LMNT vs. Nuun: My Experience Trying Both (Who Wins?)

I'll never forget the moment I realized I'd been doing hydration completely wrong.

There I was, cramping up during a morning run even though drinking what felt like gallons of water, when my running buddy pulled out a packet of electrolytes and said, "You're just diluting yourself, man." 

That conversation sent me down a rabbit hole that eventually led to me testing LMNT and Nuun side by side for six months straight.

Winner

LMNT delivers serious sodium (1,000mg) for intense athletes but costs $1.50 per serving and causes puffiness on rest days when you don't need that much.

Nuun offers affordable versatility at $0.50-0.75 per tablet but packs inadequate electrolytes (300mg sodium) that leave serious athletes doubled up on tablets, destroying the cost advantage. 

Bubs Naturals Hydrate or Die eliminates this false dilemma entirely. With 2,000mg of complete electrolytes, you get more comprehensive mineral coverage than either competitor.

Adequate sodium for heavy sweaters without LMNT's bloat-inducing excess, plus superior magnesium and potassium that Nuun's moderate formula can't match.

At $1.89 per serving, it costs slightly more than LMNT but delivers a single formula that handles intense workouts, casual hydration, and everything between without forcing you to keep two products stocked.

The smart glucose inclusion provides absorption benefits, natural flavoring eliminates stevia aftertaste concerns, and NSF Certification for Sport with made-in-USA quality meets the standards serious athletes demand. 

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What Is LMNT?

LMNT (pronounced "element") is the electrolyte drink that made me question everything I thought I knew about sports drinks.

Created by Robb Wolf and the team at Ketogains, it's essentially the anti-Gatorade, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, just a massive hit of sodium that would make your doctor's eyebrows shoot up.

The first time I mixed up a packet, I thought I'd made a mistake. One thousand milligrams of sodium?

That's nearly half the FDA's daily recommendation in a single drink. After diving into the research they cite (and pestering my sports nutritionist friend with endless questions), I learned that active people, especially those on low-carb diets or who sweat heavily, might need way more sodium than the standard guidelines suggest.

Each stick pack contains 1000mg sodium, 200mg potassium, and 60mg magnesium. That's it.

No B vitamins, no proprietary blends, no mysterious "natural flavors" that could mean anything. The simplicity is actually refreshing in a supplement world that loves to overcomplicate things.

My LMNT review goes into detail on my experience taking these electrolytes.

Pros

• Exceptional sodium content (1,000mg) is genuinely effective for heavy sweaters during intense workouts, preventing dehydration during demanding Texas summer runs
• Sophisticated flavor profiles like Citrus Salt (margarita-inspired), Raspberry Salt (fancy spa water), and Chocolate Salt (healthy hot chocolate alternative) elevate the experience
• Zero sugar formula prevents afternoon energy crashes and blood sugar spikes without disrupting sleep patterns

Cons

• Premium pricing at $1.50 per serving makes it expensive for daily use, often requiring rationing during tight budget periods
• Excessive sodium content for sedentary individuals or light exercisers causes puffiness and increased thirst without the sweat loss to justify it
• Unflavored version tastes aggressively salty like ocean water, making it unpalatable for many users despite its clean label appeal

What Is Nuun?

Nuun feels like the responsible older sibling to LMNT's rebellious teenager. Founded in 2004, they've been making electrolyte tablets since before it was cool, and their approach is decidedly more moderate, like the friend who suggests you have a glass of water between drinks.

The tablets fizz when you drop them in water, which never gets old. There's something oddly satisfying about watching that little puck dissolve into a lightly flavored, vitamin-enriched drink.

Each tablet contains 300mg sodium, 150mg potassium, plus magnesium, calcium, and a blend of other minerals and vitamins.

What struck me about Nuun was how many options they offer. Sport, Vitamins, Immunity, Rest, Energy, they've got a tablet for every occasion.

It's like the Swiss Army knife of hydration, though sometimes I wonder if they're trying to do too much.

You can read my Nuun review for my experience taking these electrolytes.

