Pedialyte is an oral electrolyte solution manufactured by Abbott Laboratories that is designed to replace fluids and minerals that are lost when a child has diarrhea with or without vomiting. It is designed to promote quick fluid and electrolyte absorption while a child is sick and contains the quantity and ratio of the sugars, dextrose and fructose, and electrolytes recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (APP); this makes it very low in sugar compared to most sports drinks (100 calories/liter vs. Gatorade's ~200) and higher in both sodium (1,035 mg/L vs. Gatorade's 465) and potassium (780 mg/L vs. Gatorade's 127). Sucrose is not used in Pedialyte because of the risk of making diarrhea worse by drawing water into the intestine and increasing the risk of dehydration. Pedialyte also uses the controversial synthetic sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
Pedialyte has become a hydration alternative to sports drinks for some athletes including members of the Arizona Cardinals, the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, and Tom Glavine, who pitched for the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets. Many boxers and mixed martial arts fighters use it to rehydrate after cutting weight for weigh-ins. It is also popular with migrant workers near the US-Mexico border to stave off dehydration which is the foremost cause of death in the desert[1]. It has even found use as an anti-hangover treatment[2][3].
Pedialyte is similar to rehydration fluids used by the World Health Organization (WHO) such as "New Oral Rehydration Solution" (N-ORS), that are used during the outbreak of illnesses such as cholera and rotavirus. Other similar products are Lytren, Gastrolyte, Ricelyte, and Resol. [4]
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