Buoy

Buoy review: unflavored liquid electrolytes with a published clinical trial

Buoy is a US hydration brand known for liquid electrolyte drops that can be added to water, coffee, tea, smoothies, and other beverages. Its Ocean Electrolytes line avoids sugar, sweeteners, and flavoring, while newer Rainforest Wild Foods products use Australian botanical ingredients in powdered or spray formats.

The drops are especially convenient for people who dislike sweet electrolyte powders. Buoy also has a completed University of Pittsburgh hydration study, a stronger evidence signal than a purely marketing-led formula. The study still needs to be interpreted according to its dose, population, and design.

What does Buoy sell?

The catalog covers routine hydration, higher-sodium use cases, digestion, energy, cognition, immunity, and rainforest-derived powders:

• Hydration Drops with ocean electrolytes and trace minerals
• Rescue Drops and Rescue Salt for a higher-sodium option
• Digestion, Brain Health, Energy, and Immunity Drops
• Rainforest Reds, Activated Magnesium, and Defense Mist
• Curated kits containing several products and monthly supplies

Not every formula is identical. Energy Drops contain green-tea caffeine, while targeted products add vitamins, herbs, or nootropic ingredients. Buyers should read the specific Supplement Facts panel rather than applying the flagship Hydration Drops profile to the entire range.

Hydration Drops and Ocean Electrolyte Kit

Hydration Drops are sold as three bottles providing 120 servings for a one-month supply. The one-time price is $39.00, while the subscription is $30.03. One serving is a quick 1.5 ml squeeze, and the brand suggests adding a serving to four to seven drinks per day.

The Ocean Electrolyte Kit shown as the flagship bundle contains all six liquid electrolyte formulas plus Rescue Salt, with 265 servings in the one-month configuration. It costs $100.00 once or $77.00 by subscription. Subscription pricing reflects a 23% discount and free shipping.

What did the Buoy study actually test?

The registered, university-sponsored study enrolled 30 healthy, active adults aged 18 to 45 in a single-center, open-label crossover design. Participants completed separate Buoy, water, and comparator visits. The published results reported a higher beverage hydration index and net fluid balance for Buoy over six hours.

Context matters. The Buoy visit used 18 ml in one liter, equivalent to 12 standard 1.5 ml servings, consumed gradually over four hours. The comparator beverage was consumed over 30 minutes. Researchers acknowledged that differences could reflect ingestion rate, composition, or both.

• The trial supports short-term hydration markers under its specific protocol.
• It does not prove that one routine squeeze is 64% more hydrating in every person or situation.
• It does not establish treatment benefits for POTS, migraine, fatigue, kidney disease, or another diagnosis.
• Larger trials in varied populations would improve confidence and generalizability.

Safety and label checks

Electrolyte needs depend on diet, sweat loss, exercise, climate, illness, and medication. More sodium is not automatically better. People with kidney, heart, or blood-pressure conditions, fluid restrictions, pregnancy, or medicines affecting electrolytes should ask a clinician how much is appropriate.

Count every serving if using drops in four to seven drinks, and distinguish standard Hydration Drops from concentrated Rescue products. Caffeine-sensitive users should note that Energy Drops list 30 mg caffeine per serving. Botanical formulas may have additional interaction or allergy considerations.

Testing and sourcing

Buoy says its ocean minerals are collected from protected deep waters and each batch is third-party tested, including for microplastics. Public reports are most useful when they identify the current lot, analytical method, reporting limits, and measured results. Phrases such as 87 trace minerals do not tell buyers how much of each mineral a serving contains, so the Supplement Facts panel remains essential.

Buoy price and promo code

The Ocean Electrolyte Kit costs $100.00 as a one-time order. Code BUOY537069 may provide 10% off an eligible purchase, reducing it to approximately $90.00 before tax. It may not stack with the $77 subscription price or other promotions, making the cart total the final authority.

US shipping and guarantee

One-time US orders of $60 or more and subscriptions ship free. Lower one-time orders cost $9 to ship. Orders generally leave by the next business day and standard domestic delivery usually takes three to four business days, although the policy says 95% arrive within seven days. International DDP costs and estimates appear at checkout.

New customers can request a refund on their first order within 30 days of delivery. Unopened products and free gifts must be returned under the stated process; international refunds exclude shipping, taxes, and duties.

Our verdict

Buoy offers a genuinely convenient, unsweetened format and unusually specific hydration research for a consumer electrolyte brand. Its limitations are premium kit pricing, ambitious claims beyond hydration, and a study protocol that does not mirror a single everyday serving. It is best evaluated by the exact label, total daily intake, and individual hydration needs.

Read our full Buoy review and get the Buoy promo code BUOY537069 (-10%).