Liquid IV vs. Body Armor: I Tried Both (Who Wins In 2026?)
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I never thought I'd become the person comparing hydration drinks at 6 AM before a run, but here we are.
Last summer, after nearly passing out during a particularly brutal trail run, I started taking electrolyte supplements seriously.
That's when I fell down the rabbit hole of Liquid IV versus Body Armor, two brands that dominate the hydration game but couldn't be more different.
Quick Verdict
Liquid IV delivers 500mg sodium, barely half of what you lose per hour during intense training, plus 11g of unnecessary sugar that kills it for keto dieters and anyone watching macros.
Body Armor is even worse: a laughable 30mg sodium (you'd need 20+ bottles for adequate replacement) wrapped in 21-28g of sugar per bottle.
Both products prioritize taste and marketing over actual performance.
If you're training seriously, there's only one choice. Bubs Naturals Hydrate or Die delivers 2,000mg of complete electrolytes – 670mg sodium, 243mg potassium, 1,030mg chloride, 62mg magnesium, and 5mg calcium.
That's clinical-dose replacement based on actual sweat loss research, not guesswork.
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What Is Liquid IV?
Liquid IV is essentially a powdered electrolyte mix that claims to deliver hydration 2-3x faster than water alone.
It comes in those little stick packs that I've definitely found scattered in every gym bag, car cupholder, and jacket pocket I own.
The science behind it is something called Cellular Transport Technology (CTT), which sounds fancy but basically means they've optimized the ratio of sodium, glucose, and potassium to help water absorb faster into your bloodstream.
Think of it as a VIP fast pass for hydration, your cells literally pull water in more efficiently.
What struck me first about Liquid IV wasn't the science though, it was watching my CrossFit coach dump two packets into his water bottle after particularly nasty WODs.
If someone who regularly makes grown adults cry during workouts swears by something, you pay attention.
You can read my Liquid IV review for my experience taking this electrolyte supplement.
Pros
- Extremely durable stick packs that survive accidental washing and rough handling
- Portable and convenient – easy to keep in desk drawers, hiking packs, and sports bags
- Fast-acting hydration relief within 15-20 minutes, especially effective for hangovers
- Flavors like Passion Fruit taste genuinely good, not medicinal
- NSF Certified for Sport with legitimate third-party testing for quality assurance
- Donation program (47+ million servings donated globally) adds feel-good factor
Cons
- 11g sugar per serving (nearly 3 teaspoons) – problematic for multiple daily servings
- High sodium content (500mg) creates ocean-water taste if not properly diluted
- Expensive at $1.50+ per serving – monthly costs rival streaming subscriptions
- Sugar content makes it unsuitable for keto, low-carb, or diabetic users
- Still provides only half the sodium needed for serious athletes losing 1,000mg+ per hour during intense training
What Is Body Armor?
Body Armor is the ready-to-drink sports beverage that's been slowly taking over the cooler space at every gas station and gym.
Unlike Liquid IV's powder packets, Body Armor comes pre-mixed in bottles, positioning itself as the "healthier" alternative to traditional sports drinks.
Kobe Bryant was an early investor (may he rest in peace), and honestly, that endorsement carried weight.
The brand markets itself as having no artificial colors or sweeteners, using coconut water as a base, and packing in vitamins and antioxidants alongside electrolytes.
My introduction to Body Armor was less strategic, I grabbed one at a convenience store during a road trip because the Strawberry Banana flavor looked refreshing and I was tired of water. Four hours and two more bottles later, I was hooked.
Pros
- Excellent taste that doesn't have an overly "healthy" flavor (Tropical Punch is genuinely enjoyable)
- Coconut water base provides natural potassium (700mg per serving)
- Includes vitamins A, C, E, and B vitamins without metallic aftertaste
- Ready-to-drink format requires no mixing, measuring, or dealing with gritty residue
- Lower sodium content (30mg) makes it more palatable for casual, all-day hydration
- Convenient grab-and-go option for busy mornings
Cons
- High sugar content (21-28g per bottle) – exceeds a Snickers bar despite being cane sugar
- Ready-to-drink bottles create significant plastic waste even when recyclable
- Expensive at $2-3 per 16oz bottle – higher cost per ounce than powder alternatives
- No third-party testing or certification available
- Low sodium (30mg) completely inadequate for serious athletes or post-workout recovery
- Sugar content makes it unsuitable for keto, low-carb diets, or blood glucose management
Liquid IV vs Body Armor Main Differences
Sugar Content
Liquid IV: 11g per serving
Body Armor: 21-28g for regular, 2g for Lyte version
Here's the thing, Liquid IV's sugar is functional. It's specifically calibrated for optimal hydration through their CTT system. Body Armor's sugar?
It's mainly for taste. When I switched to Body Armor Lyte to cut sugar, the coconut water aftertaste became way more prominent. Not bad, just... coconutty.
Sodium & Potassium Content
Liquid IV: 500mg sodium, 370mg potassium
Body Armor: 30mg sodium, 700mg potassium
This is where your use case matters. After my long runs (talking 10+ miles in Texas heat), Liquid IV's sodium hit exactly what I needed.
