How to Make an ORS at Home with 3 Simple Ingredients

Oral Rehydration Salts or an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is a special drink made with clean water, sugar, and salt that can help replace fluid loss from severe diarrhea and/or vomiting. While medical professionals officially recommend using premade ORS packets and drinks, it is possible to make a homemade version with just 3 simple ingredients. We’ll walk you through the recipe for an ORS (including some homemade alternatives), and even provide some guidance on how much adults, kids, and toddlers should drink.

Things You Should Know

Prepare a homemade ORS drink with 4 ¹⁄₄ c (1.0 L) water, ½ tsp (3 g) of table salt, and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar.
Alternatively, stir ¾ tsp (4.5 g) of table salt into 4 c (0.95 L) of a sports drink.
Sip 100 mL (3.4 fl oz) of an ORS every 5 minutes. The total amount of an ORS you need (in mL) is your weight (in kg) multiplied by 75.

Section 1 of 3:

How to Make and Use an ORS

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1
Mix clean water, salt, and sugar together to make a homemade ORS. Stir ½ tsp (3 g) of table salt and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar into 4 ¹⁄₄ c (1.0 L) of water. To improve the flavor, mix in some water flavoring.
- If you have a premade ORS packet: Stir a packet of premade ORS into 1 L (34 fl oz) of water.^{[1]
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- Warning: Medical experts advise against using a homemade ORS solution unless there are no other options available. Premade solutions are your best bet at fighting dehydration.^{[2]
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Drink 100 mL (3.4 fl oz) of your ORS about every 5 minutes. Multiply your weight (in kg) by 75—this is the amount of an ORS you need to drink over 4 hours (in mL). Continue to sip your ORS every few minutes, or until you no longer show signs of dehydration (for example, being able to pass urine, no longer feeling thirsty, and having a strong pulse).^{[3]
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- Examine your symptoms after drinking your ORS for 1 hour, then continue checking once every 1-2 hours as you rehydrate.^{[4]
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- Alternative dosage: Babies under 2 years old can drink ¹⁄₂ L (17 fl oz) of ORS per day; children under 10 years old can drink 1 L (34 fl oz) of ORS per day; and children over 10 years old and adults can drink 3 L (100 fl oz) of ORS per day.^{[5]
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Section 2 of 3:

Homemade ORS Alternatives

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Mix 1 ¹⁄₂ c (350 mL) of a sports drink with 2 ¹⁄₂ c (590 mL) of water and ½ tsp (3 g) of salt. If you’re using a low-calorie sports drink, use 1 US qt (0.95 L) of the beverage mixed with ¼ to ½ tsp (1.5 to 3 g) of salt.^{[6]
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Broth-based ORS Pour 4 c (0.95 L) of water into a container, along with 1 broth cube, ¼ tsp (1.5 g) of salt, and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar. Stir everything together, wait for the ingredients to dissolve, and then start sipping from the mixture.^{[7]
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- Liquid broth alternative: Combine 2 c (0.47 L) of beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth with 2 c (0.47 L) of water and 2 tbsp (25 g) of sugar.
- Miso paste alternative: Mix 4 c (0.95 L) of water with 7 tsp (39 g) of miso paste and 1 tbsp (12.5 g) of sugar.
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Juice-based ORS Mix 4 ¹⁄₄ c (1.0 L) of water, 1 c (240 mL) of orange juice, 8 tsp (33.5 g) of sugar, ¾ tsp (3.7 g) of baking soda, and ½ tsp (3 g) of salt together.^{[8]
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- Apple juice alternative: Mix ³⁄₄ c (180 mL) of apple juice, 3 ¹⁄₄ c (0.77 L) of water, and ½ to ¾ tsp (3 to 4.5 g) of salt together.
- Tomato juice alternative: Mix 2 ¹⁄₂ c (590 mL) of tomato juice and 1 ¹⁄₂ c (350 mL) of water together.
- Cranberry or grape juice alternative: Mix ³⁄₄ c (180 mL) of juice, 3 ¹⁄₄ c (0.77 L) of water, and ½ to ¾ tsp (3 to 4.5 g) of salt together.
Mix ½ cup (17.5 g) of dry (pre-cooked) baby rice cereal with 2 c (470 mL) of water, and ¼ tsp (1.5g) of salt. Once the ingredients are combined, stick the mixture in the refrigerator until it has a thick but pourable consistency.

Section 3 of 3:

When should someone drink an ORS?

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Drink an ORS when you’re experiencing diarrhea and/or vomiting. The purpose of an ORS drink is to help your body recover the fluids it loses through vomiting and diarrhea.^{[9]
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Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

Go to source} With this in mind, an oral rehydration solution can be a helpful way to recover from food poisoning.^{[10]
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Health information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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- See a doctor if you have persistent diarrhea (for 3+ days), you vomit so much that you aren’t able to keep any liquids in your system, and/or you have symptoms of dehydration (like not passing urine, having a dry mouth, or experiencing dizziness).

Expert Q&A

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Question

What ingredients should I avoid in store-bought electrolyte drinks?

Arvind Madan
Nephrologist
Arvind Madan is a Nephrologist based in Orlando, Florida. With over 23 years of experience, Arvind works as a Physician at Central FL Kidney Specialists and is the Principal Investigator of the research division there. Arvind is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a sub-specialty in Nephrology. He is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine. He is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM). He received his MD from Maulana Azad Medical College at Delhi University and completed his residency at Nassau County Medical Center.

Arvind Madan

Nephrologist

Expert Answer

If you are seeing more than basic salt, glucose, and water, there are too many ingredients that you probably do not need. Granted, there can be a little bit of magnesium or electrolytes, but once you start reading the label and get into preservatives and flavor enhancers, or if it takes two or three words to describe one compound in it, that means it’s processed. You do not need that, and it's best to drink plain water.

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What are some good ways to replenish electrolytes?

Tiffany Jumaily, MD
Board Certified Pediatrician
Dr. Tiffany Jumaily is a Board Certified Pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP) based in Los Angeles, California. With over a decade of experience in the medical field, Dr. Jumaily specializes in identifying the root cause of symptoms and presenting manifestations of disease. She holds a BA in Biology from Boston University and an MD from Boston University School of Medicine. Her dedication to combining evidence-based allopathic medicine with complementary and alternative therapies has led to her being featured and cited in various platforms including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and CBS Los Angeles.

Tiffany Jumaily, MD

Board Certified Pediatrician

Expert Answer

The best way to replenish electrolytes is to drink them in the form of Gatorade or an oral rehydration solution. Another thing people can do is get an IV, especially if they're extremely sick and dehydrated or can't drink electrolytes. Sometimes, people like to replenish their electrolytes with an Epsom salt bath, which helps restore their muscles and absorb some of the electrolytes through the skin.

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Medical professionals officially recommend using ORS packets (like Trioral or DripDrop).^{[11]
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The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) can help individuals rebound from bouts of diarrhea and vomiting since these foods are nutritious and easy on your stomach.^{[12]
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Warnings

Be sure to use clean water when preparing an ORS drink.^{[13]
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Don’t give a child with diarrhea medication unless your doctor recommends or prescribes it.^{[14]
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Call your doctor right away if your child experiences any serious symptoms like bloody stool, abdominal pain, a lack of tears, infrequent urination, high fever, intense thirst, weight loss, and/or frequent vomiting.^{[15]
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A typical case of diarrhea goes away within a week. Call your doctor if you experience diarrhea for longer than this.^{[16]
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