Research-Based

Primal Hydration Review – Is This Electrolyte Supplement Worth Buying?

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated February 19, 2024

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Electrolyte supplements are often used to support workout performance and hydration levels for athletes and other gym-goers.

And as there are many different electrolyte formulas out there, it’s essential to see which ones could actually work versus the ones that are simply a waste of money.

In this article, we’re covering an electrolyte supplement called Primal Hydration. Keep reading this Primal Hydration review to learn about the formulation, possible benefits, pricing, how it compares, and more!

Primal Hydration Review Highlights

Primal Hydration (like all electrolyte supplements) likely isn’t necessary unless you actually sweat a lot and work out hard
This formula contains a good balance of electrolytes, with an emphasis on sodium and potassium
There is no added sugar
It comes in stick packs, so it can be used at home or whenever you need them on the go

About Primal Hydration

Primal Hydration is an electrolyte drink mix created by Primal Harvest. In addition to Primal Hydration, this well-known supplement company has created a variety of products, many of which we have reviewed.

More reviews of Primal Harvest Products:

Primal Hydration is formulated with a variety of electrolyte minerals, such as magnesium, sodium, and potassium, to fuel your performance and quickly hydrate you when you need it most.

Additionally, Primal Hydration includes a variety of vitamins as well as coconut water, which they say further improves hydration while also enhancing all-around wellness.

Primal Hydration is sugar-free, yet naturally sweetened, and comes in packets. So, it’s designed to be a flavorful, convenient way to boost your hydration, whether that’s during or after exercise, when traveling, or after a night out on the town.

Primal Hydration Benefits

Primal Hydration by Primal Harvest is advertised for a few key benefits, namely:

Effective, Efficient Hydration
Increased Athletic Performance
Energy Support

Effective, Efficient Hydration

The main claimed benefit of Primal Hydration is enhanced hydration levels. The formula contains four main electrolyte minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) along with coconut water, which they say leads to much more effective and efficient hydration compared to water alone.

This is especially true when you’re in the heat and/or working out intensely for a long period of time.

Increased Athletic Performance

When you’re dehydrated, you won’t perform as well; it’s as simple as that. But Primal Hydration is advertised to support athletic performance by including important electrolytes that help with muscle and nerve function.

This may also decrease the chances of cramps, headache, fatigue, and other nasty side effects of dehydration.

Energy Support

Primal Hydration is also meant to support optimal energy levels. For one, this is due to the hydrating effect of the minerals and coconut water. After all, you’ll have more energy when your body is hydrated.

But beyond this, Primal Hydration includes several B vitamins, which they claim provide additional energizing effects to help you get through your day.

But does Primal Hydration really offer all of these benefits?

Keep reading below to see!

Primal Hydration Ingredients

Primal Hydration is formulated with electrolyte minerals, vitamins, and coconut water. Below are the specific ingredients:

Vitamin C
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Pantothenic Acid
Calcium
Magnesium
Sodium
Potassium
Coconut Water Powder

Vitamin C (200mg)

Primal Hydration contains 200mg of vitamin C as calcium ascorbate, which is a pretty bioavailable form.

Vitamin C offers antioxidant effects, improves immune function, and even supports collagen production. And 200mg is a pretty high dose that may actually help.

B Vitamins

There are four B-complex vitamins in Primal Hydration: vitamin B3 (20mg), vitamin B6 (2mg), vitamin B12 (20mcg), and pantothenic acid (10mg).

In general, these B vitamins support energy production, metabolism, brain function, and other areas. They can lead to benefits in these areas, but the effects typically aren’t very noticeable.

Electrolyte Minerals

There are also four electrolyte minerals: calcium (23mg), magnesium (50mg), sodium (400mg), and potassium (350mg).

It’s worth noting that these electrolytes often have complementary roles: for example, calcium and magnesium work together with each other to support muscle and nerve function.

And sodium and potassium work with one another to support fluid balance and cellular hydration.

Of course, all four of these act on ALL of these areas to some degree.

The overall dose for calcium is pretty low, but this isn’t too big of a deal since it’s not lost as much during sweat. Whereas, sodium and potassium are lost a lot more, so it’s good that they included quite a bit more of those.

Overall, electrolytes can help support performance and recovery, but they aren’t always necessary. They definitely can help when you’re sweating a lot and working out for a very long time (especially in the heat). This is because they can rapidly restore what was lost in sweat, which helps prevent any dehydration-related issues.

And this decreases the risk of muscle cramps, headache, fatigue, dizziness, and other issues.

Coconut Water Powder (750mg)

The last ingredient is coconut water powder. This is a rich source of potassium and a good source of magnesium, calcium, and other nutrients

It is often used instead of plain water in the hopes of hydrating more effectively. Now, this can occur, but similar to electrolytes, it mainly depends on how much you’re sweating and how intensely and long you’re exercising.

