LMNT vs Liquid IV: Which One Is Better?

Most athletes and health-conscious people know how important it is to stay hydrated throughout the day, especially during a workout. But sometimes, they miss out on an important piece of the hydration puzzle: electrolytes. Electrolytes are some of the most essential minerals in your body, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. When you partake in intense exercise, especially if there’s heat and humidity involved, you end up losing a bunch of electrolytes through your sweat.

As someone who sweats a lot (even in an air-conditioned gym) and climbs for 2 hours 3x a week, I wanted to try adding in some electrolytes this summer. And so, I tried drinking both LMNT and Liquid IV before my workouts to see if I noticed a difference in how I felt. In this article, I’m going to break down my experience with both brands, how they differ, and which one I think is better. But first: let’s take a brief look at electrolytes and learn why they’re so important.

Why do you need electrolytes?

Making sure you have the right balance of electrolytes in your system is essential for your body to function at its best. They keep your cells and tissues hydrated, and allow your nerves to communicate with each other through electrical impulses. In addition, electrolytes help to transport nutrients into your cells, and remove any waste out of your cells. And, perhaps most importantly, electrolytes regulate your heart’s rhythm and electrical stability.

When it comes to athletic performance, electrolytes are a big part of making sure your body functions properly during a workout. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium in particular help your muscles to contract and relax. The correct balance of electrolytes also helps your coordination and reflexes and ensures your body responds to your brain’s signals. And as for recovery, magnesium has been shown to calm the nervous system and improve sleep quality.

How do I know if my electrolytes are low?

The most accurate way to measure your electrolyte levels is through blood or urine testing. However, there are several signs that can help you tell if your electrolytes are low without having to visit a doctor. You will start to feel extremely thirsty and parched, both of which are an indication of dehydration and low sodium levels. You will also begin to experience fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and/or headaches.

Extremely low electrolytes can also cause gastrointestinal issues like nausea and vomiting, along with confusion or mental fog. In addition, your heart will start beating irregularly, and you may experience palpitations. Consuming an electrolyte drink can help with many of these symptoms, but if you find yourself feeling any of them regularly, you may have a more permanent electrolyte imbalance going on. In that case, it’s a good idea to consult with a medical professional.

Should I drink electrolytes?

Not everyone needs to drink electrolytes. In fact, drinking too much can cause health issues, so it’s best to assess your individual situation. If your workouts are short, easy, and don’t cause you to sweat very much, or you usually exercise in cold temperatures, chances are you probably don’t need to drink electrolytes. However, it’s a good bet that if you’re exercising in a hot and humid environment for a long period of time, you will eventually sweat out a lot of the minerals that keep your body in balance. Electrolytes can be good to take in non-exercise situations, too: after a cold or flu, to help with a hangover, when you’re on a low-carb diet, or while you’re traveling.

ELECTROLYTE DRINK SHOWDOWN: LMNT VS LIQUID IV

Now that we know the basics about electrolytes, let’s move onto my review of LMNT and Liquid IV. I wanted to evaluate which one tasted better and had better nutritional content, as well as get a clear picture of how the two brands affected my performance levels and recovery. I started off by drinking LMNT 3x a week before my workouts for 1 month, then switched to Liquid IV for the next month. Here are my findings and experiences with both brands:

Nutritional Content

LMNT
Along with 200mg of potassium and 60mg of magnesium, LMNT contains a whopping 1000mg of sodium. That may seem like overkill, but when we take into consideration the fact that the average person can lose 500-1500mg of sodium during a 1-hour workout, it actually seems reasonable. In addition to the mineral content, LMNT has 1 carb and a total of 5 calories, making it a great option for someone who is cutting calories or on the keto diet. Other than electrolytes, LMNT is made up of cocoa powder, natural flavors, and stevia leaf extract.

