SPONSORED | Dehydration: Water only or electrolyte solutions?

Did you know that when you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated?¹

Every day you experience situations which can lead to a loss of fluids.  Breathing, sweating, urinating, vomiting and diarrhoea can lead to your body losing water and/or electrolytes, and if it is not adequately replaced, you could dehydrate.¹

During exercise, working or playing outside in the heat, or when you have a fever during illness, the body heats up and needs to cool itself down by sweating. Your body may lose up to 450 g of sweat every hour when taking a brisk walk outside, depending on the weather.³ A person who has diarrhoea can lose between 5 ml and 200 ml of fluid per kilogram of bodyweight in 24 hours – that could be more than 10 litres in one day for an average person weighing 50 – 70 kg!¹

(Image: Supplied)

How do you know if you or your child is dehydrated? In the early stages of dehydration, you will experience no signs or symptoms. As dehydration increases, some symptoms may be experienced.¹

When people show signs of severe dehydration, it is best to get them to a medical facility as soon as possible, as they will need to be rehydrated intravenously (directly into the vein with a drip).¹

Drinking enough water during the day is very important to prevent dehydration, regardless if you are well or have diarrhoea.^1,4 So why is drinking only plain water not enough to treat dehydration after exercise or during a bout of diarrhoea? Your body loses a lot of sodium (and other electrolytes) through sweat, as well as watery stools. Drinking plain water after exercise will dilute the remaining sodium even more and may cause further loss of water through urine.^1,2

When you have diarrhoea, the intestines are damaged or irritated and do not absorb nutrients or water from the liquids or foods we drink or eat as they are supposed to. To help the intestines to absorb the necessary fluids and nutrients, a solution that contains the right balance of water, sodium (and other electrolytes) with glucose is needed. In order for sodium to be absorbed, it needs to form a bond with glucose. As the sodium and glucose are absorbed together by the body, it draws the necessary water into the cells too.⁵

Remember that sports drinks are made for athletes in mind and contain a lot more glucose (or sugar) than oral rehydration solutions recommended for rehydration during illness. Athletes use a lot more energy during exercise which they need to replace.⁶

Whether you are hydrating after exercise or during illness, it is always best to drink smaller volumes of sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions over several hours.^1,2 You will know that you have been well hydrated when you are not thirsty anymore.¹

This post and content is sponsored, written and provided by Rehidrat.