Liquid I.V. offers powdered electrolyte drink mixes that may support more efficient hydration compared to water alone. The brand centers its formulations around electrolyte-glucose blends intended to aid fluid absorption and help replenish essential nutrients. Through this approach, it positions its offerings as hydration options that may help support better energy, performance, and daily functioning.
In this review, we will examine Liquid I.V.’s product lineup, the key benefits the brand claims to offer, the potential limitations to consider, and insights from consumer feedback to understand how its products may perform in real-world use.
As per the official website, Liquid I.V.'s core identity is built around its Hydration Multiplier® range, which covers several product categories, including Hydration Multiplier® Sugar-Free, Hydration Multiplier® + Energy, and Hydration Multiplier® + Immune Support. These products are available in a wide range of flavors, seasonal and limited-edition options, kids’ variants, variety packs, and customizable bundle formats such as Build Your Own Bundle, allowing you to combine different pouch types and flavors based on preference.
The formulations across the line focus on electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, along with additional nutrients depending on the specific product type. Certain options include natural caffeine for energy support or vitamin C and beta-glucan for immune support. The Sugar-Free range features an amino acid and allulose blend that is positioned as a way to deliver hydration benefits without added sugar.
Liquid I.V. also frames its positioning around hydration science through its LIV HYDRASCIENCE™ framework, which highlights four stages of hydration, including intake, absorption, retention, and distribution. The makers highlight that many of its products carry certifications, including non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and the company states that every production lot is tested for gluten at an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, with GFCO certification to validate gluten-free compliance.
Hydration Multiplier is a powdered hydration mix available in multiple flavor variations, including lemon lime, strawberry, açai berry, concord grape, golden cherry, grapefruit, guava, mango, passion fruit, pear, seaberry, tropical punch, watermelon, arctic raspberry, cotton candy, and several other rotating or seasonal flavors.
The formula contains glucose, sodium, and potassium salts, along with added vitamins. The presence of dextrose (a form of glucose) plays a functional role in fluid transport across the small intestine. When glucose and sodium are absorbed together through the sodium-glucose co-transport pathway (SGLT1), water follows osmotically, which may support faster uptake of fluids compared to water alone in certain contexts. Citric acid is included as an acidulant and flavor component, and it also participates in the citric acid cycle, where it acts as an intermediate in cellular energy production.
As per the official website, Hydration Multiplier also has sodium citrate and salt, which supply sodium ions that are essential electrolytes involved in maintaining extracellular fluid balance and supporting nerve signaling and muscle contraction. Potassium citrate and dipotassium phosphate provide potassium that contributes to membrane potential regulation, muscle cell function, and acid-base balance. The citrate and phosphate forms also act as buffering agents, which may help stabilize pH when the product is mixed in solution.
The mix also includes vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which acts as a water-soluble antioxidant and participates in collagen synthesis, connective tissue maintenance, and cellular protection from oxidative processes. Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) in this product contributes to the formation of NAD and NADP, coenzymes involved in metabolic reactions that are connected to energy production and cellular repair pathways.
As per the official website, Hydration Multiplier + Energy is built around glucose-electrolyte transport principles similar to the core Hydration Multiplier line, while combining additional bioactive compounds from coffee fruit extracts and amino acids. It is available in flavors such as blackberry peach, mango tamarind, and yuzu pineapple.
The makers state that Hydration Multiplier + Energy contains approximately 100 mg of caffeine per serving. It includes coffeeberry energy coffee fruit extract and CognatIQ coffee fruit extract, which supply naturally occurring caffeine along with polyphenols found in the outer fruit of the coffee plant. Caffeine primarily acts on the central nervous system by blocking adenosine receptors, which can reduce sensations of fatigue and increase alertness through downstream effects on neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. Compounds present in coffee fruit extracts may also influence cellular signaling and antioxidant pathways, although their physiological significance can vary depending on dose and individual response.
Hydration Multiplier + Energy also combines l-theanine, which can cross the blood–brain barrier and may influence alpha-wave activity, GABAergic signaling, and glutamate balance. This is associated with a calmer physiological state when combined with caffeine.
Electrolyte salts in the blend contribute sodium and potassium, which help maintain fluid balance across cellular membranes and support functions such as nerve conduction and muscle contraction.
Hydration Multiplier Kids is formulated for children and available in flavors such as concord grape, cotton candy, crisp apple, and tropical punch. The formulation centers on sodium and potassium salts that support fluid balance, combined with mild acidity regulators and vitamin-based functional components.
