I Tried 5 Electrolyte Supplements for 30 Days — My Results (Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium)

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Mitchell, MD — Internal Medicine

See also: Best Electrolyte Supplements 2026 | Sodium vs Potassium: The Balance You Need | Magnesium for Hydration: Why Most Electrolytes Fail

Quick Pick: My 30-Day Winner

Why I Did This Test

I’ve been on a low-carb/keto-adjacent diet for 3+ years. I train hard — 4x/week lifting, 2x/week zone 2 cardio, sauna 3x/week. Despite eating “clean” and salting food, I was waking up with:

• Dry mouth at 3 AM
• Afternoon crashes around 2 PM
• Subpar gym performance on heavy squat/deadlift days
• Poor sleep scores (Oura ring: 70-75/100 consistently)

Blood work showed sodium at 137 mmol/L (low-normal), potassium 4.1 (mid), magnesium RBC 5.2 (low-normal). My doctor said “normal range” — but I felt terrible.

The hypothesis: I was chronically under-salting despite “salting to taste.” The literature supports this — low-carb athletes can lose 2-3x more sodium through urine and sweat.

The Protocol: 30 Days, 5 Products, Real Data

*Customizable — I matched LMNT’s sodium.

Rules:

• 1 serving upon waking (empty stomach)
• 1 serving during/after training
• No other electrolyte supplements
• Same diet, sleep schedule, training program
• Tracked: morning body weight, urine color, Oura sleep score, HRV, workout RPE, subjective energy (1-10)

Week 1: LMNT — The “Gold Standard” Test

Product: LMNT Raw Unflavored (1000mg Na, 200mg K, 60mg Mg)

Day 1-2: Salty. Very salty. Like drinking seawater. But within 30 minutes — energy lift. No 10 AM slump.

Day 3: First heavy leg day. Zero cramping. Usually get adductor cramps on 5th set of RDLs. Didn’t happen.

Day 5: Oura sleep score: 84 (baseline 72). HRV: 58ms (baseline 42ms). Deep sleep +18 minutes.

Day 7: Morning weight stable (no water retention). Urine color: pale straw consistently.

Subjective energy (1-10): Baseline 5.5 → 8.2 average

💡 Key insight: The 1000mg sodium dose matches what research shows is optimal for athletes in heat — but most “electrolyte” drinks have 100-300mg. LMNT doesn’t apologize for it.

Verdict: 9.5/10 — Expensive but undeniable effect. Kept the empty boxes to compare.

Week 2: Redmond Re-Lyte — The Real Salt Contender

Product: Redmond Re-Lyte Hydration (810mg Na from Redmond Real Salt, 400mg K, 50mg Mg)

Difference immediately: Tastes different. Less “chemical salty,” more “mineral complexity.” Redmond Real Salt has 60+ trace minerals.

Day 8-10: Energy stable. Sleep scores: 81, 79, 82. Slightly lower than LMNT week but within variance.

Day 12: Noticed better digestion — less bloating after meals. Redmond salt contains natural chloride (not just NaCl).

Day 14: Cost per serving $0.67 vs LMNT’s $1.50. For daily use, this matters.

Subjective energy: 7.8/10 average — close to LMNT, $0.83 cheaper per serving.

Verdict: 9/10 — My new daily driver. Clean ingredients, real salt, trace minerals, half the price.

Week 3: Hydrant — The “Lifestyle” Option

Product: Hydrant Hydration Mix (260mg Na, 200mg K, 50mg Mg, plus zinc, vitamin C)

Day 15: First sip — tastes like juice. Flavored (blood orange, lime, cucumber). Only 260mg sodium.

Day 16: Light cardio day. Felt fine. But heavy squat day (Day 17) — cramped on set 4. First cramp in 3 weeks.

Day 18: Afternoon slump returned. Energy: 5/10. Oura score dropped to 74.

Day 19: Added extra salt to dinner. Felt better next morning.

The problem: 260mg sodium is insufficient for low-carb/heavy training. It’s designed for “office hydration” — mild dehydration from AC, coffee, screen time.

Subjective energy: 6.2/10 average — noticeable decline.

Verdict: 7.5/10 — Great for travel, office, light activity. Not for athletes or keto.

