4 Best Unflavored Electrolyte Powders in 2024

Whether you want electrolytes for endurance performance or everyday gym use, you may not want the additional flavors these supplements usually have. In this article, we’ll be covering the best unflavored electrolyte powders so you can get all the benefits of these supplements without any additional flavors.

Top 4 Best Unflavored Electrolyte Powders Reviewed

1. REDMOND Re-Lyte – Top-Pick
2. HRDWRK Electrolytes Powder – Best Value for Money
3. LMNT Electrolyte Powder
4. Controlled Labs GlycerGrow 2 – Best for Average Fitness Enthusiasts

Product	Total	Electrolytes per Serving	Taste	Label Transparency	Price / Quality
REDMOND	38.5	10	9	9.5	10
HRDWRK	38	10	8.5	9.5	10
LMNT	37	10	8.5	9.5	9
Controlled Labs	36	8.5	8.5	9.5	9.5

The first flavorless hydration powder on our list and the best overall pick is Redmond’s Re-Lyte supplement. We’ve chosen this supplement as our top pick for its especially high electrolyte content.

Each serving has 1000mg of Sodium, 500mg of Potassium, 60mg of Magnesium, and 1585mg of Chloride. The high sodium content of this supplement makes it ideal for athletes with long training sessions who lose large amounts of sweat.

It’s worth noting that such high salt content can make this supplement somewhat unpalatable, especially considering the unflavored option. To remedy this, consider using less powder if you’re not an endurance athlete, or mixing with carbohydrate powder to mask the taste!

While the 6 other flavors offered by Redmond have a slightly more complex formula including coconut water powder, their unflavored option is made up of sea salt, additional electrolytes, and nothing else. This is ideal if you want as simple of a formula as possible.

Although this is a high-quality, all-natural supplement, it should be noted that it isn’t the cheapest option on our list either. You can expect to pay ~$0.59 for each serving of Redmond, which in our opinion, is still well worth the money.

The runner-up on our list of tasteless electrolyte powders, and the product with the best value for money is HRDWRK electrolyte powder. Let’s see how this stacks up compared to Redmond’s Re-Lyte.

For total electrolyte content, there’s 650mg of Sodium, 150mg of Magnesium, and 300mg of Potassium. Although this has less total electrolyte content than our top pick, this may be more ideal for casual athletes who don’t need especially high sodium content to rehydrate.

It’s worth noting that the sodium here is coming from sodium chloride, bicarbonate, citrate. It’s unclear how much chloride you’re getting, but the addition of bicarbonate may be beneficial for helping to reduce fatigue.

This supplement also includes a 900mg blend of 7 amino acids. These include potentially beneficial compounds like Glutamine and Alanine, although it’s unlikely that any of these are dosed high enough to be effective or affect performance in any way. Citrulline Malate is also listed in the additional ingredients, although it’s not clear how much is here.

On top of the unflavored option, HRDWRK also comes in 3 different options if you ever want to try flavored electrolytes. The unflavored variety has a fairly simple formula, only containing some citric acid and malic acid as additional ingredients. It’s also worth noting that this is the cheapest supplement on our list, offering excellent value for money at only ~$0.27 per serving.

Next on our list is LMNT electrolyte powder, which is the first product on our list to only come in sticks, making it ideal for taking on the go. Just keep in mind that this is the most expensive product on our list as a result.

For electrolyte content, you’re getting 1000mg of Sodium, 200mg of Potassium, and 60mg of Magnesium. This is a solid amount of Sodium for endurance athletes, and the lower Potassium and magnesium content isn’t too bad for mimicking the electrolyte breakdown of sweat.

As a quick side note, the label says the sodium is from sodium chloride, although the chloride is not directly labeled in this supplement. Sodium Chloride is typically 40% sodium and 60% chloride, so we can assume there’s about 1500mg of chloride per serving.

As mentioned, this product does only come in sticks. Although this makes it great for taking on the go, it does lead to a more expensive overall product. If you like mixing your electrolytes on the go, then this may be ideal, but otherwise, a tub of powder will work just as well for most people. One downside to this design is that splitting servings into 2 will be difficult.

