6 Best Electrolyte Drinks for Runners in 2024

While electrolyte drinks aren’t necessarily beneficial for all athletes, distance runners will likely find plenty of benefits from these supplements. They are primarily meant to help with rehydration which can make all the difference in endurance running.

That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the 6 best electrolyte drinks for runners available today. While our top pick is HYDRATE by Transparent Labs, check out our full list to see which of these products is right for you.

Top 6 Best Electrolyte Drinks for Runners Reviewed

1. HYDRATE by Transparent Labs – Top Pick
2. BPN Electrolytes – Best Third-Party Tested Option
3. Promix Electrolyte Drink Mix – Best Value for Money
4. Hydrate by Gnarly Nutrition – Best Tasting Option
5. SIS Electrolyte Powder – Best Sports Drinks Based Option
6. Skratch Labs Hydration – Best for Lower Carb Sports Drinks

Product	Total	Electrolytes per Serving	Taste/ Flavor	Nutrition Label Transparency	Price/ Quality
Transparent Labs	39.5	10	9.5	10	10
BPN	39	10	9	10	10
Promix	39	10	9.5	9.5	10
Gnarly Nutrition	38.5	9	10	10	9.5
SIS	38	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5
Skratch Labs	37.5	9.5	9.5	9.5	9

1. HYDRATE by Transparent Labs – Top Pick

• Form: Powder
• Flavors: Tropical Punch, Peach Mango
• Key Ingredients: Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium
• Additional Ingredients: Coconut Water Powder, Taurine
• Package Information: 304g
• Servings: 40
• Price Per Serving: ~$0.75
• Company Founded: 2012
• Recommended by Athletes: Hafthor Bjornsson, Paul Sklar, Sean Harris

Starting off our list, our pick for the best electrolyte powder for runners is Transparent Labs with their Hydrate Electrolyte Formula. Known for their consistent commitment to making high-quality supplements, let’s see why Transparent Labs product earned the top spot on our list.

First, let’s take a look at the electrolyte breakdown in Hydrate. There’s 500mg of Sodium, 250mg of Potassium, 50mg of Magnesium, and 84mg of Calcium. This makes Hydrate a complete and well-balanced electrolyte supplement, without going too heavy on the sodium like some of the other products on this list.

Additional ingredients include coconut water powder and taurine. As it says on the package, the coconut water is likely where a solid amount of the potassium from Hydrate is coming from. Meanwhile, taurine is an essential amino acid, which may have some applications for endurance athletes for boosting performance. Across studies, it does appear there is some benefit to taurine for most athletes.

Like all Transparent Labs supplements this is made with no artificial ingredients whatsoever. One minor downside is that it only comes in 2 basic flavors. Finally, this does work out to be one of the cheaper products on our list at only ~$0.75 per serving.

2. BPN Electrolytes – Best Third-Party Tested Option

• Form: Powder
• Flavors: Strawberry, Lemon Lime, Salted Watermelon, Lemon
• Key Ingredients: Sodium, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Chloride
• Additional Ingredients: Vitamin B6
• Package Information: 290g
• Servings: 50
• Price per Serving: ~$0.99
• Company Founded: 2012
• Recommended by Athletes: Jessica Lynne, Katrin Tanja, Daniela Mondragon

Next up on our list of the best hydration drinks for runners is BPN Electrolytes which was narrowly beat out by Transparent Labs. Although some people note an unpleasant taste in their reviews, BPN still delivers a very high-quality electrolyte supplement.

Its electrolyte breakdown is very similar to the top product on our list. You’ll be getting 500mg of Sodium, 165mg of Potassium, 110mg of Calcium, 20mg of Magnesium, and 480mg of Chloride. It’s worth noting that the potassium and magnesium content is lower here, although this product contains significantly more chloride.

It’s worth noting that although Chloride is abundant in sweat, it’s likely less important than magnesium or potassium as a whole as it's very rare for people to be deficient in this electrolyte.

