Homemade electrolyte drink recipe
A homemade electrolyte drink is water, table salt, some sugar for fuel and taste, and a potassium source like orange juice. The amounts below are calculated, not guessed, using the WHO oral rehydration solution as the reference point. Weigh the salt if you can. Small measuring errors change the result a lot.
The calculated recipe
| Ingredient | Training strength | ORS strength |
|---|---|---|
| Table salt | 2.34 gabout 3/8 tsp | 4.38 gabout 3/4 tsp |
| Sugar | 25.7 gabout 6 1/8 tsp | 25.7 gabout 6 1/8 tsp |
| Potassium chloride (optional) | 1.49 gweigh it | 1.49 gweigh it |
| Sodium per liter | 920 mgHigh | 1,724 mgVery high |
| Potassium per liter (if added) | 782 mg | 782 mg |
| Carbs per liter | 25.7 g (2.6%) | 25.7 g (2.6%) |
Teaspoon amounts are approximate. They assume fine table salt at 6 g and granulated sugar at 4.2 g per level US teaspoon (USDA salt, USDA sugar). Coarse or flaky salt weighs less per spoon. A kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g is more accurate. Potassium chloride salt substitutes vary, so weigh it or use the potassium figure on its label.
The math
- Sodium target: Training strength uses the middle of the whole-body sweat sodium range: (10 + 70) / 2 = 40 mmol/L, which the site rounds to 920 mg per liter[1]. ORS strength uses the WHO level of 75 mmol/L[4].
- Salt: Table salt is sodium chloride. One mmol weighs 22.99 mg (sodium) + 35.45 mg (chloride) = 58.44 mg[13]. So 40.02 mmol × 58.44 mg = 2.34 g, and 75 mmol × 58.44 mg = 4.38 g.
- Sodium you get: 40.02 mmol × 22.99 mg = 920 mg per liter, and 75 mmol × 22.99 mg = 1,724 mg.
- Sugar: WHO ORS has 75 mmol/L of glucose[4]. Table sugar (sucrose) splits into one glucose and one fructose, so 75 mmol of sucrose supplies the same glucose: 75 mmol × 342.3 mg = 25.7 g.
- Potassium: WHO ORS has 20 mmol/L of potassium. Potassium chloride weighs 39.1 + 35.45 = 74.55 mg per mmol, so 20 mmol × 74.55 mg = 1.49 g, which carries 782 mg of potassium.
- Carb strength: 25.7 g in 1,000 mL is 2.6% carbohydrate. ACSM puts the ceiling for a drink used for both fluid and fuel at about 8%[6], which is 80 g of sugar per liter. That leaves room to add sugar or juice for fuel in long sessions.
- Teaspoons: Grams ÷ 6 g per teaspoon for salt, ÷ 4.2 g for sugar, rounded to the nearest 1/8 teaspoon.
The recipe is worked out from the reference values on this page, using 22.99 mg/mmol of sodium per mmol and 39.1 mg/mmol of potassium per mmol. Table salt is sodium chloride, so the salt amount is set by how much sodium you want per liter.
The reference point: WHO oral rehydration solution
The standard reference for a salt-and-sugar drink is the WHO and UNICEF reduced-osmolarity oral rehydration solution (ORS). Per liter, it contains [4]:
- sodium: 75 mmol/L
- glucose: 75 mmol/L
- potassium: 20 mmol/L
- total osmolarity: 245 mOsm/L
ORS pairs glucose with sodium on purpose. The two are absorbed together in the gut, which pulls water along with them [4]. That pairing is why most homemade recipes use some sugar.
But ORS was designed to treat dehydration from diarrhea. It isn’t a sports drink, and this page isn’t about illness. If you or someone you care for is sick and dehydrated, use a commercial ORS and talk to a doctor. Don’t rely on a home recipe for that, and don’t make one for a child.
ORS is still a useful sanity check. Compare its sodium, 75 mmol/L, with the whole-body sweat range of 10 to 70 mmol/L reported by Baker in 2017 [1]. For training, let the sweat range guide your salt, not ORS.
The ingredients, and why each one is there
Water: Plain tap water is fine. The recipe is built per liter, so scale it to your bottle.
Table salt: Sodium chloride, the only ingredient that really matters for electrolyte replacement. Sodium is the electrolyte you lose most in sweat [1]. Iodized or not doesn’t matter here. Salt crystal size does: a teaspoon of flaky kosher salt holds less salt than a teaspoon of fine table salt. That’s why the recipe gives weights and why a cheap kitchen scale beats measuring spoons.
