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.