Pickle Juice Sports Drink Fully Reviewed

Ok, I know what you might be thinking. Pickle juice? For sports? But yes, it’s backed up with scientific research that pickle juice is great at eliminating muscle cramps and replenishing electrolytes that can be lost during vigorous activity. The Pickle Company started applying the science behind the juice to their sports drinks in 2001.

Since then, they have been working to perfect their product, expand into international markets, and become, albeit, an odd addition to the world of sports drinks. I was lucky enough to be sent Pickle Juice Sport in their 8 and 16-ounce bottles and Pickle Juice Extra Strength in the concentrated 2.5-ounce shots.  I’ll try anything once and I was excited to try this strange sports concoction.

Ingredients

One of the things that are easy to like about the Pickle Company and their products is their commitment to natural ingredients. They are proud to refrain from using “non-functional” ingredients in their products. This means that any item found in their Pickle Juice serves an athletic purpose. The ingredient list is simple: Dual Filtered Water, Vinegar, Salt, Natural Dill Flavor, Potassium, Zinc, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.  An added perk of this product is that unlike other popular sports drinks, Pickle Juice Sport has 0 calories, 0 carbs, and 0 fat. It also has no sugar which is a rare occurrence in sports drinks today.

How to Use

Pickle Juice Sport is similar and different to popular sports drinks in how and when you take it. In terms of their similarities, Pickle Juice Sport replenishes electrolytes lost during vigorous activity. For this reason, it’s a great idea to swig a bottle of this product post workout or during a workout. What is different about this product is that it doesn’t ONLY replenish electrolytes, but is also designed specifically to relieve muscle cramps. For this reason, it is suggested that you start drinking it when you start to detect the onset of muscle cramps.

The product comes in easy to carry 8 or 16-ounce bottles. They fit well in most hydration backpacks or vests. The Pickle Company also offers this product in concentrated 2.5-ounce bottles that can be taken like energy shots during long runs.

Taste

Brace yourself. It does taste like pickle juice. It’s certainly a toned down pickle juice to taste, but no doubt about it, this is pickle juice through and through. I don’t mind the taste of pickle juice at all, but I’ll be honest, during more intense workouts or directly after intense workouts, it was difficult for me to chug this product the way that I would water or other sports drink. What I ended up doing was mixing it with water and drinking it over the course of my long runs. This is what I do with Gatorade during long runs, so it was an easier ingestion mode for me. If you love pickle juice and tough athletic endeavors, you will find your one true love in this product.

Effectiveness

I used this product during my long runs for marathon training as well as after my CrossFit workouts. While the taste was tough to get used to at first during my long runs, I found that mixing the product with water and drinking it over the course of my 2-hour run helped me stay hydrated and didn’t upset my stomach in the way that some other gels and sports drinks can. I felt energized and focused the entire run.

As far as the Pickle Juice after CrossFit, this was a little tougher. Since I usually go all out at CrossFit and need a beverage that I can quickly drink afterward, the Pickle Juice Sport didn’t hit the spot for me. However, once I got over the taste, I will say that I didn’t experience any muscle cramping or aching after some really tough workouts.

Value

A 12 pack of the 8-ounce bottles can be purchased for $19.99. They also offer 12 packs of the 16-ounce bottles, 12 packs of the 2.5-ounce shots, and options to buy in bulk for a lower price. My suggestion is to start with the smaller amounts to test it out for yourself before committing to the 48 unit case. The product can be purchased on The Pickle Juice Company’s website, or in hundreds of local retail stores nationwide. (They have an interactive map on their website that can find local stores for you).

What I Liked

This product works. I experienced no muscle cramping during my activities and my muscles felt more relaxed and less tense afterward too. It was a great alternative to my usual sports drink and water mixture during my long runs, and it kept me hydrated and energized. I also liked that this product has zero sugar, calories, fat and carbs.

What I Didn’t Like

The taste. It was tough for me to, literally, swallow. I like pickle juice, but I never considered drinking it straight and the power concentrated taste proved to be too much for me. I did have success mixing the product with water which diluted the taste but still afforded me the overall benefits.

Bottom Line

If you have adventurous taste buds, this product might be a good choice for you. I was skeptical at first, but since I’m willing to try anything once, I gave it a try. I was beyond pleased with Pickle Juice Sport’s ability to keep my hydrated and eliminated any muscle cramps I had as well as reduce muscle stress and soreness after long runs and tough CrossFit workouts. The taste is a barrier for me. At nearly 2 dollars a bottle, this product isn’t any cheaper than other sports drinks, and those actually taste good. However, I give this product an A for effectiveness.