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5 Essential Electrolyte Powders

Add hydration, endurance, & recovery support to your workout with a quality electrolyte powder.

  • Written by: Brilliant Staff
  • Fact Checked by: Melissa Mitri, MS, RD
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Electrolytes can electrify your workout — literally. These essential minerals send electrical charges throughout your body, helping to regulate hydration, inspire greater endurance, and encourage muscle recovery. 

Traditionally, electrolytes have been added to flavored beverages and served up as sports drinks. But we’re in a new era of sports nutrition, and electrolyte powders are taking over as a convenient, nutrition-first way to push your workouts to the limit.

Benefits

  • Supports Hydration

  • Promotes Endurance

  • Aids in Workout Recovery

  • Encourages Energy Levels

  • Helps Prevent Everyday Aches & Cramps

If your body is a circuit board, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride are the electricity conductors, transmitting important information throughout your body's "wiring." These electrical impulses regulate fluid levels, signal tissue repair, encourage energy production, and so much more. 

As you sweat, you lose electrolytes. Just as a disruption in an electrical circuit can lead to a malfunction, electrolyte imbalance can affect your ability to properly hydrate and result in muscle fatigue, making it harder to push yourself during a workout and recover effectively.
MAN-DRINKING
  • If your body is a circuit board, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride are the electricity conductors.
  • If your body is a circuit board, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride are the electricity conductors.
Luckily, a good electrolyte powder can make it easier than ever to keep your body replenished with these vital minerals. These small, travel-friendly packets are loaded with naturally derived ingredients that support workout intensity while fighting everyday muscle cramps and soreness. 

But, not all electrolyte powders are created equal.

There are seemingly endless electrolyte formulas available. When shopping, look for a blend of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and chloride that work together while playing their own special function in your body. 

Further, some formulas elevate their electrolyte blend with supporting ingredients. For example, our Essential elements® blend includes apple cider vinegar and vitamin C to help support peak hydration and performance. 

For best results, we always recommend looking for simple, effective formulas. With that in mind, check out our shortlist of key ingredients to look for in a premium electrolyte powder.

Step 1

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Step 2

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Step 3

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Key Ingredients

Sodium

Sodium is a crucial electrolyte that supports proper fluid balance and muscle function in your body. It also plays a huge role in facilitating nerve signaling and communication in the brain.

When you're low on sodium, nerve communications are disrupted, which can cause brain fog, dizziness, and even headaches.

Potassium

Every muscle, including your heart, relies on potassium to expand and contract. Low potassium levels can lead to irregular heartbeat, muscle rigidity, and cramping.

Chloride

Chloride aids in fluid regulation and helps deliver oxygen to your cells. Additionally, it supports pH levels and plays a crucial role in forming stomach acid, aiding digestion and nutrient absorption.

Vitamin C

Though not itself an electrolyte, vitamin C is a staple ingredient in many electrolyte blends, thanks to the supportive role it plays in collagen production, immune health, and nerve function. 

It can also help reduce common oxidative stress brought on by rigorous activities like running and weight training.

Watch Out For

Artificial Sweeteners

Some brands hope to improve their formula’s taste by adding artificial sweeteners. However, some evidence suggests artificial sweeteners could work against your health goals. Avoid common ones like aspartame, acesulfame, and sucralose.

High Sugar

Your body expends additional water to process and eliminate excess sugar, counteracting the full benefits of electrolyte supplementation. Of course, more sugar also means more calories, which can undermine your workout goals if you're on a low-calorie diet.

Artificial Dyes

Artificial dyes are often used to color sports drinks, but we now know they’re unnecessary and could even cause an allergic reaction in some people. 

Your best bet is to look for a product that uses natural coloring like beta carotene or beetroot.

The Brilliant Process

How We Choose Products

Like you, we’re picky about products — and serious about quality

Whether we’re featuring an award-winning product from one of our five beauty and wellness brands — or somebody else’s — a Brilliant recommendation doesn’t see the light of day until it has been medically reviewed for accuracy and has fulfilled our Brilliant Criteria.

At Brilliant, we’re not afraid to highlight and celebrate other brands who are doing things right.

