A fever, a stuffy nose, and no appetite all cost water and salt. Small sips with sodium in them help you keep up while you get through it.
30-day money-back guarantee. Free shipping over $50. Pay with your HSA/FSA card. Reviewed by the Saltivate team.
- 800mg sodiumper serving
- Zero sugarno stevia, Reb M
- HSA/FSApay by card, no letter
- Made in USAImported ingredients, NSF GMP Certified facility. Third-party tested.
What a sick day costs you
A fever raises how much water you lose through skin and breath, and a stuffy nose has you breathing through your mouth all night. Meanwhile you eat less, and food is where most of the day's salt comes from. Three days of a cold or flu can leave you short on both before you notice.
Water, broth, and tea carry most of the load. A serving of sodium in some of that water helps you hold on to it. For a stomach bug with vomiting or diarrhea, the right drink is an oral rehydration solution, covered below. For a sick child, follow the pediatrician's plan.
Signs you are falling behind
- Dark urine, or not much of it
- Lightheaded when you get up from bed
- A headache that eases after a big glass of water
- Dry mouth and cracked lips from breathing through your mouth
- No appetite for a day or more
Electrolytes, broth, or an ORS?
For a cold or flu with a fever, the goal is steady fluid with some salt in it. Broth already carries sodium. Between mugs, a serving of Saltivate in a tall glass of water adds 800mg sodium, 240mg potassium, and 60mg magnesium with 0g sugar. Sip it across an hour; small, frequent amounts go down easier when you feel rough.
Vomiting and diarrhea empty fluid and salt fast, and the standard drink for them is an oral rehydration solution: sodium with a measured amount of glucose, which speeds absorption in the gut. Saltivate leaves the sugar out, so for a stomach bug reach for a pharmacy ORS, or use our homemade rehydration drink, which adds the sugar to Saltivate for an adult in a pinch.
Call a doctor if you cannot keep fluids down for a day, have not urinated in eight hours, feel confused or faint, or a high fever lasts more than a couple of days. Babies, older adults, and anyone with heart or kidney disease should call sooner.
Why Raw Unflavored for a sick day
When your stomach is unsettled, a sweet drink can be the last thing you want. Raw Unflavored is plain, with no sweetener: sodium chloride, potassium citrate, and dimagnesium malate, lightly salty in water. Stir half a stick into warm water with lemon if a cold drink sounds wrong, or a full stick into a tall glass.
The 45-count box keeps on a shelf for the whole season, each stick pre-measured so there is nothing to scoop when you feel awful. The flavored mixes carry 100% DV vitamin C a serving; see electrolytes with vitamin C.
- 800mg sodium per stick, 0g sugar
- Unflavored and unsweetened, lightly salty
- 45 pre-measured sticks, one box for the season
- Mixes into warm water or a tall cold glass
- Pay with your HSA/FSA card
Try it. Sweat on it. Decide later.
Every order carries a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it is not for you, email us and we refund you in full. You do not even ship anything back.
What customers say
Rated 4.52 out of 5 from 42 reviews
Good salt
sam G. · Verified buyer
This stuff is great. Its clean and has everything i need on my run days. I recently eliminated salts and sugars from my diet and this is the missing piece i need for running in the Texas heat.
Jeff F. · Verified buyer
Great product, glad it doesn't have any added stuff that isn't needed; just the electrolytes our bodies need. Shipping was super fast as well!
Bryn G. · Verified buyer
Pick your Saltivate
Common questions
What are the best electrolytes when you are sick?
For a cold or flu: something with real sodium and little or no sugar, sipped through the day alongside water and broth. For vomiting or diarrhea: an oral rehydration solution, which pairs sodium with glucose. Saltivate is the first kind.
Are electrolytes good for the flu?
They help with the fluid side of it. A fever and a lost appetite cost water and salt, and sodium in your water helps you hold what you drink. They do not treat the flu itself.
Should I drink Saltivate with a stomach bug?
Use an oral rehydration solution instead, from the pharmacy or our homemade rehydration drink recipe, which adds the glucose an ORS needs. If you cannot keep anything down for a day, call a doctor.
Can I mix it into tea or broth?
Tea, yes: half a stick in warm water with lemon is easy to sip. Broth already carries plenty of salt, so skip the stick there.
Can I pay with my HSA or FSA card?
Yes, at checkout, with no Letter of Medical Necessity.
Keep a stash on the nightstand
Raw Unflavored in 45 sealed sticks: 800mg sodium, no sweetener, ready for the first sick day of the season.
