Normally hydration tablets contain a combination of salts, minerals, and glucose which will aid in the absorption of sodium, (an essential element for rehydrating efficiently) through the wall of the intestine. When you correct the electrolyte balance in the blood, it will then allow the body to rehydrate by transporting water to where it’s needed most. Haskell, C. F., Kennedy, D. O., Milne, A. L., Wesnes, K. A., & Scholey, A. B. (2008). The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biological psychology, 77(2), 113-122. Consume 500ml of SiS GO Hydro 3-4 hours prior to your event with a further 250-500ml in the hours before starting. During exercise of a shorter length where carbohydrate intake is not necessary, consume 500 ml of SiS GO Hydro per hour. If aiming to combine hydration and energy delivery, consume SiS GO Electrolyte with the SiS GO Gel range. Last but not least is Trace Minerals who offer an electrolyte replacement for those who are especially active. Despite not being advertised as a rehydration treatment due to diarrhoea, for example, SOS can certainly be beneficial as a rehydration product. Can you get SOS on the prescription?

Knott, V., de la Salle, S., Choueiry, J., Impey, D., Smith, D., Smith, M., …& Labelle, A. (2015). Neurocognitive effects of acute choline supplementation in low, medium and high performer healthy volunteers. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 131, 119-129.

Although marketed for people who exercise, Lucozade Fitwater definitely is a good choice as the Dioralyte alternative. On top of that Lucozade Fitwater does not have any taste as all other alternatives reviewed in this post. It’s vital for any athlete to drink additional fluids containing electrolytes either before, during, or post-workout. It’s important to refuel as fluid loss impacts exercise and performance. The Hydra 10 has a unique formulation of glucose polymer to help ensure optimised hydration.

Go Hydro is a product from Science in Sport (SiS) designed to help you stay hydrated when exercising. It comes as a tube of tablets consisting of various minerals or electrolytes. You bung a tablet in a bottle of water, wait while it dissolves, then drink it during your ride. As a way to help you avoid dehydration, it definitely does the job.If the drink contains more sugar than sodium, these ingredients will not be absorbed correctly; In fact, they will actually cause a build-up in the intestines rather than replenishing hydration levels, which does more harm than good. There have been studies that have shown that adding dextrose and fructose results in better and higher carbohydrate oxidation than just glucose alone. Also, vitamin B6 is known to help reduce tiredness and fatigue, which is exactly what we are trying to combat! Many athletes who use hydration tablets often consume them during physical activity, as this prevents them from sustaining an electrolyte imbalance and therefore underperforming or becoming unwell. SIS are a well known brand in the sporting community, so if they're selling sports hydration tablets, you knwo you can put your trust in them. During moderate to intense exercise, we can produce up to 2 litres of sweat per hour depending on the environmental conditions. Sodium is the most important electrolyte that is lost through sweating as it helps to stimulate thirst, improve taste and promote absorption and retention.

If you’re looking for alternative hydration tablets in the UK, many electrolyte products only contain two electrolytes, whereas this product from Bulk Powders contains a number of electrolytes such as Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. This product comes from America's #1 Trace Mineral brand, is 3rd party tested and uses only the best manufacturing practises to keep you safe.Perfect to drop into your bottle during exercise and designed replace the key electrolytes you lose through sweat. Most sports science studies agree that dehydration can have a negative impact on performance (basically, you get tired sooner), and that drinking the correct amount of water helps avoid this. But after that, there's a divergence regarding electrolytes. Some studies show that replacing the electrolytes lost via sweat helps further improve performance, and avoid cramp. Other studies show that you don't need extra electrolytes, and that drinking water is enough. The new enhanced SiS Beta Fuel formula allows you to increase your carbohydrate intake to around 80-120 grams per hour because of the 1:0.8 maltodextrin and fructose ratio, aiding your performance by minimising gastrointestinal distress and enabling faster absorption. Jeukendrup A.E. Carbohydrate feeding during exercise. Eur. J. Sport Sci. 2008;8:77–86. doi: 10.1080/17461390801918971. Rowlands, D. S., Thorburn, M. S., Thorp, R. M., Broadbent, S., & Shi, X. (2008). Effect of graded fructose coingestion with maltodextrin on exogenous 14C-fructose and 13C-glucose oxidation efficiency and high-intensity cycling performance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 104(6), 1709-1719.