There aren’t many additional ingredients here aside from a solid dose of Vitamin B6. While B6 has plenty of applications for overall health, and it may even be somewhat beneficial for performance as well.

Like Transparent Labs, BPN is made with all-natural ingredients. Although it comes in a solid 4 different flavors, there are quite a few reviews that note an unpleasant taste. BPN also has slightly worse value for money than the top spot on our list despite the similar formula. Each scoop will cost you around $0.99.

3. Promix Electrolyte Drink Mix – Best Value for Money

• Form: Powder
• Flavors: Grapefruit, Lemon Lime
• Key Ingredients: Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium
• Additional Ingredients: Vitamin C
• Package Information: 155g
• Servings: 30
• Price Per Serving: ~$0.98
• Company Founded: 2011
• Recommended by Athletes: Odell Beckham Jr., Audrey & Nicole Nourse, Rashaad Slowley

Next on our list of the best electrolytes for runners, we’ll be covering Promix’s Electrolyte Drink. This is the highest sodium electrolyte powder and as a result, it also offers excellent value for money despite the high cost per serving. Let’s explain why.

First, Promix’s electrolyte breakdown is 1000mg of Sodium, 200mg of Potassium, and 60mg of Magnesium. While this serving of Sodium may be too much at once for most runners, it can be ingested over the course of a longer run, or can easily be split in 2 for a more appropriate dose. It also offers a good balance of other electrolytes for rehydration.

In terms of additional ingredients, Promix only contains Vitamin C. It’s worth noting that excessive Vitamin C intake may not be ideal, as most of it will not even be absorbed by the body when taken in excess.

Like the 2 products above, Promix is made from all-natural ingredients. It comes in 2 flavors and has a very mild taste in both options. Finally, each serving is ~0.98. However, because of the high sodium content, this can be split in 2 to deliver excellent value for money and increased servings per package.

4. Hydrate by Gnarly Nutrition – Best Tasting Option

• Form: Powder
• Flavors: Ruby Red Grapefruit
• Key Ingredients: Sodium, Calcium, Chloride, Magnesium, Potassium
• Additional Ingredients: Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6
• Package Information: 400g
• Servings: 40
• Price per Serving: ~$0.71
• Company Founded: 2012
• Recommended by Athletes: Run with Tara, Ethan Pringle, Lael Wilcox

Next on our list of electrolytes for running, we’ll be taking a look at Gnarly Nutrition’s Hydrate. We’ve chosen this product as the best-tasting supplement on our list, let’s see why.

In terms of electrolytes, Gnarly has 250mg of Sodium, 100mg of Potassium, 80mg of Magnesium, 100mg of Calcium, and 135mg of Chloride. Although this sodium content will be too low for most endurance runners, it does have a solid amount of other electrolytes.

Some of the additional ingredients here are B vitamins, including the aforementioned B6, and Vitamin B12. B12 has a ton of health benefits including preventing disease and cognitive decline. Vegans are often deficient in B12, making a supplement like this especially relevant for plant-based athletes!

Like all the products on our list so far, Gnarly is made from all-natural ingredients. Although it only comes in one flavor, it still offers excellent taste. This is likely because this is the first supplement on our list to contain a bit of organic cane sugar. Finally, it offers solid value for money at $0.71 per serving – just keep the low sodium content in mind!

5. SIS Electrolyte Powder – Best Sports Drinks Based Option

• Form: Powder
• Flavors: Raspberry, Lemon Lime, Orange
• Key Ingredients: Sodium, Chloride Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium
• Additional Ingredients: Carbohydrate Mix
• Package Information: 1kg
• Servings: 25
• Price per Serving: ~$2.00
• Company Founded: 1992
• Recommended by Athletes: Samantha Harrison, Connor Swift, Magnuss Sheffield

The next electrolyte powder for runners on our list is SIS Electrolyte Powder. We’ve chosen this as the best sports drink style product on our list because of its carbohydrate content. Let’s take a closer look.

