Young Caucasian girl sat on the toilet as her mum stands by the door and watches over her.

Diarrhoea: causes and what to eat

By Cristiano Antonino On Feb 15, 2023

Diarrhoea is a condition characterised by liquid or semi-liquid stools, which are emitted several times over a twenty-four-hour period and which is often associated with a series of gastrointestinal symptoms such as belly cramps, bloating, sometimes nausea and vomiting

Two types of diarrhoea can be distinguished, acute forms that last only a few days and chronic forms.

In the case of chronic diarrhoea, the disorder tends to occur for more than a month and is often an indicator of an underlying disease, the causes of which should be investigated by a gastroenterologist.

Diarrhoea: what causes it

Acute diarrhoea in most cases is caused by:

bacteria, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella or Escherichia coli;
viruses, such as Cytomegalovirus and Rotavirus;
parasites, including Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium (parasitic infections can also cause chronic forms of diarrhoea);
food poisoning;
the intake of certain drugs, particularly antibiotics;
the intake of contaminated water or food, usually during trips abroad to countries with poor sanitary conditions.

In the case of chronic diarrhoea, the differential diagnosis is more complex

Coeliac disease is an increasingly common condition that must be excluded in the case of chronic diarrhoea.

Another very frequent aetiology, especially in the case of long-standing forms and in the absence of symptoms and/or warning signs is irritable bowel syndrome.

Further causes of chronic diarrhoea are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which may be associated with the presence of blood and/or mucus in the faeces, complicated forms of diverticulosis, and neoplastic forms.

Also worth mentioning are iatrogenic forms (either from medication or as a result of surgery) and forms associated with pancreatic insufficiency: in the latter case we speak of steatorrhea.

What to eat when you have diarrhoea

In the acute phase of diarrhoea, greater control of the diet is advisable, considering that some foods can irritate the intestine, while others tend to help diminish the symptoms.

So what to eat when you have diarrhoea?

Make way for:

rice
potatoes
apples
bananas
cereals

Lean meat, fish and eggs can also be taken, as long as they are well cooked and seasoned with a drizzle of raw oil.

It is also very important to keep hydrated: during episodes of diarrhoea, in fact, the body loses a lot of liquids that must be reintroduced.

For this reason it can be useful to take broth, especially chicken broth, perhaps accompanied by pasta, and hot tea or apple juice.

On the other hand, reduce irritating drinks, such as coffee or fizzy and sugary drinks, alcohol, over-processed foods, such as canned foods, raw vegetables, onions, citrus fruits, fried foods or foods seasoned with butter or spices, fatty meats and sweets.

How to get rid of diarrhoea: remedies

The diagnosis of diarrhoea is clinically based; especially in cases of chronic diarrhoea, the gastroenterologist will assess the need to investigate the causes through certain diagnostic tests.

In acute forms, in addition to dietary changes, the use of anti-diarrhoeal drugs aimed at inhibiting intestinal motility may be indicated.

When the diarrhoea is caused by bacterial or parasitic infections, treatment may involve taking targeted antibiotics that are usually combined with food supplements containing probiotics, which are useful for restoring the correct functioning of the intestinal flora.

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