What to Drink if You Have Hyponatremia: Safe Fluids and Recipes

December 15, 2025 •

3 min read

Hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels, affects approximately 1 in 5 people admitted to the hospital and 1 in 10 endurance athletes. Understanding what to drink if you have hyponatremia is essential for safely managing your fluid and electrolyte balance under medical guidance.

Quick Summary

This guide covers recommended and restricted drinks for low blood sodium, including sports drinks, broths, and oral rehydration solutions. It also provides guidance on fluid restriction and homemade recipe ideas, always emphasizing medical consultation.

Key Points

Seek Medical Advice: Always consult a healthcare professional before altering your fluid intake, as the correct treatment for hyponatremia varies greatly depending on its cause.
Consider Sodium-Rich Drinks: In some cases, increasing fluids with high sodium content, such as broths, soups, and sports drinks, can help restore balance.
Restrict Plain Water: If hyponatremia is due to fluid overload, a doctor may prescribe fluid restriction to avoid further diluting sodium levels.
Avoid Excessive Low-Sodium Fluids: Limit intake of drinks predominantly composed of water, such as coffee, plain tea, and most juices, unless otherwise advised by a medical professional.
Try Homemade Recipes: Create your own electrolyte solutions with salt, water, and citrus juice, following a recipe to control the sodium balance.
Monitor Your Body's Signals: Pay close attention to symptoms and fluid needs, especially during intense exercise or illness, but use thirst as a guide only with medical clearance.
Understand the Risks: Correcting sodium levels too quickly can be dangerous, potentially leading to serious neurological complications like ODS.

The Importance of Professional Medical Guidance

Addressing hyponatremia should always start with a consultation with a healthcare professional. Self-treatment can be dangerous, as the appropriate course of action depends entirely on the underlying cause and severity of the condition. A doctor may recommend different strategies based on whether the cause is from excessive fluid intake, underlying disease, or electrolyte loss from intense exercise. In severe cases, intravenous fluids with sodium may be necessary to correct levels safely under close monitoring. The rate of correction is critical to prevent complications like osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS).

Fluids to Increase Sodium Intake

For mild hyponatremia, especially when it's related to dehydration or exercise, certain beverages can help restore sodium levels. These options should be used only with a doctor's approval.

Sports Drinks: For athletes or those who have lost electrolytes through sweat, commercial sports drinks containing sodium can help restore balance. It is important to consider varieties with lower sugar content, as some can be very high in sugar.
Broths and Soups: High-sodium fluids like broths, bouillon, and soups are excellent for boosting sodium intake. These are often recommended because they provide a significant amount of sodium in a liquid form that is easy to consume.
Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS): Pre-packaged or homemade ORS can effectively replenish electrolytes lost due to vomiting or diarrhea. A homemade version might consist of water, a little sugar, and salt.
Tomato and Vegetable Juice: Canned juices like V-8 and tomato juice are typically high in sodium and can be beneficial when advised by a physician.
Salted Lemon/Lime Water: A simple and effective homemade solution involves adding a pinch of salt to lemon or lime water to provide a quick electrolyte boost.

What to Avoid When You Have Hyponatremia

In many cases of hyponatremia, the issue is not a lack of sodium but an excess of water that dilutes the blood's sodium concentration. For this reason, avoiding large amounts of low-sodium fluids is often a key part of the treatment plan.

Excessive Plain Water: Drinking too much plain water can worsen the condition by further diluting blood sodium levels, especially if caused by overhydration. It is crucial to follow a doctor's fluid restriction guidelines.
Low-Sodium Beverages: Drinks with very little to no sodium, such as coffee, plain tea, and juice, should be limited as they contribute free water that can exacerbate the problem.
Alcohol and Caffeine: These substances can affect fluid balance and should be avoided or limited.

Homemade Electrolyte Recipes

Creating your own electrolyte drink at home allows for precise control over ingredients and sodium content, based on your doctor's recommendations.

Simple Citrus Electrolyte Drink

2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp sea salt
Optional: 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup for sweetness

Combine all ingredients and stir until the salt is dissolved. Enjoy chilled.

Salty Watermelon Replenisher

1 cup fresh watermelon juice (blended and strained)
1/2 cup coconut water
1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 tbsp lime juice

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and serve over ice for a natural and refreshing option.

Comparing Hydration Options for Hyponatremia


Feature	Sports Drinks	Broths/Soups	Oral Rehydration Solutions	Water	Coconut Water
Sodium Content	Variable; check labels	High	High; specifically formulated	Very low to none	Low sodium, high potassium
Best For	Exercise-associated electrolyte loss	Increasing sodium intake; comforting	Fluid loss from illness (vomiting/diarrhea)	General hydration; restricted for hyponatremia	Potassium and mild hydration (add salt for sodium)
Considerations	Watch for high sugar content	Can be high in other additives	Specific medical use	Must be limited under fluid restriction	Must supplement with sodium for low sodium issues

Conclusion

Navigating fluid intake when you have hyponatremia requires a nuanced and medically supervised approach. Depending on the underlying cause, the solution may involve increasing salty fluids like broths or sports drinks, or, conversely, restricting low-sodium liquids. The most important first step is always to seek professional medical advice to determine the right strategy for your specific condition. Never ignore symptoms or attempt aggressive correction without a doctor's guidance, as rapid sodium changes can pose significant risks. For further information, consult reliable health resources like the National Institutes of Health.

For more information, consult these resources on health and nutrition:

The National Institutes of Health provides comprehensive information on electrolyte balance and health conditions.
The Mayo Clinic offers guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia.

Frequently Asked Questions

For mild hyponatremia, especially after exercise, drinks with electrolytes like sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions may be beneficial. However, always consult a doctor to confirm the best approach for your specific situation.

If hyponatremia is caused by drinking too much water (fluid overload), your doctor will likely recommend temporarily restricting your fluid intake. This helps your body excrete excess water and correct sodium levels.

Salty broths and soups are excellent choices for increasing sodium levels in your diet. A cup of bouillon or salty broth can provide a significant sodium boost, as recommended by a doctor.

Not necessarily. The safety of electrolyte drinks depends on the cause of your hyponatremia. In cases of fluid overload (hypervolemic hyponatremia), adding more fluid might worsen the condition. Medical advice is crucial.

Limit fluids that are mostly water and low in sodium, such as plain water, coffee, and tea, especially if advised to restrict fluids. Alcohol and excessive caffeine should also be avoided as they can affect fluid balance.

Yes, you can make a simple homemade electrolyte drink using a recipe. A common formula includes water, a pinch of salt, and some citrus juice for flavor and other minerals. This can help control sugar intake compared to commercial options.

Rapid correction of low sodium, especially chronic cases, can be extremely dangerous. It can lead to osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS), a serious neurological condition. Medical monitoring is vital to ensure a safe, gradual increase in sodium levels.