N-2 vs. Sugar-Based Hydration Powders
Many popular hydration powders are built on oral rehydration science: pairing sodium with sugar (often 10 g or more per serving) to speed water absorption. That approach was originally designed for clinical rehydration of acute fluid loss.
For everyday hydration, that sugar is a real cost. N-2 takes a different path: no added sugar at all, with a complete mineral profile of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and 70+ marine-sourced trace minerals doing the work.
| N-2 | Sugar-based hydration powders | |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | None (lightly sweetened with stevia) | Often 10 g+ per serving |
| Calories | Negligible | Typically 45–50 per serving |
| Calcium | 130 mg (10% DV) per stick | Usually none |
| Magnesium | 130 mg (30% DV) per stick | Usually minimal or none |
| Sodium | 550 mg, balanced with other minerals | Commonly ~500 mg, paired with sugar |
| Trace minerals | 70+ naturally occurring, marine-sourced | Not included |
| Designed for | Sugar-free daily mineral hydration | Rapid rehydration via sugar-sodium transport |
The bottom line
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