What To Drink When Having Diarrhea

How To Feel Better

Diarrhea should go away in a few days without treatment. Until you feel better, rest, drink enough fluids, and watch what you eat.

Your body loses water with each trip to the bathroom. If you lose too much, you can get dehydrated. It’s important to keep drinking fluids.

Drink clear liquids — water, broth, or fruit juice — during the day to stay hydrated. Try to get about 2-3 liters a day while youâre sick. You can sip them in small amounts between meals instead of while you eat. Your doctor might recommend a sports drink to replace salt, potassium, and other electrolytes your body loses when you have diarrhea. If you also have nausea, sip the liquids slowly.

There is no particular food group that will best for treating diarrhea and physicians no longer recommend the long suggested BRAT diet of Bananas, Rice , Applesauce, and Toast. Still, all of these foods are good, valid options. Some other good choices include:

• Potatoes

What To Eat When You Have Diarrhea: The Best Foods For Diarrhea

It may not be the most glamorous topic, but it is one worth discussing because, it happens to all of us. Diarrhea. Just reading the word can make you cringe but the next time you find yourself spending more time on the toilet, youre going to wish you read this. So, lets discuss.

Drink Plenty Of Fluids

One of the biggest problems with diarrhea, and what leads many people to the emergency room, is dehydration. Diarrhea causes the body to lose a lot of water and electrolytes it needs to function normally. If not treated appropriately, dehydration can become dangerous, especially in young children.

To manage a mild bout of diarrhea, you will need to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost. Drink plenty of water, clear juices, clear broths, or an electrolyte-rich sports drink.

There are also things you should avoid when you have a bout of diarrhea. Avoid coffee, caffeinated drinks, prune juice, sugary drinks, sodas, and alcohol, all of which have a laxative effect. It is also a good idea to avoid dairy products.

Young children and babies with diarrhea should be given pediatric rehydration drinks, marketed under such brand names as Pedialyte, Enfalyte, or Gastrolyte. Breastfed infants should continue to breastfeed. Children should continue with their regular diet, plus rehydrating fluids, rather than be put on a restrictive diet.

If you want to avoid the artificial colorings or flavorings used in some commercial rehydration drinks, you can make a homemade rehydration drink using only salt, sugar, and water. You can also purchase oral rehydration salts over the counter at most drugstores. Follow the preparation instructions as too much salt can be harmful, especially to children.

Also Check: Align 5x Probiotic

Children Older Than 1 Year Of Age

Same as above, and

• Ice popsicles made from ORS
• Flavored gelatin cubes

* Minimum fluid goals per hour may increase if diarrhea, vomiting or fever are present.

WARNING: Do not give medicines to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor specifically orders it. These medicines can be very dangerous to children if they are not used properly.

Which Foods And Liquids Should I Limit Or Avoid

• Dairy:
• Half-and-half, cream, and sour cream
• Regular ice cream

Also Check: Zinc Side Effects Constipation

During The First 12 To 24 Hours

During the first 12 to 24 hours, follow this diet:

• Drinks. Plain water, sport drinks like electrolyte solutions, drinks without caffeine, mineral water , and clear fruit juices. Don’t have drinks with caffeine or citrus juices. This is because they are high in acid and can irritate your stomach.

• Soups. Clear broth.

• Desserts. Plain gelatin, frozen ice pops, and fruit juice bars without pieces of fruit. As you feel better, you may add 6 to 8 ounces of yogurt per day. If you have diarrhea, don’t have foods or drinks with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or sugar alcohols.

When To Seek Medical Help

Diarrhea should never be ignored. If you have tried the above-listed home remedies and still have loose stools, call your doctor or speak with your pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that may help.

On the other hand, you should see a doctor immediately if you or your child experience persistent or severe diarrhea and/or develop signs of dehydration, as follows:

• Diarrhea 3 days or more

• Severe abdominal pain

• Fever over 102 F

• Little or no urination

• Diarrhea for more than 24 hours

• No wet diapers in 3 hours

• Fever over 102 F

• Dry mouth or tongue

Also Check: Does Colostrum Heal Leaky Gut

What Stops Diarrhea Fast

BRAT diet

A diet known as BRAT may also quickly relieve diarrhea. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This diet is effective due to the bland nature of these foods, and the fact that theyre starchy, low-fiber foods. These foods have a binding effect in the digestive tract to make stools bulkier.

When To Call The Doctor

• Severe stomach pain
• Bloody diarrhea
• Diarrhea that is more frequent or more severe
• Signs of dehydration
• A high fever. Use a digital thermometer and wash thoroughly after each use.
• for age 3 months or younger, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F or higher.
• for any age, a temperature over 102°F , that lasts more than 2 days. Take rectal, ear or axillary temperatures in infants 4 months of age or older. When your child reaches 4 years of age, oral temperatures are OK.

