The Best Electrolyte Powder For Pickleball Players

 

Pickleball may have a funny name, but it’s actually quite popular in the United States and taken seriously by millions of athletes from around the world.

 

Just like other sports like tennis, pickleball requires a high level of effort and athleticism from its players. To maintain optimum performance, pickleball players should take their health seriously, and that includes making sure they stay hydrated before, during, and after their games.

 

But more than that, pickleball players need to keep up their electrolytes.

 

And if you’re wondering how important electrolytes are when playing pickleball, the answer is: they’re extremely important!

 

Keep reading to find out how electrolytes help pickleball players, and specifically how the lack or presence of them can affect athletic performance. We’ll also dive into how pickleball works and why it has the potential to cause players to become dehydrated if they’re not vigilant.

 

Finally, we’ll cover the best electrolyte powder that the players of this sport should add to their daily regimen. (Spoiler alert: not all electrolyte and hydration powders are created equal!)

 

Let’s go!

What Is Pickleball?

 

Chances are that if you’re reading this article, you’re already a pickleball fanatic or at the very least a beginner. Or maybe you know someone who enjoys playing pickleball. Regardless, we feel that everyone should know more about this highly underrated sport.

 

So, what exactly is pickleball? Truth be told, it’s quite similar in gameplay to tennis. But there are some key differences between the two sports.

 

For example, instead of a racquet, pickleball players hold a paddle with holes in it. The paddle is smaller than a tennis racquet, but larger than your typical table tennis paddle.

 

The ball used in pickleball is different, too. It’s made of hard plastic and doesn’t bounce as much as the fluorescent green tennis balls we’re all familiar with.

 

As far as pickleball gameplay goes, the concept is straightforward: two players stand on either side of a court with a net between them. Then they hit the ball back and forth over the net with their paddles to score points. Pickleball courts are smaller than tennis courts: about 44 ft long and 20 ft wide, compared to tennis courts which are 78 ft long and 27 ft or 36 ft wide, depending on whether it’s designed for singles or doubles matches.

Where Does the Name Pickleball Come From?

 

Since the sport is named after one of the world’s favorite briny snacks, it’s not a stretch to think that it must have been named after the appearance of the paddle, or perhaps even the green color of the court.

 

But in fact, pickleball has nothing to do with pickles whatsoever. Let’s explain.

 

Pickleball was invented in 1965 in Washington state by a man named Joel Pritchard and his friends. They came up with it one day when their children were bored and they couldn’t find the shuttlecock for badminton (which is another tennis-like game, designed more for playing casually with your family at home).

 

Sources differ on where the name of the game came from. Joel’s wife, Joan, says she suggested “pickleball” because it reminded her of the term pickle boat in rowing, which refers to a team of oarsmen that are cobbled together from the leftovers from other boats.

 

But this not-tennis, not-badminton invention could have even simpler (and far cuter) naming origins. According to “The History of Pickleball” by Hoffman Estates Pickleball, the sport was called after the family dog, who was lovingly referred to as Pickles.

Where Is Pickleball Played?

 

Pickleball may have started as a backyard pastime. But in the decades since Joel Pritchard and his friends created it, it has become a sport in its own right. For five years in a row, it has won the crown for the fastest growing sport in the country!

 

For years, it was mostly played in the US Pacific Northwest. Today, however, its influence is spreading across the nation – and even across the pond to countries far and wide.

 

One reason, perhaps, that pickleball is gaining such universal acclaim is it can be played both outdoors and indoors. So, no matter what climate you live in – hot or cold, dry or humid – you, too, can pick up a paddle, find a court, and start playing!

How Active Are You When You Play Pickleball?

 

Don’t let the fact that pickleball was once a children’s game fool you! This sport is not for the faint of heart. While it’s not as high intensity as, say, football or weightlifting, it still requires quite a bit of movement (even considering the fact that the court is not as large as a tennis court).

 

To wrap your head around how active pickleball players are, think about how much the players have to move around. (If you’ve never played pickleball before, you’ve probably at least seven others doing it or have seen people play tennis. Imagine that, instead.)

 

While moving around their side of the court to prevent their opponent from scoring a point, pickleball athletes use all the muscles in their legs. Then, to get in swing after swing, they have to move their shoulders, arms, and core, as well as maintain a good grip on the paddle.