Liquid IV
The first thing I noticed about the nutritional content of Liquid IV was that each packet contains 11g of sugar. That may not seem like much compared to soda or juice, which can have 20-40g per serving. But, as someone who has blood sugar issues, I had to be extra careful during the days I drank Liquid IV so as not to go over my daily sugar allotment. Due to the added sugar, Liquid IV contains 45 calories and 12 carbs per packet. It has quite a few more ingredients than LMNT, including cane sugar, dextrose, citric acid, salt, and silicon dioxide. It also has about half the sodium of LMNT (510mg), 380mg of potassium, and a good amount of calcium and B vitamins.

Winner: LMNT.

Taste

LMNT
I’m a huge chocolate lover, and was looking forward to trying the Chocolate Medley packets from LMNT. I was a bit nervous about the taste though, due to how much salt was in each packet, but my worries were laid to rest the moment I took my first sip. It was absolutely delicious, reminding me of hot chocolate or coffee, and giving me a cozy, comforting feeling.

The Chocolate Mint flavor was my favorite, followed closely by Chocolate Chai. I didn’t like Chocolate Raspberry as much, since it had more of a chemical/manufactured taste to it, but it was still pretty good. Unfortunately, you can only buy these flavors within the variety pack, but they do sell Chocolate Caramel and Chocolate Salt individually, which I’m guessing would taste just as good. Texture is a big part of taste for me, and I’m happy to report that the powder mixed very well with hot water. There was no graininess or bitterness, and only a few remnants at the bottom of my mug that can sometimes occur with powdered drinks.

Liquid IV
The Liquid IV variety pack I chose came with Strawberry, Passion Fruit, Tropical Punch, and Lemon Lime. I’ll admit, I’m not a big fan of fruit-flavored drinks, but these were pretty good. They tasted like a cross between fruit juice and crystal light lemonade, although more sweet than tart.

Strawberry was by far the best of the bunch while Passion Fruit and Tropical Punch were just ok. Lemon Lime was the worst flavor by far, so I only drank that one once and then cycled between the other three. As with LMNT, the powder mixed well into water with no grittiness or clumps.

Winner: LMNT

Performance Improvement

LMNT
In all honesty, I didn’t experience any significant performance improvements during the month I was drinking LMNT. It felt about the same as when I work out without electrolytes. I will say that I felt less thirsty, and reached for my water bottle less often, but that was the only difference I noticed. I did try drinking LMNT halfway through my workout for a few days to see if it made any difference, but my performance remained the same.

Liquid IV
I did receive a bit of an increase in performance from Liquid IV, although I’m guessing that was an energy spike from the added sugar. Still, I was surprised by the additional amount of energy I experienced during my workouts. I was able to climb longer than usual, and easily topped several powerful boulder problems that had tired me out before. I have to admit, although I wasn’t stoked about the energy source, I quite enjoyed the extra boost on the days when I drank Liquid IV.

Winner: Liquid IV

Recovery

LMNT
During my month of drinking LMNT before my workouts, I did notice that I felt less sore the next day after an intense climbing session. Usually, my lats, shoulders, and forearms are a bit tender the day after climbing, especially if I add in a set of negative pull-ups afterwards. But with LMNT in my system, my body actually felt really good the following day. I also didn’t feel as fatigued after exercising like I usually do.

Liquid IV
As with LMNT, I noticed a lack of soreness after my workouts when drinking Liquid IV, as well as less fatigue and pain the next day. Based on this experience, I would say that both electrolyte drinks are pretty equal when it comes to recovery.

Winner: Tie

Which one is better, LMNT or Liquid IV?

And the winner is…

…LMNT! Overall, I found LMNT’s taste to be better and preferred its lower calories and higher sodium content, which is the main electrolyte we lose when we sweat. I also prefer hot drinks to cold drinks, even during summer. While I did enjoy the boost of energy that Liquid IV gave me for my workouts, I personally don’t like consuming that much sugar in one drink. Liquid IV also contains additional vitamins that I don’t need, since I get them from other sources.

In all honesty, I enjoyed both brands, and deciding between them really comes down to your own personal discretion. If you’re a fan of hot cocoa or coffee, don’t want to consume too much sugar, and do well with extra sodium, then LMNT will be great for you. If you’re more of a juice person, need extra sugar/carbs for energy, and want to get in some B & C vitamins, then Liquid IV is a good choice.