Brilliant Criteria

We take great care in handpicking high-quality products to feature on Brilliant. Here’s how we choose them:
  • Research-Based Ingredients: We dig deep into the latest research and look for products that contain science-based ingredients for optimal impact.
  • Pure, Holistic Formulas: We prioritize products that contain clean, wholesome ingredients shown to be effective. A product should only contain what it needs and nothing else — period.
  • Brand Credibility: Each product on our list is produced by a company with trusted credibility. We've also verified that each brand adheres to labeling requirements set forth under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).
  • Value: We evaluate products based on industry averages and price per serving or application. We also consider quantity and return policy.

Why Trust Us?

As veteran leaders in the wellness space with an award-winning brand portfolio of 100+ health and beauty products, we are committed to honesty and transparency, providing unbiased insights into the benefits and limitations of the information and products we evaluate — including our own. Every Brilliant Buying Guide is thoroughly vetted for medical accuracy prior to publication.

With our discerning selection process, you can feel confident that the products we recommend meet the highest benchmarks of quality, transparency, and efficacy. If we wouldn’t use a product ourselves, it’s not Brilliant.
Now that you know what to look for and avoid in your electrolyte powder, it’s time to shop. Check out our Brilliant recommendations below, including our own Essential elements® Hydration.
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2024’s Must-Have Electrolyte Powders

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What is lorum ipsum?

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What We Like:

    • 3 major electrolytes
    • Sugar free
    • Keto-friendly 
    • Vegan
    • ACV
    • 2g carbs
    • Good Manufacturing Practices 
    • 365-day return policy

Room To Improve:

    • Frequently sold out

Final Thoughts

Hydration electrolytes, made by our own brand, Essential elements, contains major electrolytes — sodium, chloride, & potassium — in effective doses (500 mg, 460 mg, & 400 mg, respectively) for hydration and workout performance support. It also includes 800mg of buffered vitamin C, for added muscle and immune support.

Hydration is also the first-ever electrolyte powder made with apple cider vinegar, which has naturally occurring electrolytes like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. ACV is also known to aid energy production and support a healthy metabolism. 

Our formula is also 100% sugar free, vegan, and keto-friendly. Hydration comes in 3 palate-pleasing flavors: Watermelon-Cucumber, Yuzu-Lime, & Blue Raspberry Lemonade. 

We offer subscription options on all Essential elements products, plus a 365-day money-back guarantee if you don’t love them.

Product Specs

  • Chloride (460 mg), Potassium (400 mg), Sodium (500 mg) 
  • Vitamin C (800 mg)
  • Apple Cider Vinegar with “The Mother” (1500 mg) 
  • 2 g total carbs
  • Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan, Keto
  • Price: $$

What We Like:

    • 5 major electrolytes
    • Non-GMO
    • 1 g sugar 
    • Vegan 
    • Keto-friendly 
    • 4 g carbs 
    • 120-day money-back guarantee  
    • Good Manufacturing Practices

Room To Improve:

    • Formula potency

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a small, travel-friendly product, you can't go wrong with Nuun. Each tube is small enough to fit in your backpack or pocket and
contains 10 dissolvable tablets for easy, on-the-go hydration.

There's a lot to like about Nuun's formula: it has only 1 g of sugar and 4 g of net carbs. It's also Non-GMO, vegan, and keto-friendly. 

Nuun’s electrolyte dosages are a bit lower than we like to see, but they set themselves apart by including additional electrolytes like calcium and magnesium. Plus, Nuun offers a strong, 120-day money-back guarantee.

Product Specs

  • 10 servings per container
  • Chloride (40 mg), Potassium (150 mg), Sodium (300 mg) 
  • 1 g sugar / 4 g total carbs
  • Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-GMO, Vegan
  • Price: $$

*We earn a commission if you click on this link to make a purchase of Nuun.

What We Like:

    • 2 major electrolytes
    • Non-GMO
    • B vitamins 
    • 60-day money-back guarantee 
    • Good Manufacturing Practices

Room To Improve:

    • 11 g of sugar 
    • Not keto-friendly

Final Thoughts

Liquid IV’s Hydration Multiplier is one of the most recognizable products of its kind on the market today, thanks in part to its association with the World Health Organization and charitable work around the globe.

Hydration Multiplier contains major electrolytes like sodium (500 mg) and potassium (370 mg). While it technically contains chloride in the form of mined salt, the exact amount isn't listed in the supplement facts.