Quite a few pre-workout formulas, such as Amplify Pre-Workout, are starting to include coconut water powder in their formulas too.

Does Primal Hydration Work?

Primal Hydration by Primal Harvest seems likely to support hydration, energy, and performance. It contains a good mix of electrolytes, which are known to hydrate the body and support aspects of physical and mental performance.

With that said, Primal Hydration likely won’t lead to any massive benefits. In addition, some people may not really find any effects from it if they’re not actually sweating much or working out very hard.

This is because electrolytes are only effective if you’re actually running low on them. So if you don’t push your body to where those are being used up much, you won’t find any benefit.

Who is Primal Hydration Best For?

Primal Hydration is best for people who need to quickly replenish electrolytes and restore overall hydration levels. This is mainly for athletes and other intense exercisers who sweat a lot and go through long workouts.

It’s also potentially a good option for anyone who is active in the heat (whether that’s working out or doing an active job, such as construction).

Pros & Cons

Pros

Includes four key electrolytes
Pretty good dosages
No added sugar
Easy to mix
Can take it with you on the go
Several ways to save money

Cons

Only comes in one flavor
A bit low on some electrolytes
Might seem a bit pricey to some (esp. regular cost)

How Does Primal Hydration Compare?

Primal Hydration is one of the better electrolyte supplements out there, mainly because it has a good mix of electrolytes AND includes pretty good doses for these. A lot of times, these formulas will just have proprietary blends that end up having way too low of dosages for them to really do anything.

Dr. Berg’s Electrolyte Powder

There are many similar supplements out there, but one that we can compare Primal Hydration to is Dr. Berg’s Electrolyte Powder.

This product has a similar formulation with calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. It also has chloride and a trace mineral complex.

Compared to Primal Hydration, Dr. Berg’s Electrolyte Powder has more calcium, magnesium, and a lot more potassium, but significantly less sodium.

Now, if you’re like most people, this sounds healthier at first. But keep in mind that sodium is actually the electrolyte that’s lost most in sweat. So. Dr. Berg’s formula might not be as effective for people who sweat a lot, although it’s still a good product overall.

Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier

Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier is one of the most popular electrolyte supplements out there. It comes in packet form just like Primal Hydration.

Their formula contains potassium, sodium, and B vitamins for hydration and energy production. However, there’s 11g of added sugar, whereas there is 0g of sugar in Primal Hydration.

How to Take Primal Hydration

Primal Hydration comes in ready-to-use stick packs. The directions state to mix one stick pack with 8 to 16oz of water, and then shake or stir until it’s dissolved.

Take it whenever you need a quick hydration boost.

Is Primal Hydration Safe?

Primal Hydration should be safe for most individuals. None of the ingredients or doses are concerning. However, there are still possible side effects, such as:

Dizziness
Bloating
Other digestive symptoms
Headache
Allergic reactions
Changes in blood pressure

Primal Hydration is made in the USA in a cGMP, FDA-registered facility. It is free of the top major allergens although it is made in a facility that processes wheat and soy. Primal Hydration doesn’t contain any added sugar and is free from artificial ingredients.

Where to Buy Primal Hydration

You can buy Primal Hydration on the Primal Harvest website.

There are 30 servings (30 stick packs) per bag. And it comes in one flavor, which is Lemon-Berry.

The regular price is $44.95, but you can save money either by buying in bulk (2, 3, or 4 bags) or with their Subscribe & Save option, which lowers the price by 20%.

Below are the prices for those options:

Two Bags – $83.90
Three Bags – $116.85
Four Bags – $147.80
Subscribe & Save – $35.96/bag

Primal Hydration costs anywhere from $1.20 to $1.50 per serving, which is essentially right within the normal range for electrolyte supplements.

Is Primal Hydration Worth It?

Primal Hydration is well-formulated with important electrolytes, as well as vitamins and coconut water. Overall, it’s dosed well and can likely help you hydrate quickly and more easily compared to water alone.

If you regularly notice cramps, headaches, or other signs of dehydration and electrolyte issues, then Primal Hydration may be worth trying out.

Ratings

Ingredient Quality: 4.4
Ingredient Dosage: 3.9
Effectiveness: 4.2
Safety: 4.4
Value: 3.8
Comparison to Alternatives: 4.2
Company Trustworthiness: 4.3

Overall Rating:

Jack Cincotta, MS

Jack Cincotta is a certified holistic health coach through AFPA and a board-certified holistic health practitioner through AADP. He has written hundreds of articles on nutrition and supplementation. Jack has a M.S. degree in Psychology and is passionate about researching the science behind nutrition. He often uses research-backed supplementation protocols for many of his clients to optimize results.