Is POCARI SWEAT good for UTI?

Have you ever gone to a hospital and been given an IV solution? Do you remember the feeling you got after receiving that solution? Yup if you weren’t that ill, you probably would remember feeling energetic and refreshed after taking that solution.

POCARI SWEAT was made on the same principles as these IV solutions.

Is it important for UTI patients to stay hydrated?

When a person is suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI), their immune system will be occupied fighting the ongoing infection.

That process can be extra demanding on the body, and that would make it consume more of its bodily fluids and electrolytes than it normally does to get more energy.

This, in turn, can make UTI patients vulnerable to the risk of dehydration even if it is only on a slight risk.

That is why it is imperative for all UTI patients to do fluid resuscitation (rehydration) whether it’s by themselves or under the supervision of a healthcare professional. See this study.

The most important thing for UTI patients or people who are susceptible to UTIs is to rehydrate themselves by drinking a lot of water in addition to other kinds of fluids like POCARI SWEAT or Oral Rehydration Solutions.

Remember that the risk of dehydration even if it is a slight risk or even if the body is only mildly dehydrated, can have a negative impact on the body’s immune response to the infection, which could reflect negatively on the progression of the illness.

Not only that, but a dehydrated urinary tract is a much more favorable environment for the UTI bacteria to grow and replicate inside. We have confirmed that fact throughout many articles on this website.

Staying hydrated will provide your urinary tract with the right dilution of urine that is needed to mitigate symptoms of UTI, especially the burning sensation.

Increased diuresis due to consuming more water and fluids will also prevent bacteria from clinging to the inner urothelial layer of the urinary tract thereby multiplying and causing more trouble.

A dehydrated urinary tract can also mean that it is susceptible to kidney stones which is also a major risk factor for UTIs.

That is why the medical advice is to always stay hydrated during the course of an infection, especially an infection like UTI where the impact of dehydration is even more significant.

See our article on kidney stones.

If you combine drinking plenty of water with drinking Oral Rehydration Solutions or Pocari Sweet, you might be able to flush out the bacteria from your urinary tract without the need for antibiotics.

Of course, do not take that decision on your own, let the doctor decide.

Does this beverage really rehydrate the body?

Because of its high absorbability, POCARI SWEAT can easily and quickly compensate for the loss of electrolytes that occurs during urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Sugar is an integral part of Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) and although it is found at a higher concentration in a drink like POCARI SWEAT, it is very important because it promotes sodium and potassium ions absorption into the bloodstream.

In addition, It is known for a fact that water could not be absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream without sugar and sodium ions getting absorbed with it in the same direction and at the same time. See this reference.

So, the claim by the manufacturer that the sugar content of POCARI SWEAT is to help with the absorption of water and other important nutrients is not entirely baseless.

Why isn’t POCARI SWEAT the best option for UTI patients, and is it a good alternative?

When it comes to rehydration and eliminating the risk of dehydration the most important thing is the absorption of electrolytes and ions and water from fluids by the Gastro-Intestinal Tract (GIT) and into the bloodstream and body tissues.

The fluid or drink that can achieve that in the highest amount possible is the best one to be used for those who are at risk of dehydration.

And as we said, a person who has an infection going on in their body like UTI is at least susceptible to mild dehydration, which is an undesirable thing in all cases.

So we need a fluid that promotes high water and electrolyte absorption into the body and POCARI SWEAT definitely falls within that category.

But according to scientific research and the World Health Organization (WHO), fluids that promote Sodium, Potassium, Chloride and Magnesium ions and water absorption into the body the best are low osmolality hypotonic solutions, which are called Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS).

Note: low osmolality solutions mean fluids that contain a low concentration of electrolytes and sugar within their composition, but it’s still higher than that of plain water.

POCARI SWEAT is an isotonic solution, which means that it has a slightly higher concentration of electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, etc…) and sugar than the hypotonic, low osmolality ones.

It also means that the absorption of electrolytes and water from a drink like POCARI SWEAT is lower than their absorption from hypotonic solutions.

But in all cases, in both POCARI SWEAT (an isotonic solution) and hypotonic solutions, the absorption of water and electrolytes and the reduction of the risk of dehydration is significantly higher than with plain water or other kinds of fluids.

The cornerstone of preventing dehydration is drinking a lot of water and fluids.

Do not delay your rehydration just because you couldn’t get your hands on a hypotonic Oral Rehydration Solution.

