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Electrolytes

If you're considering using electrolyte replacement for sport or other rehydration, learn which electrolyte powders, pills, and drinks provide the right amounts of sodium, chloride, potassium and sugars based on ConsumerLab's independent tests and comparisons.

Electrolytes Review

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CL Answer

I do moderate exercise for about an hour a few times a week. Which supplements might help me, and which should I consider avoiding?

Info on what supplements are best for work out & exercise regimens, including electrolytes, protein, creatine, and BCAAs.

Supplements for Moderate Exercise

CL Answer

Do any supplements, foods, or oils help reduce muscle pain, muscle cramps, or nighttime leg cramps?

Find out which supplements, and topical products such as magnesium creams, can help reduce muscle pain, leg cramps, and nighttime leg cramps, and which may worsen muscle cramps. Also, learn about vitamin and mineral deficiencies and common medications that can cause muscle cramps and nocturnal leg cramps.

Magnesium & Other Supplements for Muscle Pain & Cramps -- woman with leg cramp

Product Review

Coconut Waters Review

Best Coconut Water? See Our Tests and Comparisons of Popular Brands Looking at Sugar, Electrolytes, Taste and Price.

Coconut Waters Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Product Update

4/13/2026

Electrolyte Labels Miss the Mark

Many electrolyte powders don’t match what’s listed on the label. See which products over- or under- deliver on sodium, magnesium, and potassium in our Electrolyte & Sports Drinks Review, which includes our Top Picks among electrolyte powders, pills, and drinks.

Clinical Update

11/16/2019

Concern With Ginkgo

The use of Ginkgo biloba has been associated with an electrolyte imbalance. For details, see the Concerns and Cautions section of the Ginkgo Supplements Review. Also see our Top Pick for Ginkgo.

News Release

January 27, 2026

ConsumerLab Identifies Best Licorice and DGL Supplements

White Plains, NY, January 27, 2026 — Licorice root and deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) licorice supplements are widely used for digestive support and enjoyed in teas and candies, but few products disclose their levels of glycyrrhizic acid — the compound responsible for licorice’s sweetness but also its ...

CL Answer

Are intravenous (IV) vitamin infusions safe and effective?

Intravenous (IV) vitamin infusions are touted by celebrities and promoted by wellness clinics for numerous conditions. Find out if they work and if they are safe.

Woman holding her phone while getting an iv vitamin infusion

Product Review

Muscle & Workout Supplements Review (Creatine and Branched-chain Amino Acids)

Do Creatine and BCAAs Really Improve Strength and Recovery?

Product Review

Potassium Supplements Review

Be Careful with Potassium Supplements! Problems Found. Tests and Reviews of Potassium Supplements & CL's Top Picks.

Potassium Supplements reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Product Review

NAD Booster Supplements Review (NAD+/NADH, Nicotinamide Riboside, and NMN)

How Important Is Boosting NAD+ Levels? Find Out and Learn How Booster Supplements Compare.

NAD Boosters (NAD+/NADH, Nicotinamide Ribose, and NMN)

Product Review

Inactive Ingredients / Excipients in Supplements

Find Out Why Coloring Agents, Sweeteners, Fillers & Other Inactive Ingredients Are In Your Supplements and If They're Safe.

Product Review

Weight Loss Supplements Review (7-Keto DHEA, Forskolin and Stimulant Blend Supplements)

Choose the Best Weight Loss Supplement. Be Careful With Weight Loss Supplements — Few Pass Quality Testing and Safety Review.

Weight Loss Supplements Tested by ConsumerLab.com

CL Answer

Which supplements can help to lower blood pressure?

Supplements to lower blood pressure, including CoQ10, vitamin C, fish oil, and olive oil, are all explored to find out what works.

Supplements that can lower, or raise blood pressure -- blood pressure cuff and bottle of pills

CL Answer

I am 70 a year male in relatively good health. I plan on walking the Camino in France (500 miles). I am looking for a multivitamin that would best supply me with my needs during this walk/hike. What would be the best product or combination of products to use?

Find out if older adults who walk or hike should take a multivitamin, vitamin C, vitamin D, or other supplements, like electrolytes, when hiking. Plus, see our advice for choosing a good sunscreen.

