I may be from the “hose water generation,” but I can still learn some new tricks, one of which is keeping a big ol’ Stanley Cup full of fluid on my desk to sip on throughout the day. Like many others, I’m not a huge fan of plain water. I like a little flavor to keep me motivated.
I just passed the 60K-word mark in the book I’m writing on healthy aging (Immortal Till You Die), and one of the bigger sections is called “You Manage What You Measure.” One of the easiest and most useful things to measure (and therefore manage) is blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is typically silent — you won’t know you have it unless you check.
But high blood pressure can be deadly. It leads to strokes and can damage capillaries, which can cause all kinds of internal wreckage. So, why am I mentioning your blood pressure and your hydration choices in the same email? Because many of the packets people add to their cups are SUPER HIGH in sodium.
For reference, LMNT, a popular brand, has 1,000 mg of sodium. To sweat out that much sodium, the average person would need to exercise long enough to lose a full liter of sweat (gross, I know, but that’s a lot).
A better bet is to use a brand that minimizes sodium while adding potassium. Potassium helps relax vessel walls and lower blood pressure. Salt substitutes are usually potassium-based. Here are some options:
BODYARMOR SuperDrink and Lyte: Usually 15- 40 mg of sodium per serving (often listed as 30- 40 mg in a 16 oz bottle) with much higher potassium (often 530- 700+ mg). They use coconut water concentrate.
Prime Hydration (ready-to-drink bottles): Commonly 5- 30 mg of sodium per 16.9 oz bottle and about 700 mg of potassium.
Ultima Replenisher (powder): 55 mg of sodium per scoop mixed in 16 oz of water, plus 250 mg of potassium and 100 mg of magnesium, with zero sugar and zero calories. It is formulated more for everyday hydration than heavy sweat replacement.
Where does our old friend, Gatorade, fall? Well, Gatorade Zero packets contain 230-270 mg of sodium and 80 mg of potassium. Not awful, especially compared to LMNT, and it’s easy to find.
Hope that helps.
Until next time,
Doc G
