Digestive Health Inflammatory Bowel Disease Nutrition How To Manage Dehydration When You Have IBD People with An Ostomy or a J-Pouch Will Need To Avoid Dehydration By Amber J. Tresca facebook twitter linkedin Amber J. Tresca is a freelance writer and speaker who covers digestive conditions, including IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 16. Learn about our editorial process Amber J. Tresca Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH on December 20, 2019 linkedin Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Learn about our Medical Review Board Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH on December 20, 2019 Print Sports drink companies spend a lot of money advertising that their products combat dehydration, but for people with IBD, it may not be enough. Image © Amber J Tresca Do you find that you have trouble staying hydrated because of the signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? Diarrhea can lead to dehydration even in healthy adults and can be a special problem when IBD causes chronic diarrhea. People with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis sometimes also have surgery to treat their disease, which can include the removal of some or all of the large intestine. The large intestine is where most water is absorbed, and when part or all of it is missing, less water might be absorbed by the body. This is why hydration is a special area of concern for people who have an ileostomy or have had j-pouch surgery (ileal pouch-anal anastomosis or IPAA). Dehydration is a major cause of readmission to the hospital after ileostomy surgery. The Origin Of Sports And Energy Drinks Many people turn to sports drinks as a source of hydration. There are a few different groups that developed drinks that were meant to provide hydration and energy before, during, and after exercise. The most famous of them was originally developed for use by athletes who may lose a lot of water by sweating, especially during hot weather. Dr. Robert Cade of the University of Florida, at the request of the university's assistant football coach, led a team that originally developed a drink containing electrolytes and carbohydrates. The football team went on to have a successful season while using the drink, and other colleges started asking for it. This, of course, was the start of the sports drink Gatorade. In time, manufacturers began adding other ingredients to their drinks, including stimulants like caffeine, to create energy drinks. Most energy and sports drinks also contain artificial colors and sweeteners. Sports Drinks May Not Be the Answer to Dehydration There are a few things about sports and energy drinks that make them a less than perfect choice for people with IBD who need to replenish fluids and electrolytes. The first is that they don't actually offer the right mix of nutrients: most don't contain enough electrolytes. The second is that some brands contain things that aren't needed that make them taste better (sugar or artificial sweeteners), look colorful (artificial colors), and provide a burst of energy (caffeine). The World Health Organization has developed an oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution that is used across the world, especially in areas where severe dehydration is a cause of illness and death. Using a special combination of salts and water to rehydrate is called oral rehydration therapy (ORT), and it saves lives in areas of the world where diarrheal disease is a leading cause of death in children. ORS are available in Western countries at pharmacies, hospital supply stores, and sometimes in sporting goods stores with the first aid kits. There are also recipes for ORS that can be made at home. ORS is usually fairly inexpensive, but check with a doctor before resorting to buying it or making it at home for rehydration. How Can People With IBD Get Hydrated? Short of keeping a supply of ORS on hand (although it's not a bad idea to keep some with your emergency supplies), how can people with a j-pouch, an ileostomy, or IBD, rehydrate at home? According to the University of Michigan IBD Team, rehydration is probably best done with a mix of a few things most people with IBD probably already have at home. The experts at U of M recommend that the sports drink is just a start. To bring hydration up, they suggest eating and drinking the items in this "recipe" designed to mimic ORT: 1 liter of sports drink1/2 cup of chicken soupOne of the following:1.6 bananas1.6 sweet potatoes1.6 medium avocados1.5 cups of yogurt1 cup of spinach3 1/2 tablets of 650 mg of sodium bicarbonate (or 7 325 mg tablets) The United Ostomy Association of America also has recipes available for replacing electrolytes and fluids. This is the suggested homemade electrolyte drink: 1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon white Karo syrup1 6-ounce can frozen orange juiceAdd water to make one quart, mix well What To Do If You're Dehydrated Mild cases of dehydration can usually be dealt with at home. Severe cases of dehydration may need to be treated by a physician or in a hospital. For severe dehydration, with symptoms of confusion, dizziness, or fainting, call 911. If you have more questions about how to avoid becoming dehydrated, or what you should eat or drink if you are dehydrated, ask your physician. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! We're providing tips on how to take better care of your gut. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Messaris E, Sehgal R, Deiling S, et al. Dehydration Is the Most Common Indication for Readmission After Diverting Ileostomy Creation. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. 2012;55(2):175-180. doi:10.1097/dcr.0b013e31823d0ec5. World Health Organization. Oral rehydration salts. Published 2006. Suh JS, Hahn WH, Cho BS. Recent Advances of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT). Electrolyte Blood Press. 2010;8(2):82–86. doi:10.5049/EBP.2010.8.2.82 University of Michigan IBD Team Facebook post. Trying to rehydrate with Gatorade? January 18, 2016. Parrish CR. A Patients Guide to Managing a Short Bowel. Charlottesville, VA: Carol Rees Parrish, MS, RD; 2011.