In the vast beverage arena, two contenders are stretching, warming up, and eyeing each other: BODYARMOR, with its robust reputation, and Prime Hydration, the fresh face with something to prove. It’s not just about quenching thirst; it’s a battle of blends, a dance of drinks.
As you ponder which bottle to champion on your next workout, we’re here to spill the tea—or should we say, the electrolytes? Let’s uncork the facts, sip through the science, and find out which drink truly deserves a spot in your gym bag. Hydration has never been this riveting. Shall we?
Key Takeaway:
BODYARMOR has more electrolytes, vitamins, and flavors than Prime Hydration. Also, all BODYARMOR sports drinks cost much less than Prime Hydration. While Prime Hydration drinks have BCAA (Branched-Chain Amino Acids), BODYARMOR does not, but the latter has a few caffeinated variants.
On the one hand, BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration have a lot in common (beyond the fact that they’re both sports drinks, of course). On the other hand, they have differences you’ll want to be aware of to know which one is right for you. Keep reading for a comprehensive BODYARMOR vs. Prime Hydration sports drinks comparison.
Bodyarmor vs. Prime Hydration: Which Is Better?
Here are the most significant BODYARMOR vs. Prime Hydration facts to help you decide which suits your needs better:
- Bodyarmor SuperDrink offers more potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes per oz or ml, but it also has pure cane sugar (and therefore, higher calories). Bodyarmor Lyte has fewer calories than Prime Hydration but also has less potassium. Therefore, if you want to enjoy the full benefits of potassium, Prime Hydration is the better choice.
- Prime Hydration has fewer calories and less sodium, but there’s more potassium per bottle due to the larger size than SuperDrink. Also, Prime Hydration doesn’t have the electrolyte zinc oxide BODYARMOR has in its SuperDrink, Lyte, and Edge.
- Prime Hydration has BCAAs, whereas BODYARMOR has 4 more vitamins. BODYARMOR Edge drinks have caffeine and much more electrolytes. However, Edge also has more calories — 180 per 20.2 oz (~600 ml).
- All BODYARMOR SuperDrink and Lyte flavors cost much less than Prime Hydration drinks. Even the caffeinated Edge flavors in a pack of 12 bigger bottles cost considerably less than Prime Hydration drinks.
Similarities Between Bodyarmor and Prime Hydration Drinks
Both BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration have a similar approach to restoring electrolyte balance.
Potassium Is the Primary Electrolyte in BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration
Both brands use potassium as the primary electrolyte in their recipes, not sodium or chloride. Sodium and chloride are easily available in most regular diets through table salt, so replenishing these two in particular shouldn’t be too difficult for the average person.
Since potassium isn’t as easy to obtain as the two mentioned above, BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration have prioritized this electrolyte over the others. That said, both of them do have some sodium in their sports drinks.
- BODYARMOR Blue Raspberry, Orange Clementine, and others have 30 mg of sodium.
- Prime Hydration Blue Raspberry, Orange, and other flavors have only 10 mg of sodium.
In contrast, their sports drinks have much more potassium per bottle:
- BODYARMOR offers 530 mg to 880 mg of potassium, depending on the variant.
- Prime Hydration sports drinks have 700 mg of potassium per 16.9 oz bottle.
BODYARMOR’s 530 mg potassium content is in a 12 oz bottle. The 880 mg potassium content is in a 20 oz bottle of the company’s Edge sports drinks, which are caffeinated.
Furthermore, BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration use the same source or form of dipotassium phosphate in their formulas.
BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration Use Filtered Water and Coconut Water
Both companies’ formulas include filtered water and coconut water concentrate. Coconut water is a vital ingredient in these sports drinks due to its hydrating characteristics. In fact, coconut water is often used as a natural substitute for electrolyte-infused sports drinks.
Coconut water has natural sugars and is one of the best sources of potassium. 240 ml or 8 oz of coconut water has 13% of the daily value for potassium, amounting to around 611 mg of the total 4,700 mg required per day. Coconut water also has 2 more electrolytes: sodium and magnesium.
Prime Hydration and BODYARMOR Sports Drinks Have Multiple Vitamins
Prime Hydration and BODYARMOR sports drinks have multiple vitamins, including these 4:
- Vitamin A: retinyl palmitate
- Vitamin B6: pyridoxine hydrochloride
- Vitamin B12: cyanocobalamin
- Vitamin E: d-alpha tocopheryl acetate
Both BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration Use Natural Flavors and Colors
BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration have different flavors, most of which are essentially fruity. Both have the following flavors in common:
- Blue Raspberry
- Grape
- Orange
- Tropical Punch
Also, both use natural fruit extracts for these flavors. Neither brand’s drinks contain fruit slices or pulps, but the flavors aren’t artificial.
