Health, fitness and the supplement aisle. An independent South African desk.
Hydration and endurance · Answer
The only true hydration tablet we could verify in South African retail is Lifestyle Electrolyte Fizzy, at about R4.80 to R5.30 per effervescent tablet at Dis-Chem (October 2026), though its sodium content is not published. Most other products are sachets. Choose by sodium on the pack, sugar content and price, since none can be ranked on sodium per Rand.
We searched Dis-Chem, Clicks, Faithful to Nature, Takealot and specialist retailers in October 2026. Genuine tablet products were scarce. The verified one is:
Everything else sold as "hydration" is a sachet or a gel. Maurten, SiS and others sell powders and gels, not tablets, in our data.
Because sodium per serving is not published for most products, we cannot name a single best on sodium per Rand. These picks reflect price, format and what is disclosed.
| Need | Option | Price (October 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest tablet | Lifestyle Electrolyte Fizzy | R4.80 to R5.30 each | sodium not published |
| Cheapest sachet | Biogen Electrolyte (30) | R4.63 to R5.17 each | composition not published |
| Sugar-free sachet | USN Purefit Zero Hydrator; Nutritech Hydrate | about R10 each | minerals not published on retailer pages |
| No sweetener or flavour | REVIVE Raw Daily Electrolytes (30) | R10.63 to R13.30 each | sodium chloride, magnesium malate, potassium chloride; amounts per sachet not published |
| Stevia-sweetened | REVIVE Daily Electrolytes | R12 to R15 each | stevia leaf extract |
| Illness (diarrhoea) | Rehidrat | R18 to R20 per sachet | about 288 mg sodium per sachet by our calculation; contains sugars |
They help replace sodium and make drinking more appealing in heat, but they are a tool and not a guarantee against cramps or hyponatraemia. See do salt tablets prevent cramps. Drinking to thirst remains the main safeguard.
People with high blood pressure, kidney or heart disease, pregnant women, and anyone on diuretics or other regular medication should take medical advice before using sodium-rich products. Children and teenagers rarely need them.
See our best electrolytes in South Africa ranking and the tablets versus powders comparison.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per serving | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle Electrolyte Fizzy (10 tablets) | 10 effervescent tablets | R48–R53 (Dis-Chem (electrolyte drinks page), 2026-10) | 10 | R5.30 | Not published |
| Biogen Electrolyte (3 x 10 sachets, citrus) | 3 x 10 sachets | R139–R155 (Dis-Chem (electrolytes group), 2026-10) | 30 | R5.17 | Not published |
| USN Purefit Zero Sugar Hydrator (10 sachets) | 10 sachets | R100–R113 (Clicks via PriceCheck, 2026-10) | 10 | R10.00 | Not published (zero sugar) |
| Nutritech Hydrate Electrolytes Sachets, Lemon Lime Twist (10 x 9 g) | 10 x 9 g sachets | R99.99 (Clicks via PriceCheck, 2026-10) | 10 | R10.00 | Not published (sugar-free) |
| REVIVE Raw Daily Electrolytes, unflavoured (30 sachets) | 30 sachets | R319–R399 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | 30 | R13.30 | None (unsweetened, unflavoured) |
| Rehidrat Oral Electrolyte Mixture, Orange or Blackcurrant (6 x 14 g) | 6 x 14 g sachets | R108–R121 (Dis-Chem (electrolytes group); Clicks via PriceCheck, 2026-10) | 6 | R20.00 | Sugars (glucose and sucrose); no sweetener listed in the SAHPRA composition |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.