What Is the Fastest Way to Cure Dehydration at Home? These Are Your 5 Best Options
Key takeaways:
The best way to rehydrate partly depends on why you’re dehydrated. If you have signs of mild dehydration from simply not getting enough fluids, water is probably the best option.
For dehydration caused by intense exercise with high sweat loss, try a sports drink. Sports drinks help replenish the fluid and sodium that’s lost when you sweat.
For dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea, an oral rehydration solution is a good option. These drinks are packed with electrolytes to help you rehydrate quickly.
Table of contents
Many things can cause dehydration — like intense workouts, hot days, illness, or fever. And it’s easy to lose more fluids than you take in. But adequate hydration is a key part of your health. When you’re dehydrated, it’s hard for your body to function properly. But if you want to rehydrate quickly, what’s your best option?
Here are tips to help you safely rehydrate at home, with the right beverages.
Signs you’re dehydrated
One of the earliest signs of dehydration is thirst. This is your body’s way of signaling that you need to drink more.
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If you keep losing fluids, the next signs of dehydration include:
Darker urine
Peeing less than usual
Reduced sweating
Dry mouth
Feeling tired
Feeling dizzy
Headache
Anyone can become dehydrated if they don’t drink enough. Older adults are especially prone to dehydration. They have less total body water than children or young adults. Plus, older adults’ thirst mechanisms tend to be weaker.
What causes dehydration?
Common causes of dehydration include:
Not drinking or eating enough
Sweating from exercise
Hot weather, or being an in a hot environment
Vomiting or diarrhea
Fever
Certain medical conditions
How to rehydrate fast
Mild dehydration can be treated at home with fluids and rest. So, if you're starting to feel dehydrated, here are some beverages — and foods — that can help you rehydrate fast.
What are the best electrolyte drinks? When water isn’t enough, here are some of the best choices for electrolyte drinks, depending on your situation.
Dehydration in older adults: Older adults are at higher risk for dehydration. But their symptoms tend to look very different than those of younger people.
When do you need IV fluids for dehydration? Sometimes, dehydration is an emergency. We review reasons to go to the ER for treatment.
1. Water
The right amount of water varies for everyone. It’s based on your age, activity level, and even where you live. For example, people who live in a hot climate or high altitude usually need more water.
In general, the Institute of Medicine recommends the following fluid intake:
For males: 3.7 L (15 cups)
For females: 2.7 L (11 cups)
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But keep in mind this fluid intake includes everything you drink, not just water. There’s fluid in all beverages and in many foods, such as fruit and soup.
If you’re looking to rehydrate fast, you can drink 8 oz to 12 oz of water every 15 minutes. But make sure not to exceed 1.5 L — or 6.3 cups — in 1.5 hours. More than this amount can increase your risk for developing low sodium levels, which can be harmful.
2. Sports beverages
If you sweat a lot when you exercise, you can lose 2% to 3% of your body water. It’s easy to get dehydrated if this fluid isn’t replaced.
Sports drinks are functional beverages that combine water with sugar and electrolytes — like sodium. They’re designed for use alongside vigorous exercise. That’s because when you sweat, you lose more salt through your sweat. Sports drinks replenish those electrolytes along with water. You can find versions of sports drinks in powder and tablet forms as well.
If you’re dehydrated because you’ve been sweating from high-intensity exercise, sports drinks are a great way to help you rehydrate fast. If you’re hydrating after a low- or moderate-intensity workout, you probably don’t need the extra salt and sugar to refuel.
3. Oral rehydration solutions
Some sports drinks may not have high enough levels of electrolytes to treat dehydration caused by illness. In these cases, try an oral rehydration drink.
Oral rehydration solutions are especially helpful if you’re dehydrated from food poisoning or a stomach bug (gastroenteritis). These drinks were developed by scientists to replace the electrolytes lost due to diarrhea and vomiting. Like sports drinks, they include sugar, salt, and other electrolytes. But oral rehydration solutions have more electrolytes and less sugar.
