Electrolyte Drinks for Runners: A Running Dietitian’s Top Picks

Whether you’re logging easy miles, tackling a speed work or grinding through a long run in the heat, electrolyte drinks for runners play a key role in staying properly hydrated for both performance and recovery. 

Runner’s hydration isn’t just about drinking water, it’s also about replenishing the electrolytes you lose through sweat.

Today, I’m breaking down what’s actually in your sweat, why electrolyte drinks are important, when to use them and factors to consider when choosing an electrolyte drink.

I’m also sharing my top electrolyte drink picks for runners, the ones I personally use, recommend to my clients and trust to support performance, recovery and overall health.

What’s in Your Sweat 

If you’ve ever weighed yourself before and after a run and noticed that you lost weight during your run, that’s not true body weight that you lost, it’s sweat loss.

The longer, hotter and more intense your run is, the more sweat and electrolytes you lose. That’s why it’s so important to go into workouts well-hydrated and to continue hydrating before, during and after your runs. This is where electrolyte drinks for runners come in.

Sweat is primarily made up of water but it’s also made up of 5 electrolytes: sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. We typically lose the most sodium and chloride, moderate amounts of potassium and smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium through our sweat. 

Did you know that sweat is unique to each athlete? Every athlete has a different sweat rate, which is the amount of sweat lost per hour of exercise. Some athletes are heavy sweaters who lose a lot of fluid per hour, while others have lower sweat rates and lose less.

In addition to fluid loss, the electrolyte composition of sweat varies from athlete to athlete too. For example, some athletes lose a very high amount of sodium per liter of sweat, while others lose much less.

Taking a sweat test can help you determine your personal sweat rate and sweat electrolyte composition. This insight can guide you in tailoring your hydration strategy, helping you know how much fluid and electrolytes to consume before, during and after workouts and which electrolyte drink is the right one for you.

Below is an example of the awesome data a sweat test can provide. This data is from my hDrop sweat tracker from a 206 min long run when I was marathon training.

Below is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase—at no extra cost to you.

hDrop which is a reusable sweat tracker that I personally used when I was training for the NYC Marathon. It helped me identify my personal needs and I was able to create a very specific hydration and electrolyte plan for my training and my race.

Use coupon HDROPFRIENDSEMOORE1210 at checkout for 10% off!

When to Take an Electrolyte Drink

Not every situation calls for an electrolyte drink and the average person doesn’t need to drink them regularly. However, for athletes, electrolyte drinks help replenish lost fluids and electrolytes to support hydration, recovery, and overall performance.

Electrolyte drinks are especially beneficial during and after long workouts (>60 minutes), during and after high-intensity efforts like speed workouts and in conditions where sweat loss is high. They can even come in handy pre-workout to optimize hydration, especially going into these type of workouts.

Here is a guide for carrying your fuel and hydration during running so you can keep up with your fueling and hydration needs and go the distance!

What to Look for in an Electrolyte Drink

When choosing an electrolyte drink, consider these 5 factors. 

1. The Sodium Content

Understanding your personal sweat sodium loss can help you choose the electrolyte product with the right amount of sodium that you need. Some electrolyte products provide upwards of 1000 mg of sodium while others provide much lower amounts.

2. The Carb Content

Consuming carbohydrates during long workouts provides essential fuel for your body, helping you perform stronger and avoid hitting the wall or bonking during training and races.

The carbohydrate content of electrolyte drinks can vary a lot. Some contain as much as 75 grams of carbs, others can have around 20 grams and some have none at all.

Knowing how many grams of carbohydrates your body needs per hour during workouts can help you choose an electrolyte drink that gives you the right amount of fuel. These drinks can be used alongside energy gels, chews and sports beans, something I often recommend for marathoners and ultra-marathoners.

Check out The Best Energy Gels for Running!

Carbs not only provide energy, but also help your body absorb fluids more effectively, especially when combined with sodium. That’s why including some carbohydrates in your hydration plan is a smart strategy for endurance athletes.

