LMNT Electrolytes Review (NOT sponsored)

Use this link to get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order, and get a free box when you order 3! 

I am the person who is constantly thirsty and no matter how much water I drink. And I drink a LOT of water. As a runner, you have to! We all know drinking water is one of the most important factors in staying healthy, and for years I thought that drinking loads of water was one of the most important healthy lifestyle habits to establish. But recently I’ve learned that proper hydration isn’t just about drinking 8 glasses of water daily, but actually about balancing fluid and electrolyte intake.

You can watch the video below for more details or keep reading. (You can also watch the video on YouTube, if you prefer.)

To understand this why this is necessary for proper hydration, we have to first understand sodium’s role in our body. Sodium is an electrolyte, a type of mineral that carries electrical charges (like nerve impulses) in your body. Sodium also regulates your fluid balance, which is the core of hydration. So if sodium is what regulates your fluid balance, how much do we need?

The answer is more than you think, especially as someone who’s sweating often. Too little sodium (or “over-watering”) can actually result in the issues we typically blame dehydration for: headaches, muscle cramps, fatigue, insomnia, etc. And when your sodium levels fall below a certain point, it’s called hyponatremia, and it can be extremely serious. A perfect ratio is ideal.

To prevent low sodium, there are two important strategies to follow:

1. Drink to thirst
2. Consume 5 to 7g of sodium per day

Since I don’t eat a high sodium diet or a lot of processed foods, LMNT is what helps me the most with #2.

In today’s post, I’m going to share a review of LMNT Electrolytes, the best electrolyte drink mix ever (and I’ve tried dozens over the years training for 50+ races). It’s the also the most tasty electrolyte drink mix I’ve tried, so let’s jump into it.

LMNT Electrolytes Review

Like I mentioned above, I’ve tried dozens of electrolyte drinks and supplements over the years – Nuun, Gatorade, Skratch, Liquid IV. However, they either hurt my stomach, tasted terrible, or they never actually quenched my thirst. (Or all three!) But a few months ago, a friend sent me some of her LMNT to try since she was so obsessed and she knew I used a lot of electrolytes as a runner, while breastfeeding and just living life! I was BLOWN away by how much I liked it and promptly ordered a pack for myself.

Robb Wolfe co-founded LMNT because he and his Jiu-jitsu coaches noticed his body needed more salt. The products on the market at the time was high in sugar and woefully lacking in actual electrolytes, so he started LMNT. The brand is based out of Naples, Florida,

LMNT electrolyte drink mix has the optimal ratio of electrolytes (1000 mg of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, and 60 mg of magnesium) to support hydration. It has zero sugar, artificial ingredients, or preservatives. Many (most, actually) electrolyte drink mixes out there are full of sugar; sugar can help you absorb sodium and fluids, but it’s not essential for hydration. So, LMNT doesn’t include it. It doesn’t taste like chemicals or medicine, which I’ve found other similar, salty options do (like Liquid IV).

LMNT is super salty (which I love) but you can add more or less water to your preference if it’s too salty for you. I also like that it’s a powder so I don’t have to wait for a tablet to dissolve, like I did with Nuun.

Do you drink LMNT before or after workout?

I drink LMNT before, during, and after my workouts and throughout the day, especially if they’re high-intensity activties.

I’ve tried dozens of electrolyte brands over the years and this is my favorite, HANDS DOWN and a must-have for hot, humid runs or long training runs. I used to be a Nuun fanatic, but now I’m hooked on LMNT so I wanted to share some details for you runners or always-thirsty peeps out there. (Note: this is NOT sponsored – it’s just THAT good that I’m dedicating a whole post to it.)

How many packs of LMNT should you drink per day?

It depends on the person, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. LMNT shouldn’t be your sole source of electrolytes each day–clinical data shows that around 5-7g of sodium, 1-3g of potassium, and 250-500mg of magnesium throughout the day is ideal, and it’s great if those are from various sources (ideally from predominantly whole foods). 1-2 packets a day is a good recommendation depending on your activity level. (I have more than that since I have low sodium and also sweat a lot!). (source)

Right now, the FDA recommends that we limit our sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day (for people 14 years and older) to help reduce high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease and deaths.

LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix Flavors

There are a lots of LMNT Recharge flavors:

• Citrus salt
• Orange salt
• Watermelon salt
• Raw unflavored
• Raspberry Salt
• Lemon Habanero
• Mango Chili
• Chocolate Salt –

My favorite flavors are watermelon and raspberry. Citrus is pretty good too. I do not like the spicy ones or the chocolate but I know a lot of people do. You can also try a few different variety packs. They also have limited edition flavors like Grapefruit, but that one sold out very quickly. (I tried it and still like watermelon and raspberry best!)

I did not like the raw unflavored but if you have a different recovery drink you like (perhaps a protein shake or something that has carbs and calories) and want to up the electrolytes in it without impacting the flavor, that could be a good option for you.

And I thought the Chocolate was terrible but someone told me they put it in their coffee. I haven’t gotten brave enough to try that yet!

Ingredients

Each flavor has one or two different ingredients (the watermelon flavor has Malic Acid and the orange flavor uses Citric Acid, for example). Here’s the general breakdown for the Citrus Salt packet. Each packet has the perfect balance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

• Salt (Sodium Chloride)
• Citric Acid
• Magnesium Malate
• Potassium Chloride
• Natural Flavors
• Stevia Leaf Extract

Pricing / Packages

One time purchase

The most basic way to purchase LMNT is buy ordering boxes one-off. A box of LMNT comes with 30 packets, and it costs $45 per box, which breaks down to $1.5o per packet.

This is a great way to try LMNT the first time to make sure you like it (although, I know you will).

Subscribe and save

The other option is to set up your LMNT as a subscription and save money. When you subscribe, each box is $39, making each packet $1.30. Since I use 3-5 packets a day, this is by FAR the most economical option for me.

Free sample pack

After ordering LMNT a few times, I reached out to them to see if they’d be willing to offer a promo to my readers. They were SUPER generous and gave me a link that gets you a FREE sample pack with ANY order. Just use this link! And to top it off, if you end up buying 3 boxes, you’ll also get a 4th for free!

LMNT Electrolytes Pros and Cons

Pros

• Tastes amazing
• Super salty (but can be diluted with more water)
• NO SUGAR! (Great for low carb diets if that’s your jam. It’s NOT my jam.)
• A perfect ratio! Most popular electrolyte drinks contain sugar and unhealthy ingredients, along with low amounts of electrolytes. LMNT has more electrolytes in the ratio that our body needs: 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 60 mg magnesium.
• Keto friendly for those following a keto diet
• Paleo friendly for those following a paleo diet
• Simple ingredients
• Comes in electrolyte powder form instead of a tablet that has to dissolve
• Free shipping
• No-questions-asked return policy
• Can be ordered on Amazon – if you’re running low and want to place a quick order, you can do it with Prime shipping.

Cons

• Pricey. There’s no denying that LMNT is pricey, but it’s worth it. Nuun is about $30 for 30 tablets, which is slightly more affordable than LMNT. And LMNT simply works better!

That’s the only con I can think of!

Are LMNT Electrolytes Effective?

I am the person who is constantly thirsty and no matter how much water I drank, I was still thirsty. LMNT has truly helped quench my thirst and stay hydrated. NOTHING else has worked that well for me, in 20+ years as a runner. So yes, it’s super effective at quenching thirst and balancing my hydration.

I’ve also found that I’m using the restroom less often because all that water I was chugging isn’t just going right through me! The electrolytes in LMNT are helping to keep my hydration levels in balance and actually retaining the right amount of water. My bloodwork with InsideTracker has always shown that I have low sodium and I’ll be really curious to re-test since I’ve added in LMNT.

I really wish that I’d learned about LMNT when I was breastfeeding a lot because I could NOT quench my thirst, EVER.  (If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you may find this article helpful about sodium intake during those times.)

If you have questions, let me know. Or if you’re a fellow LMNT junkie, I’d love to hear your favorite flavor and how you incorporate it.

Get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order you place through this link.