Sodium

Sodium reference formula at an example 10 mg of elemental sodium per serving, developed as a powder or liquid, with electrolyte-scale amounts as options.

Sodium is a reference formula for brands building a single-ingredient sodium electrolyte product around example amounts that range from 10 mg to 1,800 mg of elemental sodium per serving, with 10 mg shown as the example. Sodium is the only active ingredient, so the development work centers on the sodium salt, the salt weight that carries the element, and the taste of a salty ingredient in a drink mix.

Powder is the lead format because sodium chloride or sodium citrate blends into a dry stick-pack mix with an acidulant and a flavor system, and a liquid concentrate carries the same salt in solution. The amounts are examples that the brand and its market review set.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
Sodium10 mg (example amount)Sodium chloride, specified on elemental sodium content; 10 mg sodium per servingSodium citrate or sodium bicarbonate, with the input recalculated to the declared amount of elemental sodium

Amounts are stated as mg of elemental sodium (Na, 22.9898 g/mol; PubChem CID 5360545). Sodium chloride (NaCl, 58.44 g/mol) is 39.3% sodium by weight, so 10 mg of sodium needs about 25.4 mg of the salt, and 1,800 mg of sodium needs about 4,576 mg. Assay of the purchased salt and any anti-caking agent are set with the supplier.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around daily sodium intake and electrolyte mineral nutrition. Sodium is included as the only active so that the salt, the amount and the taste system can be set around one ingredient.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
Electrolyte mineral nutritionSodiumIncluded because a review of electrolyte minerals describes appropriate intake of micronutrients such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium as critical for cardiovascular well-being, with open debates on the effect of supplemental intake [2]. Evidence: Referenced
Sodium intake and blood pressureSodiumA review reports a close relationship between dietary sodium intake and hypertension, with a reduction in dietary sodium linked to lower blood pressure and lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality [1]. Evidence: Contested

The second row works against a high-sodium product, so the amount is a brand decision and the example 10 mg sits at the small end of the reference range. Label wording and the amount tier are reviewed for each sales market.

Available Formats

The sodium reference formula is built for a powder version and a liquid version; counts per serving are design choices that the brand can adjust.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Powder1 stick pack (4 g)10 mg sodium30 stick packsDextrose, citric acid, sweetener, flavor, anti-caking agentLead format; dry mix for water
Liquid15 mL10 mg sodium300 mL bottleWater, acidulant, sweetener, flavor, preservativeConcentrate; the salt is fully soluble

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. The input is the sodium amount divided by the sodium content of the salt at an assumed 100% assay: sodium chloride at 39.3% gives about 25.4 mg of salt for 10 mg of sodium. A premix is needed at this weight, so the salt is carried in a 10% blend on a carrier.

FormatRaw Material Input per UnitDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Powder25.4 mg NaCl (254 mg of a 10% premix)4000 mg per stick3746 mgBlend uniformity, flow, moisture pickup, content assay of sodium
Liquid25.4 mg NaCl per 15 mL15 mLSolvent and flavor systemClarity, pH, taste, content assay of sodium

Tablet, capsule and gummy versions are separate projects, because electrolyte-scale amounts in the thousands of milligrams need their own unit design.

Formulation Considerations

Micro-dose of a salt. At 25 mg of salt in a 4 g stick the active is well under 1% of the unit. A premix on a carrier and a blending order are set first, and a content assay of sodium in the first units tests the dilution.
Electrolyte-scale options. The same specification scales to amounts near 1,800 mg of sodium, which is about 4.6 g of sodium chloride per serving. That amount changes the stick weight, the taste work and the label review, so it is handled as its own tier.
Salty taste. Sodium chloride tastes salty and, in a drink, needs an acidulant and a flavor system. The sodium citrate alternative gives a softer salt note at a different sodium percentage.
Evidence and label review. The reviews in [1] and [2] link high sodium intake with hypertension and note debates on supplementation, so claims and label statements for the finished product are reviewed per sales market before a product is developed.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the amount per serving, the sodium salt, the format and the taste system.

ParameterRangeNote
Sodium per serving10, 15, 20 or 1800 mgExample amounts for the brand; each tier is checked against the rules of the sales market
Sodium saltChloride, citrate or bicarbonateSodium percent differs by salt; input recalculated from the supplier assay
FormatPowder or liquidTablet, capsule and gummy are separate projects
Pack size20 to 60 servingsSet by the brand
Add-onsPotassium, magnesium, calciumA second mineral raises the salt load and reshapes the taste plan

The pilot run confirms blend uniformity and moisture behavior of the dry mix, taste balance of the salt, and the content assay of elemental sodium in the first units against the labeled amount.

Flavor Options

FormatSuggested FlavorsWhy
PowderLemon-lime, orange, watermelonTart fruit profiles soften the salty note
LiquidLemon, orangeAcidic profiles cover the salt taste

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredient and amount come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (10 mg on the label of CF034004, a 26 g powder serving; example DSLD labels 286252, 286253, 286254). The label names the ingredient as sodium; sodium chloride is set as the form.
SpecificationSet in formulationSodium chloride, 10 mg elemental sodium per serving; assay, particle size and heavy-metal limits and method are fixed with the supplier. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Grillo A, Salvi L, Coruzzi P, et al. Sodium Intake and Hypertension. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):1970. DOI · PubMed<br>[2] Mohammadifard N, Gotay C, Humphries KH, et al. Electrolyte minerals intake and cardiovascular health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(15):2375-2385. DOI · PubMed

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