I could literally feel my body thanking me. Body Armor after those same runs? Didn't quite cut it. But for daily hydration or lighter workouts, Body Armor's lower sodium was perfect.
Other Electrolytes
Liquid IV keeps it simple with their core three (sodium, potassium, glucose) plus vitamin C, B3, B5, B6, and B12.
Body Armor goes bigger with calcium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E, and a full B-complex. On paper, Body Armor wins. In practice? I couldn't tell a massive difference.
Taste
Subjective, but important. Liquid IV mixed properly (16oz minimum) tastes like slightly salty fruit juice.
The Açaí Berry is my favorite, tart enough to be interesting. Body Armor tastes like actual juice. My kids will steal Body Armor. They won't touch Liquid IV.
Convenience
Liquid IV in my carry-on has saved me from countless dehydration headaches during flights.
Try bringing Body Armor through TSA. The powder packets win for portability, but Body Armor wins for grab-and-go convenience.
Third Party Testing
Liquid IV has NSF Certified for Sport certification. Body Armor doesn't advertise any third-party testing. For professional athletes or anyone subject to testing, this matters.
Best For
Liquid IV: Serious athletes, heavy sweaters, hangover recovery, travel hydration
Body Armor: Casual exercise, daily hydration, people who hate mixing drinks, anyone avoiding high sodium
Price
- Bulk buying Liquid IV: ~$1.50 per serving
- Body Armor at retail: ~$2.50 per 16oz bottle
- Body Armor in bulk: ~$1.75 per bottle
- Liquid IV is slightly cheaper, but not by much.
Main Drawbacks
Liquid IV's main issue? That sodium content can be overwhelming if you're not actively sweating. I made the mistake of drinking two servings on a rest day and felt bloated for hours.
Body Armor's Achilles heel is the sugar content in their regular line. The Lyte version fixes this but sacrifices some taste. Also, the lack of sodium means it's not ideal for serious endurance activities.
My Experience Taking Liquid IV & Body Armor
Week one with Liquid IV, I overdid it. Three servings a day because I figured more hydration equals better, right?
Wrong. I felt like a water balloon and my sodium intake was through the roof. Lesson learned, one serving post-workout, maybe two on brutal training days.
The real test came during a half-marathon in August. Temperature: 89 degrees at 7 AM (thanks, Texas). I'd been using Liquid IV for three weeks prior.
During the race, I alternated between water and Liquid IV at aid stations. Finished strong, no cramping, recovery was surprisingly quick.
The next weekend, I tried the same race strategy with Body Armor. Mile 10, my calves started threatening to cramp. Had to slow down significantly.
But here's where Body Armor shined, daily hydration. Those afternoons when I'd normally reach for coffee #3, Body Armor gave me the pick-me-up without the crash.
The vitamins maybe contributed? Placebo effect? Don't care, it worked.
My wife started stealing my Body Armor for her morning yoga classes. She tried Liquid IV once, said it tasted like "salty sadness" and never touched it again. Fair point, if you're not depleting serious electrolytes, Liquid IV can be overkill.
The unexpected winner? Mixing strategies. Liquid IV for serious training days and recovery. Body Armor Lyte for daily hydration and lighter workouts.
My performance improved, energy stabilized, and those 3 PM crashes disappeared.
One weird observation, Liquid IV absolutely saved me during a stomach bug. When I couldn't keep food down, small sips of Liquid IV stayed down and kept me functional.
Body Armor was too sweet and made nausea worse. Now I keep Liquid IV in my medicine cabinet specifically for sick days.
Should You Take Liquid IV Or Body Armor
Here's what neither product can deliver: clinical-dose electrolytes that match what serious athletes actually lose during training.
Liquid IV's 500mg sodium? That's half of what you lose per hour during intense exercise. Body Armor's 30mg sodium?
That's a joke – you'd need to drink 20+ bottles to replace what you lose in a single hard training session. And both are loaded with sugar that's completely unnecessary for proper hydration.
If you're training hard – endurance running, CrossFit, cycling, strength training in heat – there's only one real option.
Bubs Naturals Hydrate or Die delivers 2,000mg of complete electrolytes per serving: 670mg sodium, 243mg potassium, 1,030mg chloride, 62mg magnesium, and 5mg calcium.
That's clinical-dose replacement based on actual sweat loss research, not marketing hype.
Zero sugar means keto athletes, intermittent fasters, and anyone watching macros can hydrate properly without compromising their nutrition.
NSF Certified for Sport means competitive athletes avoid testing positive for banned substances.
Natural sourcing – Pacific Ocean sea salt, coconut water powder, bioavailable magnesium glycinate – beats both Liquid IV's glucose-heavy formula and Body Armor's sugar-bomb approach.
At $1.89 per serving, Bubs costs similar to Liquid IV and less than Body Armor when you account for how many bottles you'd need for adequate replacement.
But you're getting five complete electrolytes at doses that actually work – not partial solutions that leave you under-hydrated and over-sugared.