Sodium citrate in this blend supplies sodium ions that help maintain extracellular fluid balance and support nerve signaling and muscle contraction processes. Tartaric acid in Hydration Multiplier Kids functions primarily as an acidulant and flavor component, while also existing as an organic acid that participates in metabolic pathways related to carbohydrate processing.
The formula also includes vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), which is associated with red blood cell formation and neurological function through its role in DNA synthesis and cellular energy pathways. Stevia leaf extract in Hydration Multiplier Kids is used as a non-caloric sweetener and contributes to taste without meaningfully affecting glucose intake.
Liquid I.V. claims to operate with large-scale corporate support following its acquisition by Unilever in 2020, integrating the brand into Unilever’s Health and Wellbeing portfolio. This ownership structure is presented as providing access to established systems for sourcing, manufacturing, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance that typically exceed the capabilities of independent hydration or nutrition startups.
The brand claims to benefit from Unilever’s scalable manufacturing infrastructure and capital investment. This includes expanded production capacity in the United States, such as the Jefferson City manufacturing expansion, which supports higher volumes and more consistent supply. It also operates within Unilever’s standardized quality assurance environment, which includes food safety teams, GMP-aligned manufacturing practices, supplier qualification processes, and enterprise compliance systems used across Unilever’s global food and nutrition brands. The brand further claims that Unilever’s global distribution and retail infrastructure enable broad market access and international expansion.
Liquid I.V. claims to focus its brand positioning on Gen Z consumers and college-aged athletes through a marketing strategy centered on social media. A key element of this approach is the use of Name Image Likeness partnerships, including collaborations with networks such as MOGL. Through these programs, the brand has engaged thousands of student athletes and creators, generating large-scale digital reach and positioning hydration as part of everyday campus, workout, and travel routines rather than as a specialized sports performance tool. It also claims influencer-led content plays a central role in reaching younger audiences. Student athletes and fitness creators are featured in informal, lifestyle-driven scenarios that reflect how Gen Z consumers integrate hydration into daily life. Compared with traditional athlete endorsements, these creators often deliver higher engagement rates, reinforcing peer-level credibility and social relevance over expert or clinical authority.
Product and flavor strategy further support this youth-oriented positioning. Liquid I.V. claims to introduce novelty-driven and visually distinctive flavors such as Cotton Candy, along with kid-focused variants, using bright color palettes and sweet profiles that differ from conventional citrus or endurance sport flavors. These offerings emphasize fun, shareability, and social appeal, aligning with digital culture and taste experimentation common among younger consumers.
Liquid I.V. claims strong penetration into mainstream consumer culture, supported by its position as the leading powdered hydration brand in the U.S. by value sales across MULO+ convenience channels for recent reporting periods. This category leadership suggests usage that extends beyond sports or endurance contexts into routine, everyday hydration occasions.
The brand claims placement in 80,000+ U.S. retail locations, covering grocery, mass merchants, drugstores, warehouse clubs, convenience stores, and major e-commerce platforms. This scale of availability drives frequent exposure in everyday shopping environments, supporting broad consumer familiarity rather than reliance on specialty nutrition outlets.
Cultural integration further contributes to mass-market visibility. Liquid I.V. claims recurring presence at large, high-profile events and lifestyle activations, including festival partnerships such as Coachella, where branded experiences, on-site sampling, and social-media-driven moments (for example, hydration lounges and themed photo activations) position the product within social and recovery contexts.
Liquid IV has adjusted its marketing language following consumer and regulatory scrutiny related to claim precision. It revised its packaging to remove the “one stick equals three bottles” statement after concerns that the hydration equivalence claim could be interpreted as misleading. This change addressed communication issues without progressing to a direct lawsuit.
The brand has also faced legal challenges centered on labeling clarity rather than product safety. A 2024 class action, Meza-Soliven v. LIV Group / Unilever, alleges that “No Preservatives” labeling lacked sufficient precision because citric acid and citrate compounds can function as preservatives in certain contexts. The claim focuses on how ingredients are described, not on the safety or formulation of the product.
In 2025, a separate Slack-fill lawsuit alleged that oversized packaging created a misleading impression of quantity by containing partially filled packets. This dispute similarly centers on packaging presentation and marketing transparency rather than product performance.
