Pedialyte for Adult Rehydration: Does It Really Work?

Sports drink replacer, muscle cramping remedy, hangover cure. These are just a few of the “off-label” reasons adults are turning to Pedialyte. And it’s not just by chance.

Pedialyte’s Instagram bio notes that the product is “not just for kids” and is referred to as “the secret to advanced rehydration.” In fact, nearly all of Pedialyte’s social media posts are centered on adult use of the product and include hashtags like “#notjustforbabies” and subtle references to hangover prevention like: “Don’t let Super Sunday turn into a miserable Monday.”

So just how does this medical-grade blend that was originally designed for kids with diarrhea and vomiting measure up to traditionally marketed sports drinks?

Pedialyte’s website features a side-by-side comparison of Pedialyte and traditional sports drinks, noting that Pedialyte contains twice the amount of the electrolyte sodium while traditional sports drinks have two times the sugar of Pedialyte.

And while it’s true – ounce for ounce, Pedialyte does contain more sodium than Powerade or Gatorade – it’s also worth noting that every Pedialyte product (with the exception of their ‘Organic’ version) also contains two types of artificial sweeteners and multiple artificial food dyes.

So, if you’re considering reaching for that bottle of Pedialyte to rehydrate, you might reconsider. Instead, opt for low- and no-sugar alternatives that are free of artificial dyes and sweeteners, like Nuun, SOS or even pickle juice.

Read on for a comparison of Pedialyte’s nutritional information compared to that of better bets for hydration.

Pedialyte product comparison

Pedialyte

• Per 12 ounces: 35 calories, 9 grams carbs, 9 grams added sugar, 370 milligrams sodium, 280 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6

Pedialyte Advanced Care

• Per 12 ounces: 25 calories, 6 grams carbs, 6 grams added sugar, 370 milligrams sodium, 280 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6

Pedialyte Advanced Care with 33% more Electrolytes

• Per 12 ounces: 25 calories, 6 grams carbs, 6 grams added sugar, 490 milligrams sodium, 280 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6

Pedialyte Sport

• Per 12 ounces: 30 calories, 9 grams carbs, 5 grams added sugar, 490 milligrams sodium, 470 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6

Pedialyte Stick Packs

• Per stick pack: 25 calories, 6 grams carbs, 6 grams added sugar, 240 milligrams sodium, 180 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6

Pedialyte Freezer Pops

• Per two-pop serving: 15 calories, 3 grams carbs, 3 grams added sugar, 100 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include dextrose (sugar), minerals, artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium, artificial food dyes including Red 40, Blue 1 and/or Yellow 6

Better-for-you picks for electrolytes and hydration

The products below are electrolyte-rich, all-natural and contain little or no added sugar, zero artificial sweeteners and zero artificial colors.

Nuun Sport

• Per tablet: 10 calories, 4 grams carbs, 1 gram sugar, 300 milligrams sodium, 150 milligrams potassium

• No artificial sweeteners or colors

• Sweetened with stevia

• Colored with vegetable juice extracts

SOS

• Per stick pack: 10 calories, 3 grams carbs, 3 grams sugar, 350 milligrams sodium, 190 milligrams potassium

• Ingredients include sugar, salt and other minerals

• Sweetened additionally with stevia

Pickle Juice

• The acetic acid in pickle juice can help relieve cramps within seconds

• Per 2.5 ounces: 0 calories, 0 grams carbs, 0 grams sugar, 470 milligrams sodium, 24 milligrams potassium

Editor’s note: Registered dietitian Molly Kimball offers brand-name products as a consumer guide; she does not solicit product samples nor is she paid to recommend items. A version of this originally appeared on WGNO’s “Get FUELED with Molly” segment.