4 ms·

what does the sugar and salt do in this case? edit: it's in the article: > for rehydration, glucose is basically as important as sodium. The two compounds wor

what does the sugar and salt do in this case? edit: it's in the article: > for rehydration, glucose is basically as important as sodium. The two compounds work together to pull water into shriveled cells that have been deprived of ample water.

masklinn 9y ago
IIRC it's mostly a factor for gut absorption: when gut cells absorb glucose, sodium is cotransported (goes along for the ride) and thus pass through the gut and into the bloodstream at a much greater rate, and the greater sodium gradient increases the rate of water absorption: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11193601 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11193601 And the sodium also (and originally) serves to combat hyponatremia, as lost fluid generally brings sodium along for the ride if you rehydrate with non-electrolytic water you find yourself with mild to severe low sodium levels.
- dwyerm 9y ago
  It drove me a little bit crazy to hear a mom complaining about how she couldn't find sugar-free Pedialyte for her child. It is difficult to explain that to a person who has spent their whole adult life demonizing artificial colors, artificial flavors, and of course sugar.
  - cat199 9y ago
    If only there were Diet Pedialyte(tm)!
chopin 9y ago
That explains my appetite in sweet beverages (which I normally do not drink) when having a hangover.
- ChrisRR 9y ago
  Same. I'm always really in the mood for orange juice when I'm hungover.
  - mjburgess 9y ago
    Dehydration causes sugar binges for this reason. There's many a time, I believe, I've mistaken a loss of appetite control for some "emotional event" when it's been mere dehydration. I recently traveled for several days without drinking much and sugar binged when getting home. I assumed the travel had stressed me, rather, I was just severely dehydrated.
kragen 9y ago
The article is wrong. I moved my response to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16440309 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16440309

masklinn 9y ago

IIRC it's mostly a factor for gut absorption: when gut cells absorb glucose, sodium is cotransported (goes along for the ride) and thus pass through the gut and into the bloodstream at a much greater rate, and the greater sodium gradient increases the rate of water absorption: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11193601 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11193601 And the sodium also (and originally) serves to combat hyponatremia, as lost fluid generally brings sodium along for the ride if you rehydrate with non-electrolytic water you find yourself with mild to severe low sodium levels.

dwyerm 9y ago
It drove me a little bit crazy to hear a mom complaining about how she couldn't find sugar-free Pedialyte for her child. It is difficult to explain that to a person who has spent their whole adult life demonizing artificial colors, artificial flavors, and of course sugar.
- cat199 9y ago
  If only there were Diet Pedialyte(tm)!

chopin 9y ago

That explains my appetite in sweet beverages (which I normally do not drink) when having a hangover.

ChrisRR 9y ago
Same. I'm always really in the mood for orange juice when I'm hungover.
- mjburgess 9y ago
  Dehydration causes sugar binges for this reason. There's many a time, I believe, I've mistaken a loss of appetite control for some "emotional event" when it's been mere dehydration. I recently traveled for several days without drinking much and sugar binged when getting home. I assumed the travel had stressed me, rather, I was just severely dehydrated.

kragen 9y ago

The article is wrong. I moved my response to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16440309 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16440309