Shop Raw UnflavoredSick Days
Shop Raw UnflavoredHow we compare
How Saltivate compares
Pick the format you shop, then see how Saltivate stacks up against the brands that sell it too.
Compare what matters for sweat recovery: sodium per serving, zero sugar, and paying direct with your HSA/FSA card with no letter of medical necessity.
| Saltivate | BPN Electrolytes | Buoy | Carnivore | Cure | Dr. Berg's Electrolyte Powder | DripDrop | DryWater | Gatorade | Gatorlyte | GHOST Hydration | Good Intentions | HRDWRK | Hydrate Pro | HydroMATE | Just Ingredients Electrolytes | Liquid I.V. | LMNT | Magna | Nectar Hydration | NormaLyte | Nuun Sport | Pedialyte | Prime Hydration+ Sticks | Promix Electrolyte Drink Mix | Propel | Re-Lyte | SALTT | Santa Cruz Paleo | Skratch | Thorne Daily Electrolytes | Trevi | Ultima | Vitassium | Waterboy Workout | Nothing found with these criteria | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serving size | 1 stick (6g) | 1 scoop (5.6g) | 1.5 mL (1 squeeze) | 1 scoop (~3g) | 1 scoop (8.3g) | 1 scoop (6g) | 1 stick (10g) | 1 stick (11g) | 1 powder stick (35g) | 1 stick (34.9g) | 1 scoop (9g) | 1 scoop (2.69g) | 1 scoop (3g) | 1 scoop (4.93g) | 1 stick (5.4g) | 1 scoop (5.7g) | 1 scoop | 1 stick (6g) | 1 stick (5 to 6.5g) | 1 packet (3.4g) | 1 stick (10.5g) | 1 tablet (5g) | 1 packet (8.5g) | 1 stick (9.8g) | 1 scoop (5.18g) | 1 stick (3g) | 1 scoop (7g) | 1 stick (6.6g) | 1 scoop (5.42g) | 1 packet (22g) | 1 packet | 1 stick (4.8g) | 1 stick/scoop | 2 chews | 1 stick (6.6g) | — |
| Sodium | 800mg (from salt) | 500mg (from himalayan pink salt, citrate) | 50mg | 500mg (from citrate) | 240mg (from salt) | 40mg (from pink himalayan salt) | 330mg (from citrate, salt) | 380mg (from citrate, pink sea salt) | 230mg (from salt, citrate) | 490mg (from salt) | 150mg (from citrate, himalayan pink salt) | 200mg (from salt) | 650mg (from citrate, bicarbonate, chloride) | 1000mg (from salt) | 250mg (from salt) | 100mg (from salt) | 510mg (from salt, citrate) | 1000mg (from salt) | 300mg (from salt) | 100mg (from himalayan pink salt) | 851mg (from citrate, salt) | 300mg (from bicarbonate) | 260mg (from salt, citrate) | 40mg (from sea salt) | 1000mg (from salt (himalayan pink)) | 260mg (from salt, citrate) | 810mg (from salt) | 968mg (from chloride (solarsea salts)) | 800mg (from salt) | 400mg (from citrate) | 480mg (from salt) | 230mg (from pink himalayan salt) | 55mg (from salt) | 125mg (from salt) | 1000mg (from pink himalayan salt) | — |
| Potassium | 240mg (from citrate) | 200mg (from chloride) | 10mg | 300mg (from citrate, bicarbonate) | 310mg (from coconut water) | 1000mg (from citrate) | 185mg (from citrate) | 1000mg (from citrate) | 70mg (from phosphate) | 350mg (from phosphate) | 375mg (from citrate) | 200mg (from chloride) | 300mg (from bicarbonate) | 200mg (from chloride) | 200mg (from chloride) | 300mg (from citrate) | 390mg (from citrate) | 200mg (from chloride) | 150mg (from citrate) | 250mg (from citrate) | 393mg (from chloride) | 150mg (from bicarbonate) | 180mg (from citrate) | 700mg (from dipotassium phosphate, coconut water) | 200mg (from chloride) | 80mg (from phosphate) | 400mg (from citrate) | 408mg (from chloride) | 300mg (from chloride) | 49mg (from citrate) | 99mg (from citrate) | 250mg (from phosphate, citrate) | 250mg (from phosphate) | 25mg (from citrate) | 400mg (from citrate) | — |