When trying to find the total electrolyte content of this product, sodium content isn’t listed on the nutrition facts. Instead SIS lists 0.5g of salt. With most salt being a combination of 40% sodium and 60% chloride, we can assume there’s about 200mg of sodium and 300mg of chloride. SIS also say their product’s sodium content is 20mmol/L, which works out to about 230mg.

SIS also has 27mg of Calcium, 5mg of Magnesium, and 60mg of Potassium. Considering the sodium and chloride content, this is a moderate/average mix of total electrolytes.

The main benefit of this product comes from its added carbohydrate mix in the form of maltodextrin and fructose. The 36g of carbs will provide a solid boost of quick energy while out on a run alongside the rehydration provided by electrolytes. Because of the relatively low electrolyte content, we recommend SIS more for its carb content than its rehydrating benefits.

It’s worth noting this is the first product on our list to contain any artificial sweetener in the form of Aspartame. It does have a decent flavor variety with 3 different options to choose from as well. Finally, this is the most expensive product on our list by far, coming in at ~$2.00 per serving.

6. Skratch Labs Hydration – Best for Lower Carb Sports Drinks

• Form: Powder
• Flavors: Fruit Punch, Lemon Lime, Orange, Mango Tangerine, Matcha Lemon, Orange, Pineapple, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Limeade
• Key Ingredients: Electrolyte Blend, Caffeine
• Additional Ingredients: Cane Sugar, Dextrose
• Package Information: 440g
• Servings: 20
• Price per Serving: ~$1.10
• Company Founded: 2012
• Recommended by Athletes: Allen Skratch, Kelly K Roberts, Avery Stumm

Closing off our list of hydration powder for runners is Skratch Labs’ Hydration supplement which delivers a similar sports drink style formula to SIS, although with slightly lower carb content. Let’s take a closer look.

Scratch’s electrolyte content is labeled much more clearly than SIS. It has 380mg of Sodium, 38mg of Potassium, 39mg of Magnesium, and 44mg of Calcium. Although this is still a slightly low total dose, it’s a decent amount of electrolytes for rehydration.

As mentioned, the main additional ingredients here are carbs in the form of cane sugar and dextrose. You’ll be getting 20g total of carbs, making this lower-calorie sports drink style supplement than SIS. Also, the Raspberry Limeade flavor has a modest 50mg of Caffeine for some extra energy!

Like most of the products we’ve featured, Scratch is made from all-natural ingredients. This has the best flavor variety we’ve covered so far with 9 different options! It also has decent value for money, costing around $1.10 per serving.

Do All Runners Need Electrolyte Supplements?

Not necessarily. If you’re primarily a sprinter or moderate-distance runner, then electrolyte supplements likely aren’t necessary. This is because only running for short amounts of time likely won’t lead to a significant loss of fluids to the point where an electrolyte supplement is necessary. Essentially, the longer you’re running and the more you’re sweating, the more beneficial an electrolyte supplement will be.

As we’ll cover in more depth below, electrolyte supplements are primarily beneficial for longer runs when you’re more likely to become dehydrated. They are especially relevant in hot environments, and if you have particularly salty sweat. Electrolyte supplements may also be more beneficial when there won’t be much fluid available during your training to prevent fluid loss.

For sprinters and moderate-distance runners, a high-quality pre-workout supplement may be more beneficial. This is because the added boost of energy from caffeine, and ergogenic ingredients like betaine and beta-alanine may help you with higher-intensity running.

In What Cases Are Electrolyte Supplements Most Justified?

As mentioned above, electrolytes won’t be necessary for most runners. Below we’ll be covering the situations where electrolyte supplements will provide the most value. Whether you’re training for an ultra-endurance event, training for longer than 2 hours, or sweating heavily in a hot environment, then electrolyte supplements are likely justified.

