Myths and Facts About Diarrhea

Medically Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, MS, DO on January 28, 2023

Myth. Bland “BRAT” foods — bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — were once recommended to treat diarrhea. But BRAT foods don’t have enough of other nutrients you need, like protein and fat. You can eat bland foods for the first day or so. But you should return to your normal diet as soon as you can.

Fact. Diarrhea causes you to lose fluids. Losing too much fluid can bring on dehydration, especially in children. A child may be dehydrated if they seem thirsty, has a dry mouth or sunken soft spots on the head (infants), or is urinating less than usual or crying without tears. Adults may have similar symptoms, as well as sunken eyes and lethargy. Call your doctor if you see signs of dehydration. Your doctor may recommend drinking oral rehydration solutions, water, uncaffeinated teas, low-sugar sports drinks, diluted fruit juices, and broths.

Myth. Seasonal flu — or influenza virus — can cause fever, body ache, and general misery, but it rarely causes diarrhea. Influenza is generally a disease of the airways and lungs. The sickness that some people call “stomach flu” can cause diarrhea, but that bug is different from influenza. “Stomach flu” is just a catch-all name for viral gastroenteritis, which is caused by many different germs.

Myth. Greasy, fried foods often make diarrhea worse because they’re hard to digest. But eating a little fat could help ease diarrhea. The slow digestion of fats may reduce diarrhea symptoms. As long as you don’t have a problem absorbing fat, add a teaspoon of mayo, a pat of butter, or a little lean meat to your next meal. It may help with your symptoms.

Fact. Side effects of medications may include diarrhea. For example, antibiotics and some drugs for cancer, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure may cause diarrhea. If you develop diarrhea after starting a new drug, call your doctor.

Fact. Some people reach for sports drinks or sodas to replenish lost fluids when they have diarrhea. But very sugary foods and drinks — even natural sugars found in fruit — may make diarrhea symptoms worse. During digestion, sugar draws fluid into the intestines, diluting the stools. Some sugar substitutes, like sorbitol, may have the same effect.

Myth. Many parents believe that teething triggers diarrhea in babies. But pediatricians say it’s not true. Your baby may be cranky or irritable during teething. But if they also have diarrhea or a fever, talk to your doctor.

Fact. But it depends on what type of fiber you eat. Soluble fiber, found in beans, peas, oat bran, and peeled fruits and cooked vegetables — absorbs water in the intestines and makes stools firmer. But insoluble fiber — which is found in the skins of raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and wheat bran — may speed up stools as they pass through the intestines.

Fact. The caffeine in coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate might make your bowels work faster. Caffeine works as a stimulant in the intestines, making digestion speed up and causing your bowels to empty faster. Even though decaffeinated coffee has less caffeine than regular, decaf may still have enough caffeine to stimulate your bowels.

Myth. Diarrhea often goes away on its own, so treatment isn’t usually necessary. But over-the-counter diarrhea medications can offer some relief from symptoms. Avoid them if you have a fever or other symptoms, such as bloody stool. Don’t give babies or children any diarrhea medicine unless a pediatrician recommends it.

Fact. According to public health experts, washing your hands is still the best way to fight the germs that cause diarrhea. One review of research found that good hand washing can cut the transmission of infectious diarrhea by almost 40%. Use soap and water — and scrub as long as it takes you to recite the alphabet.

Fact. Yogurt may help people recover from diarrhea faster. The live, natural, “friendly” bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, in some yogurt may help promote healthy digestion. Some studies have found that yogurt with live or active cultures may help prevent diarrhea caused by antibiotics.

