Sports drinks or commercial electrolyte beverages are a specially formulated solution, which provides energy, electrolytes, and fluids lost during physical activity. Athletes and sportsperson like to use them before a prolonged physical session to boost energy levels, or during the course of their training or sport to maintain energy levels and hydration, and even after the exercise to rehydrate and re-energize.

As the name suggests electrolyte, drinks are loaded with electrolytes, mainly sodium and potassium and sugars.

The body loses a significant amount of electrolytes during prolonged physical activity in the form of sweat. Water alone cannot supplement the minerals lost during the period. In fact, drinking plenty of water to replenish energy levels after a physical activity can lead to Hyponatremia or low sodium levels in the body. The common symptoms of Hyponatremia are muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, confusion, disorientation, and fluid retention in some cases. An electrolyte drink, on the other hand, serves to keep the levels of minerals and water in your blood closer to the normal levels.

However, you must be careful while selecting your electrolyte drink. Consider the constitution and the concentration of electrolytes in the drink you are opting for. You must choose a drink that ranks in the top 10 electrolyte drinks. Carbohydrate in a sports drink should range from six to 8% in other words 6 to 8 grams of carbohydrate in every 100 ml of beverage. Anything higher than this may lead to stomach upset. Top 10 Electrolyte Drinks in the market closely adhere to the prescribed limits.

Besides, the total carbohydrate concentration considers the individual carbohydrates in the drink. Glucose, sucrose, or maltodextrin along with small quantities of fructose are found in most electrolyte drinks.The body mainly loses sodium during periods of prolonged, vigorous physical activity. Therefore, it becomes essential that your sports drink contains at least 500-700 mg of sodium and 80-200 mg of potassium.

Regular use of sports drinks can harm your teeth due to the sugar content. To limit contact time with the teeth in order to prevent dental erosion use a straw or squeeze bottle for consumption of sports drink. You can chew sugar-free gum, when possible, immediately after consumption of the sports drink. Avoid brushing teeth for at least 30 minutes after consuming sports drinks.

According to nutritionists, sports drinks are beneficial only if your workout, sport, or physical activity extends past 60 minutes. You should avoid unnecessary use of sports drinks cause at the end of the day you are adding calories, sugars, and toxins from artificial flavors to your body. Read the label carefully before purchasing any electrolyte drink. We have put together the list of the best among the top 10 Electrolyte Drinks available on the market.

• Gatorade: The range of products by Gatorade may easily qualify for the best place among the top 10 Electrolyte Drinks. The original, Series 02 Perform, and the light version, Series Fit is by far their most popular products with a good balance of carbohydrates, sugars, and electrolytes.
• Jip fizz is another winner among the top 10 Electrolyte Drinks with zero sugars or artificial sweeteners and excellent customer reviews.
• Powerade ION4 keeps athletes hydrated and well replenished or anybody who engages in a vigorous physical activity for more than 30 minutes.
• Vega Clean Energy electrolyte drink mix is packed with natural sources of energy and antioxidants. This sugar-free mix contains additional vitamins to boost your energy levels.
• Hi-Lyte Electrolyte Concentrate helps with muscle recovery apart from replenishing your body with the essential nutrients and water.
• Formula O2
• Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Drink
• Healthy Hydration E-Hydrate