You can buy them at the pharmacy without a prescription. Pedialyte is a common version that’s easy to find in stores. You can also buy powder packets or make your own rehydration solution at home.
4. Milk
Cow’s milk naturally contains fluids, sugars, and electrolytes (like calcium and potassium). Milk has been well studied for use as a hydrating beverage after exercise. One study found that skim milk and full-fat milk were both better at keeping you hydrated than regular water. So, reaching for milk might be a great option for hydrating fast at home.
Milk may not be the best choice if you have diarrhea, though, especially if you have any degree of lactose intolerance. The lactose in milk can cause gas, bloating, or diarrhea. Young children with a stomach bug sometimes develop a temporary problem digesting lactose. So, if you’re looking for ways to help your child rehydrate fast when they’re vomiting or have diarrhea, look for other options besides milk.
5. Hydrating foods
Fluids can come from both drinks and foods. In fact, about 20% of your fluid intake comes from foods.
Hydrating foods include:
Fruits (watermelon, grapes, oranges)
Vegetables (cucumber, lettuce, tomato)
Yogurt
Cottage cheese
Soup
Applesauce
And hydrating foods will also provide helpful electrolytes and nutrients. These can help you restore fluid balance and energy, especially if you're recovering from an illness.
Quiz: What foods are good for hydration?
What to avoid when you’re dehydrated
If you’re trying to rehydrate, avoid alcohol. Alcohol stops the release of vasopressin, the hormone that tells the kidneys to retain fluid. So alcohol makes you urinate more and lose more fluids, which contributes to dehydration.
It’s also helpful to be mindful of coffee and other caffeinated drinks (like tea, soda, and energy drinks) when you’re trying to rehydrate. Coffee doesn’t cause dehydration, and you can safely drink 3 or 4 cups a day. However, too much caffeine can contribute to dehydration if you’re already dehydrated.
You may also want to avoid hydrating with fruit juice or soda. Those drinks are high in sugar and low in sodium, so they aren’t the best options.
When to seek medical help for dehydration
If your dehydration is severe, you might need emergency medical care. Severe dehydration may need to be treated with fluids through your veins (IV fluids).
Signs of severe dehydration include:
A fast heart rate (over 100 beats per minute for most people)
A low blood pressure (lower than 90/60 mmHg for most people)
Dizziness
Fainting
Confusion
Dark urine or no urine
Sunken eyes
Dry skin or lips
If you have any of these signs of severe dehydration, reach out to your primary care provider or head to the emergency room (ER).
Frequently asked questions
Many different medical conditions can be mistaken for dehydration. Some of the common ones include abnormal or low blood levels of:
Other health conditions that can resemble dehydration are:
Kidney injury
Low thyroid function (hypothyroidism)
It can take anywhere from hours to days to fully rehydrate — depending on the cause and severity of your dehydration:
To rehydrate from mild dehydration, like after a workout, it typically only takes 2 to 3 hours after fluid replacement.
Moderate dehydration, like from a stomach illness, can take a full day or more.
And more severe dehydration can take several days to treat, especially if the dehydration has been going on for a while.
Yes, dehydration can cause nausea. This is especially true if the dehydration is paired with:
Abnormal levels of electrolytes in the blood — like sodium, potassium, or calcium
Headache
Dizziness
Low blood pressure
The bottom line
The fastest way to rehydrate at home is to drink plenty of fluids — and the right kind of fluids. The best choice for rehydrating fast depends on what’s causing the dehydration. Water is a great choice, in general.
But if you’re dehydrated because you’ve been sweating a lot, a sports drink might help you rehydrate faster. If you’re dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea, choose an oral rehydration solution. You can also eat hydrating foods — like vegetables, fruit, and yogurt — since they contain both fluid and key nutrients. If these tips don’t help or you have signs of severe dehydration, contact a healthcare professional or head to the ER.
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References
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