Hiking 8

Clinical Update

7/22/2022

Electrolytes for Hangovers?

Electrolyte drinks are often recommended to reduce hangover symptoms after drinking alcohol, but do they really help? Find out in our new answer to the question: Do electrolyte supplements, like Pedialyte, help with hangovers?

Clinical Update

9/02/2022

What’s in Gatorade?

We were surprised by what we found testing Gatorade Gatorlyte and DripDrops ORS which we added this week to our Electrolytes Review.

News Release

February 26, 2024

Latest ConsumerLab Survey Shows Growth in Popularity of Magnesium and Several Smaller Supplements

White Plains, New York, February 26, 2024 — A recent survey of more than 10,000 people who regularly use dietary supplements shows that supplements that experienced the greatest absolute growth in popularity during 2023 were pregnenolone (+7.5 percentage points), magnesium (+4.8 pts), berberine (+4.

Product Review

Acai Berry Supplements and Beverages Review

Find the Best Acai Berry Supplements and Beverages. See Which Acai Berry Supplements and Beverages Passed Our Tests of Quality.

Acai berry supplements and beverages reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

CL Answer

10 Supplements That May Help Reduce Nighttime Urination (And 5 That May Not)

Waking up more than once during the night to use the bathroom? Learn more about the 9 supplements that may help and 5 others that don't.

A toilet in an empty bathroom at night

CL Answer

A tea called Throat Coat made me lethargic and I was found to have low potassium. Is this a known problem? I was drinking 5 cups a day.

Throat Coat tea information, including licorice root content, potassium loss, and symptoms such as lethargy, increased blood pressure and fluid retention. ConsumerLab.com's answer explains.

Throat Coat Tea and Potassium Loss -- box of Throat Coat tea

CL Answer

Do any supplements help with restless legs syndrome?

Find out whether supplements or vitamins like iron, magnesium, vitamin E and others can help for restless leg syndrome (RLS). ConsumerLab.com's answer explains.

Supplements for Restless Legs Syndrome

CL Answer

Are David Beckham’s IM8 Supplements Worth Taking?

IM8 markets two main products that claim to help you "feel amazing today," and "stay young tomorrow." Find out if these products work and if we think they're worth the cost.

IM8

CL Answer

What is the ingredient zeolite I see in Natural Cellular Defense and other detox supplements? Does it help in any way?

Learn what zeolite is and why it is found in many detox supplements like Waiora's Natural Cellular Defense, Get Healthy Again Zeolite, and Ultra Liquid Zeolite.

Natural Cellular Defense

News Release

February 25, 2024

Top-rated Vitamin and Supplement Brands and Merchants for 2024 Based on Consumer Satisfaction

White Plains, New York, February 25, 2024 — Each year, ConsumerLab.com surveys its free e-newsletter subscribers about the vitamins and supplements that they use. The results below are based on over 10,000 responses collected in November/December 2023.

Recalls & Warnings

December 14, 2023

Pain Relief Tea Recalled, Found to Contain Prescription Drugs

On December 13, 2023, WS Global issued a recall of all lots of the company’s Himalayan Pain Relief Tea after products were found to contain diclofenac and dexamethasone, prescription drugs that are not listed on the product’s label.

Recalls & Warnings

December 19, 2024

Gout and Arthritis Supplement Recalled Due to Undeclared Drugs

On December 12, 2024, Buy-herbal recalled all lots of Nhan Sam Tuyet Lien Truy Phong Hoan capsules within expiry after FDA testing found them to contain undeclared furosemide, dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine. These drugs are not permitted in dietary supplements.

Recalls & Warnings

June 23, 2020

BioPure Healing Products Warned for Manufacturing Violations

On June 17, 2020, the FDA issued a warning letter to BHP Holdings Inc.

CL Answer

Magnesium L-Threonate (Magtein): Health Effects & Safety

Magnesium L-threonate (Magtein) is promoted for boosting memory and cognition, improving mood, supporting sleep, reducing stress and improving symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Find out if it works and if it's safe.