Recommended Reading: Is Peanut Butter Good For Heartburn

Why Does Coffee On An Empty Stomach Make You Poop

Caffeine-containing drinkshave a laxative potential. More than two or three cups of coffee or tea daily can often cause diarrhea. Withdraw gradually over the course of a few days to avoid headache and try going without for awhile. Decaffeinated drinks may still contain chemicals that can loosen the stools.

How Do Doctors Treat Persistent And Chronic Diarrhea

How doctors treat persistent and chronic diarrhea depends on the cause. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics and medicines that target parasites to treat bacterial or parasitic infections. Doctors may also prescribe medicines to treat some of the conditions that cause chronic diarrhea, such as Crohns disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or ulcerative colitis. How doctors treat chronic diarrhea in children also depends on the cause.

Doctors may recommend probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms, most often bacteria, that are similar to microorganisms you normally have in your digestive tract. Researchers are still studying the use of probiotics to treat diarrhea.

For safety reasons, talk with your doctor before using probiotics or any other complementary or alternative medicines or practices. If your doctor recommends probiotics, talk with him or her about how much probiotics you should take and for how long.

Also Check: Fast Tract Digestion Heartburn

How To Stay Hydrated With Diarrhea

Diarrhea might earn its street cred for its uncomfortable, socially hushed excretory effects but diarrhea causes more than awkward departures from tables and sick notes to your office. Diarrhea flushes unwanted organisms out of the body, and with it, most of your fluids.

Diarrhea severely dehydrates the body, so it is essential you replace the fluids lost to stay healthy! Learn how to stay hydrated during these uncomfortable times below.

If You Are Sick In A Residence Hall:

You can ask a friend to make arrangements to bring you food from the dining room. See information about Feel Better Meals.

If you have questions or concerns about your food intake, you may call the Dining Services dietician at 734-647-2614 or send email to .

Notify your Housing director and let your parent/s know if you are ill. If you need assistance, contact the staff at your Community Center.

If you are sick and work in food service, you should contact your supervisor.

Recommended Reading: What Does It Mean When You Keep Having Heartburn

Foods That Cause Diarrhea

So, what foods cause diarrhoea?

Everyone is different. What might trigger diarrhoea for one person could be fine for another or even act as a calmative. Saying that there are some foods that can commonly cause diarrhoea:

• Spicy foods. Recent studies show that rich and spicy foods, like Indian and Chinese food, may worsen abdominal pain for IBS sufferers. This is thought to be due to a compound found in chilli peppers.
• Fried and fatty foods. These will increase the strength of your natural intestinal contractions as you digest and process the food, which can aggravate symptoms of diarrhoea sufferers.
• Excess fruits or vegetables. For some people, eating too many prunes, kiwi fruit, beans, broccoli or cabbage can set off diarrhoea.
• Dairy. Milk, cheese, cream and other dairy products are known causes of diarrhoea for some people. Look for non-dairy alternatives like almond or soy milk.
• Coffee and tea. Caffeine has been identified as a trigger for many sufferers with digestive problems. Try to limit how much caffeine you drink and opt for herbal teas instead.
• Sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and fructose, which youll find in diet drinks, sweets and chewing gum, have been linked with causing diarrhoea, in part because theyre poorly absorbed by the small intestine. Keep an eye out for these on the packaging and try to choose a natural alternative.

Chicken Broth Or Chicken Soup

One of the best drinks for rehydration after diarrhea and even during the condition is a chicken or beef broth. An incredibly healthy drink, broth can be easily be digested and is considered as one of the best drinks for diarrhea.

Why Does it Work?

Chicken broth is packed with amino acids and proteins that help in supporting the health of the gut. Moreover, it also helps in easing the inflammation in the stomach and offers other essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

However, it is highly recommended to remove the fat from chicken or beef while preparing the broth.

How to use

It is easy to prepare chicken broth at home. Some of the ingredients that you require are chicken , carrots, onion, garlic, celery, parsley, and salt.

You can use the same procedure for chicken soup. Use boiled shredded chicken instead of raw chicken.

How Much to Use?

You can drink chicken broth two to three times a day.

Read Also: Does Tramadol Make You Constipated

When To Seek Medical Treatment For Diarrhea:

• Fever
• Yellow urine
• Less urine than usual

If your diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection, Mundkur says you may experience severe diarrhea, fever, and bloody stools however, antibiotics can help treat the infection if it’s bacterial.

On the other hand, persistent blood in your stools could also be an indication of something more serious. “Sometimes colon cancer can cause diarrhea and blood in the stool, so it is important to talk to your primary care physician about whether you need a colonoscopy,” says Mundkur.

Drinks For Diarrhea Treatment

In the event that youre already suffering from diarrhea, there are a few drinks to make sure to add to your regimen that may help you feel betteror at least not make your symptoms worse while still providing hydration. The following drinks can be good to have on hand when you have diarrhea:

• Water
• Low-sugar fruit juice without pulp
• Salty broth

Read Also: Pregnancy Mayo

Are Coffee Poops Healthy

Caffeine-containing drinks have a laxative potential. More than two or three cups of coffee or tea daily can often cause diarrhea. Withdraw gradually over the course of a few days to avoid headache and try going without for awhile. Decaffeinated drinks may still contain chemicals that can loosen the stools.

