This electrolyte powder is used by athletes and firefighters to rehydrate quickly - it also helps me curb dehydration from alcohol, workouts, and sickness

• While we may brush off dehydration as an easily preventable problem caused by a hard workout or alcohol consumption, it can be a life-threatening issue in other parts of the world.
• DripDrop is an oral rehydration solution (ORS) originally created by a doctor to treat victims of cholera. It follows formulation guidelines set by UNICEF and the WHO and tastes better than previous forms of ORS.
• In addition to cholera and natural disaster victims, it's used by firefighters, the military, and athletes to quickly replenish lost fluids.
• DripDrop is also suitable for you and me. The individual powder packets contain essential electrolytes (and half the sugar of sports drinks) to help you recover from sickness, a workout, heat exposure, or a hangover.

When you're dehydrated, you notice. You're thirsty, restless, and moody, and you might even faint. Whether you've just completed a tough workout or woken up after a Friday night out, the first thing you probably do to replenish those lost fluids is reach for water or an electrolyte drink.

While these instances of dehydration aren't usually life-threatening, the creator of electrolyte powder DripDrop has encountered plenty of other situations where it was. After witnessing a cholera outbreak in Guatemala, where children were throwing up from the bad taste of existing oral rehydration solutions (ORS), Dr. Eduardo Dolhun wanted to create an ORS that was both effective and tasty.

What exactly is an ORS and how does it work?

ORS stands for "oral rehydration solution" and is a balanced glucose-electrolyte mixture. It was first created in the late 1960s to treat the effects of cholera (vomiting and diarrhea) in Bangladesh and India. The mix of salts, sugar, and water work to counter dehydration symptoms by triggering water absorption in the small intestine. Through osmosis, sodium and glucose transport water from the gut into the bloodstream.

Today, the World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend a specific ORS formulation for effective treatment of clinical dehydration.

DripDrop as an ORS

DripDrop follows this recommended formula and comes in single-serving sticks in three flavors (watermelon, lemon, and berry). Each 10-gram serving contains 35 calories and seven grams of sugar, which is half the sugar of a comparable serving of a sports drink like Gatorade.

Since its introduction, DripDrop has been used to treat dehydration in the victims of natural disasters like the 2010 Haiti earthquake and Pakistan floods.

The ORS is also carried by firefighters, US military medics and troops, and athletes. It's "Certified for Sport" by NSF International, a program trusted by the MLB, NHL, NFL, and PGA, among other sports organizations.

Trying DripDrop for ourselves

All these high-intensity uses of DripDrop have us reassured of its efficacy - if it's being used to save children's lives and fuel professional athletes, it's good enough to use on our sick and hungover days.

Since it comes in individual packs, it's convenient to store in my bag or desk. As long as I have access to water, I can make myself an electrolyte drink and rehydrate myself. I always drink water throughout and after my workouts, but I noticed that taking DripDrop helps me recover even faster. I also like that it tastes as good as a sports drink, but isn't as caloric or sugary.

My editor also found it to be helpful as she recovered from a bout of the stomach flu, which left her nauseous and dehydrated. She said the taste wasn't overwhelming, even when her stomach and palate were sensitive.

The bottom line

DripDrop is a highly effective dehydration solution that's used all over the world for a variety of purposes. It's the best way you can replenish lost fluids, and this effect comes with no compromises - it's convenient to make and drink, it's healthier than sports drinks, and it tastes good.

Shop the DripDrop Electrolyte Powder Variety Pack (24-count) for $28.99 at Amazon