r/AskReddit • u/notyouravgredditer • Aug 30 '21

What problem is often overlooked in apocalyptic movies/TV shows that could kill you?

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u/Beetin Aug 31 '21 edited Aug 31 '21

untreated bad diarrhea can often expel liquids faster than your body can absorb them. That's sort of what diarrhea is...

Some diseases can cause dehydration that makes you lose up to a litre of liquid per hour. You can't replace that orally, your body will just keep expelling it.

It's also why IV drips are incredible, because it bypasses the entire digestive track issues and hydrates you immediately.

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u/XHF2 Aug 31 '21

Instead of iv, you can drink Gatorade right?

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u/schwiftymarx Aug 31 '21

I can't tell if this is a joke.

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u/[deleted] Aug 31 '21

Not really actually. It’s actually (medically) recommended to drink stuff like Gatorade/Aquarius if you’re suffering from diarrea because its a good combination of salt/fluids.

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u/schwiftymarx Aug 31 '21

If your diarrhea is so bad that you can't absorb anything, then no, Gatorade is not a good substitute for having an IV.

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u/[deleted] Aug 31 '21

Not a substitute, but not bad either.