POCARI SWEAT is an efficient alternative that can really improve your condition during and after the illness.

You don’t want dehydration of any degree to interfere with your quality of life during and after UTI, and you also don’t want it to be a contributing factor in making the infection linger on for more than it should be.

If you cannot get your hands on POCARI SWEAT or a similar drink (meaning a drink that has a similar composition), that is also not a reason that calls for you to delay rehydration.

You can make fresh fruit juice at home with whatever fruits you have in the refrigerator, and you can mix it up a little by drinking a variety of fluids.

Hydration is a key factor in ensuring that UTI patients come out of UTI safe and healthy.

Just make sure that what you drink does not contain a lot of sugar because if you have a UTI, sugar is not good for you, and if you are a diabetic person with UTI, even more so.

In general, you should regulate how much sugar you should consume during the day when you have a UTI. And even after curing UTI as we may all know.

What are the ingredients of POCARI SWEAT and how do they relate to UTI?

The good thing about POCARI SWEAT is the potassium concentration.

Most people already have a low percentage of potassium ions in their body due to their diet containing high amounts of sodium and low amounts of potassium.

So, the amount of potassium in POCARI SWEAT will certainly replenish that defect. Potassium is very important when it comes to preventing kidney stones which are a major risk factor for uti.

POCARI SWEAT does not only contain potassium ions, it also contains the extremely important citrate ions within its composition.

Recent research discovered that there is a great relationship between the reduction of citrate ions concentration in the body and the formation of kidney stones.

Citrate ions are a key player in the preservation of urinary tract health because of the role they play in eliminating one of UTI’s major risk factors, which is kidney stones.

Sodium ions are also present in POCARI SWEAT in moderate concentrations.

POCARI SWEAT also has Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) in a relatively healthy amount that is much needed by the body of those who suffer from UTI, especially.

Although it is not known for certain how vitamin C does it, scientific trials have shown a great association between vitamin C supplementation and the reduction of the risk of UTI. So, that is a great plus for POCARI SWEAT.

POCARI SWEAT has 5.5 grams of total sugar per 100ml, which means that every 1liter of POCAR SWEAT contains 55 grams of total sugar.

In comparison with the WHO’s standard formula of Oral Rehydration Solutions, which is the formula adopted by all medical authorities around the world to treat dehydration, ORS has a total of 20 grams of total sugar per 1000ml or 1liter of solution.

To express that in calories we would say that every 3 bottles or 1liter of POCARI SWEAT have 220 calories, and, on the other side, each liter of ORS has 100 calories. See this reference.

I compared POCARI SWEAT to ORS because it is the mainstay of dehydration treatment which means that I’m comparing it to the best in the business.

All of these values were taken from the official websites of the companies that make these drinks.

Is POCARI SWEAT good for uti?

Based on all of these aforementioned nutrition facts I would say with a fair bit of confidence that POCARI SWEAT is a good alternative to ORS.

Each UTI case is different and unique, but, in general, I would say that POCARI SWEAT is very healthy for UTI patients, especially if consumed in moderation.

POCARI SWEAT’s composition is very similar to that of a standard Oral Rehydration Solution formula, but still, as we said earlier the absorption of water and electrolytes from POCARI SWEAT is slightly lower than that from (ORS).

With regards to that fact, still, POCARI SWEAT remains a very good home measure for rehydrating during a UTI episode or any other kind of infection or illness that might cause the body to be dehydrated.

POCARI SWEAT’s composition also resembles that of a Crystalloid Solution with the only difference being is that it’s used orally and not Intravenously (IV).

Crystalloid Solutions are designed to restore the body’s hydration and nourish it with the most essential nutrients and electrolytes. The same applies to POCARI SWEAT.

A study shows that the use of Crystalloid solutions in comparison to Normal Saline led to lower mortality rates from multiple causes for critically ill patients.

Because POCARI SWEAT is very similar in its composition to these healthy solutions, I recommend it for UTI patients.

Here is a link if you want to buy POCARI SWEAT on Amazon.

Does the sugar content of POCARI SWEAT have a negative effect on UTI?

The body of a UTI patient is in a state of constant fighting with the bacteria that are causing the infection, which makes it consume more energy (calories) or sugar than it normally does.

Of course, as we said earlier a UTI patient’s body would also consume more water and more electrolytes until the UTI runs its course.

As for diabetic people or people who are on a low-sodium diet or have other dietary restrictions they need to take into consideration the sugar, sodium and other electrolytes content of POCARI SWEAT.

