Side by Side Comparison of: Nuun Active Hydration vs Nuun vs GU Energy Labs vs Nature's Way

My chiropractor recommended I try this to help prevent hangovers. One before drinking and one afterwards.

As I've gotten older, the hangovers happen easier and easier — without even needing to get drunk, I'll get a hangover.

I was skeptical but so far it's been great. The lime flavor is my favorite, kind of like sprite.

My girlfriend was super skeptical. I always buy "miracle" items like this that never really lives up to expectation. There was one night we were having wine night, as she was coming down from her buzz, she began getting a headache. I immediately thought this would be a good time to test this thing out. She had a glass of Nuun and within 15-30 minutes, her headache and weariness faded — she described it, "it's like I never drank any alcohol." She became a believer. She now refers to this as the "miracle water", rightfully so I guess.

My massage therapist suggested I try Nuun. Surprise! The stuff really worked. After dissolving in 16 oz water, I refrigerate overnight or longer. On the day I want to use the drink I pour into an 18 oz Thermos, add 3 ice cubes and head out. I was amazed that shortly after my first drink any muscle soreness ended.
Today, I went out on a 30 mile ride taking 2 Thermos filled with Original Citrus flavored and the results were as good as with my first ride using Nuun. Again, this review only applies to the Original Nuun. Can't say anything about the, "New and Improved".

Nuun is a well know electrolyte. It can be used when hiking in altitude, when you are in a very hot and dry area, when you dehydrate due to hiking, swimming, vomiting etc. Easy to put in your luggage and your pocket...you just need to add water.

Do I run? No. Do I work out? Let's be honest: no. But I'll tell you what I do almost every weekend with friends. I go get drinks out at some bar in the city. I don't drink heavily at all but holy hell does getting old remove your ability to tolerate any level of alcohol. Hangovers are now the norm and, rather than lasting halfway through breakfast like they did when I was 18, they linger for the entire day. But then I found Nuun.

I AM FREEEEEEEEE!!!!

It is the single greatest hangover remedy known to mankind. I drink one before I go out. Bam. Pre-hydrated. I drink one when I wake up. Boom. Post-hydrated. Do I still get hungover? YES. But now, instead of lurking in the corner of my throbbing vision like a sexy mistake from last night that just wants to hang out and talk after stealing my pillow for the whole evening, the hangover leaves after showering and a quick breakfast. C'est magnifique.

I buy the Nuun Active Hydration in this 4-pack every month or two. I have to drink something with sodium in it to retain salt. I have no adrenal glands. Gatorade is expensive and too high in calories. I only like one flavor it, also. I love all 4 flavors of this 4-pack, although I really love the Citrus flavor the most. Nuun is low-calorie and all-natural, unlike most drinks mixes. It is easy and convenient when traveling or to keep handy in my purse. Most of all, it works for my needs.

For those who don't know the difference between the 3 types of Nuun, you may be giving an inappropriate review. There are 3 major types:

1) This one, Active hydration. Each tube has 12 tablets, each making a 16 oz serving. They are easily split if necessary. The ingredients and nutrition are as follows:

Active Ingredients
Sodium (carbonates) 360.0 mg
Potassium (bicarbonate) 100.0 mg
Magnesium (sulfate) 25.0 mg
Calcium (carbonate) 12.5 mg
Vitamin C 19.0 mg
Vitamin B2 500 mcg
Other ingredients: citric acid, sorbitol, sodium carbonate, natural colors flavors, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, polyethylene glycol, magnesium sulfate, sodium benzoate, calcium carbonate, acesulfame potassium, riboflavin-5-phosphate.

2) U Natural Hydration (A Nuun Product)

Active Ingredients
Vitamin A 1375 IU
Vitamin C 10.0 mg
Thiamin 330 mcg
Riboflavin 460 mcg
Niacin 5.5 mg
Vitamin B-6 550 mcg
Folate 110 mcg
Vitamin B-12 1 mcg
Biotin 66 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 2.0 mg
Magnesium 20.0 mg
Zinc 2.0 mg
Sodium (carbonates) 180 mg
Potassium (bicarbonate) 77 mg
Choline (bitartrate) 110 mg
Stevia Leaf Extract Level 41 mg
Other ingredients: dextrose, citric acid, natural flavors, vegetable juice color, sesame oil.

3) Nuun All Day Hydration

Vitamin A 750 IU
Vitamin C 60 mg
Vitamin D 200 IU
Vitamin E 15 IU
Thiamin 750 mcg
Riboflavin 850 mcg
Niacin 10 mg
Vitamin B-6 1 mg
Vitamin B-1 23 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 5 mg
Magnesium 20 mg
Zinc 750 mcg
Selenium 3.5 mcg
Manganese 100 mcg
Chromium 6 mcg
Sodium 60 mg
Potassium 200 mg
Other ingredients: citric acid, sorbitol, natural flavors, stevia leaf extract, natural color, wheat germ oil.

