Duopharma Uphalyte Oral Rehydration Salts – Natural Flavour

Duopharma Uphalyte Oral Rehydration Salts – Natural Flavour is an oral rehydration salts (ORS) powder supplied in single-dose sachets and made by Duopharma, a Malaysian pharmaceutical company. According to Malaysian retailer listings, each sachet contains sodium chloride 525 mg, sodium bicarbonate 425 mg, potassium chloride 375 mg and glucose (anhydrous) 6.25 g, and the powder is dissolved in water before it is drunk.

Uphalyte is sold in a Natural flavour and an Orange flavour. The listings we reviewed give the same four active ingredients and strengths for both, and none of them lists sodium citrate, so the difference between the two is the flavour rather than the electrolyte formula. The Natural flavour pack is the non-orange version, so it is worth checking the label if you or your child prefers one taste over the other.

Uphalyte Oral Rehydration Salts are an OTC (Over-the-Counter) product that can be purchased through DoctorOnCall without needing a doctor’s prescription. They are sold as single sachets and in multi-sachet packs, so please check the pack size on the product page. Each sachet is mixed with 250 mL of boiled, cooled water, and the prepared solution should not be kept for more than 24 hours.

• Wash your hands and use a clean glass or container.
• Add the contents of one sachet to 250 mL of boiled, cooled water and stir or shake well for 2 to 3 minutes until completely dissolved.
• Do not mix with fizzy drinks, fruit juice or milk, and do not add extra water, sugar or salt.
• Drink the solution as directed on the pack insert, usually in small, frequent sips, and take it after each loose motion if that is what the pack directs.
• Prepare the solution fresh each time, keep it covered, and throw away any solution that is left unused 24 hours after it was prepared.

Mix one sachet in 250 mL of boiled, cooled water for each dose, then drink as directed on the pack insert or by a doctor or pharmacist. The amount of solution and the number of sachets per day depend on age and on how much fluid has been lost, and the printed dosing tables differ between age groups, so follow the table on your pack insert and do not exceed the stated maximum number of sachets in 24 hours. Infants and children under 2 years should only be given the solution under the supervision of a doctor or pharmacist. Do not make the solution stronger or weaker than directed. If you miss a dose, simply continue with the next scheduled drink and do not drink extra solution to catch up. Seek medical advice if vomiting prevents you from keeping the solution down or if diarrhoea continues.

Unopened sachets: use before the expiry date printed on the sachet and carton. Prepared solution: use within 24 hours of preparation and discard any that remains after 24 hours.

Store the unopened sachets in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture, following any storage temperature printed on the pack. Keep out of the reach and sight of children. Once mixed, keep the solution covered and discard it after 24 hours; do not store prepared solution for later use.

• Common: nausea or vomiting, particularly if the solution is drunk too quickly. Wait a few minutes and then continue with smaller, slower sips.
• Common: bloating or mild stomach discomfort in some people.
• Serious: signs of too much sodium or potassium, such as extreme thirst, drowsiness, confusion, muscle weakness, an irregular heartbeat, swelling of the ankles or face, or very little urine. This can happen if the powder is mixed with too little water or taken in excess, or in people with kidney problems. Seek medical attention straight away.
• Serious: an allergic reaction such as rash, itching, swelling of the face or lips, or difficulty breathing, which needs emergency medical attention.

• Do not use if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to any of the ingredients.
• Do not use if you have a blocked, perforated or paralysed bowel (intestinal obstruction, perforation or paralytic ileus).
• Do not use if you have severe kidney failure with very little or no urine output, or if you have been told by a doctor that you cannot absorb glucose.
• Do not use as the only treatment if you are severely dehydrated, in shock, or unable to drink; urgent medical care is needed.
• Do not give to infants and children under 2 years without medical advice.

• Potassium-containing or potassium-raising medicines such as potassium supplements, potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers can add to the potassium in the sachet; check with a pharmacist if you take any of these.
• Salt substitutes (which often contain potassium chloride) and high-sodium foods can add to the electrolyte load; do not add extra salt or salt substitutes to the solution.
• Medicines that affect fluid and electrolyte balance, such as diuretics, corticosteroids and lithium, should be reviewed with a doctor or pharmacist before use.
• Do not dissolve the sachet in fizzy drinks, fruit juice or milk, as this changes the balance of the solution; use boiled, cooled water only.

• Measure 250 mL of boiled, cooled water for each sachet; too little water makes the solution too concentrated.
• Do not add sugar, salt, juice or milk to the solution.
• Take small, frequent sips rather than gulping the whole glass, especially if you feel sick.
• Make a fresh glass each time and throw away anything left after 24 hours.
• Check the flavour on the label, since Uphalyte is also sold in an Orange flavour.
• Always check the number of sachets allowed in 24 hours on your pack insert, and keep sachets out of the reach of children.

Precautions: Always dissolve each sachet in the stated volume of water (250 mL) and do not add sugar, salt, juice or milk. People with kidney disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, or those on a sodium- or potassium-restricted diet, or who take medicines that raise potassium, should speak to a doctor or pharmacist before use because the sachet contains sodium, potassium and glucose. Infants and young children should be given the solution only under professional guidance. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should ask a pharmacist first. Do not use sachets that are damaged or past their expiry date.

When to See a Doctor or Pharmacist: See a doctor promptly if diarrhoea or vomiting lasts more than 2 days in adults, or for any length of time in babies and young children, or if there is blood in the stool, high fever, severe stomach pain or persistent vomiting that stops you keeping the solution down. Seek urgent medical attention for signs of severe dehydration such as extreme thirst, a very dry mouth, little or no urine, dizziness, sunken eyes, drowsiness or confusion, and for any sign of an allergic reaction.