New!  2024 MASS MARKET SPORTS & HYDRATION PRODUCT SURVEY

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BACKGROUND     THE MARKET     POTENTIAL RISKS     MASS MARKET CONSUMPTION     OUR MODEL & RATING SYSTEM     CONCLUSION     REVIEWS

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BACKGROUND

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When people sweat excessively during exercising, after a fever, when suffering from severe vomiting or diarrhea, when exposed to extreme weather conditions, or when carrying out heavy manual work, their bodies can quickly get dehydrated. Dehydration can also occur from simply not drinking enough water, traveling, or consuming too much alcohol. In all these situations, it is important to drink regularly to replace the fluids and nutrients associated with this loss of water in the body. But in many cases, water alone may not be the best solution.

 

Sports drinks were initially formulated to meet more aggressive hydration needs - more specifically, to help adult athletes replace lost fluids from intense physical sports activity. The industry’s first and largest supplier, Gatorade, initially created their product for a college football team, the University of Florida Gators. The Gators play in hot weather, under extreme conditions, in a highly competitive environment. Their team is comprised of high-performing adult athletes in need of thorough and rapid rehydration. Gatorade was designed to address their hydration needs by providing a unique mix of water, electrolytes (specifically large amounts of sodium or salt), carbohydrates (which included a large amount of sugar), and various other ingredients such as flavoring and coloring.

 

As the sports drink market emerged, it demonstrated that these new functional  beverages could be beneficial for a variety
of users with similar needs:

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- Elite Athletes (I.e., college/pro level)

- Bodybuilders (I.e., weight lifters)

- Endurance Activities (I.e., triathletes)

- Tactical/Military Applications

- Clinical/Medical Applications

 

Depending on their ingredients, the amount of each ingredient, and how the body interacts

with each ingredient, sports drinks can provide valuable, functional benefits, including:

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- Re-hydration of water and critical nutrients, called electrolytes, lost when sweating
  (electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and chloride)

- Restoring of lost energy (usually done through providing large amounts of carbohydrates
  in the form of sugar or a stimulant such as caffeine)

- Aiding in recovery after exercising

 

Some more recent entries into the market add ingredients claiming to provide

additional functional benefits, including:

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- Boosting immunity

- Relaxation and stress relief (typically by adding natural herbs, roots, and extracts)

- Vitamin deficiencies (including A, B, C, D, or E Vitamins or Minerals)

- Joint and bone health

- Recovery from the adverse effects of consuming alcohol

 

Sports drinks and electrolyte consumption overall can take many different delivery forms,

providing alternatives for consumption, including:

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- Ready to Drink, in which you open the bottle/can and immediately consume the contents

- Powders that are provided in bulk or pre-measured packets, often called "sticks,"
  that are then mixed with water (or carbonated water)

- Liquid concentrates also come in bulk or pre-measured pouches that are mixed with water

- Tablets that dissolve in water (often adding effervescence to the drink) and Capsules

- Shots, which are pre-measured and ready to drink

- Sprays that use an atomizer to deliver the nutrients

- Gels, which are like liquids but thicker and are consumed out of a pre-measured
  packet, without adding any water

- Chews or Gummies in pre-dosed packets

 

THE MARKET

 

Because their functionality drives a strong value proposition, the sports drink market enjoyed over $30 billion in sales in 2022 and is expected to grow to nearly $64 billion by 2032*. Today, the market leader, Gatorade (owned by PepsiCo), controls a large portion of the market with more than $6.7 billion in annual sales. New entries appear in the market almost daily, with over 500 sports and hydration drinks and hundreds of other forms of hydration products currently available in the U.S., and the majority of them targeted to the mass market. Ironically, varying studies say that as much as 70-75% of the U.S. population is chronically dehydrated.** In many cases, non-athletes or those more sedentary, often reach for sports drinks as a potential solution. This has also created a new offshoot of the sports drink market labeled "daily hydration drinks." However, the lines are somewhat blurred between the two, and it often appears the only difference is in how they market their product, not necessarily the ingredients themselves. That said, these sports and hydration drinks are not for everyone, as many contain excessive amounts of specific ingredients, or ingredients that particular groups of users should not consume. The single most significant factor cited by industry experts that may inhibit the market's growth is the rising awareness about their harmful effects on children.* This makes matching the right drink to the appropriate user and their respective activities imperative.