With 11 g of sugar and 12 g of net carbs, it may not be the best choice if you’re on a sugar free, or keto diet. But it does offer a healthy dose of vitamin C and energy-supporting B vitamins.

Liquid IV offers a commendable, 60-day return policy.

Product Specs

  • 16 servings per container
  • Potassium (380 mg), Sodium (510 mg) 
  • Vitamin C (76 mg)
  • 11 g sugar / 12 g total carbs
  • Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-GMO
  • Price: $$

*We earn a commission if you click on this link to make a purchase of Liquid IV.

What We Like:

    • 3 major electrolytes 
    • Sugar free
    • 2 g carbs
    • Keto-friendly 
    • Vegan
    • Non-GMO
    • Good Manufacturing Practices

Room To Improve:

    • Low potassium
    • Unspecified return policy

Final Thoughts

LMNT is a premiere, keto-friendly electrolyte supplement. Low-carb, ketogenic diets can be a bit lacking in electrolytes, so it’s great for those with special diets.

As you might expect from a keto-friendly electrolyte mix, LMNT is completely sugar free and has just 2 g of carbs.

It contains many major electrolytes, including magnesium. They’re a bit lower in potassium than we prefer, and the amount of chloride is unspecified. It’s also worth noting that sodium levels are much higher than any other supplement on our list. So, while it’s a great product, it may not be right for everyone.

LMNT’s return window is unclear, but on the bright side, they ensure satisfaction with a “zero-questions-asked” policy.

Product Specs

  • 25 servings per package 
  • Potassium (200 mg), Sodium (1000 mg) 
  • 2 g total carbs
  • Gluten Free, Soy Free, Sugar Free, Non-GMO, Vegan, Keto
  • Price: $$

*We earn a commission if you click on this link to make a purchase of LMNT.

What We Like:

    • 3 major electrolytes
    • Vegan
    • Non-GMO
    • Good Manufacturing Practices

Room To Improve:

    • Formula potency
    • 7 g of sugar
    • 30-day return policy

Final Thoughts

DripDrop contains key electrolytes, sodium and potassium, plus magnesium (also an electrolyte!), vitamin C, and zinc for additional muscle and immune support.

While there’s a lot to like about DripDrop, including a wide variety of yummy flavors to choose from, its formula isn’t quite as potent as others on this list. DripDrop offers a brief, 30-day return window.

Product Specs

  • 32 servings per container 
  • Potassium (185 mg), Sodium (330 mg) 
  • Vitamin C (70 mg)
  • 7 g sugar / 9 g total carbs
  • Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-GMO, Vegan
  • Price: $$

*We earn a commission if you click on this link to make a purchase of DripDrop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes electrolyte imbalances?

Several factors can cause an electrolyte imbalance, including dehydration, excessive sweating, or low consumption of electrolyte-rich foods.

How much water should I drink to stay hydrated?

The amount of water you need to stay adequately hydrated is different for everyone. A broad guideline suggests drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. It’s important to drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure you’re staying hydrated, and include electrolyte-rich beverages as needed.

Do I need an electrolyte powder?

Many people can benefit from an electrolyte supplement, especially those that participate in intense exercise, have certain medical conditions, follow low-carb or ketogenic diets, travelers, or those spending time in the heat.

Citations

1. Sharma, Arun et al. Indian journal of pharmacology vol. 48,3 (2016): 237-40. doi:10.4103/0253-7613.182888
2. Nutrition, Center for Food Safety and Applied. FDA, 14 July 2023, www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/aspartame-and-other-sweeteners-food.
3. Burst, Volker. Frontiers of hormone research vol. 52 (2019): 24-35. doi:10.1159/000493234/ 
4. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/expert-answers/low-blood-sodium/faq-20058465.
5. Sweeney, H Lee, and David W Hammers. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology vol. 10,2 a023200. 1 Feb. 2018, doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a023200
6. Taylor, Kory, and Elizabeth B. Jones. PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/.
7.  National Institutes of Health. Nih.gov, 2 June 2022, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/. 
8. Arnold, L Eugene et al. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics vol. 9,3 (2012): 599-609. doi:10.1007/s13311-012-0133-x
9. WebMD, 7 Apr. 2023, www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-dehydration-in-older-adults#1.
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