There’s a trend on TikTok lately called ‘Unfortunately I Do Love’, where users confess to their embarrassing or guilty pleasures in a single-slide listicle, from Irish-exiting at parties to oversharing on the internet. Top of my list of things I unfortunately do love, apart from cancelled plans and back-to-back acrylic infills? Drinking an extra-strong black coffee, every single morning, almost as soon as I wake up.
I don’t need a degree in nutrition to know that it’s probably not the most hydrating way to start the day, but as a nation of caffeine-loving and water-shy Brits, I am unsurprisingly far from alone. According to new data, 44% of us choose coffee or tea over water to start our day, despite a majority of us waking up with dehydration symptoms including a dry mouth (65%), thirst (70%), fatigue (54%) and headaches (29%). The study of 2000 UK adults, conducted by Gatorade, also found that 52% of us overlook hydration as the cause of our early morning grogginess, putting it down to poor sleep or stress instead.
While sleep hygiene and our psychological wellbeing are crucial to our mental clarity and energy levels, it’s clear that hydration is a generally low priority for the British population. In fact, 59% of us only reach the recommended daily fluid intake – 1.2 to 2 litres as per the NHS – twice a week or less (so, that’s 41% of us who are probably never drinking enough water, any day of the week).
“Dehydration can affect everything from concentration and energy to mood and digestion, think fatigue, headaches, dry mouth and brain fog,” says nutrition scientist Dr Emily Prpa. “We wake up at our most dehydrated, yet many of us reach straight for caffeine. While coffee isn’t the enemy (it does contribute to fluid intake), caffeine can temporarily mask the signs of dehydration, such as tiredness, without addressing the potential root cause. It’s important to prioritise hydration first – think, hydrate before you caffeinate.”
So, as someone who would love nothing more than to feel more energised and less sluggish (and to curb the caffeine reliance), I set myself the challenge of swapping my morning coffee for one sachet of Hydration Booster by Gatorade® electrolytes for three weeks.
What is Hydration Booster by Gatorade, and how do electrolytes work?
Electrolytes are salts and minerals, such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium, which are found in the blood and conduct electrical impulses around the body. In terms of hydration, electrolytes maintain our body's fluid balance and regulate the distribution of water between cells, tissues and organs, to keep us optimally hydrated. This means that our bodies can struggle to retain water if we're low on electrolytes, which could explain why you still feel dehydrated even if you drink a lot of water.
Most of us get enough electrolytes through a healthy, balanced diet, but they can be useful for those who exercise regularly or struggle to drink enough water, particularly after a night’s sleep (so, people like me who like to work out, but also drink a lot of coffee).
“Prioritising hydration first thing in the morning is a simple but powerful habit that can support better health and help us feel more energised throughout the day,” says Dr Prpa. “Products like Hydration Booster by Gatorade can be a useful way to include electrolytes as part of your hydration strategy – particularly when fluid or electrolyte losses are higher, such as during exercise or long travel days.”
As the global leader in sports science and nutrition, it's hardly surprising that the Hydration Booster by Gatorade electrolytes are backed by over 55 years of scientific research in hydration from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Each sachet contains a scientifically-formulated carbohydrate and electrolyte powder mix, plus essential B vitamins to help keep fatigue at bay.
They're available in three flavours – Lemon Lime, Strawberry Watermelon and Cherry Lime – and each sachet is simply mixed in approximately 500ml of water.
Hydration Booster by Gatorade: My verdict
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My first impression of trying Hydration Booster by Gatorade was the taste. They're pleasantly mild thanks to the natural flavourings, unlike other supplements I've previously tried that have tasted overly artificial or sickly sweet (these are low in sugar and don’t use any artificial sweeteners; only stevia). My favourite was the Cherry Lime – it reminded me of the Haribo sour cherries, in the best possible way! – but Strawberry Watermelon and Lemon Lime were also tasty and refreshing (and none left that salty aftertaste that so many electrolytes do).
I won't lie, swapping my regular black coffee for the Hydration Boosters first thing in the morning was difficult at first, and I missed both the taste of coffee and the caffeine kick. But by the second week, I found I didn't miss my morning coffee as much.
In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the change in my energy levels. Normally, I wake up thinking, ‘I could’ve slept for another three hours’, but since taking the carbohydrate-electrolytes, I feel noticeably more rested. What's more, the 3pm slump, which normally makes me feel as though I could fall asleep at my desk, was considerably less severe. I wasn't doing cartwheels around the office, but I was definitely way more alert than usual.
I also drank one of the sachets during or after my workouts – a mix of strength, cardio and HIIT classes – and while it's hard to tell exactly how much of a difference they made to my hydration, energy or muscle recovery, I did feel more sustained while exercising, and didn’t feel as knackered afterwards. It makes sense, considering I was replacing the electrolytes I was losing through sweat, but is also likely down to the ‘rapid hydration’ element of the Hydration Boosters (carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions have been proven to enhance the absorption of water during exercise).
It's worth noting that there are many variables that could’ve impacted how ‘awake’ I felt, from how well I was sleeping, to my diet or the stage I was at in my menstrual cycle. But it’s safe to say that after three weeks of taking Hydration Booster by Gatorade, I feel way more energised and productive, particularly after exercise, most likely thanks to the ‘rapid hydration’ of the carbohydrate-electrolyte mix and the boost in B vitamins. Who knows, maybe next week I will actually be doing cartwheels around the office.
Hydration Booster by Gatorade is available for £17 (12 pack) at gatorade.co.uk (use code GLAMOUR15 for 15% off) or Amazon.
