Thorne Electrolytes Review: Does This Daily Mix Hydrate Well?

Thorne Daily Electrolytes includes 5 essential minerals, but its skewed sodium-to-potassium ratio and overly sweet taste are drawbacks.

By Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS

— On Nov 07, 2025

Thorne Electrolytes Review: Does This Daily Mix Hydrate Well?

In this article:

While trends in recovery, wellness, and performance are constantly changing, one health tip that’s remained constant is hydration. As a dietitian, I always tell my clients that hydration is not just about drinking enough water. Our bodies need an optimal balance of electrolytes to perform at their best.

One of the exciting aspects of my job is trying new hydration mixes so I can help clients make an informed choice. Thorne Daily Electrolytes is the latest brand I have tested based on ingredients, quality, price, and taste. While it’s a great low-calorie electrolyte drink that packs five essential electrolytes, it falls short of competitors like Live it Up Vital Minerals.

This review goes over:

How Well Does Thorne Hydrate?
Are Thorne Daily Electrolytes Worth a Try?
What Are Thorne Electrolytes?
Purported Health Benefits
Ingredients Breakdown
Cost Analysis
Quality and Safety
Taste Review
Why I Choose Live it Up Vital Minerals

Thorne Daily Electrolytes Quick Facts

Key ingredients:
- Pink Himalayan salt
- Potassium citrate, dicalcium malate, calcium silicate, and dimagnesium malate
- Citric and malic acid
- Beet juice and turmeric (for color)
- Stevia (Reb M)
- Silicon dioxide
Flavors: 3 options
- Watermelon
- Blood orange
- Mango limeade
Purported Benefits of Thorne's Daily: Supports cellular rehydration, restores fluid balance, enhances cellular energy, and aids in recovery
Possible side effects: Nausea, bloating, muscle weakness, and fatigue
Nutrition facts: One stick (4.37 grams) has
- Calories: 5
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 0 g
Container Size: 30 single-serve sachets
Price:
- $39 for a 30-pack, or $1.30 per stick for a one-time purchase
- Subscription offers a 10% discount, which costs $1.17 per stick
Shipping: Free shipping on all orders

Formula Snapshot: How Well Does Thorne Hydrate?

The importance of electrolyte ratios: As a dietitian, I know that just having electrolytes isn’t enough. The power and purported benefits of hydration solutions lie in the ratio of the electrolytes.

I took a glance at Daily's supplement panel and made these observations:

Almost a 5:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio as opposed to the ideal 2:1 or 3:1 that I would like to see.
Missing vitamin C, which is a helpful addition to support energy metabolism, heat tolerance, and recovery.

Bottom Line: Are Thorne Daily Electrolytes Worth a Try?

Thorne Daily Electrolytes is a strong option for those seeking a zero-sugar hydration mix designed to optimize cellular hydration, aid recovery, and support energy levels. The product includes key electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride, and is rigorously tested. However, its imbalanced sodium-to-potassium ratio and use of the filler silicon dioxide may not suit everyone. Also, Thorne’s extremely sweet taste doesn’t really match up to Live it Up Vital Minerals’ flavor profiles.

What Is Thorne?

Thorne is a trusted brand in the supplement and wellness space. The company, known for its scientifically backed formulations and quality, supports multiple USA teams and athletes.

Thorne offers two variations of electrolyte drinks: Catalyte and Daily.

Catalyte has a higher sodium content and is primarily geared towards athletes seeking to maximize athletic performance.
The Daily mix targets the everyday user and helps them with additional hydration, replaces electrolytes lost, and maintains an optimal fluid balance.

The brand offers everything from multivitamins and protein powders to creatine supplements and greens powder. Thorne products are available through their website, Amazon, and Walmart.

Thorne Electrolytes Pros

NSF Certified for Sport
Third-party tested for ingredient content
Gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free
Includes calcium and magnesium
Zero sugar
3 flavor options
Free shipping on all orders
60-day returns policy

Thorne Electrolytes Cons

Almost 5:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio
Contains filler silicon dioxide
Some report overpowering sweetness
Missing vitamin C
Returns incur a restocking fee

Thorne Electrolytes Purported Benefits

In this section, I look at Thorne Daily's supplement facts and evaluate whether the listed ingredients can support the marketed claims.

