Drink up! The importance of water and electrolytes

The monsoons can make you feel less thirsty but keep your fluid intake at optimum levels

Water is an essential component of the human body, and our cellular systems can't function properly without it. For our bodies to function well, we must maintain a healthy level of fluid in our body.

Dangers of dehydration

Water and electrolytes are lost in conditions such as excess sweating on a hot summer day, diarrhoea, vomiting, etc. If the lost water and electrolytes are not compensated by a proportionate increase in the intake/ability of the body to absorb more water and electrolytes, then there is a deficit of water and electrolytes in the body. This condition is called dehydration.

Dehydration can be dangerous and even fatal if not corrected in time. Infants and young children are prone to diarrheal episodes, which cause water and electrolyte loss. It is easily treated by replenishing the body with water and electrolytes.

Older adults are also prone to dehydration because they may be on multiple medications for diseases common in old age. That, along with a decreased sense of taste and thirst, may make the elderly more susceptible to loss of water and electrolytes.

During dehydration, the body loses water and salts. The human body needs the right amount of fluids to keep all organs functioning correctly.

Benefits of ORS

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends ORS during dehydration. This minimises the need for IV fluids during dehydration, thereby curbing the consequences of severe hospitalisation and resultant health complications.

A beneficial blend of ingredients is included in ORS, which fully conforms to this WHO requirement. This scientifically formulated formula aids in maintaining the body's fluid balance, resulting in a rapid recovery in the comfort of one's own home.

In essence, the ORS acts as a replacement fluid for the body, helping to restore the lost water and electrolyte content. When electrolytes are combined with sugar and water, your gut is stimulated to absorb all the water and electrolytes, reversing the effects of dehydration. For patients with acute diarrhoea and fluid loss, ORS is prescribed. ORS is safe and rapidly reverses dehydration, so it is suitable for children, adults, and the elderly alike.

When choosing an ORS product, it is imperative to ensure that the product contains a formulation that matches the one recommended by the WHO. This ensures that it meets the highest standards for efficacy. With so many options in the market, including copy-cat energy drinks, fruit-based or non-carbonated drinks and other ready-to-drink beverages that brand themselves as ORS, one can end up with adverse symptoms of dehydration owing to its sugar content. The look-alike products may appear as 'ORSL', 'ORSL Rehydrate' and 'Electro Plus ORS', among others, although they are not WHO approved.

In this regard, under a new rule, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stated that companies can no longer mislead consumers through such deceptive labelling of pseudo-ORS products, and general drinks cannot be classified as ORS products.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended ORS, or Oral Rehydration Solution, as a vital tool for treating dehydration, particularly in developing countries; it is a simple mixture of salt, sugar, and water that can be taken orally. However, fake ORS products are often made with sugar and other additives that can cause more harm than good during dehydration. Hence, the new FSSAI rule aims to ensure that consumers are not kept in the dark and fooled into a purchase and are not unknowingly compromising their health.

(Dr Vivek Rege is a paediatric surgeon and paediatric urologist)