6 Best Sports Drinks in 2024

In this article, we’ll be covering the best sports drinks available today if you’re looking for something to use as a boost to your training. Before getting into our list, keep in mind that not every athlete will benefit from the use of sports drinks. While they’re most beneficial for endurance athletes, they may be a good option if you just want a flavor enhancer for your water. 

Our team of certified nutritionists and professional athletes has reviewed 15 products and the best ones made it to this list. We’ve based our evaluations on 4 key factors and we have spent 3 weeks testing most of these products out. Additionally, we have also analyzed hundreds of online user reviews. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section because our list is regularly updated.

Top 6 Best Sports Drinks Reviewed

1. Powerade Sports Drink – Top Pick
2. Gatorade Thirst Quencher
3. Hydrate by Transparent Labs – Best Electrolyte Formula (No Carbs)
4. SIS Electrolyte Powder
5. Skratch Labs Hydration Powder
6. Gatorade Endurance Formula Powder – Best Powder-Based Formula

Product	Total	Carbs + Sodium Composition	Taste	Nutrition Label Transparency	Value for Money
Powerade	39.5	10	10	9.5	10
Gatorade Thirst	39.5	10	10	9.5	10
Transparent Labs	38	9	9.5	10	9.5
SIS	37.5	9	9.5	9.5	9.5
Skratch Labs	37.5	9	9.5	9.5	9.5
Gatorade Endurance	37	9.5	8.5	9.5	9.5

Starting our list of the best healthy sports drinks is Powerade, one of the most recognizable brands on the market. We’ll be taking a closer look at their signature sports drink, and why it makes such a great choice. 

With each serving, you’ll be getting 34g of carbs, primarily from high fructose corn syrup. This should provide a significant boost of energy when taken either pre or intra-workout, as well as being good for restoring glycogen stores post-workout. 

You’ll also get 400mg of sodium and 130mg of potassium for 530mg total of electrolytes. While this isn’t as high as some targeted electrolyte supplements, this should be sufficient for many endurance athletes. 

Powerade comes in 2 different flavors, which is fairly low for our list. Also, along with this product being made of high fructose corn syrup, there are some artificial flavors listed on the ingredients list. 

Finally, a big reason Powerade took the top spot on our list is for its price. At only ~$0.71 per serving, it’s easily the cheapest ready-to-drink beverage on our list, as well as being the best overall budget pick.

Next on our list is Gatorade, which is probably the only sports drink brand more recognizable than Powerade. We’ve put their classic formula so high on their list because of its reputation as one of the best-tasting sports drinks available. On top of this, it has a wide array of flavors and a solid blend of carbs and electrolytes. 

First, you can expect 36g of carbs per serving sourced from sugar and dextrose, offering a good amount of quick energy or a solid boost for replenishing glycogen stores. 

In terms of electrolytes, Gatorade is not quite as strong as Powerade. Each serving only has 260-270mg of sodium and 80mg of potassium for 340-350mg total. This will be a decent boost, although it likely won’t be enough for serious endurance athletes after a targeted electrolyte supplement. 

As with most of the pre-mixed options on our list, Gatorade does contain some artificial ingredients. While it does appear to be naturally sweetened, it does contain some dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 6. 

Gatorade comes in a wide variety of flavors with 8 total options. They are mostly sold in 3-flavor variety packs on Amazon, although this may be ideal if you want some different flavors to choose from. 

Finally, because these only come in packs of 12, they are fairly pricey. At ~$1.92 per serving, Gatorade does work out to be the most expensive product on our list.

Next on our list is Hydrate by Transparent Labs, which is the first powder-based supplement we’ll be covering, making it a great choice for those who want to control the dosage.

This is also the first electrolyte formula, meaning it doesn’t contain any carbs whatsoever. In our opinion, this is the best sports drink for hydration because of its exceptionally high electrolyte content. 

As mentioned there aren’t any carbs, so this won’t be the best option if you’re looking for quick energy from sugars or a supplement to help replenish your glycogen stores. However, if you’re after a low-calorie sports drink, this is the only 0-calorie option we’ll be covering. 

However, this supplement easily has the most electrolytes on our whole list. In one serving It has 500mg of sodium, 250mg of potassium, 50mg of magnesium, and 84mg of calcium. This works out to 884mg total and is the first option we’ve covered to contain any magnesium or potassium. 

This is also the first option on our list to contain an extra active ingredient in the form of taurine. Although the 1g dose included here may be slightly too low, this supplement is beneficial for endurance exercise. You may be interested in taking a double dose, especially if you’re participating in long-lasting endurance training.

