Staying hydrated each day is vital for various reasons, including regulating body temperature, the prevention of infections, the delivery of nutrients to cells, and the proper functioning of organs.
Many of us experience our days as a race against the clock. Energy drinks can seem like our upper hand that will get us across the finish line in one piece.
But with so many different energy drinks on the market, how do you know which one is the best for hydration?
Lucky for you, this article will help you answer all the questions you are asking about the best energy drinks for hydration.
Let’s get to it!
How can I peak my hydration?
Drinking enough water is the first step to ensuring you are properly hydrated. Opting for healthier drinks that are organic, less acidic, and rich in electrolytes can also help you peak hydration.
Avoiding excessive diuretic drink consumption, or in simpler terms, not drinking too much caffeine or alcohol can also help you stay hydrated.
Do energy drinks help dehydration?
No, energy drinks do not dehydrate you.
They are known to have a diuretic effect, which means they can make you pee a lot, but energy drinks don’t appear to drain a concerning amount of fluid from your body.
However, energy drinks can contain a lot of sugar, and this can make you very thirsty. Consuming an inordinate amount can lead to dehydration if you’re not careful.
But just like the saying, “too much of anything is bad,” drinking large amounts of these — such as three or more cans at once — may dehydrate you to a minor extent.
How do energy drinks help in hydration?
An energy drink’s primary purpose is to provide fast-absorbing carbohydrates.
Energy drinks usually contain a mix of quick-acting simple sugars and slower-acting longer chain sugars to provide a quick but sustained blood sugar boost that keeps muscles fueled. These carbohydrates act as a handy energy source that your body can burn during workouts.
Aside from that, they also replace much-needed electrolytes like potassium and magnesium. Our fluid levels get destabilized during exercise and we lose a lot of minerals. Energy drinks restore that balance and help us stay hydrated.
Do energy drinks count toward water intake?
Yes, energy drinks help hydrate our bodies and they count toward our daily water intake.
Drinking enough water helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails, as well as normal body temperature and blood pressure. But water isn’t the only beverage that hydrates us.
Drinks like juices, tea, and coffee replenish us and keep us from being dehydrated. Coffee and tea, in particular, are also caffeinated beverages like energy drinks and will not dehydrate you if you consume less than the recommended 400 mg of caffeine per day.
Is Gatorade better than water for dehydration?
Gatorade can help you stay hydrated, but we recommend drinking it only if you need to. Say, exercising outside or engaging in a physical activity that lasts longer than 30 minutes.
Water is still the best option for hydration, especially when you don’t really exercise often. Water helps you to maintain more consistent energy levels throughout the day.
While Gatorade is an excellent sports drink that will keep your energy up for your workouts, water is still the best hydrating beverage for the long term.
Moreover, electrolytes are also derived from natural and nutritious sources such as fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocado, and sweet potato. If you’re interested in healthier alternatives, check out this article I wrote on all-natural energy drinks.
How do energy drinks affect electrolyte balance in the body?
Energy drinks help stabilize our body’s electrolyte balance during exercise.
Electrolytes are essential to keeping our organs functioning properly. When we workout or vomit or have diarrhea, we lose a lot of these electrolytes and this throws our body’s systems into disarray.
Ever experienced being dizzy or feeling weak in the middle of a strenuous physical activity? It was probably because you’re dehydrated and running out of electrolytes in your body. Energy drinks remedy this by jumping in with carbohydrates and electrolytes to keep your body working smoothly.
Endurance athletes who run long races or on hot summer days should pay special attention to fluid and electrolyte balance during aerobic endurance exercise because they are more prone to dehydration, overheating, and electrolyte imbalance.
Electrolyte imbalance can manifest in several ways:
- Dizzines
- Headaches
- Lack of concentration
- Cramps
To know more about electrolytes’ role in your health, watch the video below!
Is Drinking Energy Drinks Every Day Safe?
Yes, drinking a moderate amount of energy drinks on a regular basis is safe.
In spite of the fact that they can be beneficial, energy drinks are associated with numerous health risks due to their high caffeine and sugar content and the presence of artificial sweeteners in their formulation. Addiction and dependence are two of the most pressing issues facing society today.
However, long-term exposure to the various components of energy drinks can cause significant changes in the cardiovascular system such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations.
According to the FDA’s safety guidelines, you should keep caffeine intake to less than 400mg per day. It is safe to consume as much caffeine as you want as long as your total caffeine intake (which includes caffeine from other sources like coffee, tea, soda, chocolate) does not exceed this amount.
| Product | Caffeine Content (per 100 grams) |
| Coffee | 40 mg |
| Energy drinks | 31 mg |
| Tea | 11 mg |
| Soda (cola) | 8 mg |
| Chocolates | 20 mg |
It is important to note that certain medications can interfere with the way caffeine is processed by the body, resulting in a lower safe level of caffeine for you if you take them. Additionally, some people are more sensitive to caffeine and should keep their caffeine intake to a bare minimum.