| Magnesium | 60mg (from malate) | 25mg (from bisglycinate chelate) | 0mg | 40mg (from oxide, citrate) | 0mg | 120mg (from citrate) | 39mg (from citrate) | 40mg (from citrate) | 0mg | 105mg (from oxide) | 83mg (from citrate) | 42mg (from malate) | 150mg (from glycinate, citrate) | 60mg (from glycinate) | 15mg (from oxide) | 50mg (from citrate) | 0mg | 60mg (from malate) | 210mg (from malate, gluconate, glycinate) | 50mg (from citrate) | 0mg | 25mg (from oxide) | 0mg | 124mg (from citrate) | 60mg (from malate) | 0mg | 50mg (from glycinate, malate) | 178mg (from chloride (solarsea salts)) | 60mg (from glycinate) | 48mg (from carbonate) | 40mg (from malate) | 100mg (from citrate) | 100mg (from citrate) | 0mg | 50mg (from citrate) | — |
| Sugar | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 7g | 0g | 32g | 10g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 2.5g | 0g | 11g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 7g | 1g | 6g | 2g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 19g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g | — |
| Sweetener | Reb M (not from stevia) | Stevia (steviol glycosides) | None | Stevia | Stevia, monk fruit | Stevia | Sugar, sucralose | Stevia, monk fruit | Sugar, dextrose | Sugar | Sucralose | Stevia | Sucralose, natural stevia | Stevia | Sugar, sucralose | Stevia, monk fruit | Cane sugar, dextrose, stevia | Stevia | Stevia | Stevia | Sucralose | Stevia | Dextrose, sucralose, Ace-K | Sucralose, acesulfame potassium | Monk fruit (lightly sweetened versions) | Sucralose, ace-K | Stevia | Stevia (RebD and RebM) | Organic stevia | Cane sugar, dextrose | Reb M (from stevia) | Sucralose, stevia | Stevia | Stevia | Organic stevia | — |
| Artificial ingredients | None | — | — | — | — | — | Sucralose | — | Artificial flavors, dyes (Yellow 5, Red 40) | None | Sucralose, Artificial flavors, dyes (Red 40, Blue 1) | — | Sucralose, Artificial flavors | — | Sucralose, Artificial flavors | — | — | — | — | — | Sucralose, Artificial flavors | — | Sucralose, Ace-K, Artificial flavors, dyes (Red 40, Blue 1) | Sucralose, Acesulfame | — | Sucralose, Ace-K | — | — | — | — | — | Sucralose | — | — | — | — |
| Pay with HSA/FSA card | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | — |
| Made in | USA | Unknown | — | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | Unknown | Unknown | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | India | USA | USA | Unknown | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | — |
| Servings per unit | 30 sticks | 50 (jar) | 120 servings (3 bottles) | 90 (jar) | 28 (jar) | 50 (jar) | 32 sticks | 12 sticks | 30 sticks | 18 sticks | 40 (jar) | 100 (jar) | 100 (jar) | 45 (jar) | 30 sticks | 30 (jar) | 30 (jar) | 30 sticks | 28 sticks | 30 sticks | 30 sticks | 10 tablets | 8 packets | 6 sticks | 30 (jar) | 40 sticks | 60 (jar) | 30 sticks | 30 (tub) | 20 servings | 30 (box) | 45 (jar) | 20 sticks | 50 (100 ct) | 36 sticks | — |
| Price per serving | $1.33 | $0.90 | $0.33 | $0.46 | $1.37 | $0.97 | $1.12 | $2.42 | $0.90 | $1.33 | $0.82 | $0.22 | $0.30 | $0.78 | $1.20 | $0.83 | $1.39 | $1.50 | $1.96 | $1.47 | $1.33 | $0.75 | $1.25 | $2.33 | $1.40 | $0.75 | $0.77 | $1.20 | $1.00 | $1.20 | $1.33 | $0.78 | $1.05 | $0.50 | $1.81 | — |
| Price per 1,000mg key electrolytes i | $1.20 | $1.24 | $5.50 | $0.54 | $2.49 | $0.83 | $2.02 | $1.70 | $3.00 | $1.40 | $1.34 | $0.49 | $0.27 | $0.61 | $2.58 | $1.84 | $1.54 | $1.19 | $2.96 | $3.67 | $1.06 | $1.57 | $2.84 | $2.69 | $1.11 | $2.20 | $0.61 | $0.77 | $0.86 | $2.41 | $2.14 | $1.34 | $2.59 | $3.33 | $1.24 | — |
| Ways to save more | Buy 3 Get 1 -25%HSA/FSA -30% | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | Varies by brand | — |
Per serving, from each brand's published label. Values can vary by flavor and change over time.