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REFERENCES:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: “What Should You Eat When You Have Diarrhea?”
American Academy of Family Physicians: “BRAT Diet.”
CDC: “Managing Acute Gastroenteritis Among Children,” “Myths about Seasonal Influenza and Influenza Vaccines. “
American Academy of Family Physicians: “Vomiting and Diarrhea in Children.”
National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus: “Diarrhea.”
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Diarrhea.”
PubMed Health: “Viral Gastroenteritis.”
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging: “Diarrhea.”
FDA: “High Blood Pressure — Medicines to Help You.”
Nemours Foundation: “Sorbitol.”
MedlinePlus: “Teething,” “Diarrhea.”
American Dental Association: “Teething.”
HealthyChildren.org: “Teething: 4 to 7 months.”
Medline Plus: “Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber.”
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging: “Diarrhea.”
Rao, S. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, February 1998; vol 10(2): pp 113-118.
McCusker, R. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, October 2006; vol 30(8): pp 611-613.
American College of Gastroenterology: “Diarrheal Diseases.”
The Cochrane Library: “Hand washing for preventing diarrhea.”
Luby, S. Journal of the American Medical Association, June 2, 2004; vol 291: pp 2547-2554.
University of Maryland Medical Center: “Lactobacillus acidophilus.”

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When your child has diarrhea Information | Mount Sinai

Drinking Fluids

It is easy for a child with diarrhea to lose too much fluid and become dehydrated. Lost fluids need to be replaced. For most children, drinking the kinds of fluids they normally have should be enough.

Some water is OK. But too much water alone, at any age, can be harmful.

Other products, such as Pedialyte and Infalyte, may help keep a child well-hydrated. These products can be bought at the supermarket or pharmacy.

Popsicles and Jell-O can be good sources of fluids, especially if your child is vomiting. You can slowly get large amounts of fluids into children with these products.

You may also give your child watered-down fruit juice or broth.

Do not use medicines to slow down your child’s diarrhea without talking to a doctor first. Ask your child’s health care provider if using sports drinks is OK.

Diet for Children With Diarrhea

In many cases, you can continue feeding your child as usual. The diarrhea will normally go away in time, without any changes or treatment. But while children have diarrhea, they should:

• Eat small meals throughout the day instead of 3 big meals.
• Eat some salty foods, such as pretzels and soup.

When necessary, changes in the diet may help. No specific diet is recommended. But children often do better with bland foods. Give your child foods such as:

• Baked or broiled beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey
• Cooked eggs
• Bananas and other fresh fruits
• Applesauce
• Bread products made from refined, white flour
• Pasta or white rice
• Cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes
• Pancakes and waffles made with white flour
• Cornbread, prepared or served with very little honey or syrup
• Cooked vegetables, such as carrots, green beans, mushrooms, beets, asparagus tips, acorn squash, and peeled zucchini
• Some desserts and snacks, such as Jell-O, popsicles, cakes, cookies, or sherbet
• Baked potatoes

In general, removing seeds and skins from these foods is best.

Use low-fat milk, cheese, or yogurt. If dairy products are making the diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating, your child may need to stop eating or drinking dairy products for a few days.

Children should be allowed to take their time returning to their normal eating habits. For some children, a return to their regular diet can also bring a return of diarrhea. This is often due to mild problems the gut has while absorbing regular foods.

Things Your Child Should Avoid Eating or Drinking

Children should avoid certain kinds of foods when they have diarrhea, including fried foods, greasy foods, processed or fast foods, pastries, donuts, and sausage.

Avoid giving children apple juice and full-strength fruit juices, as they can loosen stool.

Have your child limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating.

Your child should avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn.

Your child should also avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks at this time.

When children are ready for regular foods again, try giving them:

• Bananas
• Crackers
• Chicken
• Pasta
• Rice cereal

When to Call the Doctor

Call your child’s provider if your child has any of these symptoms:

• Much less activity than normal (not sitting up at all or not looking around)
• Sunken eyes
• Dry and sticky mouth
• No tears when crying
• Not urinated for 6 hours
• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Fever that does not go away
• Stomach pain

Easter JS. Pediatric gastrointestinal disorders and dehydration. In: Bakes KM, Buchanan JA, Moreira ME, Byyny R, Pons PT, eds. Emergency Medicine Secrets. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 65.

Kotloff KL. Acute gastroenteritis in children. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 366.