1. If You Are an Ultramarathon Runner (Running for 4-6 Hours or More)

If you’re training for an ultramarathon or any other ultra-endurance event, then you should seriously consider electrolyte supplementation.

While hydration is especially important in these long events, ultramarathoners are often at risk of taking in too many fluids with no electrolytes. This can lead to decreased electrolyte concentrations and overhydration, which can cause decreased performance and even serious health complications.

This makes moderate use of electrolyte supplementations alongside plain water ideal for maintaining proper electrolyte balance.

2. If You Run For 2 Hours or More in Hot and Humid Conditions

Next, even if you’re not training for an ultramarathon, any training for longer than 2 hours in hot weather will likely call for electrolyte supplements. This is because the hotter it is, the more sweat you’re likely to lose.

While you likely won’t lose too many fluids when running for shorter than 2 hours, the longer you go the more likely you are to lose significant electrolytes in your sweat. So, if you live in an especially hot climate, consider investing in some electrolytes.

3. If You Run For 2 Hours or More and Lose a Lot of Salty Sweat

This ties in with the point above. Keep in mind that even if it isn’t hot out, you may still be losing significant amounts of electrolytes if you’re sweating a lot. Most runners greatly underestimate how much sweat they lose in a run, so keep this in mind if you’re looking to use electrolytes.

If you’re someone who regularly runs for 2+ hours and you know you have particularly salty sweat, then electrolyte supplements may be justified. Keep in mind that the less you sweat or the less salty your sweat is, the less likely you need electrolytes after your run to maintain performance.

How to Choose the Best Electrolyte Drink for Runners?

1. Consider the Amount of Sodium per Serving

Determining how much sodium to look for in an electrolyte supplement can be tricky. We chose to prioritize supplements that will help you get about 500mg of sodium per liter of water, as this is in line with AIS’ guidelines of 0.5-0.7g of sodium/L of fluid.

Higher sodium may be beneficial for especially long and hot workouts. Keep in mind that the more sodium in a supplement, the less palatable it is likely to be. Also, you may want to consider a lower sodium supplement if you already have a high total daily sodium intake.

2. Know if and How Much Carbs You Need

Next, you’ll want to consider whether you want a sports drink style supplement with high carb content. The best sports drinks for runners are slightly different from pure electrolyte supplements, as they’ll usually have a decently high carb count to provide some extra energy.

These supplements will be beneficial if you’re taking the supplement directly before your workout to provide a quick boost of energy, especially if you have a long run ahead of you. If you already consume enough carbs before your workout or follow a low-carb diet, then this type of supplement likely won’t be ideal.

3. Look for Certification From a Recognized Third Party if You Are a Pro Athlete

Finally, as with any supplement, a third-party certification can be a good measure of quality. This is especially relevant if you’re a professional athlete subjected to banned substance testing. Looking for a certification from something like Informed Sport is the best way to ensure a supplement will not interfere with any doping tests.

Should I Drink Electrolytes Before or After Running?

Taking electrolytes before or after your run are both viable options depending on a few conditions.

First, let’s consider whether your supplement contains carbs. To get all the energy-boosting benefits, you may want to take it before or during your workout. You could also take it afterwards to help yourself rehydrate and replenish glycogen stores.

Also, taking a higher-sodium supplement before a run can be beneficial for pre-exercise hyperhydration, which prepares the body for exercise in hot environments where there won’t be adequate fluid intake.

With this being said, most electrolyte supplements will be beneficial for rehydrating during or after a workout. These supplements are primarily designed to replace the electrolytes lost when sweating. It can be beneficial to take electrolytes intra-workout, especially on very long workouts. This will also help you avoid overhydration with plain water and will prevent drops in performance associated with imbalanced electrolytes.