 

Then, consider that most pickleball matches last 30-75 minutes. During this time, the players will progress through two or three games.

 

That means that pickleball players will work out their entire body during a match, sometimes for over an hour and with only brief breaks in between games.

 

During this type of almost non-stop activity, a lot of things can happen. The most common side effect? The loss of electrolytes.

Can You Lose Electrolytes When You Play Pickleball?

 

As with any type of physical activity, especially when it’s prolonged and strenuous, playing pickleball can cause you to lose electrolytes. That’s because all the movement you’re doing during this sport causes you to sweat, and when you sweat, you expel electrolytes as well as water from your body.

 

The likelihood of you sweating during a pickleball game is high, even if you’re playing on an indoor court in a cool gym. Imagine how much warmer you’ll get if you play on an outdoor court during the spring or summer months!

Why Is Having Enough Electrolytes Important For Pickleball Players?

 

Most people know that electrolytes are good for them and that they should replenish them after they exercise or play sports.

 

But one thing that is not always discussed is why it’s so important to have plenty of electrolytes – particularly when you’re engaging in a highly active sport like pickleball.

 

First, let’s talk about what electrolytes are and what they do.

 

Electrolytes are minerals (sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, bicarbonates, etc.) that your body needs to function properly. They accomplish this by dissolving in water, after which they become electrically charged. It’s almost like having batteries running in your body!

 

So, what do these electrolyte “batteries” accomplish? Many things, but these are the highlights according to Medical News Today:

 

• Improve nerve and muscle performance
• Helps damaged tissue heal
• Regulates blood pressure
• Balances blood pH (i.e., acidity)
• Helps your body stay hydrated

 

Can you take a guess as to how these benefits apply directly to players in pickleball?

 

Well, of course, all of them are important. But there’s no doubt that improving nerve and muscle performance can help your body move, react, and recover during your pickleball matches at optimal levels. And if you pull a muscle or injure a tendon, your electrolytes can aid the healing process.

 

(Hydration is also critical to athletic performance and your general health. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that topic in a moment!)

What Happens When You Don’t Have Enough Electrolytes?

 

Alright, we know that electrolytes are invaluable to pickleball players, as they are to all other kinds of athletes and even just everyday people.

 

But to really make it hit home, let’s discuss what can happen when you don’t have enough electrolytes due to the loss of fluid during exercise.

 

These are just some of the symptoms you can experience if you are too low on electrolytes.

 

• Heart palpitations
• Muscle spasms and twitches
• Fluctuations in blood pressure
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Numbness
• Confusion
• Fatigue

 

All these side effects of low electrolytes are annoying and even scary on a regular day. But on the day you want to play pickleball, it’s even worse.

 

Players who don’t keep up their electrolyte and hydration levels may get too sick to play. They may even faint on the court. Even if they make it through the whole match, they probably won’t feel well afterwards and may take longer to recover before they can play again. And if they don’t replenish their electrolytes, that could lead to worse problems, like seizures and cardiac arrest.

 

We can’t emphasize enough: consuming enough electrolytes while you’re playing pickleball is vital, both for your game and for your overall wellbeing.

 

Below is a table showing the recommended daily intake levels for the most vital electrolytes for healthy people under 50 years old.

 

Electrolyte	Recommended Daily Intake
Sodium	1500 mg
Potassium	4700 mg
Calcium	1000 mg
Magnesium	420 mg for men, 320 mg for women
Chloride	2300 mg

 

Most people get many of their electrolytes from the food they eat, which is why having a well-balanced, nutritious diet is key. But when you exercise as much as a pickleball player does, you need to take in more minerals than normal people who are only mildly active.

Are Hydration and Electrolytes the Same Thing?

 

It’s also important to draw attention to the fact that electrolytes are only part of the equation. The other part which pickleball players should also know about is staying hydrated.

 

And no, hydration and electrolytes are not the same thing. Granted, electrolytes help you stay hydrated, but they must have water to work with.

 

That’s basically what being hydrated means: having enough (not too much, not too little) water in your body.

 

In addition to activating and carrying electrolytes, water provides some amazing benefits on its own, such as:

 

• Lubricating your joints
• Regulating your body temperature
• Helping your organs (especially your kidneys) function properly
• Helping nutrients get where they need to go in your body
• Flushing out bad bacteria
• Improving your energy

 

For all the above reasons, drinking water while playing pickleball or any other sport is always a great idea. However, if you were to just drink water and not mix any minerals in it, you wouldn’t be doing yourself any favors.

