Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” & Fluoride in Powdered Electrolytes — Buying Guide

Are there indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” and/or fluoride inside your favorite powdered electrolytes? Mamavation community members asked us these questions about their favorite electrolyte products to protect their families from the potential health impacts of these chemicals. We didn’t know the answer because no independent studies have been published on this category, so we sent several products off to an EPA-certified lab to find out. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you other PFAS consumer studies like best yoga pants without PFAS in the crotch, safest sports bras without PFAS, and safest soft contact lenses, now join us for our latest consumer study on indications of PFAS and/or fluoride in powdered electrolytes.

Disclosure: This consumer study is released in partnership with Environmental Health News. Scientific reviews were performed by (1) Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, (2) Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar at Residence at Duke University, North Carolina University, & Yale University, (3) Pete Myers, Chief Scientist at Environmental Health Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, and Co-Author of Our Stolen Future, & (4) Scott Belcher, Associate Professor with the Center for Environmental & Health Effects of PFAS at North Carolina State University. This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations were provided by Environmental Health News and Mamavation community members. Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that we have not tested. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. This post contains affiliate links, with some to Amazon, which means Mamavation will receive a portion of those sales and we will use that to pay ourselves back for the testing. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Click “yes” when asked if the gift is in honor of someone and type “Mamavation.” Thank you!   

Mamavation’s Lab Finds Indications of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” or Fluoride Inside Powdered Electrolytes

Mamavation’s laboratory found indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” and/or fluoride inside popular powdered electrolytes. So what are electrolytes and why are they important? Your body depends on the perfect ratio of salts and minerals to keep your nerve, heart, and muscle functions happy. Electrolytes are essential to balance those levels that help your body function and are essentially charged metallic “ions” that balance the pressure inside our cells and the pH balance of our blood.

Mamavation community members asked us whether there were any indications of PFAS “forever chemicals” or fluoride within powdered electrolytes, so we sent 40 recommended products off to our EPA-certified lab to find out. PFAS “forever chemicals” are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances used for many decades as stain-resistant, oil-resistant, & water-resistant chemicals in commerce. PFAS is found in many areas of our lives with some examples being makeup, drinking water, & dental floss. These chemicals are linked to serious health effects. Because they are so toxic, Mamavation has commissioned our own consumer studies on indications of PFAS in order to make consumer recommendations for which electrolyte products are the safest.

For this consumer study, Mamavation sent 40 different electrolyte products from 30 brands off to an EPA-certified laboratory looking for indications of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” and/or fluoride.  

Here’s what our EPA-certified laboratory found with a detection limit of 10 parts per million (ppm):

• 23% of electrolyte products sent to our EPA-certified laboratory had indications of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” and/or fluoride.
• 9 electrolyte products out of 40 products sent to the lab were found to have detections of total fluorine, a marker for PFAS “forever chemicals” & fluoride.
• Ranges of total fluorine reported by the lab were from 10 to 112 parts per million (ppm). 10 ppm is the detection limit.
• All products that had a detection were either repeat tested or another product was tested so we could see how consistent the detections were.
• We were not able to do any testing of liquid electrolyte drinks because of the limitations of the testing.

Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar at Residence at Duke University, North Carolina University, & Yale University had this to say: “For many people, electrolytes are taken daily. Therefore, it’s very important to avoid electrolyte products with an indication of PFAS “forever chemicals” based on potential health impacts, especially for pregnant women and children.”

Health Effects Linked to Fluorine Chemicals — PFAS “Forever Chemicals” & Fluoride

It’s important to understand what Mamavation tested for in this consumer study because it’s a little different than what we normally do. We tested for a broad category of fluorine-containing chemicals. According to Scott Belcher, Associate Professor with the Center for Environmental & Health Effects of PFAS at North Carolina State University, “the chemical testing methods used evaluate the of fluorine in the samples, by converting the fluorine found in PFAS and some medications to fluoride. Detecting excess amounts of fluoride, a common mineral, suggests the presence of PFAS and other synthetic fluorinated chemicals.”

PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Are Persistent & Have Serious Health Effects

PFAS “forever chemicals” are problematic to human health and the environment. They are considered ubiquitous, persistent, and toxic. Many of these chemicals can last for years or decades in our bodies. Therefore, it’s imperative to reduce the amount of PFAS you are exposed to from food, water, and consumer products. 

When electrolytes are taken daily or even often, it’s important to be mindful of the health impacts of PFAS in general:

• Reduction in immunity
• Reduced vaccination response
• Increased risk of allergies & asthma in young children
• Affected growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children
• Increase cholesterol levels
• Metabolic diseases like obesity & diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Lowered a woman’s chance of getting pregnant
• Lowered male fertility
• Increased risk of kidney & testicular cancers
• Causes endocrine disruption
• Disrupted normal thyroid function

It’s also very clear based on biomonitoring evidence from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that PFAS are in essentially all Americans. Therefore, these impacts are spread nationwide.

Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University had this to say about the potential of PFAS in electrolytes,

“Many scholars who focus on the impacts of chemicals on public health think PFAS compounds should be banned as a class—this includes me. Once you intake PFAS ‘forever chemicals,’ your body has no adequate cleansing mechanisms. PFAS compounds will build up in your system if you are taking contaminated electrolytes. Those 9 out of 40 contaminated products is a lot and leads me to the conclusion that producers of PFAS-free electrolytes should, as a public service, begin labeling their products as ‘PFAS-free.’ But remember, Mamvation’s 10 ppm limit of quantification is quite high and the producers should push that number way down with more expensive testing as a way to distinguish the safety and sustainability of their products. So Mums, do take advantage of this Mamavation study by choosing electrolyte products that are PFAS-free.”

Why Are Electrolyte Products Needed To Combat Dehydration?

For as long as people have been alive, they’ve presumably been thirsty – and even more than that, they’ve gotten dehydrated. Dehydration occurs when we lose more fluid than we’ve been taking in, which makes it hard for the body to carry out its normal jobs – like ensuring proper kidney function or digestion. The most common cause of dehydration is not drinking enough water or much water throughout the day, however, hot weather, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, and working out really hard are other factors.

Most people can manage mild to moderate dehydration at home with symptoms like this:

• Major thirst
• Bad breath
• Darker-colored (more than normal) urine
• Decreased urination (from usual)
• Exhaustion or fatigue
• Weakness
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps or spasms
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Irritability
• Sudden onset of confusion (especially in the elderly)
• Dizziness and/or fainting spells
• Headaches
• Sugar cravings
• Constipation

If left untreated, there are a number of complications of dehydration that include death.  Treatment for dehydration is generally handled at home, with an increase in water and/or rehydration drinks, such as electrolyte drinks and/or coconut water. Mamavation has been working tirelessly to figure out which type of electrolyte drinks have the least amount of “junk” for you to use.

Other Problematic Ingredients Inside Powdered Electrolyte Replacement Drinks

Here are some of the additional ingredients we saw when evaluating the ingredient panel of these electrolyte powders. Here are some additional ingredients you want to look out for and avoid.