Woman holding two capsules of magnesium l-threonate

CL Answer

Do any supplements, like Nervive, help with nerve pain, like sciatica, diabetic neuropathy or postherpetic neuralgia?

Find out which supplements for nerve pain, including fish oil and alpha-lipoic acid, are effective for sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, or postherpetic neuralgia.

Recalls & Warnings

June 16, 2020

Seller of Silver, Arginine, and More Warned for Manufacturing Violations

On June 1, 2020, the FDA issued a warning letter to Morningstar Minerals LLC, which found the company's products, including Silver Boost, to be adulterated because they were prepared, packed, or held under conditions that violate Current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary ...

Recalls & Warnings

April 10, 2024

Powerade Variety Packs Recalled

On February 27, 2024, the Coca-Cola Company issued a recall of various lots of Powerade Zero Fruit Punch, Powerade Zero Mixed Berry, and Powerade Mountain Berry Blast electrolyte drinks because the products may contain a foreign metal object, namely a stainless-steel ring.

News Release

July 20, 2022

Best Electrolyte Drinks for Hydration? Note: Some Contain 20 Times More Sodium Than Others

  White Plains, New York, July 20, 2022 — It's important to stay well hydrated, and electrolyte products can help.

News Release

April 25, 2019

Best Coconut Water? ConsumerLab Tests Popular Products, Reveals Top Pick

White Plains, New York, April 25, 2019 — Coconut water is often promoted as a healthy way to stay hydrated and a natural alternative to sports drinks.

Recalls & Warnings

July 11, 2011

Use of "Sports Drinks" and "Energy Drinks" Discouraged by Pediatric Group

A report from the American Academy of Pediatrics outlines how sports and energy drinks are being misused and provides guidance to decrease or eliminate consumption by children and adolescents.

Recalls & Warnings

July 31, 2020

FDA Warns Seven Sellers of "Hangover Cures"

The FDA recently issued warning letters to seven companies for promoting hangover relief products with drug claims (use the links below to read the full warning letter):

News Release

August 04, 2011

Some coconut waters don't deliver on promises according to ConsumerLab.com

White Plains, New York — August 4, 2011 — Coconut water—the natural juice from green coconuts— is often touted as a natural alternative to sports drinks. But does it really deliver? "It depends on the brand," says ConsumerLab.com President, Tod Cooperman, M.D. ConsumerLab.

Recalls & Warnings

November 30, 2013

"Diuretic" Weight Loss Supplement Recalled

On November 29, 2013, IQ Formulations issued a recall of all lots of diuretic weight loss supplement HYDRAVAX because one lot of the supplement was found to contain an undeclared prescription diuretic drug.

Recalls & Warnings

October 18, 2012

Natural Product Manufacturer Warned For GMP Violations, Misbranding, Unapproved Devices and Drug Claims

On August 28, 2012, the FDA issued a warning letter to Creation's Garden Natural Products, Inc. following an inspection of the company's manufacturing facility, which found violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) for dietary supplements.

Recalls & Warnings

May 06, 2015

Joint Pain Supplements Found to Contain Diuretics, Antihistamines and Other Undeclared Drugs

On May 4, 2015, the FDA warned consumers not to buy or use the following supplements promoted for joint or back pain because they were found to contain undeclared drugs. Each was identified during an examination of international mail shipments.  

Recalls & Warnings

April 17, 2020

Seller of Vitamin D, MSM, Selenium & More Warned for Drug Claims

On March 31, 2020, the FDA issued a warning letter to KetoKerri LLC following a review of the company's website, which found statements made about some of the company's products, including Dr.

Recalls & Warnings

August 29, 2013

Seller of CELLFOOD Supplements Warned For Manufacturing Violations and Drug Claims

On August 1, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to supplement retailer Lumina Health Products, Inc.

Recalls & Warnings

December 08, 2011

HCG Diet Products Don't Work and Are Illegal Says FDA

On December 6, 2011, the U.S. FDA warned consumers to avoid homeopathic HCG weight-loss diet products because they don't work, often make unsupported claims, and are illegal for sale. In addition, some of these products direct user to follow a potentially dangerous diet.