Why do fluids help when you are sick

Liquids taken in by mouth and by infusion are measured as is the urinary output. Calculations as to how much liquid volume is lost by respirations, sweating, etc. The hydration of a sick patient is very important to recovery. The easiest way is to keep an eye on urinary function. If you are getting dehydrated, your urine output will decrease and the urine will become dark as your kidneys function to preserve water.

If you are taking enough liquids to cover normal needs and the extra needs of an illness, your urine will be pale and between one and two liters per day. Did you know a fever draws moisture out of your body. Drinking plenty of fluids is one of the most important things you can do when you have a cold or flu. Because cold and flu symptoms like runny noses and sweating, which often accompanies fever, increase the amount of water your body loses, dehydration might occur if your fluid intake is not increased to compensate.

So if you are ill, drink plenty of water, juice, or soup. But for most people, that's generally not a risk they'll run unless they really overdo it; a healthy adult male would have to drink close to six gallons in a day to risk those kinds of side effects.

Generally speaking, if you're running a fever, it helps to be liberal when it comes to refilling your water glass: Bernacki recommends drinking an additional eight ounces of water than you normally would for every degree of body temperature you have over Bernacki also subscribes to the idea that 64 ounces of water a day is a good median baseline to shoot for.

It's something that any person who becomes sick with a virus, particularly the flu, needs to be aware of. Bernacki also says proper hydration can help your body use medication better, which may lead to a quicker alleviation of symptoms. Most of the time, you'll simply want to shoot for drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, increasing that intake if you have a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting. And if you're really losing liquids, replenish your body with an electrolyte-enhanced beverage.

It may not make your cold and flu symptoms go away, but it can prevent them from getting even worse. Sign In Create Account. A close look at the advice we've always heard.