Best Electrolyte Drink 2026: 5 Compared

Which one is right for you?

1★ Best PickA+Best for heavy training and ketoLMNT Recharge Electrolyte Drink Mix

1,000 mg sodium per stick, no sugar — built for heavy sweating and low-carb

LMNT's 1,000 mg sodium per stick is the category differentiator — double Liquid I.V. and more than three times Nuun per serving, which matters for hot-climate training and anyone sweating heavily for 60+ minutes. It has no sugar; the flavored sticks use stevia leaf extract, so there is no glucose load for days when carbohydrate is coming from food. The Raw Unflavored variant lists only sodium, magnesium and potassium salts, so it can go into other drinks or food without added flavor. The trade-offs: it is one of the pricier options per serving, and 1,000 mg sodium is more than casual sipping calls for.

LMNT Recharge Electrolyte Drink Mix

$45Reference price

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Specifications▼

Sodium

1,000 mg

Potassium

200 mg

Sugar

0 g

Sweetener

Stevia leaf extract (Raw Unflavored: none)

Serving

1 stick in 16–32 fl oz (473–946 mL) water

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

about 1,060–2,110 mg

Format

Powder stick packet

Sodium

1,000 mg

Potassium

200 mg

Sugar

0 g

Sweetener

Stevia leaf extract (Raw Unflavored: none)

Serving

1 stick in 16–32 fl oz (473–946 mL) water

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

about 1,060–2,110 mg

Format

Powder stick packet

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2ABest mainstream hydrationLiquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier

500 mg sodium and 11 g sugar per stick, mixed into 16 fl oz

Liquid I.V.'s CTT formula is a glucose-plus-sodium combination, the same basic idea behind oral rehydration solutions, and the company says it hydrates faster than water alone. Per stick the label lists 500 mg sodium, 380 mg potassium and 11 g sugar, mixed into 16 fl oz — about 1,060 mg sodium per liter, a moderate level for training and travel. The sugar comes from cane sugar and dextrose, with stevia also in the mix, and the line comes in many flavors. The catch is the 11 g sugar per serving, which is real carbohydrate — a poor fit for strict keto or low-carb tracking, and unnecessary if you're already eating carbohydrate on a training day.

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier

$30.55Reference price

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Specifications▼

Sodium

500 mg

Potassium

380 mg

Sugar

11 g

Sweetener

Cane sugar, dextrose, stevia leaf extract

Serving

1 stick (16 g) in 16 fl oz (473 mL) water

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

about 1,060 mg

Format

Powder stick packet

Sodium

500 mg

Potassium

380 mg

Sugar

11 g

Sweetener

Cane sugar, dextrose, stevia leaf extract

Serving

1 stick (16 g) in 16 fl oz (473 mL) water

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

about 1,060 mg

Format

Powder stick packet

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4BBest for illness recoveryDripDrop ORS Electrolyte Powder

ORS-style powder in 8 fl oz — suited to sick-day rehydration

DripDrop describes itself as an ORS — a glucose-plus-sodium formula like the ones used for rehydration during illness, though its concentration is not the WHO reduced-osmolarity ORS. Per stick the label lists 330 mg sodium, 180 mg potassium, 40 mg magnesium, zinc, vitamin C and 7 g sugar, mixed into only 8 fl oz — about 1,390 mg sodium per liter, a more concentrated drink than Liquid I.V. as mixed. Sweetness comes from sugar, fructose and dextrose plus sucralose, and flavors include Watermelon and Berry. The ORS-style formula makes it most relevant for sick-day rehydration, heavy sweating in heat and times you are already short on fluids. It's not the first choice for daily workout hydration, where Nuun's cost or LMNT's sodium per stick fit better.

DripDrop ORS Electrolyte Powder

$8.99Reference price

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Specifications▼

Sodium

330 mg

Potassium

180 mg

Sugar

7 g

Sweetener

Sugar, fructose, dextrose, sucralose

Serving

1 stick (10 g) in 8 fl oz (237 mL) water

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

about 1,390 mg

Format

Powder stick packet

Sodium

330 mg

Potassium

180 mg

Sugar

7 g

Sweetener

Sugar, fructose, dextrose, sucralose

Serving

1 stick (10 g) in 8 fl oz (237 mL) water

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

about 1,390 mg

Format

Powder stick packet

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5BBest pharmacy availabilityPedialyte Sport Electrolyte Solution

Ready to drink, sold in pharmacies, 490 mg sodium per 12 fl oz

Pedialyte Sport lists 490 mg sodium and 470 mg potassium per 12 fl oz, or 1,380 mg sodium per liter, and Abbott markets it as formulated for athletes. The real advantage is availability: drugstores and grocery stores stock it, so when someone has food poisoning or a stomach virus, it is easy to find ready to drink. The liquid needs no preparation when you're feeling too sick to measure powder. For planned workout hydration, the powder sticks are more practical than the bottles — but they are a stronger formula (650 mg sodium per packet on the Lemon Lime listing), so read that label separately.

