Dioralyte

What is Dioralyte?

Dioralyte is a simple, effective powder that’s dissolved in water that helps you avoid and treat dehydration if you’ve had acute diarrhoea. It can also be used if you’re suffering from general dehydration that has other causes, such as too much sun exposure or if you’re taking medications such as diuretics (treatments that make you urinate more often).

Dioralyte helps to replace the lost salts and water from your body when you’ve been unwell. It contains a special mixture of electrolytes, which are the minerals your body needs to stay hydrated and function. You just dissolve it in water and drink it, to speed up your recovery.

How does Dioralyte work?

Each Dioralyte sachet contains sugar and electrolytes to treat or prevent dehydration. It also contains rice powder, for starch and protein. The electrolytes in Dioralyte are sodium citrate, sodium chloride and potassium chloride. These replace the mineral salts in your blood that you lose when you’re dehydrated.^[1] The glucose in the sachets allows the water you mix it with and the electrolytes to get properly absorbed from your intestines.

What doses of Dioralyte are there?

Dioralyte comes in packs that contain 20 single-use sachets. Simply dissolve the powder in the sachets in a 200ml glass of water and then drink it. Adults can usually drink up to five sachets a day for three to four days. If you have diarrhoea, it’s a good idea to drink one sachet per each loose bowel movement. Talk to your clinician for advice if you’re still dehydrated after finishing your Dioralyte course.

How to take Dioralyte

It’s a simple and easy treatment to mix up and drink. Always make sure you follow the instructions in the package information leaflet that comes with your treatment, and if you have any questions, speak to a clinician.^[1]

Mix your Dioralyte with water before taking and only prepare the medicine just before you swallow it. It’s important not to prepare it in advance. If it’s been more than an hour since you made it, throw it away. It can last for up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Dioralyte must only ever be mixed with fresh drinking water from a bottle or the tap. If you haven’t got any fresh water available then use water that has first been boiled and then allowed to cool down completely.

• Empty the sachet into a glass
• Add 200 ml of water. It’s important to use this exact amount, no more and no less. If you use more or less then Dioralyte will not work as well as it should
• Mix until the powder is dissolved
• When your medicine is fully dissolved, the drink will look milky
• Drink the preparation straight away and don’t leave it to stand

How long does it take Dioralyte to work?

Dioralyte works pretty quickly. You should start to see an improvement in how you feel about three to four hours after taking it. You can continue taking the medicine for up to four days. If you still feel unwell or there has been no improvement in your condition after this time then it’s important to seek medical advice.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Dioralyte?

If you miss a dose of Dioralyte then just take the next dose when it’s due and don’t take twice the amount to make up for the missed dose.

If you take too much Dioralyte then it shouldn’t cause harm unless you’ve taken large quantities of it in excess. If you’ve taken too much of it, in a large amount, then get in touch with a clinician straight away or go to A&E. Make sure to take the treatment packaging with you so that medical professionals know what you’ve taken and how much of it you’ve swallowed.

If you’ve got any questions about your Dioralyte treatment then speak to your clinician.