# Rotavirus hydration

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rotavirus-hydration/392278>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 14, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rotavirus-hydration/392278 "2007-02-14T23:32:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rotavirus-hydration/392278/1 "2007-02-14T23:32:46Z")

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In cases of watery diarrehea with frequent bowel movements, how long will orally taken liquids remain in the stomach? Do they pass right through before being absorbed or do they remain long enough to hydrate?

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rotavirus-hydration/392278/2 "2007-02-15T01:56:10Z")

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It doesn’t matter how long the Gatorade or Pedialyte stays in your stomach, because water is [absorbed by your small intestine](http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/smallgut/absorb_water.html), not your stomach.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s worth the trouble to push the fluids, seeing as how they seem to just shoot on through–it is. They’re shooting right through your stomach into your small intestine, which is manfully doing its best to grab onto the water molecules as they splash by.