Is the high-fructose corn syrup content of POCARI SWEAT harmful for UTI?

All kinds of refined sugars that are being used in drinks and food in general all around the world, including maltose, sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, molasses, cane sugar, corn sweetener, etc… are equally bad.

The American Heart Association recommends that people should not eat more than 150 calories of refined sugar per day. See the reference.

You won’t be consuming a lot of sugar or high-fructose corn syrup anyway when you drink POCARI SWEAT, but definitely, you should be aware, In general, of the total amount of calories you have consumed during the day, including the calories or sugar that has come from POCARI SWEAT.

As far as scientific research or the Food Drug Administration (FDA) is concerned there is no significant difference between High-fructose corn syrup or other kinds of sugar or even artificial sweeteners that claim that they are zero calories.

All of them are harmful to the body, especially if consumed in non-moderate amounts and if combined with fat.

Is water enough to remain hydrated for UTI?

UTI patients may lose a lot of electrolytes and fluids as the body is going to consume them while fighting the infection.

Or, they might lose a lot of their body’s hydration because of elevated body temperature and sweating, which is something that might occur during a UTI episode.

Normal bottled water also contains ions and electrolytes but usually not to the limit that suffices for a person who is losing a lot of them due to an illness.

These ions are also not absorbed very well by the body because their concentration does not promote optimal absorption from the Gastrointestinal tract.

Additionally, normal water also lacks some important nutrients like vitamin C and citrate ions that can be found in POCARI SWEAT.

Want to know more about the effects of drinking water and staying hydrated for UTI patients, see this article.

How much POCARI SWEAT should UTI patients consume?

For a UTI patient, it is best to mix drinking lots of plain water (3-6 liters) with 250-500ml of POCARI SWEAT a day.

This way they would restore their body’s hydration because of POCARI SWEAT’s electrolyte-rich composition, and they would also dilute and flush their urinary tract with lots of water which would reflect positively on their condition in a direct way.

The amount of sugar this beverage has is not that high, but UTI patients or people who are susceptible to UTIs, like women with recurrent UTIs, should be extra careful about the amount of sugar they intake during the day, so one bottle of POCARI SWEAT is really on the safe side when it comes to calories consumption.

100ml of POCARI SWEAT contains only 22Kcal of energy, and that amount should not be worrisome for otherwise healthy people.

As for diabetic people or people who are on a diet restriction they should adjust their calorie consumption calculations accordingly.

Which one is best for UTI people POCARI SWEAT or Gatorade?

Gatorade lacks some really important nutrients and electrolytes, like vitamin C, Magnesium, Calcium and Chloride, and it also has a lot of dyes and stabilizers and other kinds of artificial substances for approximately the same amount of calories as POCARI SWEAT and other energy drinks.

The closer a drink gets to the ORS standard formula the better it will be to prevent UTIs and Gatorade is a little bit far away from that formula right now, so I would not consider it as one of the best options for rehydration for UTI people.

But, in the case of the lack of other rehydration methods like POCARI SWEAT, fresh fruit juice, soup, etc…, then you might want to drink some of that Gatorade bottle.

POCARI SWEAT is much richer with nutrients and electrolytes that the body needs for rehydration, especially in the case of a UTI, and that is why I would regard it as a better alternative to ORS than Gatorade for rehydration for people with UTI.

POCARI SWEAT vs fresh fruit juice for UTI

Fresh Banana, Strawberry, Kiwi, Lemon, Orange, Watermelon, etc… juice with no added sugar is a very healthy way to stay hydrated during a UTI episode or even for UTI prevention.

The downside to it is that one kind of fruit juice may lack some important ions and electrolytes, so it’s better to drink a different kind of fresh fruit juice each day or to drink a fresh fruit juice cocktail every day.

In that way, you will make sure that you will get all the hydration you need during the period of illness. This method is definitely better than POCARI SWEAT, but if you couldn’t bother with making fruit juice, then go grab that POCARI SWEAT bottle.

You can even add POCARI SWEAT to fruit juice, especially when you feel that you have sweated a lot or lost a lot of your body’s hydration due to UTI.

See our fruit for UTI article for more information.

We have now reached the end of our article, so If you need any more help with your UTI, feel free to contact us or check the multitude of articles we have about this subject on our website KNOW & TREAT UTI.

Stay healthy and have a wonderful rest of your day.