Proper hydration is critical for the health and safety of construction workers, especially during warmer months.
An eight-hour shift under the blazing sun can quickly turn problematic for construction workers with a lack of preparation. Add safety gear and construction apparel to the mix, and you have the perfect recipe for heat stroke and other serious heat-related illnesses.
If you’re not familiar with the importance of proper hydration and don’t know where to start, we’re laying it all out here. We’ll talk about the importance of staying hydrated and give you a rundown of our favorite products to keep you cool on a hot day.
Our top 7 favorite hydration products
Adequate hydration doesn’t stop with water. Electrolyte beverages and sports drinks are popular among athletes for a reason—they quench thirst and maintain proper hydration status.
Here are some of our favorite products to keep you hydrated and maintain workplace productivity.
1. Hydrant Hydrate
Form: Powder
Electrolytes: Sodium, potassium, magnesium
Sweetener: Cane sugar, monk fruit extract, fruit juice powder
Flavors: Fruit punch, lemon-lime, blood orange
Price: $
Hydrant electrolytes are simple, clean electrolyte powders made with simple ingredients: cane sugar, sodium, potassium, and magnesium, along with real fruit juice flavor for added nutrition and flavor. Unlike other electrolytes, Hydrant Hydrate contains moderate amounts of sodium and carbohydrates, making it well-suited for daily use through a variety of activities.
The low sugar content of Hydrant electrolytes helps to activate the sodium-glucose transport mechanism that facilitates the entry of electrolytes and water into the bloodstream faster than drinks without sugar.
It’s free of artificial flavors and colors and offers a mildly sweet taste without the aftertaste that artificial sweeteners can leave. It’s available in convenient single-serve packets, making it easy to toss in your cooler for on-the-go hydration.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Low sugar content Dissolves fully in water No artificial ingredients | Mild flavor. Lower in sodium than other drinks |
2. LMNT
Form: Powder (single serving)
Electrolytes: Sodium, potassium, magnesium
Sweetener: Stevia
Flavors: Raspberry, watermelon, grapefruit, citrus, orange, chocolate salt, mango chili, chocolate caramel, unflavored
Price: $$
If you’re looking for a simple and clean electrolyte drink that actually tastes good, LMNT is an excellent pick. Their formula offers science-backed ratios of sodium, potassium, and magnesium for optimal performance and nutrient replenishment.
That said, they do contain higher amounts of sodium—1,000mg per packet—than other electrolyte drinks and no carbohydrates, so they’re geared more towards low-moderate exercise where carb replenishment isn’t mandatory (they’re also fantastic for construction workers to maintain hydration on a hot summer day).
The single-serve packets are sugar-free, keto-friendly, and easy to mix into water, smoothies, or even coffee.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Keto-friendlyFlavor varietyGreat tasteSugar-freeClean ingredients | Higher sodium (not suited for everyone)Sightly salty tasteExpensiveOnly available in single-serve packets |
3. NUUN Sport
Form: Powdered tablet
Electrolytes: Potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium
Sweetener: Dextrose, stevia
Flavors: Fruit punch, grape, lemon-lime, orange, strawberry lemonade, tri-berry, tropical, watermelon
Price: $$
If you’re a fan of bubbly water but don’t want all the carbonation at work, NUUN Hydration tablets will meet you halfway. Their slight effervescence brings life to plain Jane H2O and allows you to hydrate at the same time.
NUUN Hydration Sport electrolyte tables contain clean ingredients and come in a variety of flavors—you can also find caffeinated hydration tablets if you need some extra oomph.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Effervescent Mild flavourSugar-freeCaffeinated optionInformed Choice Certified | Takes longer to dissolve in waterSlight aftertasteExpensive |
4. Cymbiotika Pure Hydration
Form: Powder (single servings)
Electrolytes: Sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium
Sweetener: Cane sugar, stevia
Flavors: Watermelon, lycee, lemon
Price: $$$
If you’re looking for a total bang for your buck, Cymbiotika’s Pure Hydration electrolyte mix will do it. It’s a science-backed formula containing vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and amino acids for optimal hydration and recovery from physical activity.
Compared to other electrolyte drinks, Cymbiotika Pure Hydration contains lower sodium levels but higher potassium levels, which may be problematic for some people. Some people may also find their flavors on the sweet side, despite having a relatively low sugar content.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Unique flavors Added vitamins and mineralsLow sugarGreat taste | Expensive |
5. DripDrop Hydration
Form: Powder
Electrolytes: Sodium, potassium, magnesium
Sweetener: Sucralose
Flavors: Berry, watermelon, lemon, orange, cherry, grape, fruit punch, strawberry-lemonade, mango, passionfruit, acai, pineapple-coconut
Price: $$
Finding an electrolyte drink that actually tastes good can be tricky, but DripDrop has done it. These single-serve packets come in a variety of flavors that hydrate and satisfy.
Each packet contains a good balance of sugar and electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and magnesium) for optimal hydration and energy replenishment, making them a great option for construction workers on a hot day. DripDrop also contains 80% DV of vitamin C to boost immunity.