 

POTENTIAL RISKS

 

In reviewing key ingredients, we find that most sports and hydration drinks contain inappropriate ingredients, or amounts of ingredients, that are not practical for anyone other than their original elite athlete target market. Most sports and hydration drinks are not designed (and can be detrimental, causing several adverse side effects) for youth athletes, general consumption as a soft drink, and those undertaking lower-intensity activity. The larger sports and hydration drink companies (such as Pepsi, which makes Gatorade, and Coca-Cola, which makes Powerade) are aware of this and have joined a marketing alliance that claims they will not market to users 12 years old or under.*** But their products, website, and social media contain no warnings, and no regulations govern the sale of sports and hydration drinks to minors. Without the proper education, youth athletes and recreational users continue to consume sports drinks, often daily or drinking multiple servings in a short period, even though they do not provide the correct functional ingredients for their physiology, let alone may be harmful.

 

It is important to note that as of the time of our study, there is an emerging concern over energy drinks, many of which overlap with the sports and hydration market. Some government officials have asked for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate and impose regulations on energy drinks. This debate is specifically over the ingredient caffeine and the amounts of caffeine included in energy drinks, sometimes without the proper warnings and regulations, allowing younger users to purchase and consume them. Keep in mind that an average cup of caffeinated coffee contains about 95mg of caffeine, so when an energy drink has 100mg, 200mg, or 300mg of caffeine, that means the user is getting the equivalent of 1-3+ cups of coffee worth of caffeine in a single energy drink - and multiply those numbers if multiple beverages are consumed. As such, we have not included these drinks in our study as they are specifically intended for adults and are not designed for consumption by all users.

 

However, mass-market sports and hydration drinks are also not without their issues, which is ironic given that their target customer has a sports and health orientation. Some of these potential side effects from improper use or overconsumption of sports and hydration drinks include:

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- Weight gain/obesity

- Type 2 diabetes

- Cardiovascular disease

- Heart attack/heart disease

 

These side effects may be caused by questionable ingredients, and or excessive amounts of ingredients, including:

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- High levels of sugar (can be in the form of glucose, fructose, or sucrose)

- High levels of salt or sodium

- Artificial flavors

- Artificial colors

- Artificial sweeteners, often used in “light” versions (such as Acesulfame K,
  Sucralose, often branded as Splenda; Aspartame, often branded as Equal
  or NutraSweet; or Saccharin often branded as Sweet 'N Low)

- Stimulants such as caffeine

- Other additives
 

It is important to note that some manufacturers may add specific ingredients to entice the user to consume more of the beverage. Two examples are excess salt (or sodium), which can make you feel thirstier, and stevia, a popular artificial sweetener that can act as a diuretic. A diuretic increases the excretion of water from the body, which is counter to the hydration process. Many sports and hydration drink companies use stevia and its related alternatives (rebaudioside A, B, C, D, reb-a, rebiana, etc.) because it is natural, inexpensive, and tastes better than artificial sweeteners. However, since it can act as a diuretic, the consumer should be cautioned about consuming drinks intended to rehydrate the user containing Stevia. Another ingredient found more so in energy drinks than sports and hydration drinks is caffeine, which also acts as a diuretic.

 

In addition, some sports and hydration drinks may contain excessive amounts of some ingredients. If multiple beverages are consumed, it can put the user well over the recommended daily allowance for those ingredients just by consuming the drink itself, without considering the intake of other foods and beverages throughout the day. Paracelsus, a Renaissance-era physician and alchemist, once said, "The dose makes the poison, " which means too much of anything can be harmful. As such, it is essential to note that we have deemed some drinks inappropriate for the mass market audience because of their abundance of ingredients far beyond the amount useful for the human body. For example, if a drink had a huge number of electrolytes, more than should be typically consumed by anyone other than an elite athlete under extreme conditions, it was either labeled as such or not included in this survey targeted to mass market consumers. In addition, other ingredients, such as caffeine, creatine, and taurine, which are commonly used by extreme athletes, bodybuilders, and weight lifters, may be acceptable for any user to consume in small doses if provided in extreme doses in a particular drink may also knock it out from being included in our mass market survey. We also have not included drinks containing Hemp, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), or CBD (Cannabidiol) because they are not suitable for the youth segment of the mass market.

 

We should also mention that while many sports and hydration drinks publish their ingredients and nutrition facts on their websites and marketing materials, it is astonishing how many only include partial lists, conflicting information, or no information at all. We are not implying these companies have anything to hide. Still, we believe the consumer deserves complete transparency into what they are considering consuming, and this information should be featured prominently on all promotional materials. In these cases, our survey had to rely on other, often 3rd parties, for both ingredient lists and amounts of each ingredient. Although we have done our best to provide the latest, most accurate information, should you find anything we publish to be in error or outdated, please notify us at info@usbrb.org.

