This is the older formula that the World Health replaced with a lower osmolarity version over a decade ago. You can buy the newer packets anywhere around the world for less than $.50, but apparently not in the US. Neither formula is flavored, so kids resist drinking, but the newer formula is a bit more tolerable. The product is for treating dehydration (such as due to diarrhea and vomiting, and maybe copious sweating); it has nothing to do with water purification -in case the tags suggest otherwise.
Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) by Adventure Medical Kits is used for severe dehydration due to diarrhea, vomiting, and/or excessive sweat loss. Being that I live in the desert and do a lot of hiking and camping I carry oral rehydration salts due to the possibility of excessive sweat loss or vomiting from heat exhaustion. It is also a good addition to your emergency first aid kit if your vehicle breaks down in a remote area and there is no shade or protection from the sun. Athletes such as marathoners, ultra runners, and endurance athletes can also benefit from oral rehydration salts. ORS contain important electrolytes to enhance the body's ability to quickly absorb fluids. ORS is a good electrolyte replacement drink to prevent or treat dehydration, hyponatremia (water intoxication), heat illness (nausea, vomiting), and muscle cramping.
Use ORS for recovery from heat illnesses and/or diarrhea:
1. Add the entire contents of one powder packet to enough drinking water to make one quart (32 ounces) of solution
2. Shake the container until all the powder is dissolved
3. Drink one liter ORS over four hours
4. Do not add more water to the solution after it is mixed
5. Do not boil the solution
6. Make and use a fresh solution each day
Excessive water intake without proper electrolyte intake can lead to hyponatremia which refers to a lower than normal level of sodium in the blood. Hyponatremia is sometimes referred to as "water intoxication," especially when it is due to the consumption of excess water, for example during strenuous exercise, without adequate replacement of sodium. Hyponatremia can also result when sodium is lost from the body or when both sodium and fluids are lost from the body during prolonged sweating and severe vomiting or diarrhea. The proper use of Oral Rehydration Salts can prevent hyponatremia which can lead to death.
These Oral Rehydration Salts contain the original oral rehydration mix created by the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat severe diarrhea from cholera. There is now a reduced-osmolarity formulation available but according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2004 in an article titled, "Clinical Concerns About Reduced-Osmolarity Oral Rehydration Solution" it states:
"the reduced-osmolarity formulation is particularly unsuitable for universal use because it contains an amount of sodium insufficient to maintain sodium balance in cholera patients, in whom its use induces negative sodium balance and may lead to hyponatremia,..."
While some people see a controversy between the original formulation and the reduced-osmolarity formulation I am confident in this original formulation (although I would not be using it as a result of cholera). Whether your severe dehydration is due to a heat related illness or diarrhea due to drinking unsafe water with bacteria or a virus it is always a good policy to get examined by a qualified health care provider for an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.
Buy Adventure Medical Kits Oral Rehydration Salts Now
Every family should have some packets of Oral Rehydration Salts around, for when diarrhea eventually hits. Pedialyte and store knockoffs have too low sodium and too high osmolarity, and kids hate the taste. Unfortunately, the World Health Organization ORS packets offered on Amazon are not the newer low-osmolarity formula, which has been around for over ten years. The CeraLyte 70, 50 g packets do have the right formula; they use maltodextrine in the form of rice syrup to deliver more calories without raising the osmolarity, and they're flavored. Problem is they cost North of $4.50 per liter packet, whereas all around the world you can buy WHO ORS packets for less than $.50 and it's easy to make your own with readily available items like Morton Lite salt and dextrose bought on Amazon.
Read Best Reviews of Adventure Medical Kits Oral Rehydration Salts Here
i have been using ORS for years for my son who has short-bowel (and dehydration is one of the main issues we tend to face) miraculous product! Very easy to use and instantaneous results after the first dose. It works and adds so much hydration that no other product can do. We see top GI Doctors in UCLA and all of them recommend Oral Rehydration Salts.
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Minimal flavor means I can add in a batch of dry gatorade and end up with something I can easily drink.
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This case is exactly what I was looking for. It is large enough to fit both my stethoscope and BP cuff but not hard and structured, making it easy to fit in my bag. There is a pocket on the side for other small items, the Velcro on this pocket is very strong. This case is very well made and is an extremely good value.