There’s a solid 7 total flavors on top of the unflavored option. Similar to the top 2 products on our list, it’s made with a very simple formula made up entirely of electrolytes. Of course, as mentioned, it is by far the most expensive product on our list at ~$1.50 per serving.

Closing off our list is Controlled Labs GlycerGrow 2. As we’ll cover more in-depth later on, most average fitness enthusiasts don’t necessarily need an electrolyte supplement. However, a supplement like GlycerGrow will be ideal for most average gym goers if they still want electrolytes. Let’s see why.

This easily has the lowest electrolyte content on our list so far with only 163mg of Sodium and 70mg of Potassium. While this low electrolyte content won’t be great for endurance athletes, it will be adequate for lifters who aren’t losing too much sweat in a given workout.

Similar to LMNT, the label says the sodium is from sodium chloride, although the amount of chloride isn’t listed. Following the same formula, assuming Sodium Chloride is 40% sodium and 60% chloride, we can assume there’s about 245mg of chloride in each serving.

Another benefit for average fitness enthusiasts is Glycerol. This ingredient helps with hydration and water retention, which may improve performance and lead to a fuller appearance.

This is also the only supplement on our list that only comes in unflavored. Like all the other supplements on our list, it’s made with a very simple formula. Finally, as you may expect from the low total electrolyte content, it’s fairly inexpensive at only ~$0.38 per serving.

Why do athletes choose unflavored electrolyte supplements?

While flavored electrolyte supplements are far more popular, someone may be interested in an unflavored supplement instead for a couple of reasons. These include the fear of potential dangers of artificial sweeteners, the potential unpleasant taste from sweeteners, and the desire to only use natural supplements. Let’s take a closer look at these reasons.

1. Avoiding Artificial Sweeteners due to Safety Concerns

While we take the stance that artificial sweeteners aren’t something you should be too concerned about, there are plenty of people who are concerned about the potential dangers of these compounds. Most people’s concerns are related to the unknown effects of long-term consumption of these ingredients.

With many supplements containing these sweeteners, you need to consciously seek out brands that don’t use them, or look for unflavored options if this is what you want. All of the supplements on our list are completely free of all artificial ingredients if you’re concerned.

2. Possible Unpleasant Aftertaste from Sweeteners

Another less serious reason some people may choose unflavored electrolyte supplements is the unpleasant aftertaste associated with artificial sweeteners. It’s worth noting that electrolyte supplements will be rather salty on their own without sweeteners, which is why flavored supplements will typically be more popular.

If an unflavored supplement has too strong of a taste, you could use a smaller serving size, add carbs to mask the taste, or just accept that a salty taste is the price you pay for getting an unflavored supplement!

3. Desire to use only "Natural" Supplements

Similar to the point about artificial sweeteners being harmful, some people avoid these ingredients because of the desire to only consume natural ingredients. Typically, those on vegan, paleo, or other health-conscious diets will be more inclined to choose all-natural supplements.

While there are still some natural supplement ingredients that won’t be great for you, buying from “all-natural” supplement brands is usually a decent way to find quality products. These brands are typically less likely to include unnecessary filler ingredients in their products which only serve to pad their profit margins.

In what Cases Are Electrolyte Supplements Needed?

Overall, electrolyte supplements aren’t necessary for most athletes. However, for endurance athletes, they can be incredibly beneficial, especially during hot and sweaty training sessions lasting longer than 2 hours. While average gym goers may still want to use electrolytes, they will be more beneficial to boost the palatability of water than for any other purpose.

1. Continuous exercises lasting at least 2 hours in hot or humid conditions

First, the hotter it is outside, the more likely you are to lose significant amounts of electrolytes through your sweat. In this case, rehydration with electrolytes can help you maintain a higher level of performance, especially if you’re training for hours at a time.

2. Exercises lasting at least 2 hours with heavy and "salty" sweating

Similar to the point above, even if it’s not hot out you may still notice excessive sweating while you train. Especially if your sweat is noticeably salty, you may be losing more electrolytes than you think. While electrolytes are generally most useful in hot conditions, you may still benefit from them if you have especially heavy and salty sweat.