UPDATE: I've also tried a new (to me) product called "Fizz" recently. I like it. It is not as sweet as Nuun, but very good. I've only used the grapefruit flavor. It doesn't dissolve quite as well as Nuun, so have to mix/shake/stire it at some point. http://smile.amazon.com/Hammer-Endurolyte-Fizz-Grapefruit-Tablets-54-6g/dp/B004UELJNO/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QRV97YF08TV4B8VN8QS

I have POTS syndrome and need extra hydration and this is the best solution I have found so far and the flavor is tasty!

So I found these at a pretty good price and I thought I would give them a try. I had heard a lot about them and I wanted to try them out for a while. I had heard some things both good and bad and I figured I'd find out for myself. OK, so I didn't experience the slaushy stomach that a lot of people talk about after consuming these. I didn't experience any kind of cramping or any problems at all after taking these. Actually, I didn't really feel much of anything. They tasted OK, and I know you're supposed to get from one tablet pretty much what you would get from a bottle of Gatorade or propel without the added chemicals which is nice, but I don't know whether or not I would continue to buy these. I didn't want to give them a bad Star rating, because it's not a bad product all in all, just maybe not for me.

Seems to work in terms of rehydrating very well. Doesn't taste like chemicals like mio, and has a good flavor unlike other sports drinks like Heed (from my experience). Basically transforms your bottle of water into a slightly carbonated-ish gatorade. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because if you throw the tablet in your bottle and keep it capped, the pressure of the dissolving tablet can cause water to leak out. Make sure you leave the bottle upright until its fully dissolved so that it doesn't leak!

I love Nuun tablets. I have dysautonomia, which makes it difficult for me to stay hydrated. Nuun tablets have helped me tremendously with hydration, and I love that they don't have a lot of artificial ingredients like other sports drinks. The only reason that I'm giving these four stars is the strawberry lemonade flavor - it's not as good as some of the other flavors that I have tried (lemon lime is definitely the best).

Everyone is different, but I like Nuun Tablet enhanced water before a long run. I drink a good bit of this on the way to run to load up on electrolytes. I find this is critical in warm weather. I then use GU and/or half strength Gatorade to get Carbs and some more electrolytes during the run. The Nuun flavors are good and the drink is also good after a run to aid in replenishing electrolytes. This four pack is one of the least expensive way to buy this product. It is worth noting that the tablets are effervescent, so don't seal them up in a closed water bottle. You will also need to allow some time to be certain that the tablet completely dissolves before you consume the beverage. This is good, low calorie alternative to other sports drinks.

The price on amazon is nice. I've only tried the tri-berry flavor so far. Can't say that I really enjoy it, but its not horrible.
I've typically used gatorade on my long runs, and I've not had enough longer term use of Nuun to form a solid opinion.

Pros:
- having tablets is easy and convenient. Easy to carry more for refilling later
- overall package size is nice. Not saving giant plastic bottles of other powdered electrolytes

Cons:
- I dont mind carbonation in my liquids during exercise, but at least the tri-berry causes me to belch a bit more than I care for. I typically mix it 30+ minutes before needing it, to allow some of the fix to dissipate.

For training I think the ease of use and convenience is 5 stars. Since I dont plan to carry my own water during running events, there is a drawback to not using what the race will use (typically gatorade). I have not decided if it works better/worse/the same as gatorade endurance for me. Will come back to update later when I've formed that view. For the price, I took a chance, I am not disappointed, and would recommend others to give it a chance. It certainly hasnt hurt anything. The ease and convenience are very nice.

I've learned the Nuun is not for me. I know some people love it, but I haven't found a flavor I like. But the tubes and tablets were in fine condition. Nothing wrong with the product - just not for me.

Original Nuun, not the new formula, is super helpful for anyone following a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet such as keto. People in ketosis can easily become depleted of electrolytes, and original Nuun is fantastic for creating a low-carb, healthy, tasty sports drink on-the-go, from regular water. I passed one to a cramping hiker on a trail, and he was able to resume his hike after chugging it down. The new, "improved" formula is much higher in carbs. Stock up on the old formula while you can get it!!

EDIT 9/23/2016: My second order was the REFORMULATED Nuun--NOT the original Nuun. The original has 1g carb per tablet. The one this seller is now shipping has 4g carb and 1g sugar. :(

This is an interesting product in the fact that it fills a niche (sugar free) in a growing market (sports drinks). It is also interesting how this product’s positives are also its negatives.

First here are the positives:

1) You get a lot of tablets for the price you pay. You get 48 tablets in total, which averages out to about $0.36 for a drink. Even if you use 2 at a time they will last you almost a month at a fraction of the cost of regularly buying sports drinks.
2) They are indeed sugar free. Propylene glycol is used to sweeten them, and according to reports this compound breaks down into direct energy that can be used for the body.

Negatives:

1) There are a lot of tablets and to me all of the flavors taste horrible. I hate the taste of Alka-Seltzer and all of the flavors have that type of taste due to the way that they dissolve. Also the flavors are weak, so to me it is like taste like if you were to put 1/8 of a teaspoon of cool-aide in 16 oz of water.
2) They are sugar free. This ties in to problem 1, creating a very nasty tasting product. I would normally put 2 tabs in about a 4th of a cup of water and add sweetened juice mix (which defeats the point of being sugar free), and down it as fast as I can.