Benefit #1: Optimizes Cellular Rehydration

Every cell in our body needs a healthy balance of electrolytes and fluids to perform at its best. Science tells us that sodium and chloride regulate the fluid levels outside the cell, while potassium is in charge of maintaining intercellular fluid balance. Low potassium levels may negatively influence cellular health by disrupting the resting cell membrane. Research also indicates that low magnesium stores may impair the sodium-potassium pump, and therefore could potentially impact cellular water uptake.

When we sweat, our body loses water and essential minerals, and this can upset the body’s osmotic pressure and cause the cells to shrink, impairing their overall functioning. Thorne’s formula supports healthy cellular hydration by not only replenishing lost stores, but it also ensures that the electrolytes reach the right departments (inside or outside the cell) to maintain cell health and integrity.

Did You Know? It’s the kidneys’ and liver’s primary job to flush out toxins, and they need sufficient fluids and electrolytes to support this essential step. A simple way to ensure this process operates smoothly and efficiently is to support your hydration with a balanced diet and a daily electrolyte solution.

Benefit #2: Enhances Recovery

Research consistently shows that replacing electrolytes post-strenuous activity is crucial to proper muscle function and recovery. Several studies have confirmed that magnesium supplements are positively correlated with muscle soreness and recovery.

Scientific literature also shows that calcium is not only essential to muscle contraction, but also for relaxation. The process of calcium getting pumped away is what allows the muscle to relax, which aids recovery. A 2015 study on competitive cyclists further demonstrated that a calcium-rich diet before exercise is associated with a rise in bone resorption markers, but more research is required to substantiate this claim.

However, Thorne’s formula misses out on vitamin C, which is essential to collagen synthesis, which ultimately drives muscle, bone, and tissue repair, and aids holistic recovery. Live it Up’s Vital Minerals is one of the few electrolyte drinks that includes vitamin C.

Benefit #3: Enhances Energy Levels

Thorne purportedly benefits cellular energy production by including five essential electrolytes in its formula, all of which serve as cofactors for adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s energy powerhouse. Calcium acts as a signaling molecule within the mitochondria, and it also impacts key enzymes in the Krebs Cycle. Magnesium is also integral to ATP, as without sufficient magnesium, the body doesn’t know how to create or use energy, which results in fatigue and lethargy.

While Thorne Daily Hydration contributes to cellular energy production, the electrolytes primarily influence the use and signaling of energy.

Dietitian's Tip A mineral that’s absolutely critical to energy production is iron. A great way to increase non-heme iron absorption is to pair it with vitamin C-rich foods like a squirt of lemon or having strawberries as a side dish.

Thorne Daily Electrolytes Ingredients

Thorne's Daily is built on six active ingredients: Pink Himalayan salt, potassium citrate, dicalcium malate, calcium silicate, dimagnesium malate, and stevia. Let’s take a deeper dive into what these ingredients actually do.

Himalayan pink salt: Pink salt is positioned to be better than regular table salt due to its higher levels of calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, and iron. However, most Americans already get a majority of their daily salt requirements through their diet, and excess amounts could spell adverse effects like fatigue and muscle weakness.
Potassium citrate: Potassium, in conjunction with sodium, is responsible for cellular rehydration and recovery. It also maintains our body’s acid-base (pH) balance and is indispensable for muscle contraction.
Dimagnesium malate: It's a chemical compound formed by combining magnesium and malic acid, that's believed to be better absorbed by the body. Science highlights its ability to support energy production, though note that high doses can lead to diarrhea.
Stevia (Rebaudioside M): Thorne opts to sweeten their electrolyte powder with rebaudioside M, a compound from the stevia leaf that’s known to offer an almost sugar-like taste. However, stevia may be associated with disrupting gut microbes and hormone balance.
Other ingredients: The formula also includes natural colors from beetroot and turmeric, natural flavors, citric acid, malic acid, and silicon dioxide, an anti-caking agent that I consider to be a filler.

