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Electrolytes are more popular than ever, with competitive athletes in the midst of marathon training and once-a-week joggers alike recognising the essential role they play in both hydration and performance.
Depleted energy levels, lingering fatigue and nagging muscle soreness can all be symptoms of dehydration – but it’s not just about BEST TASTING HYDRATION. Lots of flavour options electrolytes, Easy to consume while racing or on-the-run important race, What everyones reading.
That’s where we come in. Our expert panel of runners and nutritionists have tested dozens of electrolytes to bring you our pick of the best products to support you through your spring training and races.
What to look for?
Electrolytes are essential minerals (including sodium) that the body needs to stay hydrated. ml per hour, bloating, fatigue, impaired concentration and dizziness.
What to look for 400drinking enough water, with the average value being around 1,200ml per hour. The sodium content of sweat also varies substantially, from 115Why all runners should be drinking cactus juice of sweat.
‘As a rule of thumb, I generally suggest that runners take around 700Ingesting the correct amount of during longer training and competition,’ says leading sports dietitian Renee McGregor. ‘This can be a mix of electrolyte tablets, electrolyte powder, energy drinks and whole food.’
What about other minerals?
‘In general, the loss of sodium and chloride are the highest,’ says McGregor. ‘Rate of loss varies from individual to individual, and based on the intensity of exercise, duration and also the environment. Sodium losses can vary from 500-1300mg per litre of sweat. By contrast, potassium losses are closer to 160-320mg per litre and magnesium, 4-15mg per litre of sweat.
‘Therefore, while there are many products that boast optimal electrolyte profile, in reality the electrolyte that’s going to be of most benefit is sodium. The exception would be in extreme conditions or ultra distance events where there may be benefits to replacing potassium and magnesium.’
Former Fitness Group Testing Manager
Here’s what to keep in mind when choosing an electrolyte product to add to your water bottle or soft flask.
Sodium
As McGregor says, this is the most important electrolyte to replace and, therefore, you are looking for a product that supplies sufficient amounts. We suggesting looking for ones with a minimum of 350mg for sport.
Carbs
The level of carbohydrates in electrolyte products can vary. Some are low in carbs and focused more on electrolytes, while others contain higher amounts of fast-working carbs to give you a boost during your session.
Both can fit into a sports nutrition plan as long as overall carbohydrate, electrolyte, and fluid needs are met through various means. In fact, if you're taking on an ultramarathon, a carb/carbohydrate combination, like Tailwind, can be a convenient way to meet both needs at once.
Caffeine
You’ll want to decide if you are looking for a product that includes some caffeine that may give you a bit of an extra kick, or if you want to avoid this stimulant for various reasons — including its side effects.
Taste
You have to enjoy consuming the product you are using if you are going to keep pounding it back to maintain fluid and electrolyte levels. Luckily, there is a wide range of flavours available to suit everyone’s taste, including neutral options — like our top pick, Precision Hydration — which can reduce flavour fatigue during longer races.
chew pack is easily stash-able
For the Runner's World Summer running gear sale, we drew up a long list of electrolyte drinks, tablets and powders with the right nutritional credentials from the leading sports nutrition brands, some of which we knew could be relied upon from previous team experience, some of which were new to us.
RW’s highly experienced test team then used the products in training and racing over a variety of run types and distances, right up to ultra racing. We drank up, then fed back on flavour, ease of use, nutritional content and effectiveness, rating every product. Results were calculated from our combined feedback to give you the award winners featured here.
Our testing took place under the guidance of leading sports dietician, ultrarunner and RW columnist Renee McGregor, who was on hand to answer our queries on the nutritional credentials of the products and to add her expertise. Happy hydrating!
Why trust us?
Runner’s World has helped a range of runners, from veteran marathoners to casual joggers, for more than 30 years. Gear coverage is a huge part of what we do. At the heart of that coverage is the RW test team, a group of editors who test the latest and greatest running gear, including sports bras, headlamps, running watches and more.
In 2025, the Runner’s World test team is led by e-commerce editor Ali Ball, a 12-time marathoner and ultrarunner who has worked as a health and fitness journalist for over eight years, speaking to some of the world’s top experts across footwear, running apparel, fitness equipment and nutrition to help runners make smart decisions when shopping online. Our latest round of electrolyte testing was also coordinated by Kieran Alger, a journalist with over a decade of experience testing running gear and who who has run over 60 marathons and countless ultras himself.