Furthermore, both companies use natural colors, like beta carotene. Plus, the two brands use gum acacia or Arabic as a staple ingredient in most of their hydrating drinks.
Neither Brand’s Drinks Contain Gluten, Soy, or Non-Vegan Ingredients
Neither BODYARMOR nor Prime Hydration uses any of the following ingredients:
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Soy
However, both companies use coconut water, which can cause allergic reactions in some people (although I should note that the chances of this happening are fairly rare).
Differences Between BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration Drinks
The similarities between BODYARMOR and Prime Hydration may not be too significant as far as most customers are concerned. Likewise, their differences will likely only matter if personal preferences are taken into account. Still, the latter is worth touching on.
BODYARMOR Has Cane Sugar, and Prime Hydration Uses Sucralose
BODYARMOR’s sports drinks contain cane sugar, which is essentially sucrose. On the other hand, Prime Hydration drinks have sucralose, an artificial sweetener.
Sucralose is up to 600 times sweeter than sucrose or the natural sugar derived from cane. So, the sweetening effect in Prime Hydration drinks is stronger at nominal sucralose quantities than the pure cane sugar used in BODYARMOR.
This fundamental ingredient also explains the calorie differences between the two brands. A Prime Hydration drink has 20 calories, whereas a BODYARMOR SuperDrink has 90 calories.
Also, the 20 calories of Prime Hydration are in a 16.9 oz bottle. BODYARMOR’s 90 calories are for their 12 oz bottles.
BODYARMOR delivers 20 calories in a 16 oz bottle if you go for its Lyte sports drinks. But these don’t have any added sugar. Since BODYARMOR doesn’t use artificial sweeteners, it lets go of the sucrose or pure cane sugar to make the low-calorie Lyte sports drinks.
Those looking for 20 calories with a sweet taste may have to settle for a Prime Hydration drink. Those comfortable with 90 calories can go for a BODYARMOR SuperDrink.
BODYARMOR Lyte doesn’t have any added sugar, natural or artificial, so these drinks only have the sweetness of the other ingredients, primarily natural fruit extracts and coconut water. If you want only 20 calories without any added sugar or sweetener, BODYARMOR Lyte is your drink.
If you watch the calorie intake based on your requirement, the type of sugar won’t matter unless you want a specific taste. BODYARMOR’s pure cane sugar isn’t problematic if you account for the SuperDrink’s 90 calories. Likewise, Prime Hydration’s sucralose has no health risk whatsoever.
Prime Hydration Contains BCAAs; BODYARMOR Doesn’t
BODYARMOR makes BCAA supplements, so it makes sense for the company to separate those from its sports drinks meant to hydrate and restore electrolyte balance. Therefore, BODYARMOR drinks don’t contain any branched-chain amino acids (BCCAs).
Prime Hydration drinks contain BCAAs, meaning they contain the 3 branched-chain amino acids:
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Valine
BCAAs improve muscle-protein synthesis response, so they can have the following benefits for athletes and fitness enthusiasts:
- Less muscle soreness
- Lower blood sugar
- Reduced muscle fatigue
However, BCAA doesn’t actually enhance athletic performance, nor does this group of essential amino acids contribute to faster or better development of muscle mass. In fact, drinking BCAAs won’t have any effect on mass or athletic prowess without the other 6 essential amino acids:
- Histidine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
Therefore, if your objective is mostly hydration and electrolyte replenishment, BODYARMOR and Prime can do the job.
Prime Hydration’s BCAA-infused drinks can reduce muscle fatigue and soreness, making post-workout recovery faster.
However, as I have mentioned, BCAAs alone won’t have any other effect on muscle mass or performance. For those, you need all the essential amino acids and proteins.
Highly Recommended Read:
Lately, BCAAs seem to be on every label as a selling point, but are they essential for the body? You’re in luck because we wrote an excellent resource demystifying BCAAs. When you’re done reading this article, check out our article on What Are BCAAs, & Are They Worth the Hype? (8-minute read).