Pedialyte Sport Electrolyte Solution

$11.87Reference price

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Specifications▼

Sodium

490 mg

Potassium

470 mg

Sugar

5 g

Sweetener

Dextrose, sucralose, acesulfame potassium

Serving

12 fl oz (360 mL), ready to drink

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

1,380 mg (label)

Format

Ready-to-drink 1-liter bottle (powder packs also sold)

Sodium

490 mg

Potassium

470 mg

Sugar

5 g

Sweetener

Dextrose, sucralose, acesulfame potassium

Serving

12 fl oz (360 mL), ready to drink

Sodium per liter (as mixed)

1,380 mg (label)

Format

Ready-to-drink 1-liter bottle (powder packs also sold)

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Side-by-side on the same scale

How to read this table: values come from each maker's labels and product pages, or major retailers' copies of the same label (Target, Abbott Store), checked in October 2026. Sodium, potassium and sugar are per labeled serving — one stick, tablet or packet, or 12 fl oz of ready-to-drink Pedialyte Sport — and the servings are mixed with different amounts of water, so "Sodium per liter (as mixed)" is calculated from the label sodium and the maker's mixing directions (1 fl oz = 29.6 mL) to put all five on one scale. Values can differ slightly by flavor. “—” means the value could not be confirmed from those sources. Pickly did not test these products.

Table checked 2026-10-31

LMNT Recharge — the high-sodium choice for hard training

LMNT lists 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium per stick, with no sugar. That is the most sodium per serving in this comparison, and that is the whole point. For athletes training in heat, people doing hot yoga or long sauna sessions, and low-carb eaters who want electrolytes without sugar, 1,000 mg per serving covers more of what can be lost in sweat than the lower-sodium options here — though how much you actually lose varies widely from person to person. The flavored sticks are sweetened with stevia leaf extract, according to LMNT's ingredient lists, and flavors include Citrus Salt, Watermelon Salt and Raw Unflavored.

LMNT's directions are to mix one stick with 16–32 fl oz (about 470–950 mL) of water to taste, so the drink works out to roughly 1,060–2,110 mg sodium per liter depending on how much water you use — at the dilute end it is close to DripDrop and Pedialyte Sport, at the concentrated end it is well above them. It is one of the pricier options per serving. The Raw Unflavored version lists only sodium chloride, magnesium malate and potassium chloride, with no sweetener or flavoring, which makes it practical for adding to food or other drinks.

Not the right pick if you're hydrating casually or want carbohydrate for endurance fueling — LMNT has no sugar, so it pairs with food but doesn't provide energy itself. Also not ideal if you're on a sodium-restricted diet or have high blood pressure; ask a doctor before using a 1,000 mg sodium serving regularly.

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier — the mainstream hydration packet

Liquid I.V. calls its formula Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) — a glucose-plus-sodium combination, the same basic idea behind oral rehydration solutions — and says it delivers faster hydration than water alone; independent data on Liquid I.V. itself is limited. The Lemon Lime label on Target lists, per 16 g stick, 500 mg sodium, 380 mg potassium, 11 g carbohydrate and 11 g sugar (all added), 45 calories, plus vitamin C and B vitamins. Magnesium is not listed on that label.

The directions are one stick in 16 fl oz (473 mL) of water, which works out to about 1,060 mg sodium per liter — similar to LMNT at its most dilute. The sugar comes from cane sugar and dextrose, with stevia leaf extract also in the ingredients. Price per serving sits in the middle of this group. Liquid I.V. also sells a separate Sugar-Free line, which retailer listings show sweetened with allulose and stevia instead of sugar.

The 11 g sugar is the trade-off. For keto or anyone tracking carbohydrate, the standard version is a poor fit. For endurance athletes who want some carbohydrate with their fluids, it fits a fueling plan. At 500 mg sodium per stick it covers moderate sweating, but for long, heavy sweating sessions LMNT's 1,000 mg per stick is the bigger dose.

Nuun Sport — the ultralight tablet option

Nuun Sport is an effervescent tablet you drop into 16 fl oz (473 mL) of water, which makes it the most packable format in this comparison — a tube of 10 tablets fits in a pocket. The Tri-Berry label on Target lists, per 5.5 g tablet, 300 mg sodium, 150 mg potassium, 25 mg magnesium, 13 mg calcium, 15 calories, 4 g carbohydrate and 1 g sugar. It is sweetened with a little dextrose plus stevia leaf extract.

Mixed as directed, that is about 630 mg sodium per liter — the lowest concentration in this comparison, roughly half of Liquid I.V. or DripDrop as mixed. That makes it a fit for everyday use and moderate exercise rather than heavy-sweat sessions. Tubes of tablets usually cost less per serving than the stick packs here. The tablet format also lets you change the strength by changing the water: Nuun's direction is 16 fl oz, but less water makes a stronger drink and more water a lighter one.