Pros

• Unmatched convenience with virtually indestructible tablets that remain effective after months in gym bags, car consoles, or jacket pockets, superior durability compared to powder packets
• Moderate sodium content (300mg) provides versatility for light workouts, desk hydration, or casual use without overwhelming sedentary users
• Continuous innovation with specialized formulas including caffeine-enhanced versions for early workouts and Rest formula with magnesium and tart cherry for bedtime routines

Cons

• Carbonation prevents shaking bottles during activities like cycling, risking messy explosions if agitated during transport or exercise
• Stevia and monk fruit sweeteners create distinctive aftertaste that can be polarizing depending on flavor and individual sensitivity
• Insufficient electrolyte content for serious endurance work or heavy sweating requires doubled servings that negate the moderate sodium benefits

LMNT vs. Nuun Main Differences

After six months of alternating between these two, the differences became crystal clear, sometimes literally, as LMNT mixes clear while Nuun has that slight cloudiness from the effervescence.

Sugar Content

LMNT contains zero sugar, zero calories, zero carbs. It's the keto dieter's dream. Nuun Sport has 1g of sugar and 15 calories, while their other formulas vary slightly.

Neither is a sugar bomb, but if you're tracking macros obsessively (guilty during my cutting phase), LMNT wins here.

Sodium & Potassium Content

This is where things get interesting. LMNT's 1000mg of sodium is over three times Nuun's 300mg.

For potassium, LMNT offers 200mg versus Nuun's 150mg. During a two-hour tennis match in August, that LMNT sodium hit different. But for my Tuesday afternoon Zoom calls? Nuun was plenty.

Other Electrolytes

Nuun includes calcium and often adds B vitamins, vitamin C, and other micronutrients depending on the formula.

LMNT keeps it simple with just magnesium added to the sodium and potassium. It's minimalist versus maximalist, and which is better depends entirely on what you're looking for.

Taste

LMNT tastes saltier, shocking, I know. But once you adjust, the flavors are bold and clean. Nuun has a lighter, more subtle taste that's easier for electrolyte newbies to handle. My partner couldn't stand LMNT at first but now prefers it. Palates adapt.

Convenience

Nuun tablets win for portability and durability. But LMNT packets tear open easier and mix instantly without the wait for fizzing. I keep Nuun in my car and LMNT in my gym bag.

Third Party Testing

Both companies third-party test, but LMNT is more transparent about it, regularly sharing test results on their website.

Nuun is NSF Certified for Sport, which matters if you're a competitive athlete subject to testing.

Best For

LMNT: Serious athletes, keto dieters, heavy sweaters, fasting folks, anyone doing extended cardio in heat. Nuun: Everyday hydration, moderate exercise, people new to electrolytes, those who want additional vitamins, anyone sensitive to high sodium.

Price

LMNT runs $1.25-1.50 per serving depending on quantity. Nuun costs $0.50-0.75 per tablet. Over six months, the difference added up to about $90 in my experiment. That's real money.

Main Drawbacks

LMNT's main issue is the price and the intensity, it's not for everyone. Nuun's drawback is that it might not be enough for serious athletes and the stevia aftertaste bothers some people (me, on odd Tuesdays, apparently).

My Experience Taking LMNT & Nuun

Here's where I get embarrassingly specific about my hydration journey. I started this experiment after bonking hard during a half-marathon even though following my usual hydration plan.

A friend suggested I was low on electrolytes, not water, and handed me an LMNT packet. Twenty minutes later, I felt human again. So began my obsession.

Week 1-4: I alternated daily between LMNT and Nuun, keeping detailed notes like some kind of hydration scientist.

LMNT made me feel notably better during and after intense workouts. But on rest days, it felt like overkill, I was constantly thirsty and my rings got tight. Nuun was perfect for regular days but left me wanting during hot yoga or long runs.

Week 5-8: I started matching the supplement to the activity. LMNT for anything over an hour or in heat, Nuun for everything else.

This was the sweet spot. My recovery improved, afternoon energy crashes disappeared, and those annoying eye twitches I'd get after hard workouts stopped completely.

Week 9-12: I got cocky and tried making my own electrolyte mix to save money. Let's just say there's an art to flavoring salt water that I don't possess. Back to the branded stuff.

The most surprising discovery? My sleep improved with proper electrolyte balance. I'd been waking up to pee constantly, thinking I was just well-hydrated.

Turns out I was flushing out minerals and creating a vicious cycle. Adding LMNT to my post-dinner routine (weird, I know) actually helped me sleep through the night.

During a particularly brutal month of two-a-day training for a Spartan race, LMNT became essential. I was going through 2-3 packets daily.

My wallet cried, but my performance didn't suffer. When I switched back to regular training, Nuun's moderate approach made more sense.

Should You Take LMNT or Nuun?

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