Best Electrolyte Mixes (LMNT vs Redmond Re-Lyte vs Liquid IV)

The electrolyte category exploded between 2020 and 2025, driven primarily by the keto and intermittent-fasting communities and then by GLP-1 users dealing with appetite-suppression-induced dehydration. The best brands offer real value; the worst are sugar drinks with marketing.

This is a practical guide: when you actually need electrolytes, what to look for, and the head-to-head comparison of the three major US brands.

When you actually need electrolytes

Most adults eating a standard diet don't need supplemental electrolytes — they get adequate sodium, potassium, and magnesium from food. The populations that genuinely benefit:

1. Low-carb / keto adopters. Reduced insulin → kidneys excrete more sodium → low-grade chronic dehydration. The "keto flu" symptoms (fatigue, headache, muscle cramps) are largely sodium-and-electrolyte deficit. Supplemental sodium handles 80% of the problem.

2. Intermittent fasters. Extended fasts deplete sodium without food intake to replace it. Electrolytes during the fasting window prevent the headache-and-fatigue symptoms many fasters report.

3. GLP-1 users. Reduced food intake means reduced electrolyte intake. The drug's slowed gastric emptying degrades thirst signaling. Many users develop mild chronic dehydration that affects energy, mood, and headaches.

4. Athletes and heavy sweaters. During and after prolonged exercise, especially in heat. Sweat losses can run 1–2 g sodium per hour for hot-weather endurance work.

5. Adults eating predominantly whole-foods who don't add salt. Whole-food eating without added salt produces a low-sodium diet by default. Most adults benefit from deliberate salt intake.

6. Adults with low blood pressure / orthostatic hypotension. Sodium increase often improves the symptoms.

If you don't fit one of these, you probably don't need supplemental electrolytes.

The mainstream sodium advice is wrong for many

The CDC and similar agencies advise under 2,300 mg sodium daily; the AHA recommends ≤1,500 mg for adults with hypertension. These numbers are population-average targets driven primarily by hypertension concerns. They're inappropriate for several populations:

• Low-carb / keto dieters lose sodium through urine; need 4,000–6,000 mg daily
• Athletes in heavy training; need 4,000–7,000 mg depending on sweat losses
• Low-blood-pressure adults; 4,000+ mg often improves orthostatic symptoms
• Adults on GLP-1s with reduced food intake
• Pregnancy and lactation; sodium needs are elevated

The DiNicolantonio "salt myth" reanalyses, the PURE study sodium data, and recent meta-analyses all suggest the mainstream low-sodium recommendation is poorly calibrated to actual cardiovascular risk for most adults. For adults with elevated blood pressure responsive to sodium, it remains relevant. For everyone else, the literature supports a substantially higher intake than the 2,300 mg cap suggests.

This matters here because the major electrolyte brands provide 500–1,000 mg sodium per stick. Within the right population, that's a useful contribution; for adults who don't need it, it's potentially excessive.

What to look for in an electrolyte mix

1. Sodium content. The variable that matters most. Mainstream sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade) have 100–200 mg per serving — inadequate for any of the populations above. Specialty brands (LMNT, Redmond) provide 800–1,000 mg, which is the right ballpark for the actual use cases.

2. No added sugar (for low-carb and IF users). Sugar-containing drinks break ketosis and the IF state. Liquid IV and Gatorade contain meaningful sugar; LMNT and Redmond are zero-sugar.

3. Potassium balance. Sodium without potassium is suboptimal. Most quality brands provide 200–400 mg potassium; some skip it entirely. Check the label.

4. Magnesium. Magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate are well-absorbed forms. Magnesium oxide (cheaper, common in lower-quality brands) is poorly absorbed.

5. Clean ingredient list. Avoid artificial colors, flavors, and unnecessary additives. The point is electrolytes; the carrier matters.

6. Cost per serving. $1.20–1.80 per serving is the typical range for the better brands. Liquid IV is cheaper per serving but with much less sodium.

