Posted on April 8, 2020

W.B. Greenough, M.D. , Professor Emeritus Johns Hopkins University and current Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee and Secretary, Board of Directors from Cera Products, Inc. weighs in on the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.

Greenough recommends early use of ORT (Oral Rehydration Therapy) will keep upper airway secretions thin and easy to clear along with the offending virus and other potential infectious bacteria. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, common symptoms of the virus include fever, cough, shortness of breath. Sometimes you feel like you have the flu. In some cases, the symptoms are more severe, and those cases can include diarrhea and pneumonia.  

There are 2 classes of electrolyte drinks that will help maintain hydration: sports drinks and ORS (oral rehydration salts). A “sports drink” is a solution made up of electrolytes and a carbohydrate source that is designed to prevent dehydration as you drink it and maintain hydration levels during physical activity. An “Oral Rehydration Solution or ORS” is designed to treat acute or severe dehydration using the bodies digestive system to absorb the fluids into the body.  

ORS is a strictly defined and standardized solution that is made up of a much higher concentration of the three electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chloride) than a sports drink. ORS was developed for use in third world countries to treat severe dehydration and diarrhea from cholera. In order to be considered a real ORS it must meet the World Health Organization’s standards. Ceralyte meets all World Health Organization standards for an ORS.  

Sports drinks and ORS should have similar ingredients with different concentrations. They can both help depending on your symptoms.  

"We know that oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is the most important way to treat the body’s loss of fluids which contain both salts and water. The most effective form of ORT is the rice-based product Ceralyte® and the other milder rice-based ORT, known as Cerasport® and CerasportEX1. Early use of ORT will keep upper airway secretions thin and easy to clear along with the offending virus and other potential infectious bacteria. Since the diarrhea associated with COVID-19 is not so severe, there is a lower salt concentration amount of salts lost and ORT with less salt concentrations are appropriate and more palatable, so the CerasportEx1 is very satisfactory to maintain the dehydration associated with the fever and diarrhea associated with COVID-19. Start hydration early and maintain it through the course of the illness. This can potentially head off complications. Drink enough so you are passing lightly colored urine every three to four hours."

Thank you, Dr. Greenough for your recommendations.