Week 4: Ultima Replenisher — The Marketing Winner

Product: Ultima Replenisher (55mg Na, 250mg K, 100mg Mg, 70mg Ca)

Day 22: 55mg sodium. That’s less than a pinch of salt. Tastes sweet (stevia).

Day 23: Morning headache. Dry mouth. Workout RPE skyrocketed — felt like training fasted with no water.

Day 24: Blood pressure check: 102/64 (my baseline 118/72). Symptomatic hypotension.

Day 25: Stopped early. Switched to salt water. Felt normal within 2 hours.

The reality: Ultima markets “6 electrolytes” but the sodium is functionally zero for anyone not on a high-sodium processed diet. Potassium-heavy without sodium balance can worsen hydration via osmotic shifts.

Subjective energy: 4.1/10 average — worst week of the month.

Verdict: 4/10 — Avoid if you: train hard, eat whole foods, low-carb, sauna, or sweat. Only for: high-sodium diet + sedentary + want flavor.

Bonus Week: Homemade Electrolyte Mix

Recipe (per 32oz water):

• 1/2 tsp Redmond Real Salt (≈1000mg Na, trace minerals)
• 1/4 tsp Potassium Chloride (Nu-Salt) (≈400mg K)
• 200mg Magnesium Glycinate powder
• Optional: squeeze lemon, 1g creatine, 5g glycine

Cost breakdown (per serving):

• Redmond salt: $0.04
• Potassium chloride: $0.03
• Magnesium glycinate: $0.06
• Total: $0.13/serving vs LMNT $1.50 = 92% savings

Results (Days 29-35):

• Energy: 8.0/10 — nearly identical to LMNT
• Sleep: 83 avg — matches LMNT week
• Workout performance: no difference
• Taste: acceptable (salty, mineral, add lemon)
• Convenience: low (measuring, mixing, carrying powder)

Verdict: 8.5/10 for value, 6/10 for convenience — I’ll use this at home, LMNT/Re-Lyte packets for travel/gym bag.

The Data: 30 Days in Numbers

📊 Statistical note: n=1, not blinded, subjective measures. But effect sizes for LMNT/Re-Lyte vs baseline were large (Cohen’s d >1.2 for energy, sleep).

Sodium: The Missing Link Nobody Talks About

The science: Low-carb → insulin drops → kidneys excrete sodium → sodium loss of 500-1500mg/day extra.

The guidelines fail athletes: RDA 2300mg sodium. But:

• Phinney & Volek (2011): Low-carb athletes need 3000-5000mg/day
• Stanford study (2021): 4000mg sodium improved performance in heat by 8%
• My blood work: 137 mmol/L on “normal” salt intake → 142 mmol/L after 2 weeks LMNT

Why most electrolytes fail: They’re formulated for the general population (high processed food intake) — not for whole-food, low-carb, high-sweat people.

Comparison Table: 5 Products Head-to-Head

*Customizable

My Protocol Going Forward

Monthly cost: ~$25 (vs $90 for LMNT-only, $40 for Re-Lyte-only)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just eat more salt?

Yes — but you need potassium and magnesium too. Sodium alone → potassium wasting → cramps, arrhythmia risk. The ratio matters. Aim for 3:1 to 5:1 sodium:potassium for athletes.

Is 1000mg sodium per serving safe?

For healthy kidneys: yes. The kidneys regulate sodium tightly. Risk is hyponatremia (too little), not hypernatremia, in active people. Contraindicated: uncontrolled hypertension, heart failure, kidney disease — ask your doctor.

Why does Ultima have such low sodium?

It’s formulated for the Standard American Diet (3400mg+ sodium/day from processed food). If you eat whole foods, it’s inadequate.

Does magnesium form matter in electrolytes?

Yes. LMNT/Re-Lyte use magnesium malate/citrate (okay). Ultima uses magnesium citrate (better). Homemade: magnesium glycinate — best absorption, no GI issues.

Can I mix my own with table salt?

Table salt = NaCl + anti-caking agents + no trace minerals. Use Redmond Real Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, or Himalayan. The trace minerals (boron, lithium, vanadium) matter.

The Bottom Line

Sources & References