Water. As you can imagine, water is one of the best drinks to fight dehydration.
With beginning symptoms of dehydration, you can rehydrate by consuming fluids that contain electrolytes, such as sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions. There are also foods available that have a high water content, such as fruits and vegetables. These will also help with rehydration.
The researchers found that while water — both still and sparkling — does a pretty good job of quickly hydrating the body, beverages with a little bit of sugar, fat or protein do an even better job of keeping us hydrated for longer.
Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness.
Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.
Gatorade contains 160 milligrams of sodium and 45 milligrams of potassium per serving, whereas Powerade contains150 milligrams of sodium and 35 milligrams of potassium per serving. In comparison, Gatorade is slightly better at replacing lost electrolytes.
Two early signs of dehydration are thirst and dark-coloured urine. This is the body's way of trying to increase water intake and decrease water loss. Other symptoms may include: dizziness or light-headedness.
Best Overall: Gatorade
The levels of electrolytes (sodium and potassium) are moderate and sensible with 160 mg of sodium and 45mg of potassium per 12 fluid ounce serving. You can also find Gatorade varieties with higher sodium, zero sugar or no calories depending on your needs.
In fact, water may not even crack the top five of the most hydrating drinks out there. According to a study from Scotland's St. Andrew's University, milk, Pedialyte and soda top the list of most hydrating beverages.
To treat dehydration at home, drink more fluids and either apply a cold compress to your face or take an ice bath to cool down. If your temperature doesn't improve or it reaches above 103°, go to the nearest emergency room or urgent care center.
In general, however, it usually takes about two hours for your body to rehydrate fully after drinking a significant amount of water. As for how you should rehydrate, water is the best choice. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, can be helpful for athletes who need to replenish electrolytes.
Staying hydrated is so important on a daily basis, but even more so when it's hot and kids are so active! I've written a post about hydration here before because it's just so important. Anyway, moving on, Hydralyte have released a whole bunch of Electrolyte products for rehydration that you can use everyday.
You might have an electrolyte imbalance: Electrolyte imbalances are one of the most common reasons you might feel dehydrated even after drinking tons of water: “Sometimes if we drink a lot of water but we don't take in enough fruits and vegetables, our electrolytes—sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, etc.
Rehydration should occur before your next shift or strenuous physical activity, but do not exceed more than 1.5 liters of water per hour or 12 liters in a day without medical supervision.
Fruit juices such as orange juice, cherry juice, and watermelon juice are all good sources of magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. According to the FNDDS, the average school container (124 grams) of 100% orange juice provides : 13.6 mg of magnesium.
POWERADE ION4 contains four electrolytes – Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium – lost in sweat. Sodium and Potassium help you to retain fluid so you stay hydrated, as well as maintaining your blood volume, sweat rate and muscle blood flow.
It is the high sodium levels in sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Powerade, on top of one's daily eating routine that can cause sodium levels to spike. Over consumption of sodium can have serious health implications such as heart attack, heart disease, kidney damage and high blood pressure.