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After working out, falling sick, or a night of drinking, what's the first thing after water you reach for? For many, it's a bottle of Pedialyte, Gatorade, or Vitaminwater.
You understand vaguely that they'll replenish your body with the electrolytes and fluids you've lost. I, for one, grew up drinking a lot of Gatorade after sports games and even up until recently drank it to nurse hangovers.
However, a closer look at their contents reveals they're filled with artificial ingredients, an excessive amount of sugar, or an improper balance of electrolytes. It's not surprising, then, that after chugging one of these drinks, you only feel minimally better and not as re-energized as you'd expect.
From using powdered rehydration packets as a child whenever he was sick to revisiting them after rugby games and nights out while attending Oxford University, Hydrant cofounder John Sherwin has also experienced his fair share of dehydration experimentation.
He realized while working alongside constantly tired coworkers that they were chronically dehydrated, but this time around, he wanted to find electrolyte powder packets that were actually good for them. The search for clean electrolytes turned up empty-handed, so in typical startup founder fashion, Sherwin created his own, combining his personal experience with his background in biology.
Each 8.7-gram packet of Hydrant contains eight ingredients and only what your body needs, including sodium citrate, potassium citrate, salt, magnesium citrate, and zinc gluconate. Its balance of electrolytes are based on the World Health Organization's standard for oral rehydration.
Hydrant does contain cane sugar, but only just enough to activate the sodium-glucose transport mechanism that gets water and electrolytes into your bloodstream faster. Since it doesn't have too much sugar or any artificial sweeteners, it won't lead to a crash and upset stomach later.
It also has low osmolarity, which means your body can more easily and quickly absorb the ingredients and feel their effects.
Because Hydrant is a portable powder, you can drink it anywhere, provided you have a bottle of water to mix it with. Depending on which bulk pack you buy, each packet costs $2 or less, making it less expensive (and less wasteful) than bottled electrolyte drinks.
It tastes pretty good, like a tangy lime (from lime juice powder) with a hint of salt. Taste is an underrated but important factor considering all the times you'll want to reach for Hydrant: during and after airplane travel, a workout, alcohol consumption, or a stressful work day where you haven't had the time or thought to drink something.
If you notice muscle or brain fatigue, headaches, or nausea, chances are you're experiencing the effects of dehydration. The efficient, clean, and tasty fix to replenish the culprit — those missing fluids and electrolytes — is a packet of Hydrant.
