Independent supplement ratingsUS and Canada · Updated weekly
A ratings desk for a category that has spent thirty years grading its own homework.
A ratings desk for a category that has spent thirty years grading its own homework.
Powder stick · 16 servings
500mg sodium / 500–1,000mg range
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The one you've seen everywhere, and the one the sugar drags down. Liquid I.V. delivers a respectable 500 mg of sodium, but it comes packaged with around 11 g of added sugar per stick — calories and carbs many buyers don't realise they're signing up for. It's widely available and tastes good, which is most of why it sells; on our scale the sugar load is the problem.
500 mg sodium is a genuine, useful amount — but it rides on roughly 11 g of added sugar, which the marketing doesn't put up front. If you want the sodium without the sugar you can get it cheaper and cleaner elsewhere; here you're partly paying for availability and flavour.
Fine as an occasional grab-and-go from any shop, or when you actually want the carbs during endurance work. For daily use, the added sugar makes a sugar-free option the smarter pick.
Reviewed and fact-checked by the NFS editorial team · Last updated 12 Jul 2026