However, if you want to avoid artificial sugars, stay away from DripDrop, as it contains sucralose.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Dissolves completely in waterGreat flavorsContains zinc and vitamin CContains 9g carbs | Contains sucraloseLower amounts of sodium |
6. Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel Caffeinated
Form: Powder
Electrolytes: Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium
Sweetener: Glucose, sucrose
Flavors: Mandarin (no caffeine), berry (no caffeine), lemon (no caffeine), unflavored (no caffeine), matcha, raspberry, tropical, cola
Price: $
Tailwind Endurance Fuel is made for endurance athletes looking for an edge, but that doesn’t mean it’s off the table for construction workers who need to jump the mid-day hump. It’s a jam-packed electrolyte formula that packs a triple punch: quick-absorbing carbs for fuel, electrolytes, and caffeine for energy.
A single scoop of Tailwind Endurance Fuel Caffeinated has 35 mg of caffeine and 25 grams of carbohydrates as sugar, plus replaces essential electrolytes lost through sweat. The recommended serving is higher than most electrolyte powders (2-3 scoops in 24 ounces of water), but it’s a good option for sipping through the day.
Tailwind electrolytes also contain simple ingredients and are free of artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners.
For those who don’t want caffeine, Tailwind Nutrition also offers Endurance Fuel (no caffeine) and Rapid Hydration, supplying all of the essential electrolytes without stimulants.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Contains caffeine for an energy boostHigher in fast-absorbing carbohydratesBalance of sweet and saltyNo artificial ingredients | Large serving size |
7. Gainful Personalized Hydration
Form: Powder (single servings)
Electrolytes: Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium
Sweetener: Cane sugar, stevia
Flavors: Lemon-line, strawberry lemonade, tropical mango
Price: $$
Every construction worker is unique and their nutritional needs won’t be the same as another worker—so why should their electrolyte drink be? Gainful offers personalized nutrition in single-serve packets for on-the-go convenience.
Their subscription-based plan is pricier than other electrolyte supplements, but it’s designed to help you achieve your health goals.
It contains simple ingredients for optimal hydration with the addition of L-theanine and natural caffeine to enhance focus and reduce fatigue—two things that are key for job site safety and productivity. Each packet contains moderate amounts of sodium and potassium to replace minerals lost in sweat and just enough sugar to activate the sodium-glucose transport pump to drive nutrients into your cells more effectively than water.
| What we love | What we don’t love |
| Good flavorsCaffeinated option availablePersonalized NutritionAdded L-theanineLow sugar | ExpensiveSubscription-based serviceLimited flavors |
Hydration 101
It should go without saying that water is important for optimal health and wellness, but the fact is, most people don’t drink nearly enough of it. Coffee, soda, alcohol, and other beverages tend to take priority over the one thing our bodies really need: water.
Approximately 60% of the human body is made of water—here’s how it breaks down by organ:
- Brain and heart = 73% water
- Lungs = 83% water
- Skin = 64% water
- Muscles and kidneys = 79% water
- Bones = 31% water
So, how do you keep something that’s so watery healthy? You treat like with like—you give the body enough water to keep it running like a well-oiled machine.
Adequate water intake isn’t just about quenching thirst—water plays a vital role for every cell and system in your body. It’s involved in:
- Thermoregulation
- Respiration
- Metabolism
- Fluid balance
- Waste elimination
- Shock absorption
- Saliva formation
- Joint lubrication
Not consuming enough water can lead to serious health consequences. Dehydration and euhydration are the two outcomes of insufficient water intake:
- Dehydration: Use or loss of more fluid than is consumed; in a dehydrated state, your body doesn’t have enough water to carry out normal bodily functions.
- Euhydration: A normal and narrow fluctuation in body water content; deviations from normal produce compensatory responses that act mainly by altering renal (kidney) water concentration and thirst sensation.
In simple terms, a euhydrated state is still normal, while a dehydrated state isn’t. For construction workers with a high activity level or who are working in high heat conditions, dehydration onset can happen quickly. That’s why it’s important to continuously rehydrate with water and electrolytes.
The dangers of heat stress: Signs and symptoms to look out for
Working in hot or extreme heat conditions puts additional stress on the body. Although humans are equipped with natural heat regulatory mechanisms—perspiration, respiration, vasodilation, etc.—sometimes the body has difficulty getting rid of excess heat, leading to the onset of heat stress.
High environmental temperatures can result in several clinical syndromes, including:
- Heat stroke
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat syncope
- Heat cramps
Severe heat stroke happens when core body temperature exceeds 103°F, resulting in multiple organ dysfunction. Heat stroke progression can happen rapidly (within hours), and permanent organ damage can result if the individual survives.
There are three main causes of heat stress:
| Environment | Radiant heat (direct or indirect sunlight)Air temperature exceeds skin temperature High humidity |
| Work | Increased physical activity |
| Worker | Physical conditionPoor health (obesity, age, underlying medical conditions)Improper hydrationExcess clothing or inappropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) |
Signs of heat stress
When a worker’s body starts to heat up, fluid and sodium loss increase through perspiration. The higher the level of dehydration, the more difficult it is for the body to cool itself down. Workers in hot climates or hot working environments should be aware of these three signs of heat stress:
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
If not recognized and treated early, heat stress can lead to heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps, all of which have serious implications for health.
Apart from implementing certain practices that reduce workers’ risk of heat stress—eliminate or reduce exposure, provide cooling rooms, appropriate PPE, etc.—staying properly hydrated can go a long way to reducing the risk of heat stress and any associated conditions.