Diarrhea is your body’s way of flushing something out, and while it is miserable, the main goal is to avoid dehydration while it runs its course. For most adults, the best approach is to stick to bland, low-fiber foods like white rice, toast, bananas, and applesauce, while drinking plenty of clear fluids like water or an oral rehydration solution. You should also avoid dairy, greasy foods, and high-sugar drinks until your stools return to normal, which typically happens within a few days.
What Should You Eat When You Have Diarrhea?
The BRAT diet is the most well-known approach. It stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are bland and low in fiber, which means they do not push the digestive tract as hard as other foods do.
Bananas are useful for another reason. They replace potassium, which is an electrolyte your body loses during diarrhea. White rice and white toast are easy to digest because the bran has been removed. Applesauce provides some energy without the rough fiber found in raw apples.
Other options include boiled potatoes without the skin, saltine crackers, plain pasta, and well-cooked carrots. Eat small amounts at a time. A full plate of food can overwhelm a sensitive gut, but a few crackers or half a banana every couple of hours is often tolerated well.
What Fluids Are Best for Rehydration?
Fluid replacement matters more than food during the first 24 hours. Water is fine for mild cases, but it does not replace the sodium and potassium you lose with watery stools.
Oral rehydration solutions are the most effective choice. These are pre-mixed drinks available at pharmacies that contain a precise balance of water, salt, and sugar. The sugar is not there for energy—it helps your intestines absorb the water and salt more efficiently.
Sports drinks are a common alternative, but they are not ideal. Most contain too much sugar and not enough sodium to properly replace what you have lost. Clear broth, weak tea, and diluted fruit juice are acceptable if you cannot get an oral rehydration solution. Avoid anything with caffeine, since it can increase fluid loss.
Which Foods Should You Avoid?
Some foods make diarrhea worse because they draw water into the intestines or stimulate the gut to move faster. Dairy products are a leading example. Even people who are not lactose intolerant often have temporary trouble digesting lactose during a diarrhea episode. The lining of the small intestine produces the enzyme that breaks down lactose, and that lining is often damaged or irritated during illness.
Greasy and fried foods are another problem. Your body has a harder time digesting fat when your gut is inflamed, and undigested fat can speed up bowel movements. High-sugar foods and drinks, including fruit juice and soda, pull water into the intestines through a process called osmosis. That can make diarrhea worse.
Spicy foods, alcohol, and foods with artificial sweeteners ending in “-ol” (like sorbitol or xylitol) can also trigger loose stools. High-fiber foods like whole grains, beans, and raw vegetables are usually too rough during the acute phase, even though they are healthy at other times.
Do Probiotics Help with Diarrhea?
Some evidence suggests that certain probiotic strains can shorten the duration of diarrhea, especially when it is caused by antibiotics or a viral infection. The strains studied most often are Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii.
The effect is modest. Research indicates probiotics may reduce the duration of infectious diarrhea by roughly one day, but results vary widely depending on the cause and the specific strain used. If you choose to take a probiotic, look for a product that lists the specific strain on the label rather than just saying “probiotic blend.”
Yogurt with live cultures can provide some benefit, but it is also dairy. If dairy triggers your symptoms, wait until diarrhea has stopped before eating yogurt.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Most diarrhea resolves on its own within two to three days. Medical attention is needed if you see blood or black, tarry stools, which can indicate internal bleeding. A fever above 101°F (38.3°C), severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration also warrant a call to your doctor.
Signs of dehydration include dark urine, urinating less frequently than usual, dizziness when standing, dry mouth, and extreme thirst. For infants, young children, and older adults, dehydration can develop quickly and is more dangerous. These groups should be evaluated by a healthcare professional sooner rather than later.
Diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement, or recurring frequently over several weeks, requires medical evaluation. Chronic diarrhea can signal an underlying condition like irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, or an inflammatory bowel disorder.
Are Over-the-Counter Medications Safe?
Loperamide (Imodium) is the most common anti-diarrheal medication. It works by slowing down the movement of the intestines, which gives the body more time to absorb water. For mild to moderate diarrhea in otherwise healthy adults, it is generally safe and effective.
Do not take loperamide if you have a fever or blood in your stool. Slowing the gut down when a bacterial infection is present can keep the harmful bacteria inside your body longer, potentially making the illness worse. In that situation, letting the diarrhea run its course is the safer choice.
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) is another option. It reduces inflammation in the intestinal lining and may also have mild antibacterial effects. It can turn your tongue and stools black, which is harmless but alarming if you are not expecting it. Do not give bismuth subsalicylate to children or teenagers recovering from a viral illness, as it carries a risk of Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition.
How Long Does Diarrhea Usually Last?
Acute diarrhea from a viral infection typically lasts one to three days. Bacterial causes may last longer, sometimes up to a week. Food poisoning can begin within hours of eating contaminated food and may resolve within 24 to 48 hours.
Your digestive system needs time to repair itself even after diarrhea stops. The intestinal lining has to regenerate enzymes and restore its normal balance of bacteria. Some people find that loose stools or mild cramping continue for a few days after the main episode ends. This is normal.
If you have taken antibiotics recently, diarrhea can sometimes begin a week or more after starting the medication and may persist for several weeks. This is often due to disruption of the normal gut bacteria. In rare cases, it can be caused by Clostridioides difficile infection, which requires specific medical treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to let diarrhea run its course or stop it?
For mild diarrhea without fever or blood, letting it run its course is generally safe, but anti-diarrheal medication can help if you need relief. Do not use anti-diarrheal medications if you have a fever or blood in your stool.
Can I eat eggs when I have diarrhea?
Scrambled or boiled eggs are usually well tolerated because they are low in fiber and provide protein. Avoid frying them in butter or oil, as the extra fat can worsen symptoms.
Does Gatorade help with diarrhea?
Gatorade can help with mild dehydration, but it contains more sugar and less sodium than an oral rehydration solution. Oral rehydration solutions are the more effective choice for replacing what your body loses.
Why does diarrhea happen after eating spicy food?
Capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers hot, can irritate the lining of the digestive tract and speed up how quickly food moves through your system. This leaves less time for water to be absorbed, resulting in loose stools.