3. The Caffeine Content

Some electrolyte drinks contain caffeine, while others are caffeine-free. Research shows that caffeine can enhance athletic performance, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. 

Some runners benefit from caffeine, while others may not tolerate it well. If you have a sensitive stomach, tend to experience GI issues during runs, don’t regularly consume caffeine, or feel jittery after having it, it might be better to stick with a caffeine-free electrolyte drink option.

Check out the benefits of caffeine for runners and understand how to use it effectively in your training and on race day to boost performance.

4. The Taste

Each electrolyte drink has its own flavor and level of sweetness. Some are very sweet, while others are more mild. It’s a good idea to try a few different options during your training to find one that tastes good to you and works well during your workouts.

5. The Form

Electrolytes come in a variety of forms. You can find them as premixed drinks, powdered mixes, dissolvable tablets, capsules or even chewable options you can swallow or chew.

The Best Electrolyte Drinks for Runners

Here are 5 different types of electrolyte drinks for athletes that I’ve personally tried and often recommend to my clients. I’ll break down the nutrition details and share my thoughts on the taste, just keep in mind that everyone’s preferences are a little different.

Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel

• Sodium content: 310 mg/scoop
• Carb content: 25 g/scoop 
• Caffeine content: there are both caffeine and caffeine-free options available
• Taste: they offer a variety of flavors like naked (unflavored), mandarin, lemon, berry, etc. If you’re not a fan of sweetness, try the naked flavor for a less sweet, more mild flavor. 
• Form: this is a powdered mix that you add to water

Skratch Labs Hydration Sport Drink Mix 

• Sodium content: 400 mg/scoop
• Carb content: 19 g/scoop 
• Caffeine content: there are both caffeine and caffeine-free options available
• Taste: This is a more mild flavored electrolyte drink that is one of my personal favorites and a favorite of many of my clients! They offer a variety of flavors like lemon & lime, orange, fruit punch (my personal favorite), raspberry limeade, etc. 
• Form: this is a powdered mix that you add to water

Bare Performance Nutrition G.1.M Sport/Endurance + Electrolytes 

• Sodium content: 350 mg/scoop
• Carb content: 20 g/scoop 
• Caffeine content: many flavors are caffeine-free but there is an option with caffeine available
• Taste: this is a bit sweeter of a drink mix compared to Skratch Labs. There are a variety of flavors available like salted watermelon (my personal favorite), orange, lemon lime, etc.
• Form: this is a powdered mix that you add to water

Maurten Drink Mix 160 

• Sodium content: 210 mg/sachet
• Carb content: 41 g/sachet
• Caffeine content: caffeine-free
• Taste: there is only 1 flavor option available currently and in my opinion, it has a very mild taste without a whole lot of sweetness 
• Form: this is a powdered mix that you add to water

Gatorade Endurance 

• Sodium content: 300 mg/scoop
• Carb content: 22 g/scoop
• Caffeine content: caffeine-free
• Taste: the lemon lime flavor isn’t very sweet and has a more mild taste. There are cherry, orange and watermelon flavors available currently. 
• Form: this is a powdered mix that you add to water
• Note: Gatorade Endurance is the sports drink on many of the Abbott World Marathon Majors courses. You can find out what’s on your race course by visiting your race website!

Final Thoughts

​​Electrolyte drinks are a valuable tool in every runner’s nutrition plan, especially when you’re training hard, going long distances, sweating a lot or pushing the pace. 

By understanding what’s in your sweat and what your body needs, you can choose products that actually support your body’s needs and performance.

Whether you’re training for your first half marathon or gearing up for a marathon, ultramarathon or triathlon, finding the right electrolyte drink can make a noticeable difference in how you feel during and after your runs.

Use this guide to help you dial in your hydration, experiment during training, and build a personalized plan that supports your goals! 

Remember, hydration is personal, what works for someone else may not work for you! With the right knowledge and tools (like sweat testing), you can confidently hydrate smarter!

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