Dos And Don'ts For Quick Relief Of Diarrhea | Everyday Health

Diarrhea can cause your body to excrete fluids more quickly than usual, so replenishing them is crucial to avoid dehydration, says Matthew Sullivan, DO, a gastroenterologist with Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “However, not all beverages are created equal in this scenario,” he says.

Do

Try herbal tea. Products containing certain herbs may help an upset stomach, says Rucha Shah, MD, a gastroenterologist with HonorHealth Medical Group in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ginger, for example, may help ease nausea and settle your stomach, she says. “Peppermint can also help with that.”

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Drink plenty of fluids. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least one cup of liquid every time you have a loose bowel movement. “Water is simple and best,” Shah says.

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 When you lose more water than you take in, as is the case when you have diarrhea, you also lose essential electrolytes — important minerals that are found in blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids.

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 Electrolyte-rich drinks like Pedialyte can help replenish these — plus, they contain dextrose (a type of sugar) and salt, Sullivan says. Salt helps slow down the fluid loss, and sugar will help your body absorb the salt.

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“Sports drinks (like Gatorade and Powerade), diluted fruit juices, and soup broth are also reasonable choices to consume along with water or a product like Pedialyte,” Sullivan says.

Dilute your water with fruit juice. Water can sometimes be nauseating when you have diarrhea, says Lisa Ganjhu, DO, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City. If you’re having trouble drinking it plain, she recommends diluting it with pure fruit juice like cranberry or apple. “This will allow for better hydration and help balance the electrolytes lost with diarrhea,” she says.

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Just be sure to avoid juices high in high-fructose corn syrup, as this may worsen diarrhea, Shah says.

Don’t

Drink milk. Many people have difficulty digesting lactose, a type of sugar present in dairy products. Lactose can be even harder to process when you have a diarrheal illness and may worsen symptoms, Sullivan says.

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Consume beverages at extreme temperatures. Consume all liquids at room temperature or slightly warmed, Ganjhu says. “Anything too hot or too cold can cause nausea.”

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Drink caffeine, alcohol, or certain sodas. Caffeine can increase gut motility, meaning it makes things move faster through it, Sullivan says.

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 This can worsen diarrhea. Alcohol has the same effect and can also irritate the intestinal tract, contribute to dehydration, and worsen symptoms like nausea.

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Sodas and other drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sugars like sorbitol or lactulose may worsen diarrhea because these ingredients can be difficult for the intestines to process.

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