Electrolyte Supplements Are Best Used Under the Supervision of a Sports Nutritionist

It should be noted that it's difficult to provide accurate recommendations around electrolyte use on a general basis. Electrolytes, as with most supplements, cannot be treated as a one-size-fits-all solution. This is why we recommend consulting with a sports nutritionist when deciding if electrolytes are necessary.

They will be able to provide a much more accurate assessment of your needs and help you better achieve your goals through the use of supplements like electrolytes. While we can provide general recommendations for the use of electrolytes, a personalized plan is needed to get the most out of these supplements.

As mentioned above, hyponatremia – or low sodium levels – can be very common, especially in ultra-endurance training. This is caused by excessive intake of fluids that don’t contain any electrolytes. Not only will this lead to a drop in performance, but can also lead to serious health complications.

Sodium plays a valuable role in the body, mainly in controlling the absorption of nutrients, and regulating blood volume and pressure. Essentially, the balance between sodium and water in the body is largely responsible for proper hydration. This is why electrolyte supplementation is especially beneficial in ultra-endurance training, as it helps regulate the balance between sodium and water in your body.

Typically, you should only drink as much water as you need to replace lost fluids or to curb thirst. However, it can be difficult to gauge what the proper balance between plain water and electrolyte supplements should be. This is why, as we’ve mentioned above, we recommend consulting with a sports nutritionist to determine what’s right for you.

FAQ

Should I Drink Electrolytes While Running?

While distance runners can greatly benefit from electrolyte supplements, sprinters and moderate-distance runners likely don’t need these supplements.

Electrolytes are most beneficial during ultra-endurance events, or any runs lasting longer than 2 hours. If you’re unsure of whether or not you need electrolytes, consider consulting with a sports nutritionist to figure out an individualized plan.

What Is the Best Drink for Distance Running?

A high-quality electrolyte supplement can be very beneficial for distance runners. Our top pick for a high-quality supplement for distance runners is HYDRATE by Transparent Labs, but any of the electrolyte supplements on our list will provide similar benefits. Keep in mind that drinks with carbs will help with fuel along with hydration.

What Drinks Do Marathon Runners Drink?

The 2 best marathon drinks are plain water, occasionally supplemented with electrolytes. Finding the proper balance between these 2 drinks will ensure proper hydration without leading to imbalanced electrolytes. Many serious runners also implement carbs and caffeine to their drinks to help with fuel and added energy. 

What Electrolytes Do Runners Need?

The main electrolytes found in sweat are sodium and chloride. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium are also present in lower amounts. As a result, these should be the electrolytes prioritized by runners in any given supplement.

Should I Use Electrolyte Tablets or Electrolyte Drinks?

While we focused on electrolyte powders in this article, electrolyte tablets for runners can be just as beneficial. Tablets are especially beneficial for taking on the go during a run. Simply drop them into your water, let them dissolve, and you’re ready to go!

Conclusion

While electrolyte supplements aren’t necessary for all runners, they can be especially beneficial for endurance athletes who regularly run for longer than 2 hours in hot and humid conditions. Electrolyte supplements are also useful for preventing hyponatremia in ultra-endurance athletes who are more likely to overhydrate with plain water.

Keep in mind that electrolytes are not a one-size-fits-all supplement. As a result, we recommend consulting with a sports nutritionist to determine a good individualized plan.

With this being said, if you’re interested in trying a high-quality electrolyte supplement, we recommend HYDRATE by Transparent Labs.

Are you an endurance runner, or do you train at more moderate distances? Do you have any experience using electrolyte supplements? Let us know in the comments below!

Also read:

• Best Electrolyte Drink for Leg Cramps
• Best Keto Electrolyte Powder
• Best Unflavored Electrolyte Powder
• Eaa vs Bcaa
• Glutamine vs Bcaa
• Beta Alanine vs Bcaa
• Natural Electrolytes
• Fruits With Electrolytes
• Best Keto Electrolyte Supplements
• Best Sports Drinks

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