Fluid replacement, electrolyte solution (include PEDIALYTE)

About Fluid replacement, electrolyte solution (include PEDIALYTE)

This is an oral rehydration solution — the medical-style electrolyte drink sold under names like Pedialyte. Unlike a sports drink or soda, it is formulated to a specific balance of sodium, potassium and a small amount of glucose, the ratio that helps the gut absorb water most efficiently when the body is losing fluid to vomiting or diarrhea.

Per 100 grams it provides about 10 calories and 2.5 grams of carbohydrate (as glucose), with roughly 101 milligrams of sodium and 77 milligrams of potassium. A liter — a typical amount to sip through a day of illness — comes to about 100 calories, around 1,010 milligrams of sodium and 770 milligrams of potassium. The deliberately low sugar matters: heavily sweetened drinks can actually pull more water into the gut and worsen diarrhea, which is what these solutions are designed to avoid.

Oral rehydration solutions are most useful during bouts of vomiting, diarrhea or fever, especially in young children and older adults, who can become dehydrated quickly. They are a rehydration tool rather than an everyday beverage, and dehydration in an infant or a seriously ill person needs medical attention — this is general information, not medical advice.

Nutrition data from USDA FoodData Central & FooDB. Values are per 100 g, edible portion.