LMNT contains 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium; The flavored versions additionally contain stevia, natural flavors, and cocoa (cocoa is in the chocolate varieties only).
Multiple flavors are available:
| Flavor | Chocolate, Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Medley (Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Chai, & Chocolate Raspberry), Citrus, Grapefruit, Raspberry, Raw Unflavored |
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Sodium in LMNT
Each stick pack of LMNT contains 1,000 mg of sodium. Sodium is an essential mineral—the stuff of life—and most folks need more than they think. There are several reasons for this:
- To replace heavy sodium losses through sweat. Athletes lose up to 7 grams of sodium per day in hot climates. We’ve talked to trainers of professional athletes and they often log up to a 10-gram sodium loss in a hard practice or game.
- To increase sodium intake on diets lacking in—or which cause the rapid loss of—sodium. This includes:
- Low-carb and ketogenic diets: A low-carb diet keeps insulin low, which consequently makes your kidneys excrete sodium at an increased rate.
- Paleo and whole foods diets: Processed foods contribute ~70% of sodium intake for people in the US.
- Fasting: Just like low-carb diets, fasting minimizes insulin (increasing sodium excretion) and decreases sodium intake via food (during the fasting period).
- To help people reach a baseline of 4–6 grams of daily sodium for optimal health.
Athletes and folks on low-carb diets may need more sodium, but isn’t salt bad for your heart? The truth is, that’s not nearly as cut and dry as it’s been made out to be. Our 4–6 gram target comes from a 2011 JAMA study which found that 4–6 grams of sodium per day was the sweet spot for minimizing heart attack and stroke risk. To be clear, that’s a starting point. Folks with any of the aforementioned diet and lifestyle factors often need more.
Potassium in LMNT
Each stick pack of LMNT contains 200 mg of potassium, which is ⅕ of LMNT’s sodium content (1 gram). This 5:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio is important – let’s geek out on why now.
The sodium-potassium pump is a life-sustaining protein pump in our neurons’ cell membranes. For every 3 sodium ions it releases, it takes in 2 potassium ions—a process which enables everything from muscle contraction to neuronal firing. To help our pump function optimally, our total sodium and potassium intake should reflect this 3:2 ratio.
Because athletes, low-carbers, and intermittent fasters alike incur greater sodium losses, and because minimally processed foods are naturally low in sodium, sodium tends to be the bigger issue. To account for this, LMNT was intentionally formulated with a 5:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio. It puts us in a better position to hit the 3:2 sodium-potassium pump ratio.
While we could have put more potassium in LMNT, we find it’s ideal to consume potassium mostly through diet. Yes, diets low in carbs are often low in potassium-rich foods like fruit and potatoes, and more potassium is lost through urine on keto. But eating plenty of foods like meat, avocados, spinach, etc. should get even ketogenic dieters most of the way to the sodium-potassium pump ratio (3:2).
Potassium is also an issue for people eating a plant-poor Standard American Diet (SAD). The SAD is why only 3% of Americans reach the Institute of Medicine’s target of 4.7 grams of potassium per day. This target was set in 2005 based on evidence that potassium can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of kidney stones. The evidence is strong, especially for potassium reducing blood pressure.
4.7 grams is a great target to shoot for, but it’s a difficult target for low-carb folks to achieve. We recommend getting between 3.5–5 grams of potassium per day based on the published evidence. When establishing your personal goal, keep in mind factors like your size, sodium intake, activity level, and whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. These and other diet & lifestyle factors all affect your potassium needs.
Magnesium in LMNT
Each stick pack of LMNT contains 60 mg magnesium.
Magnesium is a crucial mineral. It aids in energy production, DNA repair, muscle synthesis, restful sleep, and many other things we care about, yet up to 30% of the population may be deficient in magnesium. This is likely why we see positive effects from magnesium supplementation on sleep, strength, anxiety, and depression.
Anthropological evidence suggests that our ancestors consumed about 600 mg of magnesium per day. Between 400–600 mg seems to be a reasonable target for optimal health, and there’s no downside to shooting for the upper end of that range. Try to get there with magnesium-rich whole foods first, then supplement your shortfall.