 

Why? Because you need those electrolytes to support your nerves, muscles, and bodily functions.

 

That’s why, when we talk about maintaining electrolytes, we also have to talk about staying hydrated. Because if you take electrolytes without water, you still face the prospect of dehydration and all the side effects that come with it.

How Does Dehydration Affect Pickleball Players?

 

Actually, a better question would be, “How does dehydration not affect pickleball players?”

 

We won’t beat around the bush: the truth is, when you don’t have enough water in your body for a long enough period of time, your body starts to break down. You will feel practically all the symptoms of electrolyte deficiency – lightheadedness, nausea, heart palpitations, muscle spasms, fatigue, etc. – but you could also experience the following side effects:

 

• Dry mouth and skin
• Low blood pressure
• Yellow or amber-colored urine (in lower amounts than normal)
• Sleepiness

 

In more serious situations where you are severely dehydrated, you could even be susceptible to these outcomes:

 

• Kidney failure
• Seizures
• Coma

 

There’s a reason why so many doctors and nutritionists from all fields of medicine stress the importance of hydration. Drinking your recommended 11.5 cups of water daily, if you’re a woman, or 15.5 cups daily if you’re a man, may seem like a chore, but it’s worth it to help your body stay in peak condition.

 

That goes double for people who play pickleball. While you're playing on an outdoor court on a hot day, you could lose up to 3 or 4 liters of fluid per hour by sweating. You’ll need to replenish that water you lost, meaning you’ll need to drink more water and consume more electrolytes than an inactive person.

How Do You Replenish Electrolytes While Playing Pickleball?

 

Now that we’ve established the reasons that you need your electrolyte levels to be properly balanced during pickleball, it’s time to figure out how to replenish them during the game.

 

You have a couple of options. The first is to drink a sports drink, like Gatorade or Powerade, which already have electrolytes mixed in them.

 

Unfortunately, though, Gatorade and Powerade also have a couple of things you don’t need, like sugar and food dyes. (We’ll get into why those ingredients are less than desirable in a sports drink and what you can use as an alternative a little further down.)

 

Your other option is to use electrolyte powder. This is powder that is packaged in a bag or a small packet that you can easily fit into your pickleball equipment bag or purse. It comes with all the electrolytes your body needs and dissolves completely in water, so all you have to do is make sure that you bring a water bottle.

 

We recommend electrolyte powder, hands down! Not only is it convenient to carry around, but many powders taste great and don’t contain potentially harmful ingredients in them.

How Do You Stay Hydrated During a Pickleball Game?

 

What about staying hydrated? To that end, it’s best to stick to water and sip on it when you have a break between pickleball games and whenever you’re feeling dehydrated on the court.

 

If you mix electrolyte powder in with your water, that’s even better! At that point, you’ll have all the building blocks your body requires to stay fully hydrated.

 

But don’t just focus on hydrating on the court. Do it off the court, as well! The more prepared you are before your game, the higher your energy will be and the better you’ll play. Make sure you’re taking in your daily recommended amounts of water and electrolytes.

Why Is the Best Hydration Powder Sugar-Free?

 

When we say, “potentially harmful ingredients” in sports drinks, we’re mainly referring to sugar and food dyes.

 

Now, we’re not trying to say that sugar and food dyes are always bad. But in the context of sports drinks and maintaining your electrolyte and hydration levels, dye is simply unnecessary (and may also cause behavioral issues in children, according to some scientific researchers).

 

Sugar, meanwhile, comes with its own set of negative side effects that you have to watch out for.

 

For starters, the more sugar is in your sports drink, the higher the amount of glucose (the sugar that your body uses for energy) is in your blood after you consume it. Excess glucose makes you more susceptible to muscle cramping during physical activity, such as pickleball.

 

Sugar can also throw your blood sugar levels off balance, making you feel shaky and fatigued.

 

Finally, sugar can cause dental issues and lead to an increase in cavities. Not great for your pickleball league photo!

 

However, sugar can still be beneficial in moderation. For example, it helps your body create more energy, thus sustaining you throughout your exercise.

 

But if you’re trying to avoid large amounts of sugar for health reasons, there is another sweetener that can make taking in those precious electrolytes more pleasant. It’s called stevia.