Thorne Electrolytes Quality and Safety

Thorne’s Daily Hydration is NSF Certified for Sport®, a designation that signals compliance with some of the most stringent quality requirements. All of Thorne's products are manufactured at their state-of-the-art certified Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility in Summerville, South Carolina. Thorne's commitment to quality is also validated through its A rating from one of the world’s toughest regulatory bodies, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Thorne Electrolytes Cost Analysis

Thorne’s Daily Electrolytes are priced on the mid to upper range for the industry:

A one-time 30 sachet box costs $39, or $1.30 per serving.
With a monthly subscription, the 30-sachet box costs $35.10, or $1.17 per serving.
Free shipping on all orders
60-day return policy

With a subscription, you can opt to have your 30-serving box delivered every 2 weeks, once a month, or every two months. I was surprised to find that Thorne levies a 25% restocking fee on all returns, meaning you won’t get your entire money back if the product doesn’t suit you.

By contrast, Live it Up’s electrolyte blend costs less than $1 per serving with a subscription and also comes with free shipping.

Thorne Electrolytes Taste Review

Thorne Daily Electrolytes is sweetened with Reb A (a form of stevia), has no artificial sweeteners, and comes in three flavors:

Watermelon
Blood orange
Mango limeade

Taste always comes down to a person's unique preferences, and Thorne Daily's flavors have received mixed reviews. A few customers found the flavors to be refreshing and palatable.

“Super happy with all the flavors, they’re very bright and thirst quenching.”

Katalyn M.

“I love the watermelon flavor. It’s easy to mix, tastes great without tasting very sugary.”

Deena Green, Amazon customer

Others, however, were put off by the taste and overwhelming sweetness that can come from stevia. I’m also particularly sensitive to the aftertaste some versions of stevia can have.

“Instructions are one tube per 12oz - I used one tube on 36oz bottle, 1/3 the instructions, and nearly gagged it was so sickeningly sweet.”

Bob, Amazon customer

I tried their variety pack and certainly felt refreshed and hydrated. However, all the flavors were a bit sweet for me. I used a larger proportion of water than their recommended 12 ounces to dilute the sweetness.

Why I Choose Live it Up Vital Minerals

As I mentioned earlier, Thorne Electrolytes is one of the better hydration mixes available on the market, yet I still prefer Live it Up Vital Minerals for daily rehydration. Vital Minerals, made from natural coconut water powder and sea salt, is a hydration solution designed to replenish electrolytes to optimize cellular energy production and fluid balance, alongside supporting overall wellness and hydration.

The non-GMO formula features:

A balanced sodium-to-potassium ratio.
Nutrients like calcium and vitamin C.
Coconut water powder to support quick hydration with a natural source of electrolytes
GMP-certification and third-party testing

Live it Up is offered in two refreshing, natural fruit flavors: Lemon Lime and Pomegranate Mango. The mixes are easy to dissolve and delicious without overpowering sweetness. It also comes at an attractive price point (less than $1 a day) that includes free shipping and a 30-day full refund guarantee.

Thorne Electrolytes Frequently Asked Questions

I know you may have more questions on the features of Thorne Daily Electrolytes. Here are my bite-sized answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.

Are Thorne Electrolytes good for you?

It comes down to your personal goals and needs. If you are an active individual, a frequent flier (as air travel can dehydrate you), a heavy sweater, or live in a hot and humid environment, you may benefit from Thorne's Daily Hydration mix. Thorne also recommends their Daily rehydration solution for those who want to support their overall recovery and energy levels.

When should I take Thorne Daily Electrolytes?

For daily hydration purposes, you can take Thorne whenever it's convenient for you, whether that’s when you are about to begin your day or before a heavy workout. I usually recommend clients make their stash of daily electrolytes in the morning and keep sipping it instead of taking it in one big gulp.

Which electrolyte brand is the best?

There is no "best brand," as each has its pros and cons. For those seeking pure endurance and athletic performance, you can look at mixes that provide carbohydrates as well as electrolytes. For others, including those who seek hydration designed to restore electrolyte levels, Live it Up Vital Minerals could be a smart choice. I recommend that you discuss your options and health goals with a health care practitioner before making any electrolyte drink a permanent part of your routine.

What does NSF-Certified for Sport mean?

NSF-Certified for Sport means that Thorne's Daily doesn’t contain unsafe levels of contaminants, masking agents, and the 300+ substances banned (stimulants and steroids) by athletic organizations.

References

About the author:

Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS

Rachel is a registered dietitian based in Contra Costa County, California, with over 15 years experience. She specializes in whole-body wellness and plant-based nutrition, helping people understand the dynamic interplay between food and health so they can live life to the fullest. When not helping others, she enjoys spending time with her kids, being physically active, and tending to her abundant household plants.

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