Oddly enough though I like the taste of drinking fresh water as soon as I gulp down the flavored concoction that I made, due to the lingering aftertaste from the concoction flavoring the fresh water. This reinforces in my mind that this would be a great product if they would take away the Alka-Seltzer like taste and sweeten it with stevia.

I THOUGHT that I "needed" this product. I don't... but not because of anything wrong with the product. It just turns out that what I needed is more readily believable than I realized.

I believe in electrolyte replenishment during activity. But I DON'T believe in overpriced sugar-water with a big capital G on the side of it. I accidentally stumbled onto some "electrolyte-enhanced water" at Trader Joe's a few years ago and have been buying that by the case. It was recently discontinued. (so sad)

Here's the part that makes me seem like a dumb-dumb. I didn't realize that pretty much every grocery or drug store in the country sells it. I didn't realize the the popular brand Smart Water was electrolyte-enhanced and, as a result, everybody makes a "generic version" of it. So, when Trader Joe's quit selling theirs I thought "Amazon will have some powder/pill/tablet/magic I can drop into my water to electrolyte-ize it."

That's when I discovered Nuun. Seems to work fine. (I feel electrolyte-ized when using it.) Not any more expensive than what I was paying at Trader Joe's. Easy, portable, cool because I can "make" my e-lyte water at work or anywhere. But I could frankly do without the flavors and without the Sorbitol. Sorbitol produces MILD gastric distress for my lame body. Just a dull stomach pain. But I don't need the flavor or fake sweetness.

I hope I shared enough... but not too much.

These are useful to have on hand, rather than having to bring a lot of sports drinks.
I think they taste awful. I mix them with some crystal light lemonade to try to improve it, but it's still quite disgusting to me. I don't understand why it tastes so much worse than sugar-free bottled sports drinks.

I still prefer to just have these in my bike bag than to carry sports drinks. It is easy to get water refills, so just dropping these in is a great convenience.
I'll try another brand if I ever run out of these, and hope they taste better. I tried all 4 flavors, so it's probably not the flavor itself ... I assume its to do with the electrolytes. But sugar free sports drinks have that also and they dont taste so bad (not that I'm a big fan of those either).

Okay but I'll not buy again. Rather pay more and get a taster product

Love the Original Nuun flavor, and have purchased tons of this stuff over the past few years but unfortunately they've raised their pricing and shipping costs through the roof. I think they confused the new flavor with horse pee, and I just can't stand it (lots of others seem to share the same view). I'll have to seek out another brand that's more economical. Super bummed...

This is the original Nuun and it just tastes weird. I didn't realize what I was ordering and was unpleasantly surprised when I tasted it. I'm sure its just as good at hydrating, but after tasting it I looked at the ingredients and realized it was the wrong item and returned it. I was first introduced to Nuun just a few months ago, to the new and improved version which is really good (for me anyway).

Original Nuun is great, 5 star. This was not original even though that's what the title said, original is 12 tabs, new is only 10, and blander formula. I did let the seller know it was titled wrong. To lazy to send back, was an ok price and I was going to need some anyway. Original just not available any longer, going to have to settle for the new formulation or find something else.

i really don't recommend this to anyone with any sort of stomach issues. it uses the artificial sweeteners sorbitol and maltitol, which are both known to cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea and are just... really painful. not helpful if you're trying to avoid pain from dehydration and instead all you get is horrible gas pains.

obviously this isn't a problem for everyone, but it seems to have these sweeteners in very high quantities because i can have them in gums and stuff with no issues but even a sip of nuun in water is awful for me.

The product description said that this was the original formula and not the new formula which has a completely different taste. I received the new formula and am very disappointed.

The pictures lies. These are not the original NUUN (12 per tube) but the new ACTIVE NUUN (10 per tube). The ACTIVE are supposedly more healthy, but I don't like the taste. or maybe it is the after taste. I returned the ones I bought, and got a refund (minus the shipping charges). I will not buy them again. I have determined that the original NUUN (12 tablet) is not available -- no matter what the picture shows.

Years ago, my kidney doctor said she would prescribe them for me if she could. They helped my hydration immensely. I don't know what I will do now.

Tastes different from the last box I got. Has a celery aftertaste now. Ugh

I am drinking the Nuun active as I write this and I can't say how much I miss the original nuun and how disappointed I can't get it anymore. Here are three reasons I give this "Active" version 1 star, and why I gave the original Nuun 4 stars.
- Original Nuun dissolved clear. There is something about drinking clear liquid that is refreshing. This Nuun active dissolves and leave the water cloudy and murky. Like dirty water. I miss the crystal clear water.
- Original Nuun gave a sparkly fizz to the water. This Nuun active is just flat. Murky flat water.
- Original Nuun had just the right sweetness. This Nuun active is sickeningly sweet. It's not even sweet really, but bittersweet. Its just wrong. Bittersweet, flat, murky water.

They have changed the formula and the new "active" Tri berry flavor does not taste good at all.