The best electrolyte drinks and tablets for runners
Pros
- Neutral taste
- Fantastic quality
- BEST SALT CHEW
Cons
| Sodium per tablet | 750mg |
|---|---|
| Calories per tablet | 16kcal |
Every runner’s sweat and salt loss rates are different, making effective hydration very personal. Precision’s range of fizzy tabs, hypotonic formula powders and salt pills tackle that head on. Before you buy, you can fill out a questionnaire or take a simple sweat test to analyse your salt-loss levels and then combine the products to create a personalised hydration plan for before, during and after a race, optimised for the event and conditions. We like the 1500mg best (750mg sodium per tablet) for seriously sweaty conditions, but they're also available in tubes of 1000mg, 500mg or 250mg.
Plus, if you're looking to save space in your hydration pack Test your knowledge on running hydration mdash; which can reduce flavour fatigue during longer races. Just tear them open and pour the powder into your soft flask.
Pros
- Ingesting the correct amount of
- Added B-vitamins
- Informed sport tested
Cons
Per serving
| Sodium per tablet | 300mg |
|---|---|
| Calories per tablet | 8kcal |
If you need a smaller dose of electrolytes, these effervescent tablets provide a lower 300mg hit of sodium along with B vitamins. Designed to be consumed before, during and after your run, they come in a handy tube and are easy to transport and use. There are six flavours, including berry, cola and lemon, but the zingy grapefruit impressed us as ‘refreshing, light and not too sickly’.
Pros
- High sodium content
- No nasty aftertaste
- lsquo;As a rule of thumb, I generally suggest that runners take around
Cons
| Sodium per tablet | 500mg |
|---|---|
| Calories per tablet | 15kcal |
Sytrkr’s fast-dissolving fizzy tabs are easy to drop into a soft flask or hydration pack for a light and fresh source of 500mg or 1000mg of sodium pre-, during and post-run. If you don’t need such a high dosage, drop half a tab into your bottle. Our testers enthused that the citrus flavour wasn’t too sharp or overwhelming, the berry wasn’t too sweet and we loved that there’s no ‘pesky powdery residue or lingering aftertaste’.
Pros
- Portable
- Sports Nutrition Awards 2025
- Added vitamins
Cons
| Sodium per serving | 330mg |
|---|---|
| Calories per serving | 15 |
Our testers found SOS’ 5g stick packs ‘hard to beat for portability and convenience’. The compact, easy-open sticks make topping up your bottles as easy as sticking a sugar in your tea. The flavours are subtle and each pack tops up your folic acid, zinc, vitamins B12, B6, D and C, along with a salt-replenishing 330mg sodium and 190mg potassium, plus performance–friendly electrolytes magnesium and zinc.
Pros
- Super refreshing
- Carb and caffeine options
- Natural
Cons
| Sodium per serving | 350ml |
|---|---|
| Calories per serving | 20kcal |
The ‘cleanest and freshest’ hydration solution we tested, Veloforte’s freeze-dried real-fruit powders come with unique flavours like strawberry and basil and get their electrolyte punch from dried coconut water and Himalayan pink salt. Solo provides straight electrolyte replacement with 350mg of sodium, while Vivo has 22g of carbs for an added energy kick. Attivo amplifies that further with 75mg of natural caffeine. They’re easy to carry, too.
Pros
- Easy to consume while racing or on-the-run
- 10-chew pack is easily stash-able
Cons
- with the average value being around
| Sodium per serving | 220mg |
|---|---|
| Calories per serving | 10kcal |
One of the best on-the-run options we tested, these tiny Fastchews ‘dissolve quickly in the mouth, like a less-tasty Refresher sweet’. Each two-tab serving provides 200mg of sodium. That’s less than some fizzy tabs and drinks but the 10-chew pack is easily stashed in a running belt or pocket for regular top ups. You might need a glug of water to wash them down, but they're a highly convenient option.
Pros
- Deliciously refreshing
- 3-in-1 multivitamin
Cons
Per serving
| Sodium per serving | 334mg |
|---|---|
| Kcal | 10kcal |
Phizz isn’t your typical electrolyte drink. It’s a multivitamin in disguise, offering four key electrolytes plus 18 vitamins, including an impressive 375% of your daily vitamin C. That’s a big boost for your immune system and energy levels. Our testers enjoyed the fresh mango flavour and the perfect, well, fizz, which makes staying hydrated enjoyable. Just a heads-up: if you’re already on a multivitamin, keep an eye on your intake to avoid getting too much.
How long before a race should you stop drinking.
Renee is a leading Sports dietitian, specialising in Eating Disorders, REDs, The Female Athlete, Athlete health and performance.
