Guide · The category
What is an amino electrolyte?
An electrolyte drink mix that names its amino acids, in milligrams, alongside the minerals. Here is what that means on a label, and how Lula is built.
An amino electrolyte is an electrolyte powder that lists named amino acids, with amounts, beside the minerals: sodium, potassium, magnesium and often calcium. It is a way of describing what is on the label, not a health claim. Lula is one: 1,000 mg sodium plus 1.2 g of taurine, glycine and alanine per scoop, with no added sugar.
- Electrolytes are the charged minerals in body fluids. Sodium is the one lost in the greatest amount in sweat.
- "Amino" means named amino acids are in the scoop. It does not mean protein, muscle building or a pre-workout.
- Read three lines first: sodium per serving, sugar per serving, and whether each amino acid is listed in milligrams.
Electrolytes, in plain English
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge once they dissolve in water. In the body they sit in blood and the fluid around cells, and nerves and muscles run on the gradients they create.
The ones that matter for a hydration drink are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride. Sodium is the main electrolyte outside cells. Potassium is the main one inside them. Chloride is sodium's partner in salt.
Sweat is not pure water. It carries sodium out with it, plus smaller amounts of potassium and magnesium. On quiet days, food and water cover you. On sweaty days, a measured scoop of electrolytes in water is one simple way to put the minerals back alongside the fluid.
What "amino" adds to an electrolyte
On an amino electrolyte label, "amino" means specific amino acids are part of the formula, each with its own amount. In Lula that is taurine 500 mg, L-glycine 450 mg and L-alanine 250 mg, 1.2 g in total per 6.5 g scoop.
That is a statement of composition. It is not a promise. In the UK, taurine, glycine and alanine have no authorised health claims at any dose, so we name them and stop there. Any brand that tells you its aminos "do" something for you is going further than the law allows.
Why put them in at all? Because we wanted a complete formula: a full mineral profile, the amino acids, and no sugar load. Salt-only electrolytes stop at the minerals. Sugary sports drinks lead with carbohydrate. An amino electrolyte sits between the two.
| Amino acid | Per scoop | What it is (general science) |
|---|---|---|
| Taurine | 500 mg | One of the body's major organic osmolytes, concentrated in muscle, heart and brain. |
| L-glycine | 450 mg | The simplest amino acid. Conditionally essential, and about a third of the amino acids in collagen. |
| L-alanine | 250 mg | A non-essential amino acid, central to the glucose-alanine cycle. |
| Total | 1.2 g | Listed in milligrams on the label, not hidden in a "proprietary blend". |
General science about the molecules, not a claim about what Lula does in your body. Taurine, glycine and alanine have no authorised health claims in the UK.
Education · general physiology
Salt pulls water in. So do amino acids.
In gut physiology, sodium does not cross the intestinal wall alone. It is carried with a partner molecule, and water follows by osmosis. This is the principle behind oral rehydration solutions.
- The classic partner is glucose, which is why sugary sports drinks and medical rehydration salts pair sugar with salt.
- Researchers have also studied sodium transport alongside certain amino acids, including glycine and alanine, in the human gut.
- That research is the thinking behind pairing electrolytes with amino acids instead of loading sugar.
Third-person physiology for context. It is not a claim that Lula hydrates faster, better or differently. Read more in our sodium and amino acid cotransport explainer.
How to read an amino electrolyte label
- Sodium per serving. This is the headline mineral. Powders range from a few hundred milligrams to 1,000 mg or more. Lula has 1,000 mg per scoop.
- Serving size and water. A scoop, a stick, a sachet and a tablet are different servings. Some brands state minerals per litre once mixed. Compare like with like.
- Sugar per serving. Look for the "of which sugars" line. Lula has 0.17 g, with no added sugar, sweetened with stevia.
- Named amino acids, in milligrams. If a label says "amino blend" with no amounts, you cannot compare it. Lula lists each one.