Schiller LR, Sellin JH. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16.

Last reviewed on: 12/10/2021

Reviewed by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Fixative products for diarrhea | WDAY

Life Hacks

Blueberries are a fixing product.

Photo

Getty

Drinking regimen for diarrhea

Frequent trips to the toilet are dangerous because they lead to dehydration. Getting rid of harmful substances, as a rule, occurs at an early stage, along with the first liquid stool. Further, the body loses beneficial microflora, fluid and potassium. To maintain water and electrolyte balance, it is necessary to observe a special drinking regimen: drink little but often.

The best way to restore the acid-base balance caused by dehydration, rehydrants cope. The solutions prepared on their basis contain the required amount of glucose, citrate and sodium chloride, as well as potassium.

Decoctions of hawthorn fruits and pomegranate peels, rowan juice help with diarrhea. You can prepare a herbal collection by mixing oak bark, wormwood, St. John’s wort and chamomile in equal parts. For 2.5 tablespoons of phyto extract, take 1.5 cups of boiling water. They insist on collecting an hour, and then, having filtered, they divide it into 3 doses per day.

Many intestinal fixing foods are rich in tannins. Tannins have an astringent effect, reduce the secretion of mucus, and give the drink a characteristic bitterness. Fixing properties have:

– cocoa;

– strong coffee;

– ginger and black tea;

– compotes from blueberries, cornelian cherry, quince.

With diarrhea it is useful to drink three-day “live” kefir – a drink rich in lactic acid bacteria, having an optimal ratio of alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Diet for diarrhea: fixing foods

The diet for loose stools should consist of highly crushed, pureed, slimy and viscous foods. Suitable fruits containing a lot of pectin and tannin, starchy vegetables and cereals. Relaxation of the intestinal walls, and therefore, a decrease in its motor activity, is facilitated by warm dishes.

Products with fixing properties include:

· green bananas;

mashed potatoes;

cream soups;

strong broths;

cereal decoctions;

pasta and white bread;

semolina and porridge;

baked apples;

rice water and porridge;

blueberry jam;

blackcurrant jelly.

Protein-rich foods will give the body the strength it needs: hard-boiled eggs, lean boiled meat, steam fish. If you have diarrhea, avoid cold, heavy, fried and fatty foods. For a while, it is advisable to exclude nuts, milk, whole grain bread, raw vegetables and fruits from the diet.

So, with diarrhea it is best to drink teas and fruit drinks with a lot of tannins. Viscous cereals, potato and apple puree, cream soups help to normalize the stool.

Wday.ru editors

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7 products that will help with indigestion

Special therapeutic nutrition that restores the water-salt balance and normalizes bowel function.

Indigestion can suddenly disrupt all plans, spoil the trip and just the mood. To get rid of diarrhea as soon as possible, include these foods in your diet.

Rice

7 foods to help with indigestion depositphotos.com

Plain boiled rice is best for indigestion. It stabilizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, absorbs gases and acids, helping to stop diarrhea.

Chicken stock

7 foods to help with indigestion depositphotos.com

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Chicken broth is recommended by specialists for diarrhea, as it is perfectly digested and helps to eliminate toxins. Chicken has a high nutritional value and perfectly nourishes a weakened body.

Boiled or stewed vegetables

7 foods to help with indigestion pixabay. com

Boiled vegetables help improve intestinal motility and, as a result, stop diarrhea.

Bagels, biscuits, crackers

7 foods to help with indigestion pixabay.com

They are easy to digest and relieve stomach grumbling and quickly absorb stomach acids to soothe the stomach.

Oatmeal

7 foods to help with indigestion shutterstock.com

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Thanks to the enveloping properties of oatmeal, the work of the digestive system is restored faster. Just remember that with diarrhea, you need to eat oatmeal without sugar, boiled in water, and not in milk.

Herbal tea

7 foods to help with indigestion depositphotos.com

Peppermint soothes the intestines and relieves stomach cramps, while chamomile has an antibacterial effect.