Foods To Avoid When You Have Diarrhea

It is important to know what to eat for diarrhea. But it is just as important to know what not to eat when you have diarrhea. The last thing you would want to do is to make matters worse by eating foods that could potentially aggravate your stomach or cause you to have even more intestinal spasms. Doing so could lead to more misery.

• Milk, cheese, ice cream, sour cream

• Fatty, greasy foods

Don’t Miss: Do Bananas Help With Bloating

Can Diarrhea Make You Lose Weight

Diarrhea is usually caused by bacterial infections or stress and lasts several days. It can become dangerous when it lasts for weeks or more because it encourages water loss in the body. People with diarrhea can lose a lot of weight if theyve been sick for a while, but theyre losing mostly water weight.

What Causes Diarrhea

Diarrhea can be caused by many different reasons including a viral infection, a bacterial infection, food poisoning, medication, a food allergy or a food intolerance. Often it is acute and lasts a few days. When it is chronic and persists it is often related to a more serious gastrointestinal disorder.

Also Check: How Long Do Probiotics Last Out Of The Fridge

Why Does It Happen

As soon as alcohol hits your stomach, a little bit is absorbed through your stomach lining and enters your bloodstream. The rest spends some time in your stomach before entering your small intestine, where about two-thirds of it is absorbed. From here alcohol travels through your blood to all parts of your body. In the liver itâs broken down and processed until it is carbon dioxide and water. In the small intestine it becomes poo and urine, and you eventually pass it.

Even drinking a small amount can speed up the rate of digestion and cause loose stools. Funnily enough, the exact opposite can also happen. Drinking too much can instead cause slow or delayed digestion, and you can end up bloated, constipated and passing very firm stools. Itâs a delicate balance. A few other things can also affect the speed with which you digest alcohol, including your gender, your liver health, your genes, the type of alcohol you drink, how much youâve eaten that day and what youâve eaten. Fibrous and greasy foods can also speed up digestion creating a double whammy – remember that 3am kebab?

What If Im Feeling Nauseous

If your vomiting or diarrhea is accompanied by nausea, drinking any fluids can be difficult as your body likely wants to spit them right back out. Try sipping water on ice slowly to ease the fluid into your system. You might try adding drops of lemon or carbonation to your water to make it easier to get down, too.

You May Like: Bloating And Dry Mouth

What Are The Causes Of Diarrhea After Drinking Alcohol

When you drink alcohol, it travels to your stomach. If theres food in your stomach, alcohol will be absorbed along with some of the nutrients of the food into your bloodstream through the cells in the stomach wall. This slows the digestion of the alcohol.

If you havent eaten, the alcohol will continue to your small intestine where it similarly passes through the cells of the intestinal wall, but at a much quicker rate. This is why you feel more of a buzz, and faster, when you drink on an empty stomach.

However, eating foods that are hard on your body, such as those that are very fibrous or very greasy, can also speed up digestion.

Once most of the alcohol is absorbed, the rest is excreted from your body through your stool and urine. Your colon muscles move in a coordinated squeeze to push the stool out.

Alcohol speeds up the rate of these squeezes, which doesnt allow for water to be absorbed by your colon as it is normally. This causes your stool to come out as diarrhea, often very quickly and with a lot of extra water.

Scientists have found that drinking small amounts of alcohol tends to speed up the rate of digestion, causing diarrhea.

On the other end of the spectrum, drinking large amounts of alcohol can delay digestion and cause constipation.

Alcohol can also irritate your digestive tract, worsening diarrhea. Scientists have found this occurs most often with wine, which tends to kill off helpful bacteria in the intestines.

• rice
• chicken

Preventing The Spread Of Infection

If a virus caused your childs diarrhea, do the following to prevent the spread to others:

• Make sure your child washes hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating.
• Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after touching your child and their eating utensils, dirty laundry or diapers .
• Keep your childs utensils, toys and dirty clothes away from others. Wash them in hot soapy water.
• Clean the toilet and hard surfaces often with disinfectant or an antimicrobial wipe. Let dry 15 seconds.

You May Like: Can Prenatal Vitamins Cause Black Stool

Our Choice For The Best Electrolyte Drink For Diarrhea

It is understandable that our electrolytes can become low especially when we are suffering from severe diarrhea or because of excessive sweating. If we dont do something about this, we are at risk from dehydration. The best electrolyte drink to try out isEmergen-C Electro Mix Electrolyte Replacement Drink Mix. What we like about this product is that it specially formulated to replenish the lost electrolytes in your body quickly. With every drink, you will receive calcium, potassium, and magnesium that can help increase the amount of water in your body. Whats even better is that there are no artificial flavorings, colorings or sweeteners included which mean that you will have a steady supply of energy as well as hydration that will keep you alert and energized.