Caffeine in large doses can cause elevated blood pressure and heart rate, vomiting, seizures, and even death. It is unlikely that consuming one energy drink on an occasional basis will cause problems. Limit your daily intake to 16 ounces (473 mL) and avoid all other caffeinated beverages to minimize health rinks.
Best Energy Drinks for Hydration
Well, here we are. Now that you understand how energy drinks can help you stay hydrated, here are some of our top recommendations.
Gatorade
Gatorade is one of the most recognizable drink brands out there—and for good reason! It’s designed for athletes and it’s chock-full of electrolytes to keep you hydrated.
In truth, Gatorade isn’t an energy drink, it’s really a sports drink. But it is so good for its use case, I decided to list it here. It’s refreshing and great for hydration.
Their flavors are so appealing and tasty that their target market has gone beyond the fitness industry. Everyone from children to young professionals is guzzling down Gatorade.
This beverage is often easily accessible, no matter where you are or when you want it. It’s stocked in supermarkets, corner stores, and pharmacies all over the U.S.
However, an average Gatorade drink contains 36 grams of sugar. This can pose several health risks such as weight gain, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular conditions.
V8 +Hydrate Drink
If you’re worried about artificial additives in your energy drink, then this may be the right brand for you. V8 +Hydrate drink is non-GMO, sugar-free, sweetener-free, and gluten-free.
The beverage uses sweet potato juice and will easily energize you for your daily grind. V8 has long been a leading vegetable juice brand, and their +Hydrate line comes in Strawberry Cucumber, Coconut Watermelon, and Orange Grapefruit.
Every eight fl. oz. of V8 +Hydrate drink contains:
- 45 calories.
- 11 grams of fat.
- 50 milligrams of sodium.
- 150 milligrams of potassium.
- 10 milligrams of magnesium.
- Ten grams of glucose.
Red Bull
Red Bull is one of the best energy drink companies on the market. The drink maintains peak performance by keeping you hydrated while also providing an energy boost.
Red Bull Energy Drink is a high-performance beverage, but it is not exactly thirst-quenching. As a result, it is recommended that you drink water in addition to Red Bull Energy Drink while exercising.
The typical 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 110 calories, 27 grams of sugar, 80 milligrams of caffeine, and a small amount of sodium, taurine, and various B-Vitamins other things.
Down a Red Bull and a good amount of water and you’ll be well hydrated and energized.
Nooma
NOOMA is another organic energy drink brand that will satisfy your taste buds. Each can is prepared using organic coconut water, organic flavoring, sea salt, and organic stevia leaf extract are used.
It contains 30 calories, 110 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of carbohydrates, and 5 grams of sugar. The organic coconut water derived from carbohydrates and sugar is both hydrating and nourishing. The drink is also loaded with electrolytes and adaptogens that will enhance your athletic performance.
As a bonus, the cans are also made with environment-friendly materials!
REIZE Energy Drink (10 out of 10)
I saved the BEST energy drink for last. You really can’t go wrong with REIZE because it has everything you’re looking for.
It’s one of the safest energy drink brands out there and it contains only a sensible amount of caffeine (50mg in total), taurine, B vitamins, inositol and ginseng.
REIZE is a 4g powdered energy drink in a sachet, which makes it very convenient to carry around no matter what your activity for the day is.
It’s sugar-free and will give you the perfect energy boost.
In terms of hydration, similar to Red Bull, you should pair REIZE with a healthy extra dose of water to make sure you’re fully hydrated AND energized for your day.
Perhaps best of all, you can get REIZE shipped right to your door for only about $1 per drink.
That’s awesome value for money.
Try REIZE today, and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s the smarter choice.
Bottom Line
Despite the caffeine content of energy drinks, they won’t dehydrate you. In fact, many energy drinks give you the electrolytes and carbohydrates that your body especially needs during workouts.
Electrolytes are vital in keeping many of our body’s functions going. This is why energy drinks have only become increasingly popular not only with athletes but various demographics too.
However, it’s important to take note that excessive consumption of energy drinks can also pose harmful risks to your health, especially if your preferred drink has a lot of sugar and additives. Remember to keep well within the 400mg caffeine limit per day.
While water is still best for hydration, energy drinks have a particular advantage when it comes to enhancing athletic performances and stamina. Just keep things in moderation and try to use healthier brands like REIZE, that don’t have too much caffeine.
At the end of the day, energy drinks can either improve your health or undermine it—and this all depends on how you’ll use them.