Note that these benefits are only apparent when taken 1-2 hours before exercise, so you may want to consider taking Hydrate pre-workout or intra-workout for very long training sessions. 

Like all Transparent Labs supplements, Hydrate doesn’t contain any additional artificial ingredients whatsoever. It also has fairly limited flavor variety with 3 different choices available. 

Finally, considering the solid electrolyte blend and addition of taurine, Hydrate offers some of the best value for money on our whole list. Each serving will only cost you ~$0.75, making this an excellent choice if you want a pure electrolyte supplement.

The next sports drink for athletes on our list is SIS Electrolyte Powder which is the first (with carbs) powder-based sports drink formula on our list. This makes it a good alternative to Transparent Labs’ Hydrate if you want a powder that still has a good amount of carbs in each serving. 

Each scoop contains 36g of carbs making this fairly similar to both Gatorade and Powerade. This supplement’s carbs come mainly from maltodextrin and fructose, making it fairly similar to Gatorade. 

If you’re looking for sports drinks with electrolytes, SIS also rivals Transparent Labs with a solid dose. It has 520mg of sodium, 60mg of potassium, 5mg of magnesium, and 27mg of calcium for 612mg total. As with Transparent Labs, this will likely be a sufficient dose for many endurance athletes. 

It’s worth noting that SIS does use the artificial sweetener aspartame in its formula in case this is something you’d prefer to avoid. Also, SIS has limited flavor variety with only 2 options to choose from.

While this is arguably the most complete supplement we’ve covered on our list so far, it is also one of the most expensive options. At ~$1.75 per serving, this is cheaper than Gatorade’s Thirst Quencher. Still, be aware that SIS will cost you significantly more than an alternative like Transparent Labs or Powerade.

Next on our list is Skratch Labs, which is another powder-based sports drink formula, similar to SIS. This is the lowest-carb sports drink we’ll be covering, which also offers the best flavor variety. 

Each serving of Skratch Labs has 20g of carbs, which mainly come from cane sugar and dextrose. This makes it a good option if you’re looking for a lighter dose of carbs than most of the other sports drinks on our list.

You can also expect a good amount of electrolytes. Each serving has 380mg of sodium, 38mg of potassium, 39mg of magnesium, and 44mg of calcium. This makes for 501mg total. While this doesn’t quite rival the highest-electrolyte supplements on our list, it’s still more than you’ll find in most sports drinks!

If you’re looking for all-natural sports drinks, Scratch is also a great choice as it doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients whatsoever. This also has far-and-away the best flavor variety on our list with 12 different options to choose from. 

Finally, at ~$1.10 per serving, while this isn’t the cheapest supplement on our list, it still offers excellent value for money considering the quality of its formula.

Our final sports drink is also the second Gatorade product we’ll be covering. This is Gatorade’s Endurance Formula, which is a high-electrolyte, powder-based alternative to their bottled products. 

This is a lower carb option, with a similar carb-count to Skratch at 22g per serving. This is also the second product on our list to source some of its carbs from maltodextrin, although there is also some sugar used in the formula. 

This supplement has significantly more electrolytes than bottled Gatorade with 300mg of sodium and 140mg of potassium per serving. At 440mg total per serving, this is a decent dose of electrolytes. Although it doesn’t contain any calcium and magnesium, this shouldn’t be too important for an intra-workout drink. 

This may also be a good alternative to Gatorade if you’re interested in a product without any artificial dyes or sweeteners. This product also offers decent flavor variety with 4 different options to choose from. 

This is also a great budget option compared to bottled Gatorade. At ~$0.84, Gatorade’s Endurance Formula is about half as much as the regular bottled version.

Do Sports Drinks Really Work?

Depending on the formula, sports drinks can be an effective way to get a quick boost of carbs or electrolytes. Whether you’re using it pre, intra, or post-workout, getting quick carbs in can help fuel your workouts or replenish your glycogen stores depending on when you take it. Electrolytes can also help you stay hydrated and maintain optimal performance, especially for endurance sports. 

With this being said, are sports drinks necessary for you? As we’ll cover more in-depth below, sports drinks are mainly beneficial for endurance athletes who need to use intra-workout carbs and electrolytes to maintain optimal performance. For most other athletes, you’re likely better off drinking plain water and getting your carbs and electrolytes from whole food sources. 

So, while sports drinks are effective at their purpose – providing carbs and electrolytes in a palatable beverage – understand they aren’t necessary for all athletes. 

