With so many gels, chews, and bars out there, it can be really tough to figure out the differences between them all. Add in hydration tablets, and who knows what you should take to stay hydrated and refuel. While we’ve already reviewed the gels in another post, now we’re taking a look at what exactly hydration tablets are and what benefits they might have for runners.
Hydration tablets are pretty much the same thing as electrolyte tablets. You’ve probably heard of a brand like nuun, whose tablets come in a handy plastic tube. Inside the tube are several round tablets that fizz up when you add them to water. They come in a variety of flavors and are just as easy to pop in a handheld water bottle as a hydration pack on your back.
The theory is we all need to stay hydrated when we run, so if it’s tastes good and is easily absorbed by our bodies, we’ll drink more of it. These fizzy tablets contain sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and some have vitamins and/or a little caffeine boost, too. Nuun has also come out with a performance line that includes 15 grams of carbohydrates for longer workouts as well.
We know that it's important to keep our electrolytes balanced—especially during longer runs—and hydration tablets are an easy way to do that.