Nuun electrolytes are for more than just working out

Essentials Week spotlights unexpected items that make our daily lives just a little bit better.

There are long stretches of time — hours, a full day, who knows — where I just sort of forget to drink water. Like no water at all.

This is not due to some anti-water agenda, but rather pure laziness, stupidity, and likely other self-destructive character traits I possess.

In fact, here the my Top 3 (very specific) beverages, in descending order:

• The first coffee of the day, aka The Royale

• A cold beer — outside — on a scorching summer day

• A pint glass of plain tap water when I'm incredibly thirsty

But when I'm not incredibly thirsty, water often falls completely off my list of priorities. Even if I'm a little thirsty, I hardly ever take the time to walk to the sink and grab a cup of that sweet, sweet New York City H2O.

But what if water was a little treat, something to break up the monotony of a day spent huddled inside? Enter Nuun.

Nuun tabs have become an essential in my life for a few reasons, one of which is that it breaks up the day.

Nuun electrolyte tablets are exactly what they sound like — circular pill thingies (technical term) you drop in a glass of water that fizz, dissolve, and transform plain ol' H2O into something more flavorful and supposedly helpful for hydration and recovery. They're just 15 calories a pop, and really low in sugar, in contrast with caloric, sugary drinks like Gatorade.

Does Nuun taste great? Eh, I mean, they taste good. It's a nice burst of flavor while still having the texture and mouthfeel of normal water. And the tabs are mostly harmless (if not helpful).

So do I look forward to a Nuun? Do I get off the couch or away from my desk to drink one? Hell yeah I do. And that's a big positive in 2020.

But OK, Nuun electrolyte tablet's stated purpose isn't "get an idiot to drink more water." They're marketed for hydration and recovery. To be clear: I'm talking about Nuun Sport, not the company's other products marketed as immune system boosters, sleep aids, or for pre-workout. Specifically, my household buys only Nuun Sport lemon lime tablets because that's my fiancée's favorite flavor, and I'll drink anything.

I've gotten really into at-home cycling in quarantine — yes, I am one of those people — which can be a pretty vigorous workout. Usually I'll drink regular water on the bike then, a little bit later, drink a massive water bottle filled with two Nuun tablets. I don't feel as tired or drained as I used to. Am I just tricking myself into hydrating properly and the same effect could be achieved with plain old water? Maybe. But if the trick works and the risks are low, why stop using it?

Abby Langer, a registered dietician and nutrition expert, told me the tablets would be helpful to recover from a strenuous workout.

"They will deliver those electrolytes, like potassium and sodium, for example, and in a manner that's not full of sugar," she said.

"I think they're totally legit," she added. Langer said she's tried Nuun but has no affiliation with the company.

Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are helpful for keeping you hydrated and, if your levels are low, you're going to feel pretty awful. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, for most workouts plain water is fine, but longer (or more intense) workouts might require you to replenish electrolytes. And if it's hot out, or you sweat a lot, you might need extra electrolytes. Nuun is able to deliver those electrolytes — which, again, might be overkill — without the sugar and calories that often lead to classic sports drinks doing more harm than good.

I also have another reason Nuuns are essential. They're fantastic for the occasional hangover. I'm aware that nothing is a true hangover cure, but they do really help me. Nuuns dissolve in water, so you can shove a stupid amount of electrolytes into your system with rapid speed using Nuuns. Yes, I do this and yes, it's probably kind of dumb. You can, in theory, overdo it with electrolytes. Too much sodium can cause nausea and diarrhea, too much potassium can mess with your kidneys and heart, and too much magnesium could cause neurological damage. But I've still been known to chug a double Nuun then blast my system with some coffee on...let's say...groggy mornings. (If you can remember to drink a Nuun before bed after a night of drinking, even better.) I've never ran into any adverse side-effects at all and suspect it would take lots of Nuuns to cause the harsh side effects of too many electrolytes.

"Hangovers do dehydrate you, that's why you feel so shit," Langer said. "These will help you [by hydrating]. They're pretty innocuous. You put it in water, it's not strongly flavored, doesn't have a lot of sugar — it's something that could go down pretty easy."

Langer doesn't believe the immune-system Nuuns do much, however. So don't go downing tabs to fight COVID-19.

"There's a lot of supplements that claim to boost your immunity," she said. "We just don't have a lot of research to back those claims up. If you look at Nuun's ingredient in their immunity tablets, you see things like Himalayan sea salt. Like who gives a shit? That's the same as table salt, it's not any better."

Thankfully, I've developed only an electrolyte tablet habit. It's kind of expensive — 40 tabs cost between $22 and $28 — but I tell myself it's a little treat, good for me, and far cheaper than Gatorade or something similar. And in a pinch, it helps cure what ails me after an extra beer or two.

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