BODYARMOR Has 4 Types of Sports Drinks; Prime Hydration Has 1
Prime Hydration has only 1 line of sports drinks, including a limited edition variant. On the other hand, BODYARMOR has 4 types of hydrating drinks:
- Edge
- Lyte
- SportWater
- SuperDrink
BODYARMOR Lyte is the low-calorie variant of SuperDrink with no added sugar, but the rest of the ingredients are the same. SportWater is alkaline water (i.e., its pH is greater than 9) with 0 calories. Its electrolyte formula includes the following:
- Calcium chloride
- Magnesium chloride
- Potassium bicarbonate
- Reverse osmosis water
Neither SportWater nor Edge competes directly with Prime Hydration, but BODYARMOR has 2 distinct variants in SuperDrink and Lyte, offering you more sports drink options.
BODYARMOR Offers Several More Flavors Than Prime Hydration
Prime Hydration has only 6 flavors, including a limited edition summer flavor (SF):
- Blue Raspberry
- Grape
- Ice Pop (SF)
- Lemon Lime
- Orange
- Tropical Punch
In contrast, BODYARMOR has more than 2 dozen flavors:
| BODYARMOR SuperDrink | BODYARMOR Lyte | BODYARMOR Edge |
| Berry Lemonade | Berry Punch | Berry Blitz |
| Blackout Berry | Blueberry Pomegranate | Orange Frenzy |
| Blue Raspberry | Coconut | Power Punch |
| Fruit Punch | Kiwi Strawberry | Strawberry Slam |
| Gold Berry | Orange Clementine | Tropical Chaos |
| Mixed Berry | Peach Mango | Watermelon Wave |
| Orange Mango | Strawberry Lemonade | |
| Pineapple Coconut | Tropical Coconut | |
| Strawberry Banana | Watermelon | |
| Strawberry Grape | ||
| Tropical Punch | ||
| Watermelon Strawberry |
BODYARMOR Sports Drinks Have More Vitamins Than Prime Hydration
Prime Hydration drinks have 4 vitamins, all of which are available in BODYARMOR. Additionally, BODYARMOR has the following vitamins in SuperDrink, Lyte, and Edge drinks:
- Vitamin B3: Niacinamide
- Vitamin B5: calcium d-pantothenate
- Vitamin B9: folic acid
- Vitamin C: ascorbic acid
BODYARMOR Has Caffeinated Sports Drinks With More Electrolytes
BODYARMOR Edge is a caffeinated sports drink, which has more electrolytes than any Prime Hydration pack. Each of the 6 Edge sports drink flavors has the following ingredients:
- 100 mg caffeine
- 1,000 mg of electrolytes
- Antioxidants and vitamins
- Coconut water and filtered water
- Pure cane sugar (no artificial sweeteners)
Prime Hydration doesn’t have a competing sports drink for BODYARMOR Edge. Also, BODYARMOR SuperDrink and Lyte have more electrolytes than Prime Hydration drinks.
For example, all BODYARMOR sports drinks (excluding SportWater) have zinc oxide, an electrolyte that isn’t available in any Prime Hydration flavor.
Another difference between these two sports drink brands is the source of the electrolyte magnesium.
Prime Hydration drinks use tri-magnesium citrate, whereas BODYARMOR has magnesium oxide. Trimagnesium citrate is an organic salt, while magnesium oxide is inorganic. Both salts of magnesium are widely used as minerals and electrolytes in food supplements.
The difference between these brands regarding potassium content depends on specific drinks and their sizes. Here’s why:
- A 16.9 oz (500 ml) Prime Hydration drink contains 700 mg of potassium.
- A 12 oz (~355 ml) BODYARMOR SuperDrink contains 530 mg of potassium.
- A 16 oz (~473 ml) BODYARMOR Lyte bottle has only 350 mg of potassium.
- A 20.2 oz (~600 ml) BODYARMOR Edge drink contains 880 mg of potassium.
Therefore, BODYARMOR SuperDrink has more potassium than Prime Hydration per oz or ml. But BODYARMOR Lyte has half the potassium electrolyte available in Prime Hydration drinks. I’m not considering the whopping potassium content in Edge because Prime doesn’t have a substitute.
Also, all BODYARMOR flavors have more sodium (electrolyte) and vitamins than Prime Hydration drinks.
Final Thoughts
BODYARMOR sports drinks have more electrolytes, vitamins, and flavors, despite being cheaper. Prime Hydration drinks have branched-chain amino acids, but they are more expensive, despite having fewer electrolytes, vitamins, and flavors, they are sweet without many calories.
If you’re looking for more information on Prime Hydration, check out this full analysis.