Head-to-head: LMNT vs Redmond Re-Lyte vs Liquid IV

LMNT

Per stick: 1,000 mg sodium · 200 mg potassium · 60 mg magnesium · 0 g sugar Cost: ~$1.50/serving (varies by quantity and flavor) Strengths:

• Highest sodium content in the category
• Clean ingredient list (no colors, no fillers)
• Wide flavor variety
• Strong brand and ecosystem

Weaknesses:

• Premium pricing
• Sodium amount may be excessive for sedentary adults without dietary deficit
• Some flavors are very strong (citrus salt taste isn't for everyone)

Best for: Low-carb, keto, fasting adults whose sodium needs are genuinely elevated. Athletes with significant sweat losses. Post-GLP-1 users prone to dehydration. The default high-quality choice.

Redmond Re-Lyte

Per stick: 810 mg sodium · 380 mg potassium · 60 mg magnesium · 0 g sugar Cost: ~$1.10/serving (substantially cheaper at scale) Strengths:

• Better price per serving than LMNT
• Trace-mineral content from Real Salt (vs pure sodium chloride)
• Higher potassium than LMNT
• Available in bulk tubs (cheaper still)
• Family-owned company with transparent sourcing

Weaknesses:

• Slightly less sodium per serving than LMNT
• Less ubiquitous brand
• Flavor selection is smaller

Best for: Adults who want LMNT-style high-sodium electrolytes at a better price point, particularly those who go through a lot of servings (athletes, daily users). Slightly better potassium balance.

Liquid IV

Per stick: 500 mg sodium · 380 mg potassium · 11 g sugar Cost: ~$1.20/serving Strengths:

• Wide retail availability (Costco, Target, Whole Foods)
• Glucose-sodium cotransport for hydration (this is the science behind the WHO oral-rehydration formula)
• Lower price than premium brands
• Multiple product lines (energy, immune, sleep)

Weaknesses:

• Contains 11g sugar — incompatible with keto, IF, or low-carb eating
• Half the sodium of LMNT or Redmond
• More processed ingredient list

Best for: Adults who eat carbs normally, want mainstream-available hydration, and prefer the established sports-drink format. Athletes during prolonged endurance exercise (where the glucose helps). Avoid if low-carb / keto / IF.

How to choose

Picking by use case:

• Daily low-carb / keto: LMNT or Redmond. Either works; pick on price and flavor.
• Endurance athletes: Liquid IV during long sessions (the carbs help); LMNT or Redmond at other times.
• Post-GLP-1: LMNT or Redmond. Higher sodium matches the deficit profile; no sugar fits the eating pattern.
• Casual hydration backup: Redmond or Liquid IV at the lower price point.
• Athletes losing 1+ liters of sweat per hour: LMNT (highest sodium per stick) plus a separate carb source.

Picking by budget:

• Premium budget: LMNT
• Mid-budget: Redmond Re-Lyte
• Lower budget: Liquid IV (but accept the sugar trade-off)

DIY electrolyte mix

If you'd rather not buy commercial mixes, a workable home recipe per ~16oz water:

• 1/4 teaspoon table salt or Real Salt (~575 mg sodium)
• 1/8 teaspoon "lite salt" / potassium chloride (~165 mg potassium)
• Magnesium glycinate capsule (200 mg) — open and mix in
• Splash of lemon or lime juice for flavor
• Optional: pinch of stevia or monkfruit if you need sweetness

Cost per serving: ~$0.10. It works just as well as the commercial mixes for sodium, potassium, and magnesium delivery. The commercial brands offer convenience, flavor, and pre-measured doses; not magic.

When to skip electrolytes entirely

You don't need them if:

• You eat a normal varied diet with adequate salt
• You're not low-carb, fasting, or training heavily
• You haven't had any cramps, headaches, or low-energy issues
• Your blood pressure runs high

For sedentary adults eating standard diets, supplemental electrolytes are largely unnecessary and potentially counterproductive (extra sodium without need). The supplement industry markets them as universal; the actual use cases are more specific.

The honest summary

For the populations that genuinely benefit (low-carb, IF, GLP-1, athletes, low-BP adults), supplemental electrolytes are real value. LMNT is the category leader with the best clean formulation; Redmond Re-Lyte is the best price-to-quality alternative with slightly better potassium balance; Liquid IV is the mainstream choice for normal-carb eaters but breaks the protocol for low-carb populations.

Pick based on your eating pattern (low-carb → LMNT/Redmond; normal-carb → any), your training intensity, and your budget. If you don't fall into a use case above, skip the category entirely — the marketing is more aggressive than the actual need.