In What Situations Can Sports Drinks Be Useful or Even Necessary?

As mentioned above, sports drinks aren’t for everybody. So, when should they be used? We mainly recommend sports drinks for endurance athletes, and those doing any activity lasting longer than 60 minutes such as functional fitness or team sports. This is when intra-workout carbs and electrolytes are most beneficial. Low-carb and low-sodium options may also be beneficial for making plain water more palatable.

1. If Your Exercises Last 60 Minutes or Longer

According to the Australian Sports Commission, intra-workout carbs aren’t necessary for exercise lasting less than 45 minutes. However, for exercise lasting upwards of an hour, small amounts of carbohydrates are recommended which can conveniently be taken through sports drinks. 

Sports drinks are good for intra-workout supplementation, but otherwise, you should aim to get most of your carbs through whole food sources. Remember that sports drinks don’t contain any fiber like most whole food sources of carbs.

With high fiber intake being related to overall health, we highly recommend prioritizing this in your diet! With that being said, high-fiber carb sources aren’t great for intra and pre-workout carbs mainly because fiber reduces glucose release time. 

The longer you work out, the more likely you are to sweat heavily and become dehydrated, which is why the electrolytes from sports drinks can also be beneficial to replenish your body’s electrolyte stores. 

2. If You Training and Competing in Ultra-Endurance Events

Ultra-endurance athletes specifically are at an elevated risk of taking in excessive amounts of water without electrolytes. This can lead to a dangerously low level of electrolytes in the body, which can affect performance and cause serious health complications. 

As a result, using sports drinks to better regulate electrolyte levels is a good idea if you’re an ultra-endurance athlete. You may want to opt for a powder-based supplement where you’re better able to control the amount of electrolytes you’re getting in each serving.

It appears shooting for 0.5-0.7g of sodium per liter of fluid is good for most endurance athletes in an effort to preserve palatability while still getting electrolytes in. There are many varying factors that require an individual approach, making it difficult to make general recommendations for electrolyte intake. 

Also, returning to the Australian Sports Commission guidelines mentioned above, it’s recommended that ultra-endurance athletes consume up to 90g of carbs per hour to maintain optimal performance, although not all at once. A small amount of BCAAs may be beneficial here as well.

These intakes must also come from different carb sources (ie. glucose and fructose) as individual carb sources have limits for making it into cells. Using multiple carb sources can help make up for this. 

It’s also worth noting that this amount of carbs may cause gastrointestinal discomfort. That’s why dilution and “gut training” is important to make sure you can tolerate this high intake during competition.

While you can use various sources of carbs, sports drinks can be an effective way to get fluids and electrolytes in alongside these carbs. 

3. If You Want to Improve the Taste of Plain Water

Finally, if you’re not an endurance athlete, the best use of sports drinks is probably as a flavor booster for plain water. With this being said, try to make sure you’re not adding unnecessary amounts of added sugar or sodium to your diet. 

A good way to do this is to pick a powder-based supplement and only use a bit of powder in your water. This will enhance the flavor, making your water more palatable without having it affect your sugar or sodium intake too much.

How to Choose the Best Sports Drinks?

If you’ve decided you do want to start using sports drinks – either as a performance supplement or a flavor enhancer for water – there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind before making your decision. 

1. Understand How Many Carbs And/or Sodium You Need for Your Task

Start by thinking about the kind of activity you do, and whether carbs or sodium are necessary for your performance. As a general rule of thumb, if you’re exercising continuously for longer than an hour at a time, intra-workout carbs and sodium may be beneficial for performance. Otherwise, the carbs and sodium you get from food should be fine. 

It’s worth mentioning that consulting with a sports nutritionist is likely the best way to make a plan surrounding the use of sports drinks and electrolyte supplements. This is because these are not one-size-fits-all supplements. Consulting with a professional who understands your needs is the best way to figure out an effective plan for supplementation with sports drinks. 

2. If You Are a Team Sport, Endurance or Ultra-Endurance Athlete, You Can Choose a Sports Drink With a Higher Amount of Carbohydrates and Sodium

If you’re doing any kind of endurance sport that lasts longer than an hour, choosing a supplement high in carbs and electrolytes will be ideal for energy and hydration. 

As the Australian Sports Commission recommends, try to consume 30-90g of carbs per hour, and aim for 0.5-0.7g of sodium per litre of fluids you drink. This will give you sustained energy during your training/competition, as well as keep your electrolytes balanced. However, it’s important to note that these are averages, and may vary greatly from person to person. 

