Pedialyte Sport vs. Regular vs. Advanced Care vs. Advanced Care Plus: Differences and Reviews 2024

What Is Pedialyte?

Pedialyte is an oral electrolyte solution manufactured by Abbott Labs, a medical company in Columbus, Ohio.

It is based on rehydration therapy invented by the World Health Organization in the 1940s and was originally designed as an affordable way to treat dehydration caused by acute gastroenteritis.

If you or your child are experiencing fluid loss, such as vomiting or diarrhea due to illness, Pedialyte may be a good electrolyte drink option.

What are the uses and advantages of Pedialyte?

We like that this is a trustworthy and convenient ready-to-drink product with plenty of sodium, a moderate amount of glucose, and plenty of other key electrolytes and nutrients, including potassium, chloride, and zinc.

Although Pedialyte is widely used among children, more and more adults have started drinking Pedialyte over the past decade.

Pedialyte helps prevent dehydration caused by vomiting, diarrhea, exercise, travel, and heat exhaustion.

Pedialyte is lower in sugar than most sports drinks, with 40 calories per 12 fluid ounces, while Gatorade has 80 calories per 12 fluid ounces.

Pedialyte does not contain sucrose, which may draw water into the intestines, worsening diarrhea and increasing the risk of dehydration. Pedialyte uses the synthetic sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium in its flavoring formulas.

It contains more sodium, with 370 milligrams per 12 fluid ounces compared to Gatorade's 160 milligrams per 12 fluid ounces.

It contains more potassium, with 280 milligrams per 12 fluid ounces compared to Gatorade's 50 milligrams per 12 fluid ounces.

Pedialyte also contains zinc, which is useful for diarrhea caused by illness in children and hangovers in adults - supplementing with zinc can reduce the duration of diarrhea episodes duration and severity, and the likelihood of subsequent infection within 2-3 months.

The 4 Most Popular Pedialyte Product Lines

We may know some of the benefits of Pedialyte, but this internationally renowned brand has a vast range of products, and here are the most popular options:

• Pedialyte Classic

• Pedialyte AdvancedCare

• Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus

• Pedialyte Sport 

So how to choose Pedialyte products?

What are the differences between Pedialyte Classic vs. AdvancedCare vs. AdvancedCare Plus vs. Sport?

This list shows where they differ most.

	Pedialyte	Pedialyte AdvancedCare	Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus	Pedialyte Sport
Price	($21.76, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)	($23.04, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)	($23.48, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)	($20.36 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back & Save $3.56)
Supplement electrolytes	✅	✅	✅	✅
Supplement zinc	✅	✅	✅	❌
PreActiv prebiotics	❌	✅	✅	✅
33% more electrolytes: sodium, potassium, chloride	❌	❌	✅	✅
Supplement additional electrolytes: magnesium, phosphate	❌	❌	❌	✅

Let’s take a closer look at their differences.

	Pedialyte	Pedialyte AdvancedCare	Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus	Pedialyte Sport
Price	($21.76, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)	($23.04, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)	($23.48, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)	($20.36 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back & Save $3.56)
Electrolytes (mg)	Sodium: 370 Potassium: 280 Chloride: 440	Sodium: 370 Potassium: 280 Chloride: 440	Sodium: 490 Potassium: 280 Chloride: 630	Sodium: 490 Potassium: 470 Chloride: 690 Magnesium: 40 Phosphate: 140
Zinc (mg)	2.8	2.8	2.8
Selenium(mcg)		11
Sugars	Serving Size: 12 fl oz Calories: 40 Total Carbohydrate: 9g Added Sugars: 9g	Serving Size: 12 fl oz Calories: 35 Total Carbohydrate: 7g Added Sugars: 7g	Serving Size: 12 fl oz Calories: 25 Total Carbohydrate: 6g Added Sugars: 6g	Serving Size: 12 fl oz Calories: 30 Total Carbohydrate: 9g Added Sugars: 5g
Hydrating effect	5 Minutes to Relieve Stomach Flu Discomfort	5 Minutes to Reduce Dehydration Symptoms	Drink it before and after a workout without feeling tired	2 Minutes to Feel Hydrated and Energized
Most suitable for	Hydrate children, Hydrate a hangover	Hydrate people with frequent health problems	Hydrate people who follow a low-sodium diet in daily life	Hydrate during strenuous exercise or prolonged sweating
Taste experience	Tastes good, a little sweet	Tastes good, relatively sweet	Easy-to-accept taste, a combination of salty and sweet	A bit salty, good for quenching thirst
Value Rating	Fair price	Reasonable price	Reasonable price	Reasonable price
Ingredients	Water, Dextrose. Less than 0.5% of: Citric Acid, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Zinc Gluconate, and Yellow 6.	Water, Dextrose, Galactooligosaccharides. Less than 0.5% of: Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Zinc Gluconate, Red 40, Blue 1, and Sodium Selenate.	Water, Dextrose, Galactooligosaccharides. Less than 0.5% of: Salt, Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Zinc Gluconate, and Blue 1.	Water, Dextrose. Less than 1.0% of: Galactooligosaccharides, Salt, Potassium Citrate, Citric Acid, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Potassium Phosphate, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, and Red 40.

