The hallmark of any college town is winding your way into the health aisle of your local drugstore and seeing the massive hole on the shelf where all the Pedialyte used to be. Pedialyte — the electrolyte-rich drink usually aimed at children and babies — has earned a somewhat notorious reputation as a "hangover cure". Whether or not you believe in this alleged cure-all, Pedialyte appears to have caught on to the hype, and recently released a Pedialyte Sparkling Rush Electrolyte Powder — or, as the internet as quickly dubbed it, a "Pedialyte for adults".
The electrolyte powder version of Pedialyte comes in Cherry and Grape, and as pleasing as those varieties sound, the main event is hardly the flavor. Pedialyte has gone full millennial by making it sparkling. That's right, y'all — it's like Pedialyte and LaCroix had a baby, and made some hungover adult's dreams come true. The new powder comes in individual packs; you can use it by adding it to water and waiting ten seconds, at which point it will take its fully-evolved, electrolyte-rich form. It's hydration, but make it fashion.
If you want to try it for yourself, it should be available on shelves in major retailers, as well as available to buy online on sites like Target and Amazon. Target seems to be your best option for buying one box, rather than in bulk. Each box comes with six individual packets and retails for $10.99.
That being said, it's important to bear in mind that Pedialyte is not marketing this as a "hangover cure," the way it has come to infamously be used. Per Pedialyte's own website, "Truth is, there’s no magic potion to cure a hangover; the only way to avoid feeling terrible is to drink less ... Pedialyte is not a hangover cure, but alcohol is a diuretic —which means the more alcohol you drink, the more you pee. And if you don’t replace the fluids you’ve lost, then even a couple of drinks at happy hour, or a few glasses of wine at book club, may lead to dehydration (which can contribute to you feeling extra terrible)." The company does suggest using Pedialyte as a means to rehydrate, but again, it's not going to magically undo the multiple Santa's Snowballs you consumed at that pop-up bar with abandon last night. (Whoops.)
Pedialyte also emphasizes that its main drinks are also suitable for people of all ages, not just babies and kids — but it's hard to resist the sophistication of "adult Pedialyte," which sure does add a little bit of shimmer to whatever it is you're rehydrating for.
In the meantime, if you're looking for a cure-all, your best bet is the timeless advice of stay hydrated, stay hydrated, stay hydrated — not just after drinking alcohol, but before and during, too. But if you slip up and have a bit more than you intended, Pedialyte isn't a bad idea — particularly if it will motivate you to drink more than just water alone would. And now that it's cherry and sparkly, why the heck not?