The 300 mg sodium is the limitation. For casual hydration, travel or moderate exercise, it is a reasonable amount. For people sweating heavily in heat — outdoor workers, summer runners, anyone doing two-a-days — 300 mg covers only part of what can be lost, and you would need several tablets to reach one LMNT stick.

DripDrop ORS — the oral-rehydration-style powder for illness recovery

DripDrop describes its formula as an ORS (oral rehydration solution) — the glucose-plus-sodium approach used for rehydration during diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Its concentration is not the same as the WHO reduced-osmolarity ORS: mixed as directed it has about 1,390 mg sodium per liter, while the WHO formula has 75 mmol/L sodium (about 1,725 mg per liter). The Watermelon label on Target lists, per 10 g stick mixed into 8 fl oz (237 mL) of water, 330 mg sodium, 180 mg potassium, 40 mg magnesium, 1.5 mg zinc, 70 mg vitamin C, 9 g carbohydrate and 7 g sugar, 35 calories.

The small mixing volume is the key difference: per stick DripDrop has less sodium than Liquid I.V., but because it goes into only 8 fl oz, the drink you get is more concentrated than Liquid I.V. as mixed. Sweetness comes from sugar, fructose and dextrose plus sucralose. Price per serving is mid-to-high for this group. DripDrop also sells a Zero Sugar line, which is a different formula from the one listed here.

The ORS-style formula makes DripDrop most relevant for sick-day rehydration, heavy sweating in heat, and times you are already short on fluids rather than topping up. It is not the first choice for everyday workout hydration, where Nuun's lower cost or LMNT's higher sodium per stick fit better. Shelf-stable powder sticks are also easy to keep in a travel kit. If someone cannot keep fluids down, or has signs of severe dehydration, get medical help rather than relying on a drink mix.

Pedialyte Sport — the pharmacy staple adults actually use

Pedialyte is best known as a rehydration drink for children, and Pedialyte Sport is the line Abbott markets as "formulated for athletes". The Lemon Lime 1-liter bottle label lists, per 12 fl oz (360 mL), 490 mg sodium, 470 mg potassium, 40 mg magnesium, 140 mg phosphorus, 9 g carbohydrate and 5 g sugar, 30 calories — or 1,380 mg sodium and 14 g sugar per liter. It is sweetened with dextrose, sucralose and acesulfame potassium.

It comes ready to drink in 1-liter bottles, which is the practical point: drugstores and grocery stores keep it on the shelf, so it is easy to find without planning ahead when someone has a stomach bug. Price per serving in liquid form is mid-range. Flavors include Lemon Lime and Fruit Punch.

The ready-to-drink bottle is heavy to carry for sports. Pedialyte Sport also comes as powder sticks, and those are a different strength: the Lemon Lime powder stick listing on Abbott Store shows 650 mg sodium, 600 mg potassium, 55 mg magnesium and 7 g sugar per 14.1 g packet — check that label if you buy the powder. For workout hydration on the go, the powder is more practical; as a backup for illness, the bottles are the easiest to find at short notice.

How to choose: sodium per liter, sugar, and when you'll drink it

Start with sodium, and compare it on the same basis. Per serving, LMNT (1,000 mg) is far ahead of Liquid I.V. (500 mg), Pedialyte Sport (490 mg per 12 fl oz), DripDrop (330 mg) and Nuun (300 mg). But the servings go into different amounts of water, so look at the per-liter column too: DripDrop (about 1,390 mg/L) and Pedialyte Sport (1,380 mg/L) are more concentrated drinks than Liquid I.V. (about 1,060 mg/L), and Nuun is the lightest at about 630 mg/L. LMNT ranges from about 1,060 to 2,110 mg/L depending on whether you use 32 or 16 fl oz of water.

Then decide how much sugar you want. LMNT has none, Nuun has 1 g per tablet, Pedialyte Sport has 5 g per 12 fl oz, DripDrop 7 g per stick and Liquid I.V. 11 g per stick. Sugar adds calories, and in ORS-style drinks glucose is part of the formula; if you are on keto, counting carbohydrate or just sipping at a desk, the zero- or low-sugar options are the better fit. Also check the sweeteners if you avoid any: LMNT and Nuun use stevia, DripDrop and Pedialyte Sport use sucralose (Pedialyte also acesulfame potassium), and Liquid I.V. pairs sugar with stevia.

Match the product to the situation. Long, sweaty sessions in heat: LMNT, or two Nuun tablets if you prefer less sodium per drink. Everyday hydration when you want flavor and do not mind sugar: Liquid I.V. Light daily use, travel and a gym bag: Nuun, which is not the pick for heavy sweating. Sick days: DripDrop or Pedialyte Sport — and see a doctor if fluids cannot be kept down. Who should skip the high-sodium options: anyone told to limit sodium, people with high blood pressure or kidney disease (ask a doctor first), and anyone not sweating much — 1,000 mg per stick is a lot of salt for casual sipping.