Sugar: Optional, depending on your session. Sugar gives you carbohydrate fuel, which helps in long sessions [3], and it makes the drink taste better. Table sugar, honey and maple syrup all work. If you’re only after sodium for a hot one-hour session, you can cut the sugar and accept a saltier taste.
Don’t overshoot on sugar. The ACSM position stand says a drink meant to supply both fluid and carbohydrate should stay at or below about 8% carbohydrate, because more concentrated drinks slow stomach emptying [6].
Potassium: Sweat contains much less potassium than sodium [1], so this is a supporting ingredient. Orange juice or coconut water adds some potassium and flavor. It also adds sugar, so count it toward your carbohydrate. Salt substitutes made from potassium chloride are another option. If you take blood pressure medication or have kidney problems, check with a doctor before using potassium-based salt substitutes.
Flavor: A squeeze of lemon or lime makes salty water far easier to drink. It doesn’t change the electrolyte math in any meaningful way.
Three versions for different sessions
Everyday training, mild conditions: You may not need anything but water. See do you need electrolytes first.
Long or hot session, fuel needed: Keep the sugar in. Carbohydrate guidance rises with duration, from up to 30 g/h for sessions of 1 to 2 hours to up to 60 g/h for 2 to 3 hours [3]. A homemade drink can supply part of that. Our carbs per hour guide covers the rest.
Sodium only, no calories: Drop the sugar and juice, keep the salt, and add lemon for taste. You get electrolytes without fuel, similar to commercial sugar-free electrolyte mixes.
How much sodium should your version have?
That depends on how much you sweat and how salty your sweat is. Baker’s range above is wide, so no single recipe fits everyone. Measure your sweat rate with the sweat rate calculator, then use the hydration calculator to get a sodium target per hour. Adjust the salt in the recipe so the amount you actually drink in an hour lands near that target.
Homemade vs store-bought
A homemade drink costs very little and you control every ingredient. You lose convenience and consistency: a stick pack is the same every time, while a home mix depends on your scale and your patience.
If you’d rather buy, compare commercial options on cost per serving. For example, a serving of Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier costs $1.56 and a stick of LMNT costs $1.50, based on our last price check. The best electrolyte powder rankings sort them by sodium and cost.
Mistakes to avoid
- Measuring salt by volume with the wrong salt: Use weights. If you must use spoons, use fine table salt.
- Doubling the salt “to be safe.” A drink that’s much saltier than needed is hard to drink and adds sodium you may not have lost.
- Adding too much sugar or juice: Stay within the carbohydrate limit above.
- Drinking it by the liter no matter what: Salt in the bottle does not make overdrinking safe. Drinking more than you sweat is the main cause of exercise-associated hyponatremia, and the advice is to drink to thirst [5].
FAQ
What is the best homemade electrolyte drink?
The best version fits your session. For long or hot training, use water, salt and sugar in the calculated amounts above, with citrus for taste. For sodium without calories, drop the sugar. The salt amount should reflect how much sodium you lose, which the sweat rate and hydration calculators help you estimate.
Can I make oral rehydration solution at home?
The WHO formula is published, with sodium at 75 mmol/L and glucose at 75 mmol/L per liter [4]. But ORS is meant for dehydration from illness, which this site doesn’t cover. For illness, use a commercial ORS and ask a doctor, especially for children.
Is salt water a good electrolyte drink?
Salt water supplies sodium, the main electrolyte lost in sweat [1], plus chloride. It lacks carbohydrate and potassium, and it doesn’t taste great. Adding a little sugar and some citrus makes it closer to a sports drink and easier to drink. Weigh the salt so the concentration stays in a sensible range.
What can I use instead of sugar in a homemade electrolyte drink?
Honey and maple syrup are sugars and work the same way. Fruit juice adds sugar and a little potassium. If you want no calories, leave the sugar out entirely and flavor with lemon or lime. You’ll still get sodium, but no carbohydrate fuel, which matters in sessions longer than about an hour [3].
Is a homemade electrolyte drink as good as Gatorade?
For electrolytes, a well-measured homemade drink can supply as much sodium as a bottled sports drink, or more, because you set the amount yourself. Gatorade Thirst Quencher has 457 mg of sodium per liter for comparison. What you give up is consistency and convenience, not function.
Label data on this page
- Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier: label checked (label source, opens in a new tab), price checked (price source, opens in a new tab) at Liquid I.V. (brand store)
- LMNT Zero-Sugar Electrolytes: label checked (label source, opens in a new tab), price checked (price source, opens in a new tab) at LMNT
- Gatorade Thirst Quencher: label checked (label source, opens in a new tab)