Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS)
ORS is a precise mix of salts and sugar dissolved in water that treats dehydration faster than water alone.
ORS is a precise mix of salts and sugar dissolved in water that treats dehydration faster than water alone.
Also known as
ORS, Electrolyte solution, Rehydration salts, Dioralyte, Pedialyte, Electrolit
Why travellers need to know
ORS is the WHO's recommended first-line treatment for dehydration from diarrhoea, vomiting, and heat illness. It's cheap, available in virtually every pharmacy worldwide, and more effective than water, sports drinks, or soft drinks for rehydration. Carrying a few sachets in your bag is one of the simplest and most effective health preparations for any trip to a warm or high-risk destination.
Real-world example
After a bout of food poisoning in Phnom Penh, you can't keep solid food down and you're losing fluids rapidly. A pharmacy sells you ORS sachets for $0.20 each. You dissolve one in a litre of clean water and sip it steadily. Within hours your energy returns and the dizziness fades. Plain water alone wouldn't have replaced the sodium and potassium you lost.
Country-specific notes
🇮🇳 India
ORS sachets cost $0.05-0.10; available at every pharmacy
India manufactures ORS at massive scale. Sachets are available at every pharmacy, most general stores, and many tea stalls for a few rupees. The Indian government distributes ORS widely as part of diarrhoeal disease programmes. Brand names include Electral and ORS-WHO.
🇲🇽 Mexico
Electrolit (bottled ORS) widely available
Mexico's Electrolit is a ready-to-drink ORS solution available at every convenience store and pharmacy. It comes in flavoured bottles and is a staple hangover and dehydration remedy. It's more convenient than sachets for travellers.
🇰🇪 Kenya
ORS is the WHO-recommended first-line treatment for travellers' diarrhoea and water-borne dehydration in Kenya
Oral rehydration salts are available at most Kenyan pharmacies under brand names including ORS-Kenya and Electroral. Quality varies — rural pharmacies sometimes stock substandard versions.
Carry ORS sachets from home — WHO-standard sachets are more reliably dosed than local formulations, particularly important for children.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make ORS at home if I can’t find sachets?
Yes. The WHO emergency recipe: 1 litre of clean water + 6 level teaspoons of sugar + half a level teaspoon of salt. Stir until dissolved. This isn't as precise as commercial ORS but is effective in an emergency. Do not add more salt than specified.
Is ORS better than sports drinks for rehydration?
For medical rehydration (diarrhoea, vomiting, heat illness), yes. ORS has the WHO-formulated ratio of sodium, potassium, and glucose optimised for intestinal absorption. Sports drinks have too much sugar and not enough sodium for medical rehydration. For mild exercise-related dehydration, either works.
Your Nomedic record shows your full medication list in the local language, so a pharmacist abroad can check for interactions before recommending an ORS brand.