- The small print. Caffeine, sweetener, allergens, and where it is made. Lula has no caffeine, is vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, and is made in the UK.
For a side-by-side of six brands, checked on 20 October 2026, see UK electrolyte labels compared.
The Lula scoop
The complete amino electrolyte.
One 6.5 g scoop. Every amount on the label, in plain sight.
from pink Himalayan salt1,000 mg42%The electrolyte you sweat out most
potassium citrate250 mg13%Sodium's partner mineral
magnesium citrate75 mg20%Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
calcium citrate50 mg6%An electrolyte mineral in the blend
taurine, glycine, alanine1.2 gn/a500 mg taurine · 450 mg glycine · 250 mg alanine
sweetened with stevia0.17 gsugarsNo added sugar · 7.7 kcal · no caffeine
Who an amino electrolyte suits, and who it does not
A good fit
- Runners, riders, gym-goers and anyone training a few times a week.
- Hot days, long days outdoors, travel and busy on-your-feet days.
- People who want a measured mineral scoop without a sugary sports drink.
- Anyone who likes to see every amount on the label.
Not the right fit
- Children. Lula is not recommended for children.
- Anyone told to limit salt, or with a medical condition, without speaking to their GP first. One scoop has 1,000 mg sodium.
- Illness with vomiting or diarrhoea. That is a job for pharmacy rehydration salts and medical advice.
- Anyone after caffeine. Lula is not a pre-workout.
What Lula does and does not claim
We describe the label. We do not claim Lula hydrates your cells, works faster than water or does anything special because of the amino acids. "Cellular Hydration" is the product's name on the jar, not a promise.
The one nutrient in Lula with authorised health claims is magnesium, because one scoop gives 20% of the daily reference intake. We use that wording exactly and keep it in the small print. More on that in What's in an electrolyte: magnesium.
Magnesium, small print: Lula has 75 mg magnesium per scoop (20% NRV). Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Good to know
Questions, answered
What is an amino electrolyte?
An electrolyte drink mix that lists named amino acids, with amounts, alongside minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. It describes what is in the scoop. It is not a medical or performance claim.
What amino acids are in Lula?
Taurine 500 mg, L-glycine 450 mg and L-alanine 250 mg per 6.5 g scoop, 1.2 g in total.
Is an amino electrolyte the same as a protein or BCAA drink?
No. Lula's three amino acids are listed as ingredients at 1.2 g in total. It is not a protein shake, an EAA or BCAA product, or a pre-workout.
Do the amino acids in Lula have health benefits?
Taurine, glycine and alanine have no authorised health claims in the UK at any dose, so we make none. Lula's only authorised health claims come from its magnesium.
Is an amino electrolyte the same as a sports drink?
Usually not. Many sports drinks lead with sugar for taste and carbohydrate. Amino electrolyte powders tend to lead with minerals and named amino acids, with little or no sugar. Always read the label.
How much sodium is in Lula?
1,000 mg per 6.5 g scoop, from pink Himalayan salt.
Does Lula contain sugar or caffeine?
Lula has no added sugar and 0.17 g of sugars per scoop, from the natural peach. It is sweetened with stevia. There is no caffeine.
Is Lula vegan and made in the UK?
Yes. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, and made in the UK.
How do I take it?
One scoop a day. The label says 500 ml of cold water; we prefer 750 ml to 1 litre, ice-cold. See how to mix Lula.
Keep reading
Related guides
Try Lula
The complete amino electrolyte.
One scoop of Natural Peach in 750 ml to 1 litre of ice-cold water. 1,000 mg sodium with potassium, magnesium and calcium, plus 1.2 g of amino acids. No added sugar.
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Choose your Lula →Do not exceed the daily recommended dose (one scoop a day). Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Not recommended for children. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medicine or have a medical condition, speak with your doctor before use.
Lula is a food supplement. Any health claims relate to its magnesium content.