Below is the ingredient label for Pedialyte.

Real Reviews of Pedialyte

#1. Pedialyte Classic

($21.76, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)

Regular Pedialyte is known as the Classic Series.

When Pedialyte's original formula was created more than 50 years ago, the product was designed to help sick children recover from symptoms of dehydration by providing much-needed fluids and electrolytes to support recovery.

It's always done well, this electrolyte drink is medically formulated and highly recommended by medical professionals for both children and adults.

Pedialyte works so well that I have used it to relieve unpleasantness from the stomach flu. After 5 minutes of drinking these electrolyte drinks, I felt less sick and dehydrated.

#2. Pedialyte AdvancedCare

($23.04, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)

Compared to popular sports drinks, "Classic" Pedialyte contains more sodium (16% DV), potassium (6% DV), and chlorine (20% DV), and about a quarter the sugar.

Its upgraded line, called Pedialyte AdvancedCare, has the same hydrating benefits, but it also adds PreActiv ® prebiotics to help promote digestive health.

Regular Pedialyte targets more dehydration and conditions like food poisoning, stomach flu, and morning sickness. But if you experience these health issues regularly, you may need to take further care of your gut health and immune system.

So glad Pedialyte AdvancedCare has added prebiotics. Prebiotic drinks are growing in popularity, with many people flocking to them as healthier alternatives to sports drinks that can boost gut health, lower cholesterol, speed weight loss, stabilize blood sugar, and even improve skin tone.

So does Pedialyte AdvancedCare work? The health benefits may be obvious if consumed over a long period of time, but let's look at the immediate benefits first.

Prebiotic hydration drinks are healthier than traditional hydration drinks because they contain some fiber, which is good for digestive and immune health, and because prebiotics are naturally sweet, the drinks contain less sugar.

A serving of prebiotic hydrating drinks contains on average 1 gram of fiber and 7 grams of added sugar, while a serving of regular hydrating drinks contains an average of 21 grams of added sugar.

Since prebiotic drinks contain less sugar than regular drinks, they are also lower in calories.

Another plus is that they don't contain high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener added to many traditional beverages that has been linked to health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Pedialyte AdvancedCare isn't "magic," but if you want some healthy fiber in your daily hydration routine, it's the one for you!

#3. Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus

($23.48, 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back)

For the effect of supplementing probiotics and zinc with Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus, please refer to Pedialyte AdvancedCare. But it is another upgraded version because its electrolyte content is 33% higher than ordinary Pedialyte and Pedialyte AdvancedCare.

Pedialyte and Pedialyte AdvancedCare contain 3 key hydration electrolytes: sodium, chloride, and potassium for a total of 1090 mg. The total amount of the three in Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus is 1,400 mg.

It is a great option specifically for athletes and those who work out, and those who need a quick boost of hydration.

The hydrating effects of Pedialyte AdvancedCare Plus come on quickly, so I use it regularly while running and working out because it's great for keeping my muscles functional and my legs cramp-free.

As for its disadvantages, it has high sodium and chlorine content. Although it is helpful for quick rehydration after high-intensity exercise, it tastes salty and may not be suitable for most picky kids.

#4. Pedialyte Sport

($20.36 4 packs FROM Walmart - Get Up To 4% Cash Back & Save $3.56)

If you exercise for a long time or at a high intensity, or if you spend a lot of time outdoors in hot weather, your body will lose more water than it takes in, leading to dehydration. 

Losing water also means losing electrolytes — essential minerals like sodium and potassium that are responsible for maintaining proper fluid levels in the body, balancing the pH of the blood and sending signals to nerves and muscles. 

Dehydration can lead to headaches, fatigue, and even dizziness, and proper hydration can not only make you feel better, but can also improve mood, brain function, and energy levels.

And, while drinking water is an important part of staying hydrated, water alone often doesn't provide enough electrolytes when you're mildly to moderately dehydrated.

While some people look to sports drinks to replenish their electrolytes, mainstream beverages are not as suitable for rehydration as Pedialyte. They are higher in sugar and lower in sodium and may actually make dehydration worse.

Pedialyte Sport is the #1 doctor-recommended rehydration brand and our coaches recommend it to athletes.

With three times the electrolytes and one-fourth the sugar of the leading sports drinks, Pedialyte Sport contains five electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and phosphate, designed for rigorous training and exercise programs for everyday and elite athletes.

There's a reason so many people turn to Pedialyte when they need help with hydration—it really works.

It has more types and contents of electrolytes, including two additional electrolytes, magnesium and phosphate, totaling 1830 mg.

Pedialyte is traditionally marketed as an over-the-counter (OTC) rehydration solution and is best used by children and adults who have lost fluids and electrolytes due to diarrhea or vomiting. In contrast, Pedialyte Sport is marketed as a sports drink to replace fluids and electrolytes lost during strenuous activity. This is why Pedialyte Sport lacks zinc, which is useful for medical conditions.

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