3. Preparation and competition for ultra-endurance events

One of the main use cases for electrolytes is for ultra-endurance athletes because of something called hyponatraemia, which is when sodium levels are too low in the body. This is caused by athletes consuming excessive amounts of plain water, and flushing electrolytes from their system as a result (lowering the sodium concentration in the blood).

To prevent this, it’s recommended that ultra-endurance athletes consume fluids alongside electrolytes – especially sodium – to avoid overhydration and decreased electrolyte concentrations.

4. Improving Palatability of Plain Water

Finally, the main reason many casual athletes will want an electrolyte supplement is to improve the palatability of regular water to help them drink enough fluids during their workout. While replacing electrolytes isn’t as important for the average gym goer, overall hydration is still very important. So, if an electrolyte supplement helps someone drink more water in total, then its use may be justified.

With that being said, the electrolyte supplements featured on our list may not be best suited to making water more palatable. The salty, no-flavor electrolyte powder covered on this list will likely make water slightly less enjoyable rather than the other way around. If an athlete is using electrolytes to make water more palatable, they’d probably enjoy their beverage more using a flavored supplement.

Luckily, if you’re looking for unflavored electrolytes to avoid artificial ingredients, there are still plenty of all-natural flavored electrolyte supplements out there. Several of the brands featured on our list like Redmond Re-Lyte and LMNT offer high-quality flavored electrolyte supplements, so feel free to shop around!

How to Choose the Best Unflavored Electrolyte Powder?

Before deciding which supplement is right for you, there are a few factors you’ll want to keep in mind. These include sodium content, other ingredients, what you’re using the electrolytes for, and how much they cost. Let’s take a closer look at these factors.

1. Consider the amount of sodium per serving

The main factor you’ll want to consider is total sodium content. While 2 of the options on our list have 1000mg of sodium per serving, keep in mind this high-electrolyte content is only necessary for endurance athletes losing significant amounts of sweat. For many endurance athletes a serving of 500mg of sodium will be sufficient. For more casual athletes, splitting these supplements into multiple servings may be a better option.

It’s worth noting that many people underestimate how much water and electrolytes they lose during training. Consider how much weight you lose after a training session and how salty your sweat is before determining what dose of sodium is best for you.

While we’ll be covering additional electrolytes in more detail below, it’s worth noting that sodium and chloride often come together in these supplements as a compound. This is ideal as sodium and chloride are the electrolytes most heavily present in sweat.

Essentially, finding the proper dose of sodium involves finding the balance between getting enough to help with performance, while not skyrocketing your total sodium consumption throughout the day. It can be tricky to use electrolyte supplements properly, so if you’re a serious athlete, you may want to consider consulting with a sports nutritionist to find what’s right for you.

2. Consider additional electrolytes

While sodium should be your top priority for performance, additional electrolyte content may also be relevant. Other common electrolytes found in supplements include potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and chloride.

Sweat is largely made up of sodium and chloride. These are the 2 main electrolytes lost through sweat, and are typically the 2 most abundant electrolytes in any supplement. Potassium is the 3rd most present electrolyte in sweat, with magnesium and calcium being found in even smaller amounts. So, while you should prioritize sodium and chloride, it’s good to have additional potassium, magnesium, and calcium as well to make sure you’re keeping electrolytes as balanced as possible.

It’s worth noting that those on a keto diet looking to boost their energy levels with electrolytes may want to prioritize magnesium and potassium instead. This is because the limitations of the diet can make it harder to get these electrolytes in through food alone.

3. See the list of "Other ingredients"

Also, always check the other ingredients to make sure you know what you’re consuming. There may be some unexpected unnecessary ingredients present, so be sure to double-check. All the supplements on our list were chosen in part because of their super simple formulas.

It’s worth noting that you may also find some additional beneficial ingredients here. These can include things like coconut water powder, or potentially beneficial active ingredients like Glycerol and Citrulline Malate. By knowing what ingredients you’re looking for in a supplement, you can make a more informed decision about which product is right for you.

