Summer IS around the corner. Whether the season finds you traveling the world sweating it out in a new bikini or hustling through important projects at home with an iced latte — we’re certain that warm temps, time in the sun, and all that sweat can lead to dehydration.
Most wellness devotees are well aware of this and boost their water intake like crazy throughout the summer. But what most of us don’t realize is that staying deeply hydrated (for energy, glowing skin and overall health) can’t happen with water alone.
Hydration requires electrolyte balance — and that means consuming plenty of salt.
Salt is the last thing most of us think of when it comes to staying hydrated, right? But we’ve been diving deep into the science behind salt and hydration since meeting the team at LMNT, including biochemist and Navy SEAL resiliency committee member, Robb Wolf. Now, every team members’ beach bag, hiking hip pack and carry-on is strewn with their electrolyte stick packs and we can’t live without them. The feeling of hydrating with LMNT is like finally scratching an itch you just couldn’t reach.
LMNT co-founder Robb Wolf has completely changed our perspective on hydration — and we thought we knew it all. We’ve been giving our friends and family an earful on the topic lately, and while we’re sure our hot takes on nutrition are as annoying as ever, we nonetheless have everyone hooked on drinking water with LMNT! Our friends travel with it, our dads camp with it, and our husbands use it as the ultimate hangover cure to avoid dehydration.
You can eat clean and workout like a champ, but if you’re not fundamentally hydrated you could be missing a crucial piece of the puzzle for your overall wellness! Here is some of the science on salt, electrolytes and hydration…
+ Since the 1940s, we’ve been told to drink 8 glasses of water a day, thirsty or not. But both water and sodium need to be replaced when we sweat to prevent muscle cramps, headaches, and energy dips. Low-sodium symptoms actually mimic dehydration symptoms, so people often get confused and drink more water.
+ After decades of misinformed guidance, a growing body of scientific literature is revealing that low sodium levels may indeed be harmful to health. In fact, optimal health outcomes are seen at sodium levels 2-3x higher than current recommendations from the medical establishment.
+ Electrolytes are charged minerals that regulate hydration by balancing fluids inside and outside your cells. Proper hydration means having fluid balance throughout the body. That depends on many factors, including the intake and excretion of electrolytes.
+ Surprisingly, many people tend not to get enough of these mineral like sodium, potassium, and magnesium in their diets. Preventing these shortfalls prevents muscle cramps, fatigue, and a range of other symptoms. LMNT contains 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium and no sugar (explore the science on that ratio here).
+ Almost all hydration pack brands contain a lot of sugar and are woefully lacking in sodium.The average American already consumes over 60 pounds of sugar per year. Electrolytes and water do not require glucose to pass through the gut (read more on that here).
But Isn’t Salt Bad For Us? The government recommends consuming less than 2.3 grams of sodium per day, ostensibly for heart health. But a 2011 JAMA study found that 5 grams per day was the sweet spot for heart health outcomes.
Too often, we restrict sodium at the price of our health, says Robb Wolf:
“According to the U.S. government, a low-salt diet would reduce our collective risk of heart disease and save hundreds of thousands of lives. The truth is that we have massive population studies (e.g., The Intersalt Study) that show — across 48 global populations — dietary salt intake didn’t predict the prevalence of high blood pressure.
To give credit where due, the FDA dietary guidelines often uses the language speaking of limiting “sodium containing foods” which are primarily ultra-processed foods (the leading carrier of sodium in today’s western diet). According to the FDA, over 70% of sodium in American diets come from packaged and processed foods. The literature does support the removal of processed foods, but does not support throwing out the sodium.”
Unlike every other hydration powder we’ve tried, LMNT doesn’t contain any sugar — just sodium, potassium and magnesium — and the brand has turned us into electrolyte-loving freaks.
You can grab a free sample pack with any LMNT Drink Mix purchase, That’s 8 single serving packets free with any LMNT order. This is a great way to try all 8 flavors or split an order with friends and fam. (LMNT offers no questions asked refunds!) Use our exclusive link to shop and the sample pack will be automatically added to your cart.