What is the best electrolyte powder in South Africa?

There is no clear winner on the one number that matters most, sodium per serving, because the retailer pages we reviewed (Dis-Chem, Clicks, Faithful to Nature, Takealot via PriceCheck) do not publish it for most products. The only quantified figure comes from the SAHPRA product information for Rehidrat, where we calculate roughly 288 mg of sodium and about 12 g of sugars per 14 g sachet. So we rank on what is verifiable: price per serving, sugar, sweeteners and how the product is positioned.

How do the options compare?

October 2026 prices; per-serving cost is shelf price divided by sachets or tablets (our calculation):

Which one for which job?

• Best value for everyday sweat: Biogen Electrolyte or Lifestyle Electrolyte Fizzy at about R5 a serving. Check the label for sodium before buying.
• Cleanest label: REVIVE Raw is unsweetened and unflavoured (sodium chloride from desert salt, magnesium malate, potassium chloride) but sodium per sachet is not published on the retailer page. Its stevia-sweetened sibling costs about R15 per sachet at list.
• Sugar-free for office or light use: USN Purefit Zero Sugar Hydrator or Nutritech Hydrate.
• Gastro illness: Rehidrat is an oral rehydration salt indicated for diarrhoea and gastroenteritis; use it as the leaflet says.

For fuelling long events you will also need carbohydrate; see best energy gels in South Africa.

How much sodium do you actually need?

There is no universal dose. Sweat sodium varies several-fold between athletes (commonly cited at roughly 10–90 mmol/L), and sweat rates run from about 0.5 to 2 L an hour. Practical guidance is to individualise from sweat tests; see how much sodium per hour when running in South African heat. For sessions under an hour or two, water and normal meals are usually enough; see do I need electrolytes or just water.

What are the safety points?

Exercise-associated hyponatraemia is mainly caused by drinking too much fluid, and electrolyte products do not prevent it if you overdrink. High-sodium products are unsuitable for people with hypertension, heart or kidney disease or those on diuretics without medical advice. We found no verified third-party certification for any product here.

See our electrolyte comparison and how much electrolytes cost per serving.

When should you see a doctor?

Seek medical help for confusion, severe headache, repeated vomiting or seizures during or after endurance exercise. This is general information, not personal medical advice.

Under-18s should rely on normal food and water for sport. If you are pregnant, have kidney, heart or blood-pressure problems, or take regular medication, check your fuelling and sodium plan with a doctor or registered dietitian.

Products mentioned