4. Consider your Specific Training Task

Also, make sure you understand what you’re planning on using the supplement for. Are you using it for hydration in an ultra-endurance event? Are you following a keto diet and using it to keep your electrolytes balanced? Are you just looking for a flavor enhancer for your water?

By having a reason behind your use of electrolytes, you can find a product that’s perfect for you. For ultra-endurance athletes, you’ll want to prioritize high sodium. For keto athletes, think about extra magnesium and potassium, as you’re more likely to be deficient in these electrolytes. If you just want a flavor enhancer, consider going for a flavored supplement for a more pleasant taste.

5. Consider Value for Money

Finally, you’ll want to be sure you’re getting adequate value for your money when buying any supplement. Compare total electrolyte content and additional ingredients with the price per serving to see how much value you’re getting from a specific supplement.

You will also want to consider whether the product coming in individually-packed single servings like LMNT’s product is worth significantly more for you.

In all honesty, for most non-endurance athletes, your money will be better spent on something like a pre-workout supplement. These will provide you with more stimulation and ergogenic effects, as well as not boosting your daily sodium intake.

Keep in mind Sodium Intake Recommendations for the Average Healthy Person

Remember that the average person already gets more than enough sodium in their diet on an average day. For most people, an electrolyte supplement will give them an unnecessary amount of extra sodium.

Adequate sodium intake is necessary for maintaining proper fluid balances in the body and ensuring proper hydration which plays a huge role in maintaining performance. We also lose sodium when we sweat, which is why it’s important for endurance athletes specifically to consider adding in extra sodium to their diet through electrolyte supplements.

It’s worth noting that the limit for daily sodium intake may be higher than you assume, especially for athletes losing significant amounts of sodium through their sweat. This is why these supplements tend to have such high sodium contents.

In the case of endurance athletes, these supplements are necessary for maintaining proper hydration and performance. However, if you’re not sweating excessively, you’ll just be taking in a high amount of sodium for no real reason.

For this reason, if you’re not an endurance athlete, we don’t recommend the use of high-sodium electrolyte supplements. You may be better off using a lower sodium product like Controlled Labs GlycerGrow instead to limit your total sodium intake.

However, most regular athletes will be better served by something like a pre-workout with active ingredients, which will produce a more noticeable effect on your performance in the gym than an electrolyte supplement.

Conclusion

Especially if you’re an endurance athlete, electrolyte supplements can be very beneficial for staying hydrated and boosting performance. While they typically come with sweeteners and flavoring, you can find unflavored hydration powder if you prefer all-natural supplements. Keep in mind that the salty flavor of unflavored electrolytes may be unpleasant!
For a high-quality flavorless electrolyte powder, check out the top spot on our list REDMOND Re-Lyte.

Have you ever tried any flavorless electrolyte drinks? Are you looking to use these supplements for endurance training, or something else? Let us know in the comments below!

Also read:

• Best Electrolyte Drink for Leg Cramps
• Best Electrolyte Drink for Runners
• Best Keto Electrolyte Powder
• Difference Between Bcaa and Eaa
• Bcaa vs Glutamine
• Beta Alanine vs Bcaa
• Natural Electrolytes
• Fruits With Electrolytes
• Best Keto Electrolyte Powder
• Best Sports Drinks

References:

1. Lauren Nicole Wethington, "The Ergogenic Effects of Acute Citrulline Malate Supplementation on Weightlifting P eightlifting Performance in T formance in Trained F ained Females" ScholarWorks, https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1024&context=hhpruht, 5-2016
2. J Hum Kinet, "The Effect of Glycerol Supplements on Aerobic and Anaerobic Performance of Athletes and Sedentary Subjects" NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3590833/, 34: 69–79.
3. "Low-Calorie Sweeteners" HSPH, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/artificial-sweeteners/
4. Nicholas B. Tiller, "International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand" BMC, https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-019-0312-9 (Published: 07 November 2019)
5. Taylor Sherman, "WHAT’S IN YOUR SWEAT?" Sportsrd, https://www.sportsrd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Whats-In-Your-Sweat.pdf