LMNT Zero Sugar Electrolytes — Citrus Salt Review

Because that's the entire design philosophy. LMNT delivers 1000 mg of sodium per stick — roughly two to twenty times what mainstream 'hydration' mixes give you (Liquid I.V. is ~500 mg, Ultima just ~55 mg). The logic is that sodium is the electrolyte you lose most in sweat and deplete fastest on keto or fasting, so the mix is built to actually replace it rather than sprinkle a token amount. If you're a heavy sweater, low-carb, or training in heat, that's the point. If you eat a normal diet and don't sweat heavily, it's more sodium than you need.

For the people LMNT is built for — heavy sweaters, keto/fasting dieters, endurance athletes — it's replacing salt the body is genuinely losing, and the rehydration literature supports including sodium when sweat losses are large. The caveat is honest: if you've been told to limit sodium (for blood pressure, kidney or heart reasons), 1000 mg in one drink is significant and you should check with your doctor first. It's a tool for a specific job, not a daily default for everyone.

No. It's 0 g sugar, sweetened only with stevia leaf extract, with no artificial colors or flavors. That's what makes it keto- and fasting-compatible where a glucose-driven mix like Liquid I.V. (11 g sugar) isn't. The trade-off is taste: with no sugar to round it off, the deliberately salty profile is polarizing for first-time users.

They share the same salt-forward philosophy. LMNT is the purer high-sodium hit at 1000 mg with 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium. Redmond Re-Lyte (#2) runs a bit lower on sodium (~810 mg) but adds calcium and 60+ trace minerals from Real Salt for a fuller spectrum, and is usually a little cheaper per serving. Pick LMNT for maximum salt and the cleanest profile; pick Re-Lyte for a more complete mineral spread at a slightly lower price.

It's the most common complaint and the most fixable one. LMNT tastes noticeably saltier than sugar-sweetened mixes because that's literally what's in it. Most people adapt within a few servings, and diluting one stick into more water (toward 24–32 oz) softens it considerably. If you want a mix you'll enjoy on taste alone, Skratch Labs (#7) is the flavor pick — but it's nowhere near LMNT on sodium.

1. [1] Sawka 2007 PMID 17277604 — American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. The ACSM's authoritative position stand: because sweat contains substantial sodium, fluids during prolonged exercise and recovery should include sodium to offset losses and aid fluid retention. The foundational evidence behind LMNT's high-sodium positioning — electrolyte replacement, not water alone, when sweat losses are large.
2. [2] Shirreffs 1996 PMID 8897383 — Post-exercise rehydration in man: effects of volume consumed and drink sodium content. Direct experimental evidence that a drink's sodium content determines fluid recovery: unless sodium is sufficiently high, extra fluid is simply lost as urine. The clearest support for why a genuine sodium dose like LMNT's — not just water — drives effective rehydration.
3. [3] Sharp 2006 PMID 16772634 — Role of sodium in fluid homeostasis with exercise. A review showing heavy sweating can produce fluid deficits of 1–8% of body mass and recommending sodium chloride in the replacement beverage to maintain fluid homeostasis. Context for the heavy-sweat use-case LMNT is designed around.