 

Now, let us take a moment to dive deeper into the use of sugar in sports and hydration drinks. Sugar is a carbohydrate. And like all carbohydrates, it provides a source of energy. There is no doubt that a reasonable amount of sugar can help with both fueling and recovery - if you are undertaking a strenuous workout, you will benefit from having some carbs in your tank. However, overconsumption of sugar causes fatigue. After ingesting sugar, depending on the dose, you will get an energy boost for 30-60 minutes before it wears off and you feel a crash. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily consumption of 25 grams of sugar (for adult males). So, if you are consuming a sports or hydration drink with 25 grams of sugar, you have maxed out your sugar intake for the day. But with the large number of processed foods and beverages in our diet that also contain sugar, it would be unrealistic to think we could drink such a drink and not exceed the daily recommendation significantly. So, on those days you consume a sugary sports drink, you will almost certainly exceed the recommended sugar level for that day. Sugar also has a glycemic index of 60, which is considered a medium impact. If you have diabetes or have been told to watch your sugar, excess sugar can not only be harmful, it can be deadly.

 

MASS MARKET CONSUMPTION

 

With the abovementioned risks, you might ask why so many people drink sports and hydration drinks when they may not match their physiology,
age, or activity.

 

Many sports and hydration drinks are often chosen for consumption by those outside their intended target group, often as an everyday beverage option, for a variety of reasons:

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- Consumers like the taste of sports and hydration drinks

- Consumers do not typically want or like plain water due to its lack of flavor

- Consumers believe sports and hydration drinks are a better source of hydration than water

- Consumers find other options such as juice too sweet and soda too bloating

- Consumers believe all sports and hydration drinks are healthy

- Consumers want "functional" drinks that deliver benefits beyond just quenching thirst

- Due to poor or incomplete labeling, consumers are unaware of some sports and hydration drinks'
  detrimental ingredients and their potential adverse health impact

- Consumers are influenced heavily by social media or athlete endorsements,
  as well as "lifestyle" oriented products

 

Many companies have started to take advantage of these trends, labeling their product as sports or hydration drinks, even though they may contain limited functional benefits (such as a lack of electrolytes), include questionable ingredients, and lean more toward the soft drink category in general. We believe this trend, or ‘casualization’ of the sports drink market, might be a precursor to an emerging, yet-to-be-named, new drink category
targeted to the following broad range of sports and non-sports needs/activities:

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- Youth sports participants

- General sports, exercise, and fitness aficionados

- Those seeking a daily/everyday hydration solution

- The vocational workforce (I.e., skilled and physical laborers)

- Non-sport physical activities that may cause you to sweat (I.e., gardening)

- The unique metabolism and needs of kids and teens

- People facing extreme heat and/or weather conditions

- Those recovering from illnesses (I.e., stomach virus, diarrhea, vomiting)

- People undertaking recreational or lower-impact activities (I.e., gaming)

- Pregnant or nursing mothers

- Travelers

- People looking for a new, tasty, refreshing, functional, daily soft drink

- Patients in need of medical or clinical-grade hydration

- Those recovering from drinking excessive amounts of alcohol

- Seniors seeking regular hydration

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This blurring of the lines between sports and other activities/requirements makes consumer education (and matching consumers to the appropriate sports or hydration drink that fits their unique circumstances and needs) even more critical.

 

OUR MODEL + RATING SYSTEM

 

In this study, we are evaluating only the sports and hydration drinks that either their marketing, packaging, or ingredients, appear to target the mass market instead of specific groups with unique needs (such as elite adult athletes, extreme or endurance activities, military or tactical users, medical applications, etc.). Given that a larger audience is now consuming sports and hydration drinks, the U.S.B.R.B. has created a proprietary model to assess popular sports and hydration drinks that are targeted to everyone, on an even playing field. The results include both an overall rating/score as well as related commentary to help educate potential mass-market consumers.

 

Our approach takes into consideration the following critical criteria:

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- Targeted User (Mass Market, not Specific Groups with Unique Needs)

- Beverage Type, Form, and Intent

- Overall Ingredients

- Warnings and Allergens

- Calories, Carbohydrates and Sweeteners

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Since taste is subjective (everyone's palate is different) and directly tied to the flavorings being used (which we did include in our assessment),
we did not include taste as a criteria in our study.

Visit this page to get a more detailed view of how our model and rating system work.

 

For the purposes of this specific study, we have assigned this mass market group the designation "E for Everyone," and after running each beverage through our model as described above, assigned each their respective letter grade (A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F). This then translates to a “stamp” or seal that shows both the target group and the product's final score.

