or enjoying the outdoors with her French bulldog, Honey.