• Artificial Colors: These chemicals are used to brighten and improve the appearance of food on the shelf. They are linked to negative health effects. One study linked artificial dyes to the hyperactivity of school children. More studies link artificial colors to poor DNA repair. Removing artificial dyes and preservatives like sodium benzoate has been linked to improving the behavior of children. Several studies have also been done on lab animals linking artificial dyes to certain cancers. 
• Artificial flavors: Studies on animals suggest synthetic flavors could have some negative health effects on humans too. Some studies include artificial flavoring having a toxic impact on bone marrow cells. Another study found them to inhibit cell division and have more negative impacts on bone marrow cells. These chemicals are typically petroleum-based.
• Food Additives: The Cleveland Clinic says “Consuming small amounts of additives may be safe, but the health risks add up if you rely heavily on processed foods.” Therefore, the more processed foods are eaten, it increases the odds of obesity or being diagnosed with high blood pressure, heart disease, or cancer.
• “Natural flavors”: This term is everywhere on products and it can include synthetic ingredients and processing making the end product something virtually synthetic. Ultimately we have no idea what is inside a “natural flavor” because the law does not require companies to tell us. The truth is most of the time, they don’t even know themselves. This is because of the stronghold the natural “flavor-ists” have on the industry and the secrecy behind that. This can be a big issue for people who have allergies and sensitivities. But to contrast with the European Union, “natural flavor” in Europe is something that you can make in your kitchen and not something only capable of being made in a lab.
• Sucralose: First introduced and certified by the FDA in 1999, Sucralose (sold as Splenda) has become one of the most popular artificial sweeteners in the United States. This sugar substitute is actually made from sugar itself. By using a chemical process, sucralose becomes 400 to 700 times sweeter than sugar, meaning you need less of it in a cup of coffee to achieve the same effect. However, sucralose has been linked to an increase in blood glucose levels and a decrease of healthy bacteria in the GI tract. In addition, sucralose should not be used in baking as it may release harmful chemical compounds when heated.
• Acesulfame K (Acesulfame Potassium): Acesulfame Potassium has a higher level of sweetness that is 200x sweeter than table sugar according to the Food & Drug Administration.  It’s also considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA, however, there are some concerns with its safety whereas it was linked with affecting cognitive function. It’s found in sugar-free and low-sugar products, inside Spenda & Equal. Some diet sodas are sweetened with Ace-K and other artificial sweeteners.

Product Brands We Tested

To help our community make safer choices, Mamavation sent 40 popular powdered electrolyte products from 30 major brands to our EPA-certified laboratory to screen for total fluorine, which can indicate the presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” or fluoride. All products were tested in their original, unopened packaging.

Below is the complete list of electrolyte products included in our investigation.

Electrolyte Products Tested by Mamavation

• Flavcity Electrolyte Drink Mix Grape Powdered Drink

• Jigsaw Health Adrenal Cocktail with Whole Food Vitamin C

• Nuun Hydration Sport Tropical

• Nuun Hydration Sport Tablet Fruit Punch

• Nuun Hydration Sport Tablet Tropical

• PaleoValley Essential Electrolytes Watermelon Flavor

• PaleoValley Essential Electrolytes Orange Flavor

• Plexus Hydrate Natural Blueberry Acai Flavor

• Signature Care Electrolyte Powder Variety Pack

• Total Hydration Keto Electrolytes Capsules

• Trace Minerals PowerPak + Immunity Electrolyte Stamina Lemon Berry Supplement

• Amazon Better Value Electrolyte Powder Grape

• DripDrop.ors Dehydration Relief Fast Electrolytes

• Emergen-C Hydration Plus Electrolyte Replenishment

• Gatorade Zero Glacier Zero Sugar Thirst Quencher Powder

• HALO Hydration Electrolytes Pink Lemonade

• Hi Lyte Ultimate Daily Hydration Lemon

• Isagenix AMPED Hydrate Naturally Better Hydration Drink Mix Blue Raspberry

• Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier Electrolyte Drink Mix

• LMNT Citrus Salt Electrolyte Drink Mix

• Pedialyte Advanced Care Electrolyte Powder

• Pique B.T. Fountain Beauty Electrolyte

• Prime Hydration Sticks Tropical Punch

• SOS Kids Electrolyte Drink Mix Speedy Hydration Pawsome Mixed Berry

• Cure Hydrating Electrolyte Mix Watermelon

• Earthley Wellness Electrolyte Powder

• GoodOnya Hydrate Daily Electrolytes + Minerals

• Keto K1000 Electrolyte Powder Watermelon

• Livingood Daily Energyze Electrolytes

• Nectar Essential Daily Hydration Wild Berry

• Re-Lyte from Redmond Electrolyte Mix

• Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Drink Mix with Oranges

• Trioral Oral Rehydration Salts

• Ultima Replenisher Hydration Electrolyte Powder

Products marked with an asterisk would appear here if applicable. (None in this list required one.)

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