The brand’s functional claims draw from established oral rehydration science, including sodium-glucose transport mechanisms associated with faster fluid absorption in dehydrated states. However, the degree of benefit can vary in everyday, non-clinical use. These disputes do not allege deficiencies in safety or efficacy, but instead highlight limitations in how marketing and packaging claims are communicated.
LMNT and Liquid IV both claim to focus on supporting energy levels and hydration. However, these brands are different from each other in terms of product range and breadth.
The brand LMNT focuses on a zero-sugar, high-electrolyte hydration approach built around a single, consistent formulation. It claims that each of its mix serving contains 1000 mg of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, and 60 mg of magnesium with no sugar, no gluten, vegan-friendly, and paleo-keto-friendly positioning. The same formulation is used across all flavors, including citrus salt, watermelon salt, raspberry salt, grapefruit salt, orange salt, raw unflavored, mango chili, chocolate salt, chocolate caramel, and lemonade salt. The brand highlights that most of its products are available in 30-count packs priced at $45 for a one-time purchase or $39 through subscription, with automatic delivery flexibility, free U.S. shipping, and a no-questions-asked refund policy. LMNT also offers options such as the Insider Bundle, variety packs, and LMNT Sparkling, while maintaining the same electrolyte profile across all formats. The brand presents itself as science-led, highlighting its “more salt, not less” philosophy and referencing research insights and coaching experience as the foundation of its formulation.
Meanwhile, Liquid I.V. adopts a broader approach to hydration and wellness, offering multiple distinct product categories rather than a single universal formula. The catalog includes hydration multiplier, sugar-free hydration multiplier, energy, sugar-free energy, immune support, kids' products, seasonal offerings, and customizable bundle options. The brand features an extensive range of flavors such as lemon lime, strawberry lemonade, concord grape, arctic raspberry, pina colada, cotton candy, mango passionfruit in the immune support line, blackberry peach in the energy line, and several sugar-free varieties, including strawberry watermelon, raspberry lemonade, mango pineapple, white peach, and rainbow sherbet. The pricing of its products generally starts around $21.84 to $24.99, depending on the product type and pack size, with subscribe and save and build-your-own bundle options enabling flexibility and personalization.
Where LMNT maintains a focused, high-electrolyte formulation intended for people with higher sodium needs, Liquid I.V. prioritizes product variety, flavor expansion, and segmented use cases such as hydration, energy, and immune support. LMNT centers its identity on concentrated electrolyte intake with zero sugar and a consistent science-based formula. Liquid I.V. positions itself as a broader lifestyle hydration brand with options for everyday use, different preferences, and a wider consumer audience.
LMNT delivers a single-formula, performance-oriented electrolyte product built around higher sodium concentration and functional hydration principles, while Liquid I.V. offers a multi-category hydration portfolio with diverse flavors, product variations, and a more versatile hydration experience suitable for different contexts and user needs.
DripDrop presents itself as a doctor-developed oral rehydration option built around ORS science, with a strong emphasis on fast relief from dehydration. Liquid I.V., on the other hand, places hydration within a broader everyday framework rather than a primarily relief-oriented setting. Its core Hydration Multiplier line sits alongside Sugar-Free, Sugar-Free Energy, Energy, Immune Support, Kids, Sleep, Gut Health, and bundle categories, creating a wider functional portfolio under one brand.
DripDrop’s formula is centered on a precise sodium-glucose ratio that activates the sodium-glucose cotransport system for quicker absorption, supported by low osmolarity to help fluids enter the bloodstream efficiently. The brand highlights details such as 3X electrolytes per 16 oz compared to leading sports drinks and offers Original, Zero Sugar, and Zero Sugar Plus lines, with some Zero Sugar Plus options promoted as providing 15 vitamins and nutrients. The catalog is primarily hydration-focused, with multiple flavor options like watermelon, berry, grape, fruit punch, lemon, orange, strawberry lemonade, mango, acai, pina colada, peach, lemon lime, black cherry, cherry limeade, passion fruit, and citrus, available across a wide range of pack sizes including 8-count, 16-count, 32-count, 64-count, 96-count, and 128-count, plus 2-stick sample packs. Liquid I.V.’s formulation story highlights glucose and sodium to support hydration, along with five essential vitamins, including B3, B5, B6, B12, and Vitamin C. In its Energy and Sugar-Free Energy ranges, the brand combines additives such as coffeeberry energy extract for natural caffeine, l-theanine for focus and mental clarity support, and cognatiq coffee fruit extract, which may support better memory and alertness.