 

 

 

 

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All data was compiled using each respective company's public information, including but not limited to their product labels, website, social media, information on distribution partner websites, and marketing materials. Again, keep in mind that our research and rating system is designed to educate the greater mass market consumers, helping them make better choices when it comes to sports and hydration drink consumption. As such, while some beverages may contain additional valuable functional ingredients beyond this scope, only the criteria related to what the targeted consumer would expect out of a hydration product were scored. Lastly, even though our target is U.S. based consumers, we did include International beverages as well.

 

A sample report is shown below. A report like this is available for each beverage and product that is included in the survey. 

While the reports are very comprehensive and include just about everything you might want to know about a product, we would still
encourage you to do your own research by reviewing the manufacturer's materials (product labels, website, social media, etc.) directly. 

Mouse over each section of the sample report shown below to see a detailed explanation.

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In addition, we have also included a few other “non-beverage” products in the survey that are focused on hydration and electrolytes that are used by the mass market. These include electrolyte waters, hydration freezer pops, pickle juice products, capsules/tablets, unflavored products, energy gels and chews containing electrolytes, and hydration accessories. Since the hydration accessories do not provide hydration in and of themselves, they did not receive a score but are included for the convenience of our readers.

 

If you are a member of a specific group with targeted needs, such as elite athletes, bodybuilders, endurance athletes, tactical users and military members, pregnant or nursing mothers, or under the care of a doctor for clinical/medical applications, while you may find our information useful, you will likely have a different set of evaluation criteria, and level of importance for each criterion, that meets your specific needs, as compared to the approach we have taken in this particular survey. That is not to say you will not find the information valuable, but our ratings may not apply as well to your needs. As such, we encourage you to do your own research and, when applicable, consult with professionals such as doctors, trainers, nutritionists, and the like. The U.S.B.R.B. will conduct future studies for other sports and hydration consumer groups, including those more suited to elite or extreme sports and activities, those used in clinical or medical applications, and other more specific categories like adults seeking recovery from alcohol consumption.

 

In addition, always be sure to read and familiarize yourself with the nutrition labels of the drinks you consume, taking notice of any warnings that might be present. For example, some drinks contain warnings such as:

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- Warning: For adults only - contains caffeine

- Do not consume if caffeine-sensitive

- Not recommended for anyone under 18 years of age

- Not recommended for anyone under a certain age

- Consult a physician before taking any dietary supplements

- Do not consume if you are pregnant or nursing

- Do not consume if you have any pre-existing medical conditions

- Warning: contains tree nuts (or other allergens). The FDA includes coconuts in this category,
  so anything with coconut powder or coconut water must be labeled for nut allergies

- Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine (for people who have phenylketonuria)

- Consumption level warnings to not consume more than the daily recommended dose

- Not for use by the elderly

- Do Not use if allergic to any ingredients

 

And, of course, at times, absent of warnings, if you have a known condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or you are taking medication(s), you should consult a physician before using any product containing supplements. And given that our daily diets are already laden with salt and sugar from processed foods, everyone should monitor their sugar and salt intake, which, as we have discussed, are often abundant in popular sports and hydration drinks. In addition, if you are a high school, collegiate, or professional athlete, be sure you are familiar with the ingredients of any beverage before you consume it, and if anything is unfamiliar or questionable, stay away from it. Some products, particularly bodybuilder or endurance athlete grade supplements, might contain ingredients that could damage your eligibility to play high school, collegiate, or professional sports (not to mention be potentially detrimental to your health).

 

Also, it is not uncommon for a company to alter its formula for a specific drink from time to time. So, while the information in our survey was accurate when we published it, ingredients and ingredient levels are subject to change. Be sure to check the label of any drink for the manufacturer's most recent information before consuming it. We will endeavor to keep this database up-to-date as formulas change and products are removed and added to the market.

 

CONCLUSION

 

Once we compiled and scored each hydration product, we were surprised that out of almost 1,000 items researched, only a little over 60% (or 587 products) met our initial criteria to address the specific needs of the mass market (363 products were excluded because they did not apply to those users). Furthermore, when running each of those entries through our scoring model, 22% or 128 products received an "F" (Failing Mark). But perhaps the most surprising was that only 1 product received an "A-" ("Top Pick" Rating) and only 77 products, or about 13% of those surveyed, received a score of “B-” or higher ("Highly Recommended" Rating). The rest of the products fell in the middle of the pack, scoring various levels of “C”  (33% or 195 products - "Acceptable" Rating) or “D” (30% or 177 products - "Poor Choice" Rating) scores.

The products that scored the highest were as follows (click each name to see the complete review):