Free tool

DIY electrolyte calculator

Turn target electrolyte amounts into grams or teaspoons you can weigh out at home, or skip the work and let us do it.

Match a brand, then tweak

Batch size
servings

Sources and methodology

Constants published

This tool works backwards from a target dose to the weight of each ingredient, using the elemental mineral content of each compound.

How amounts are derived

Every mineral salt is only partly the mineral itself.

Grams of ingredient = target milligrams / elemental mass fraction. Fractions come from each compound's molecular formula and molar mass.

Mass fractions used

  • Potassium chloride: 52.45% K
  • Potassium citrate (monohydrate): 36.2% K
  • Magnesium oxide: 60.3% Mg
  • Magnesium citrate: 16.2% Mg
  • Magnesium malate: 15.6% Mg
  • Magnesium glycinate: 14.1% Mg

Default target

800 mg sodium, 240 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium is the Saltivate per-serving profile.

Limitations 4
  • Absorption differs between compounds. Magnesium oxide is the most concentrated per gram and the most poorly absorbed, so equal elemental doses are not equally useful.
  • Home scales are usually the limiting factor. Weighing 60 mg accurately needs a scale reading to 0.001 g, which is why batching is the practical approach.
  • Ingredient purity varies by supplier. These fractions assume the pure compound.
  • This tool does not recommend a dose for you, and is not medical advice.

Constants published here are the values this page computes with. Last reviewed July 2026.

How to make your own electrolyte drink

A homemade electrolyte drink is three minerals stirred into 16 to 32 oz of water with a squeeze of citrus, the basics of any sports drink without the sugar:

  • Sodium from regular table salt
  • Potassium from a potassium salt like Lite Salt or NoSalt (potassium chloride)
  • Magnesium from a magnesium supplement

The tricky part is the amounts. About half a teaspoon of table salt carries roughly 1,000 to 1,200 mg of sodium, while potassium and magnesium come in much smaller doses and turn bitter fast if you overshoot. The calculator above turns your targets into grams and teaspoons you can measure at home.

DIY works if you have the ingredients, a small scale, and the time to weigh each dose. A pre-measured mix does the same job in one scoop.

Good to know

DIY electrolytes, answered

How do you make an electrolyte drink at home?
Stir sodium, potassium, and magnesium into 16 to 32 oz of water, then add a squeeze of citrus or a splash of juice for taste. Table salt covers the sodium; the calculator above gives exact grams and teaspoons for your targets.

What do you put in a homemade electrolyte drink?
The three minerals you sweat out: sodium, potassium, and magnesium, plus water and something for flavor. Sodium comes from table salt, potassium from a potassium chloride salt substitute, and magnesium from a magnesium supplement such as magnesium citrate or malate.

How much salt should a homemade electrolyte drink have?
It depends on your target, but sodium is the one you lose most. Roughly half a teaspoon of table salt is about 1,000 to 1,200 mg of sodium.

Where do you get the potassium and magnesium for DIY electrolytes?
Potassium usually comes from a salt substitute like Lite Salt or NoSalt (potassium chloride). Magnesium comes from a magnesium supplement such as magnesium citrate or malate. Both are easy to overdo and turn bitter, so measure carefully.

Is making your own electrolyte drink cheaper than buying one?
The raw ingredients are cheap, so DIY can cost less per serving if you already have a scale and the three salts. The trade-offs are time, weighing each dose, and the bitter taste when the potassium or magnesium is a little off. A pre-measured mix trades a bit of cost for consistency and convenience.

Can I just use salt water instead of a full electrolyte mix?
Salt water covers sodium but misses the potassium and magnesium you also lose in sweat, and getting the ratio right by hand is fiddly. A measured mix gives you 800mg sodium, 240mg potassium, and 60mg magnesium per serving without guessing.

Side by side

Mixing your own vs Saltivate

DIY is cheap if you have the time and ingredients. Here is what changes when Saltivate measures for you.

Mix it yourself Saltivate
What you buy Salt, a potassium source, and magnesium, bought separately One scoop with all three minerals already balanced
Every drink Weigh and stir each dose by hand One scoop in any glass, ready in seconds
The ratio Easy to get wrong from batch to batch 800mg sodium, 240mg potassium, 60mg magnesium, every time
Taste Salty or bitter when the balance is off Balanced, no bitter finish
HSA/FSA card Not eligible Pay pre-tax with your HSA/FSA card
Save more Buy and store three bulk ingredients Buy 3, get the 4th free

Pre-measured, third-party tested, pay with your HSA/FSA card. Made in the USA with imported ingredients, in an NSF GMP Certified facility. That certification covers the manufacturing facility, not the product.

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