DripDrop also supports a purpose-driven identity as a Public Benefit Company, linking purchases to humanitarian aid, disaster response, and community support, and positioning its products for situations where rapid hydration relief may be needed or where IV therapy may not be accessible. Its flavor lineup is extensive and lifestyle-oriented, with options such as lemon lime, strawberry lemonade, concord grape, cotton candy, piña colada, mango pineapple, arctic raspberry, strawberry watermelon, white peach, rainbow sherbet, raspberry lemonade, blackberry peach +energy, mango passionfruit +immune support, popsicle firecracker, and multiple sugar-free variants, along with build-your-own bundles and Subscribe & Save purchasing options.
DripDrop concentrates on clinically inspired hydration performance with a narrow but deep focus on ORS-based electrolyte powders, higher sodium levels, low osmolarity, and rapid absorption messaging. Meanwhile, Liquid I.V. expands hydration into a multi-category ecosystem that blends electrolytes with vitamins and functional actives across hydration, energy, immune support, kids, and lifestyle-driven variants, emphasizing flavor variety, routine use, and category breadth rather than a primarily medical or relief-based framework.
Based on the shared Trustpilot reviews from 2022 through 2025, Liquid I.V. appears to deliver a mixed and often divided customer experience. The brand holds a 2.4-star rating based on 10+ Trustpilot reviews.
Several users reported positive outcomes related to the product itself, including good flavor options, noticeable hydration support, and usefulness during activities such as hiking or recovery from illness. Some customers also mention instances where damaged product concerns were addressed through replacements, suggesting that when orders are fulfilled smoothly and support is responsive, the experience can be satisfactory and the product benefits are appreciated.
However, many users describe delays in shipping, orders that do not arrive as expected, difficulty canceling or modifying purchases, and limited or unresponsive customer support. Some customers have highlighted issues such as packets arriving clumped or hardened, which raises concerns about consistency in quality control or handling during storage and transit. In several cases, users have claimed that communication felt slow or unclear, contributing to frustration and reducing confidence in post-purchase support.
While the brand has received praise from satisfied users, its reputation is affected by repeated mentions of shipping delays, customer service limitations, and inconsistent product quality. You may still find value in its products, but you should be aware of these potential service-related drawbacks.
Liquid I.V. is a well-known hydration supplement brand offering electrolyte drink mixes and functional powder blends designed to support hydration, energy, immune health, and daily needs. Its portfolio includes flavored hydration packets and specialty formulations based on oral-rehydration principles.
The brand currently holds an F rating on the Better Business Bureau, with multiple complaints recorded over the past years. Several of these complaints reference delayed or undelivered orders, subscription-cancellation concerns, or difficulty reaching customer support through available channels. While some cases were resolved, the frequency of similar cases indicates ongoing challenges in areas such as communication and order-resolution workflows.
Tenereteam reviews present a more favorable view of the product experience, with a 4.3 rating based on eight reviews. Feedback on this platform indicates that many customers are satisfied with aspects such as taste, formulation, and perceived hydration benefits, reflecting positively on the core product offering. At the same time, the limited review volume means these insights should be interpreted with caution and may not represent the full spectrum of user experience. This evaluation highlights a distinction between Liquid I.V.’s product reception and its operational consistency. The brand benefits from strong visibility and a product line that resonates with many users, but publicly reported service-related concerns suggest that the post-purchase experience may vary.
Liquid I.V. positions itself as a hydration-focused brand built around electrolyte-based powder mixes that aim to support faster fluid absorption through sodium–glucose co-transport mechanisms. Its products center on convenience, flavor variety, and functional extensions such as energy-support and immune-focused blends, while framing hydration as part of everyday routines, travel, workouts, and recovery needs.
At the same time, the brand’s positioning remains lifestyle-driven rather than clinically specialized. While its formulations draw inspiration from hydration science principles, not every product is supported by product-specific clinical trials, and individual outcomes may depend on personal hydration status, physical activity patterns, and electrolyte needs.
When considering the brand, it is essential to review sodium and sugar content if you manage conditions such as hypertension, kidney concerns, or diabetes. Avoid using the product as a substitute for medical treatment in dehydration-related illness, and seek guidance before frequent use if you follow electrolyte-restricted diets or take medications that influence fluid balance. These considerations help you assess where the brand fits your needs while remaining aware of its limitations.
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