TikTok Loves A DIY Sports Drink. Here’s How To Make One.

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I was recently served a TikTok from Bachelor winner Rachael Kirkconnell about how she “makes her water,” and I have to admit, I was intrigued. Isn’t that a natural resource? Is she about to harvest some condensation? If so, we’ve gone too far. 

It turns out that she was essentially creating her own sports drink, or adding minerals to her water to maximize the benefits. She admits that she was forever changed after she stumbled upon WaterTok, a TikTok universe where everyone shares what they do to hydrate better. In her video, Kirkconnell sprinkled some Celtic Sea Salt and a dropper of fulvic acid into her water bottle before heading out to the gym. 

Of course, I proceeded to fall into the same WaterTok hole and wonder if I was also depleting necessary vitamins and minerals out of my body by drinking too much plain water. I try to avoid sports and energy drinks because of the high sugar content and other ingredients, but I hadn’t thought to make my own. 

Should you add minerals to your water?

According to Stavros Kavouras, a professor of nutrition and director of the Hydration Science Lab at Arizona State University, it’s probably not necessary for the average person to add minerals to their water. However, if you’re an athlete or someone who’s physically active in a warm environment, like a construction worker or anyone sweating heavily, that’s another story.

“[Adding electrolytes is] especially helpful with exercise rehydration for athletes that exercise two or three times a day,” he said. “Then, by adding electrolytes, you ensure two things — one, that you replenish the electrolytes that you lose, and two, that the fluid gets better retained by your body.”

Consuming excessive amounts of plain water can cause hyponatremia, which is when sodium levels in the blood are too low. Because sodium and other electrolytes help maintain the balance of fluid surrounding cells, having the proper balance is important for blood pressure, nerve, and muscle function. 

The reason the average person shouldn’t be overly concerned with electrolyte replenishment is that most people consume a sufficient amount in their regular diet. Sodium is the primary electrolyte involved in fluid retention, and most people consume about two times more sodium than is necessary. So unless you’re drinking copious amounts of water, Kavouras said you’re not really running the risk of “washing out.” 

Another ingredient that TikTokers often put into their water is baking soda. Kavouras said that it doesn’t serve any purpose on the hydration front, but it is something that athletes have used in the past to buffer lactation production and avoid the burning you sometimes feel in your muscles from high-intensity exercise.

Though Kavouras wasn’t familiar with the fulvic acid that Kirkconnell adds to her water concoction, he did say that it’s not a bad idea to consume some extra potassium and magnesium, which are two of the most discussed mineral additives on WaterTok. People may not be getting enough potassium and magnesium through their diet alone, so while these won’t necessarily aid in hydration, they may still be good for you to consume, Kavouras said.

Best way to drink water

Many WaterTokers also suggest filtering your water to make sure it’s free of heavy metals and avoiding drinking out of plastic whenever possible. 

The plastic discussion has been active for quite some time due to the possibility of bisphenol A, the industrial chemical found in some hard plastics, which can leach into the fluids you consume. If you do drink out of a reusable plastic bottle, you should ensure that it’s BPA-free and still replace it regularly. And for disposable plastic water bottles, Kavouras said they’re designed to be single-use, so you shouldn’t be continuously refilling them. In general, he agreed that the best water bottles are those made of glass or another material. 

His thoughts about filtration were similar, in that it’s probably better to do so, though not necessarily essential. 

“For most places, we tend to believe that it [filtering water] is not necessary because the water that comes through the city is supposed to be palatable, it’s supposed to be tested, and it’s supposed to be low in lead and all that good stuff,” he said. “However, we know that there’s still lead pipes in many places, especially in older buildings. So the water might be leaving from the city water supply without lead, but then in the final connection that takes it from the water pipe to your home, you might be bringing lead into your tap water and drinking it.”

Lead is especially dangerous for people who are pregnant, he added. Given that information, I’d say it’s worth filtering when you can. Plus, it can make water taste better to some people. 

Kavouras said that a mistrust of tap water and aversion to the taste are two of the major reasons that people don’t consume enough water, so anything that will make you feel safer and make it taste better is a no-brainer in his book.