With all this being said, we once again recommend consulting with a sports nutritionist – especially if you’re a high-level competitive athlete. While you can make your own plan, getting feedback from a certified nutritionist will be the best way to optimize your performance through the use of sports drinks and supplements. 

3. If You’re the Average Gym-Goer, Choose One With Lower Carbs and Minimal Sodium 

It’s important to first note that the average gym goer does not need sports drinks for performance. As long as you’re eating enough carbs before the gym and getting enough total electrolytes in through, there will be very few benefits to consuming sports drinks. 

However, if you struggle to drink enough water throughout the day, sports drink powder can work as a great flavor enhancer. If you want to use electrolytes for this purpose, we recommend choosing a product with minimal added sugar and low sodium. Also, it’s a good idea to use small amounts of powder, especially if you’re using a higher sodium powder. 

If you’re looking for a supplement that will genuinely impact your performance, we recommend trying pre-workout instead. This is because the combination of pre-workout and active ingredients like Caffeine, Citrulline and Betaine will provide a stronger boost to your energy and performance than the mild hit of carbs and electrolytes you get from a sports drink. 

Some other supplements to consider are protein powder and creatine, which will both likely provide significantly more benefits to recovery and performance compared to sports drinks. 

Overall, while there’s nothing wrong with using pre-workout as a flavor enhancer for water, just be aware that it likely won’t provide any benefits to your performance. If this is what you’re after, you’ll be much better off using supplements like pre-workout, protein, and creatine. 

FAQ

Do You Really Need Sports Drinks?

As with most supplements, it depends. If you’re an endurance athlete or playing team sports, sports drinks are a convenient way to consume electrolytes and carbohydrates during your training to ensure optimal performance. 

However, if you’re not training for more than 45-60 minutes at a time, sports drinks are likely completely unnecessary. You should be able to get all the carbs you need through whole food sources before your workout. Considering their high sugar and sodium content, they may also have a detrimental impact on your overall health if you’re not using them properly. 

Is It Ok to Drink Sports Drinks Everyday?

If you’re using sports drinks as a performance supplement, we recommend only drinking them when you’re training. Especially if you’re using a high-sugar, high-sodium sports drink, it’s important to limit your intake to when you’ll be using it for energy and hydration. 

With this being said, if you’re using a low-sugar, low-sodium sports drink as a flavor enhancer for water, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with using small amounts of sports drink powder every day.

What Can I Drink Instead of Gatorade?

While Gatorade is likely the most recognizable brand of sports drinks available, as shown by our list, there are plenty of alternatives available. For example, consider Transparent Labs’ Hydrate or Skratch Labs Hydration Mix if you’re interested in some healthy Gatorade alternatives.

Conclusion

Overall, before beginning to use sports drinks, it’s important to remember that they won’t be necessary for the majority of gym athletes. While they can be a useful source of intra-workout carbs and electrolytes for endurance and team sport athletes, most average gym-goers are likely better off getting these from whole food sources instead. However, if you choose low-sodium, low-sugar sports drinks, they can be an excellent flavor enhancer for plain water. 

If you’re looking for a convenient, high-quality sports drink, we recommend trying POWERADE. We hope our list can help you make a more informed decision!

Do you have any favorite fitness drinks? Any products you think we missed on our list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• Best Keto Electrolyte Supplements
• Best Electrolyte Powder
• Best Electrolyte Drink for Leg Cramps
• Best Electrolyte Powder No Sugar
• Natural Electrolytes
• How Many Electrolytes Are in Gatorade
• Should You Take Electrolytes Before or After Workout
• How Many Electrolyte Drinks per Day

References

1. AIS Sports Supplement Framework “Sports Drinks” Australian Sports Commission, https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1001106/Sports-Drinks-Infographic-2pg.pdf (Accessed Dec. 19, 2023)
2. The Nutrition Source “Fiber” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/ (Accessed Dec. 19, 2023)
3. Nicholas B. Tiller, et. al, “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition volume 16, Article number: 50 (2019).
4. AIS Sports Supplement Framework “Electrolyte Replacement Supplements” Australian Sports Commission, https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/1000487/36194_Sport-supplement-fact-sheets-electrolytes-v5.pdf (Accessed Dec. 19, 2023)
5. The Nutrition Source “Added Sugar in the Diet” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/ (Accessed Dec. 19, 2023)
6. The Nutrition Source “Salt and Sodium” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/ (Accessed Dec. 19, 2023)