If you’ve spent any time in the beverage aisle of your grocery store recently, like I have, you may have noticed more new “elevated water” drinks than you can count. With current trends pointing towards wellness, you’d better believe brands are making sure the growing health-nut market is getting a little boost in their beverages. Electrolytes are a major talking point in the selling of many new products, claiming to hydrate and quickly quench thirst.Â
Now, it seems like there’s an electrolyte-forward beverage for every kind of consumer looking for rapid hydration. An athlete looking to replenish sweat after a long run? LMNT’s for you. Interested in gut health? Agua de Kefir! Hungover after a night out? Alex Cooper’s got you with Unwell. There are a million more options than the classic Gatorade and Powerade these days, and taking a look at this long list of brands might make you wonder: do they all actually serve a different purpose, or is it all just marketing? Do we even need any of the benefits these brands are promising?Â
Well, the short answer is yes and no. Electrolytes are certainly important in a daily diet. Primarily, they work to balance the fluid in your body, allow nutrients to travel in and out of your cells, and aid in hydration by attracting the water you drink to your cells quicker. However, some brands lead consumers to believe the more electrolytes, the better. Liquid IV even claims on its packaging that it has “superior hydration” to plain water. Â
This is not entirely the case. We tend to think of electrolyte imbalances as being too low, perhaps from sweat or dehydration, but the opposite is quite possible too. Too much of any electrolyte (sodium, potassium, calcium, etc.) can result in an imbalance, so using these beverages as water replacements may not be the smartest idea. Sports nutritionist Heidi Skolnik agrees, explaining in an interview with CNN that average people being “chronically dehydrated is probably an overstatement.” She also says that these beverages’ appealing flavors “helps people drink more,” which is a positive. I believe, however, that non-nutrient enhanced flavoring may be a better option for people who prefer flavored water so it does not lead to any overconsumption of nutrients or gastro-intestinal issues from common sugar alcohol additives. Â
Claims overexaggerating our need for the super-hydration promised by electrolytes is not the end of murky-marketing waters. There also seems to be a sort of competition in the market for those who can make the drink riddled with the most health benefits. Unwell, for example, slaps the words “rapid hydration, +focus, B vitamins, gently caffeinated, and good source of electrolytes” all on the bottle itself. They’ve even released a new product adding protein to the mix. Of course, none of the benefits it claims are necessarily bad, but the fluffing up of labels is what teeters on manipulative. Its improved effect on “focus” isn’t untrue, but it is merely an effect of caffeine—not unique to Unwell’s green coffee extract. The addition of B vitamins also have a questionable effect, as it is usually only recommended to consume B vitamins (not including those found in various foods) with the suggestion from a doctor to supplement a poor diet. Â
This label-padding is not exclusive to Unwell. Despite this wide array of drink branding, most electrolyte drinks serve the same purpose: quick, flavorful, and easy hydration. As much as I love some of these brands—LMNT and Agua de Kefir especially—an almost exact hydrating effect can be achieved with more cost-effective ingredients such as water, juices, honey, and salt. At the end of the day however, always consume what makes *you* feel your best!Â