MiO Electrolytes is a zero-calorie liquid water enhancer that contains real electrolytes, specifically 125 mg of sodium and 75 mg of potassium per squeeze. That makes it more than just flavored water, but whether those amounts are enough depends on what you’re using it for. For casual hydration and light activity, it’s a reasonable option. For serious sweat sessions, it falls short of what your body actually needs.
What’s Actually in It
Each serving of MiO Electrolytes is about half a teaspoon (2 mL), designed to flavor 8 ounces of water. A single bottle holds 48 mL and provides roughly 10 to 24 servings depending on how heavy-handed you are with the squeeze.
The two key electrolytes are sodium (125 mg) and potassium (75 mg) per serving. It contains no sugar and no calories. The sweetness comes from artificial sweeteners, and the product includes artificial colors and flavors. There are no carbohydrates, which matters if you’re comparing it to traditional sports drinks.
How It Compares to Sports Drinks
A standard sports drink like Gatorade contains around 160 mg of sodium per 12-ounce serving, plus about 21 grams of sugar that serve as quick fuel for working muscles. MiO Electrolytes gives you a comparable amount of sodium in a smaller volume of water but skips the carbohydrates entirely.
That tradeoff works in your favor if you’re just trying to stay hydrated during a normal day or a short workout. For exercise lasting under an hour, water alone is sufficient because your body doesn’t deplete enough electrolytes to need replacement. Adding MiO in this scenario mostly helps with flavor, which can encourage you to drink more.
For longer or more intense exercise, especially in heat, the picture changes. Your body needs both electrolytes and carbohydrates during sustained effort. Sodium stimulates thirst and helps your body retain fluid rather than losing it through urine. Carbohydrates provide energy to working muscles so you can keep going. Sports science guidelines recommend about 1 liter of a 6% carbohydrate drink per hour of exercise, with fluid intake of 200 to 300 mL every 15 minutes. MiO provides the sodium but none of the energy, so it’s not a full replacement for a sports drink during endurance activity.
Who Benefits Most
MiO Electrolytes fits best for people who want to add some sodium and potassium to their water without adding sugar or calories. That includes people on low-carb or keto diets who need extra electrolytes, anyone who simply dislikes the taste of plain water, or people doing light to moderate exercise in comfortable conditions.
If you’re a heavy sweater or tend to see white salt stains on your clothes after a workout, you likely lose more sodium than MiO provides in a single serving. These “salty sweaters” benefit from adding extra sodium to their diet, both at meals and during exercise. You could use multiple squeezes per bottle, but at that point a dedicated electrolyte product with higher sodium content would be more practical.
The Artificial Sweetener Question
The zero-calorie sweetness in MiO comes from artificial sweeteners, which understandably makes some people cautious. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition tested high doses of sucralose (one of the sweeteners commonly used in products like MiO) over seven days in healthy adults. At doses reaching 75% of the maximum acceptable daily intake, the researchers found no changes in blood sugar control, insulin response, or gut bacteria composition.
That’s reassuring for short-term, moderate use. The amounts of sweetener in a serving or two of MiO per day are well below what was tested in that study. There’s no evidence that the sweeteners in MiO interfere with hydration itself.
Practical Limitations
The biggest limitation of MiO Electrolytes is what it doesn’t contain. Beyond sodium and potassium, your body also loses magnesium and calcium through sweat. MiO doesn’t replace those. It also lacks the carbohydrates that help fuel prolonged exercise and the glucose that aids electrolyte absorption in the gut.
Another consideration is portion control. Because the bottle is squeeze-based rather than pre-measured, it’s easy to use more or less than the intended serving. If you’re relying on it for a specific electrolyte intake, the actual amount you get per glass can vary quite a bit.
For everyday hydration, MiO Electrolytes does what it claims: it adds flavor, sodium, and potassium to water without calories. It’s a step up from plain water if you need a little electrolyte boost, but it’s not designed to replace a full electrolyte or sports drink for serious athletic recovery.