Water is the first thing to reach for, but water alone isn’t enough. Diarrhea pulls both fluid and essential minerals out of your body, so the best drinks replace water, sodium, and potassium together. An oral rehydration solution (ORS) does this most effectively, but broth, coconut water, and diluted drinks can also help depending on what you have on hand.
Why Water Alone Falls Short
Every loose stool pulls sodium, potassium, and chloride out of your body along with the water. Plain water replaces the fluid but not those minerals, so your body struggles to actually absorb and hold onto what you’re drinking. The key is a specific pairing: when a small amount of sugar and sodium arrive in your intestine together, they trigger a transport system that actively pulls water through the intestinal wall and into your bloodstream. This is why the most effective rehydration drinks contain both salt and a modest amount of sugar, not just one or the other.
Oral Rehydration Solutions Are the Gold Standard
Oral rehydration solutions, sold over the counter as products like Pedialyte or Drip Drop, are specifically formulated to match what your body loses during diarrhea. The WHO’s recommended formula contains about 75 milliequivalents of sodium and 13.5 grams of glucose per liter, with an osmolarity of 245, which sits just below your blood’s normal range of 275 to 295. That slightly lower concentration is intentional: it creates a gentle gradient that draws water into your bloodstream rather than keeping it trapped in your gut.
You can also make a basic version at home by mixing six level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt into one liter of clean water. It won’t taste great, but it works.
Why Sports Drinks Aren’t Ideal
Gatorade and similar sports drinks seem like a logical choice, but their formula is designed for sweat loss during exercise, not diarrhea. Compared to an ORS, Gatorade contains nearly four times the sugar (58 grams per liter versus 13.5), one-quarter the sodium (20 milliequivalents versus 75), and a fraction of the potassium. Its osmolarity can reach 330 to 380, which is higher than your blood plasma. That matters because when a high-osmolarity fluid hits your intestine, the intestinal lining acts like a dialysis membrane, and the excess sugar actually draws more water into your gut instead of out of it. In practical terms, a very sugary drink can make diarrhea worse.
If a sports drink is all you have, dilute it roughly half and half with water and add a pinch of salt. This lowers the sugar concentration and brings it closer to what your gut can efficiently absorb.
Other Good Options
Broth
Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth is one of the most practical choices because it’s warm, easy on the stomach, and naturally high in sodium. A cup of store-bought broth typically contains 700 to 900 milligrams of sodium. It won’t replace potassium as well as an ORS, but it’s excellent for keeping your sodium levels stable and getting some fluid in when you don’t feel like eating. Low-sodium versions work too if regular broth tastes too salty when you’re nauseous.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is naturally rich in potassium (roughly twice the amount found in a banana per serving) and contains a small amount of glucose, making it a reasonable natural rehydration option. Its main limitation is that it’s relatively low in sodium and chloride, the two minerals you lose the most during diarrhea. Adding a small pinch of salt to a glass of coconut water compensates for this and makes it a more balanced rehydration drink.
Weak Tea
Plain black or green tea, brewed weak, provides fluid with minimal irritation. The small amount of caffeine in a lightly steeped cup is unlikely to worsen diarrhea for most people. Herbal options like chamomile or ginger tea can also help settle nausea. Skip adding milk, as dairy can be harder to digest during a bout of diarrhea.
Drinks That Make Diarrhea Worse
Sugary drinks are the biggest offenders. Soda, undiluted fruit juice, energy drinks, and sweetened iced tea all deliver a concentrated sugar load to your intestine. Poorly absorbed sugars accumulate in the colon, raise the osmotic pressure there, and prevent water absorption. The result is more water staying in the gut and more frequent, watery stools. Apple juice and pear juice are particularly problematic because they contain sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that’s especially hard to absorb.
Alcohol is also a poor choice. It acts as a diuretic, increases gut motility, and irritates the intestinal lining. Coffee in large amounts can have a similar laxative effect, though a single small cup is unlikely to cause problems for most adults. Full-fat milk and milkshakes can be hard to digest, especially if diarrhea has temporarily reduced your gut’s ability to break down lactose.
How Much to Drink
The goal is to replace what you’re losing. For adults, a practical approach is to drink at least one cup (about 240 milliliters) of fluid after each loose stool, on top of your normal fluid intake. Sip steadily rather than gulping large volumes at once, which can trigger nausea or more cramping.
For children, the volumes are smaller. Kids two and under generally need about 50 to 100 milliliters of ORS after each episode of diarrhea or vomiting. Children over two need 100 to 200 milliliters per episode. Small, frequent sips work better than trying to get a child to drink a full cup at once, especially if vomiting is also happening.
Signs You’re Getting Dehydrated
Mild dehydration usually responds well to drinking more fluids at home. The early signs are darker urine, urinating less often than usual, dry mouth, and feeling more tired than you’d expect. A simple test: pinch the skin on the back of your hand and let go. If it doesn’t flatten back immediately, you’re likely dehydrated.
In infants and young children, warning signs include no wet diapers for three hours, a sunken soft spot on the top of the skull, sunken eyes, and a rapid heart rate. In adults, sunken eyes, confusion, and an inability to keep fluids down signal that dehydration has become severe and that drinking fluids by mouth may not be enough.
Diarrhea that lasts more than 24 hours, contains blood or appears black, or is accompanied by a fever above 102°F warrants medical attention regardless of how much fluid you’re drinking.