The best thing to drink when you have diarrhea is an oral rehydration solution (ORS) containing a balanced mix of water, salt, and a small amount of sugar. Plain water alone isn’t enough because diarrhea flushes out sodium, potassium, and chloride along with fluid. Replacing both water and electrolytes is what actually stops dehydration from getting worse.
Why Water Alone Isn’t Enough
Diarrhea doesn’t just drain water from your body. It pulls electrolytes out with it, and those electrolytes are what your intestines need to absorb water in the first place. Your small intestine has a transport system that moves sodium and glucose (sugar) together across the intestinal wall. When both are present in the right ratio, they create a small osmotic gradient that pulls water and chloride along with them. That’s the entire basis of oral rehydration therapy, and it’s the reason a pinch of salt and a bit of sugar in water works so much better than water by itself.
The Best Drinks for Diarrhea
Oral Rehydration Solutions
Pharmacy ORS products like Pedialyte, DripDrop, or the WHO rehydration sachets are the gold standard. They contain roughly 60 to 90 milliequivalents per liter of sodium and a low concentration of carbohydrate (around 2 to 3%), which is the ideal range for triggering that sodium-glucose absorption system in your gut. You can also make a basic version at home: mix six level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt into one liter of clean water.
Broth and Clear Soups
Chicken broth, miso soup, or vegetable broth provide sodium, potassium, and fluid in a form that’s gentle on your stomach. They’re especially useful if you’re not eating much solid food yet. Sipping warm broth throughout the day can help maintain your electrolyte levels without overwhelming your gut.
Herbal Tea
Chamomile tea has a long track record as a gut-calming drink. It has antispasmodic properties that can help ease the cramping that often comes with diarrhea, and it reduces gastrointestinal irritation. Peppermint tea works similarly for spasms. Both are caffeine-free, which matters (more on that below). Drink them warm, not hot, and without added sweetener.
Diluted Coconut Water
Coconut water is naturally rich in potassium and contains some sodium, making it a reasonable option when you don’t have ORS on hand. It does contain natural sugars, so diluting it with an equal part of water can reduce the chance of it pulling more fluid into your intestines.
Sports Drinks: Not Ideal
Sports drinks like Gatorade are often the first thing people reach for, but they’re designed for sweat loss during exercise, not for diarrhea. A typical sports drink contains about 18 milliequivalents per liter of sodium, while a proper ORS contains around 60. That’s roughly three times less sodium than what your gut needs to drive efficient water absorption. Sports drinks also pack nearly 6% carbohydrate, almost double the sugar concentration of an ORS. That extra sugar can actually worsen loose stools through osmotic effects.
If a sports drink is all you have, it’s better than nothing. But diluting it roughly in half with water brings the sugar concentration closer to a useful range, even though it won’t fix the low sodium content.
Drinks That Make Diarrhea Worse
Several common beverages actively pull water into your intestines or speed up gut contractions, which is the opposite of what you want.
- Soda and sweetened drinks. Many soft drinks use high-fructose corn syrup, which contains more fructose than glucose. Your body absorbs fructose efficiently only when glucose is present in equal or greater amounts. When fructose dominates, the excess sits in your gut and draws water in through osmosis, directly worsening loose stools.
- Undiluted fruit juice. Apple juice is a particular problem. It’s high in fructose and sorbitol, both of which are poorly absorbed and cause osmotic diarrhea. If you want juice, dilute it heavily, at least one part juice to three parts water.
- Coffee and energy drinks. Caffeine increases gut motility, meaning it speeds up the contractions that push contents through your digestive tract. That stimulating effect can trigger more loose stools. Caffeine also acts as a mild diuretic, increasing urine output and adding to fluid loss.
- Alcohol. Alcohol irritates the gut lining, increases motility, and has a diuretic effect. Even beer, which people sometimes think of as mild, will worsen both diarrhea and dehydration.
- Milk (for some people). If you’re lactose intolerant or if diarrhea has temporarily reduced the lactase enzyme in your gut lining (which is common during a stomach bug), dairy can trigger more cramping and loose stools. Yogurt is generally better tolerated because fermentation has already broken down much of the lactose.
How Much and How Often to Drink
Small, frequent sips work better than gulping large amounts. If you’re nauseated, start with just a few tablespoons of ORS every one to two minutes, then gradually increase as your stomach allows. For each watery stool you pass, aim to replace roughly one cup (about 240 mL) of fluid. If you’re also vomiting, the same small-sip approach applies. Over 90% of people can stay hydrated with oral fluids alone, even with vomiting, as long as the volumes stay small and consistent.
For children, the math is more specific. A mildly dehydrated child needs about 50 mL of ORS per kilogram of body weight over two to four hours. For moderate dehydration, that doubles to 100 mL per kilogram over the same window. Breast milk and formula should continue alongside ORS for infants.
Signs You’re Getting Dehydrated
Mild dehydration shows up as thirst, slightly darker urine, and a mildly faster heart rate. At moderate dehydration, your skin loses its bounce. If you pinch the skin on the back of your hand, it returns to normal slowly instead of snapping back. Your mouth feels dry, and you may feel lightheaded when you stand up. Severe dehydration causes the pinched skin to “tent” and stay raised, a very fast heart rate, confusion, and little to no urine output. Moderate to severe dehydration, especially in young children or older adults, needs medical attention and potentially IV fluids.
The color of your urine is the simplest ongoing monitor. Pale yellow means you’re keeping up. Dark amber means you need to drink more, and fast.