Diarrhea - Facts And Causes

• Diarrhea is the passing of watery or loose stools.
• It is the body’s way of eliminating toxic wastes.
• Diarrhea is also an indication that the digestive system is unable to absorb nutrients, salt and water from food which are subsequently lost from the body through the watery bowels.
• Acute diarrhea accompanied by fever and blood or mucus in the stool may indicate bacterial or parasital infection.
• Most diarrhea lasts up to 3 or 4 days, even if left untreated. Consult a physician if diarrhea persists for more than 4 days.
• Diarrhea depletes the body of electrolytes, which are important minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium. A lack of these minerals can cause fatigue, tiredness and dehydration.
• Breast fed babies are less vulnerable to diarrhea.
• A body-detoxifying program can bring about a cleansing effect that could result in watery loose stools. This is the action of the removal of fecal matter from the intestinal walls and it should not last more than 2 days.
• Excess protein in an athlete can lead to dehydration, loss of appetite and diarrhea. Protein in excess requires more energy to digest and metabolize it.
  Source: “Protein Supplements and Body Building Programs” Cathy K, et al. Journal of the American Medical Association (1978) 240:481

Causes

• People with lactose intolerance (the inability to digest lactose) who have consumed dairy products will allow the lactose to ferment in the large intestine where it can cause bloating, flatus, diarrhea and pain.
• Consuming large quantities of artificial sweeteners such as hexitols, mannitol and sorbitol can cause diarrhea.
• Food poisoning leading up to diarrhea is caused by bacteria such as salmonella, E.coli and campylobacter.
• Diarrhea is often a symptom of many health conditions such as diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome, hyperthyroidism, celiac disease (gluten sensitivity,) vitamin overdose, caffeine overdose and alcohol overdose.
• Emotional stress and anxiety can have an unpleasant effect on the digestive system and can spark off diarrhea. Once the stress or anxiety is gone, diarrhea stops.
• Some women experience diarrhea immediately before or during menstruation.
• Antibiotics can upset the healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria in the intestine, resulting in diarrhea. Such antibiotics include doxycycline, digoxin, ampicillin, clindamycin, tetracycline and dirithromycin.
• Diarrhea can be a side-effect from drugs like immunosuppressants and those used for lowering cholesterol; for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, cancer, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, HIV and manic phase of bipolar disorder.

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