Trace Minerals’ ZeroLyte electrolyte hydrates twice as fast as water after exercise

A new clinical study conducted by the Hydration Science Lab at Arizona State University (ASU), US, reveals that Trace Minerals’ powdered electrolyte supplements ZeroLyte hydrates two times faster than water following exercise-induced dehydration, making it the first clinically studied “truly sugar-free” electrolyte shown to do so. 

ZeroLyte is Trace Minerals’ electrolyte drink mix formulated to replenish essential minerals lost through sweat. The formulation contains sea salt, coconut water, potassium, magnesium, and Trace Minerals’ signature full-spectrum ionic trace mineral complex sourced from the Great Salt Lake in Utah, US.

Led by hydration researcher Stavros Kavouras, Ph.D., professor and director of the Hydration Science Lab, the study findings are being presented at the ongoing American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, US (May 26–29).

“In this study, we observed that electrolyte composition plays a critical role in post-exercise rehydration,” says Kavouras. “The ZeroLyte formulation demonstrated improved fluid retention compared to water alone, which is an important factor in effective hydration.”

Hydrating performance

The randomized crossover study involved men and women who underwent an exercise dehydration protocol before rehydrating with either ZeroLyte or plain water.

At multiple intervals over four hours, researchers measured body weight restoration, urine output, skin hydration, blood markers, and perceptual responses.

Findings revealed that ZeroLyte outperformed water at every post-rehydration time point, with participants producing roughly half the urine volume compared to the plain water condition — a clear indicator of improved fluid retention.

ZeroLyte significantly outperformed water, halving urine output across all post-rehydration checks and demonstrating superior fluid retention.As a unique selling point, Trace Minerals says ZeroLyte does not contain sugar. “While some products marketed as sugar-free may contain ingredients such as allulose, ZeroLyte’s truly sugar-free formulation makes this clinical validation a meaningful distinction in the hydration category,” the brand highlights.

“This research confirms that the right electrolyte blend is the key to superior hydration,” says Darrin Starkey, manager of education and training at Trace Minerals. “ZeroLyte was designed to replenish what the body loses during exercise, and now we have evidence that the first clinically studied, truly sugar-free electrolyte drink can restore body fluids two times faster than water.”

The company says ZeroLyte provides effective hydration and body fluid regulation, supports proper nerve and muscle function, and replenishes electrolytes lost through exercise and daily activities.

Functional beverage trends

In product innovations this year, hydration has been outfitted with other complementary health benefits in line with the “functional hydration” trend.

This has given rise to the “water stacking” trend, where consumers blend multiple health powders into their water for various benefits. Nutrition Insight recently caught up with Will Villella, microbiologist and head of product development for ActivatedYou, about the evolution of the water stacking trend and how its trajectory has influenced product development around adaptogenic and gut-healthy formulas.

Meanwhile, traditional sports supplement claims are entering the coffee space, with Bulletproof launching Coffee + Creatine, a “first of its kind” functional coffee innovation featuring creatine. It is an instant black coffee with toxin-tested 100% Arabica beans. Each cup offers 5 g of creatine monohydrate and 250 mg of electrolytes to support performance and hydration.