The study compared hydrating potential of the drinks as plain water, milk, sports drinks, yoghurt, cola, diet cola, hot tea, iced tea, coffee, orange juice, O.R.S

Dubai, UAE, July 31st 2017:  A recent study on how well different types of drinks are retained in the body suggested that drinks that contain a high electrolyte content or high energy content would have greater fluid retention and thus a higher BHI. The study compared hydrating potential of the drinks as plain water, milk, sports drinks, yoghurt, cola, diet cola, hot tea, iced tea, coffee, orange juice, O.R.S. and sparkling water among many others.

The study compared how well each of the drinks was retained in two to four hours immediately after consumption. Volunteers consumed 1 litre of fluid and then had their urine output monitored to indicate how much had been retained. Then, to create a straightforward comparison of the drinks, each beverage was given a BHI (Beverage Hydration Index) score. Water was used as the reference point in the scale with a rating of ‘1’. 

The top performer in terms of fluid retention was O.R.S and was the only solution to perform significantly better than water. The likely reason for this is that O.R.S. lowered urine output due to the significant amounts of electrolytes they contain. Constituents like sugars, fats and electrolytes have long been known to increase the retention of fluids in the body, but this data highlights just how significantly that’s the case.

“Human bodies lose great amounts of water throughout the day. Every time you go to the washroom, or every time you breathe out you lose water. Similarly, we lose loads of water from sweating. While many people think that by drinking lots of water they can resolve any dehydration related issues, it is not an adequate method for hydration. When our bodies lose water, they’re also losing essential minerals. The main mineral you lose when you sweat is sodium. Sodium, along with other minerals, comes together to form electrolytes. These are critical to helping our bodies function correctly. So, by only drinking water, you aren’t replenishing these electrolytes, and as such it is important to consume O.R.S that can help replenish these salts,” said Arsalan Karim, Director, Research and Development, Clinova Ltd.

The study also revealed that drinks that you might have thought would perform a lot worse than water, such as coffee, actually didn’t result in all that much more urine output than the equivalent volumes of water. Furthermore, standard sports drinks were not shown to be much better in terms of fluid retention than plain water. 

“The study reinforces some very essential facts. Drinks like milk can probably help with re-hydration more than you might imagine, and can therefore be extremely useful after strenuous, sweaty exercise when consuming both calories and fluids to assist with recovery is beneficial. Similarly, solutions like O.R.S. which have high sodium content are also likely to be significantly better than plain water when it comes to retention. In conclusion, O.R.S. provide the perfect balance for modern athletes and people. They help replenish water and salt levels, keeping your bodily fluids well-balanced,” added Arsalan Karim.

Electrolytes offer people a complete method of replenishing fluids. So if your body is losing water at a rapid rate, then its best advised to consume O.R.S. such as O.R.S Hydration Tablets, available in all good pharmacies in the UAE. O.R.S. Hydration Tablets are a balanced formula of glucose, electrolytes and minerals which when added to water is a perfect, natural replacement that fills your body’s water requirements.