 

Stevia is a plant-based sweetener that comes from the stevia plant. It has no calories and does not impact your glucose, making it safe for dieters and diabetics alike to consume it. Plus, because it doesn’t spike your blood sugar, you won’t experience the shakes and sick feeling associated with a sugar crash.

 

Best of all, it provides a nice, sweet flavor for your electrolyte drink!

What Is the Best Electrolyte Powder For Pickleball Players?

 

To sum it up, here’s what you need in an electrolyte and hydrating powder:

 

• A sweetener that doesn’t spike your blood sugar
• Plenty of electrolytes
• Zero calories
• Zero dyes
• Tantalizing flavors
• Dissolves in water
• Easy to take with you to the pickleball court
• Gluten-free
• Non-GMO
• Keto, paleo, and vegan-friendly

 

As an added bonus, you also want to look for organic ingredients. “Organic” typically means higher quality ingredients, which is exactly what you want to use to nourish your body.

 

There’s one product in particular that has all these perks: Powder Vitamin sugar-free electrolyte powder.

 

 

This amazing mix has it all: stevia instead of sugar, a trace mineral complex to cover all your essential electrolytes, zero dyes or artificial flavors, and all organic ingredients. Yes, even the electrolytes are organic!

 

Let’s talk about that trace minerals complex for a moment. Not only do you get potassium, magnesium, and chloride in it, but you also get important vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, and zinc – all of which support a healthy nervous, muscular, and immune system. It’s like drinking a pickleball power up!

 

Plus, since the powder contains organic, non-GMO ingredients and no animal products, gluten, carbs, or sugars, it’s safe for vegans, diabetics, and people who are on keto-paleo diets.

 

 

All of that sounds great, of course, but your electrolyte drink needs to taste good, too. That’s where the stevia and natural flavors come in. The stevia in the powder sweetens your drink (again, without adding calories or raising your glucose levels), while the natural flavors make your tongue do a little dance for joy.

 

Our hydration powder comes in the following fresh flavors, perfect for any season (available separately or as part of a variety pack).

 

 

• Raspberry
• Raspberry lemonade
• Watermelon
• Orange pineapple
• Blueberry grape
• Guava kiwi
• Mango passionfruit
• Strawberry cucumber
• Tangerine pineapple

 

Is your mouth watering yet? After all, who said that electrolyte drinks have to taste bad or that you have to settle for boring old water? Certainly not us!

How Do You Use Powder Vitamin Electrolyte Powder?

 

As for using Powder Vitamin electrolyte powder, it couldn’t be easier!

 

If you purchase the pouch with 100 servings, all you need to do is put one scoop of the powder into 20 oz or 16 oz of water. (Or, if you prefer a smaller drink, put half a scoop into 8 oz of water.) You can even divide the powder into easy-to-transport portions by placing individual scoops into small plastic baggies.

 

 

Alternatively, you can buy 30 hydration packets, which are easy to slip into a bag and take with you wherever you go.

 

The powder dissolves as it’s stirred into the water. Once it does, it transforms the water into a powerful hydrating drink that is delicious, refreshing, and rejuvenating, and that will keep you energized for pickleball!

Conclusion

 

We’ve come to the end of our article about the best electrolyte powder for pickleball players, so let’s review what we’ve learned.

 

• Pickleball was invented in the 1960s as a game to amuse children. Over the decades, it has evolved into a serious sport played all around the world, similar to tennis but with its own special rules, equipment, and court dimensions.
• Pickleball players are especially susceptible to becoming deficient in electrolytes. Their matches typically last from 30-75 minutes, during which time they move around the court a lot and work up a good sweat. It’s the sweating process that causes them to lose both water and electrolytes.
• Losing electrolytes and becoming dehydrated through playing pickleball can cause an array of debilitating side effects. If these conditions become severe, they can lead to serious health problems, like cardiac arrest, seizures, and even a coma.
• The best way to stay hydrated and replenish your essential electrolytes, while complying with most dietary restrictions, is to mix a sugar-free electrolyte powder like Powder Vitamin Electrolytes Powder Plus into your water.

 

After all the knowledge you’ve gained from this article, there’s only one more question to ask:

 

Where can you buy Powder Vitamin Electrolytes Powder Plus before your next pickleball match?

 

That’s easy! Just go to our website and click “Shop Now” on our homepage.