Although unpleasant, diarrhea is actually a good thing. Alongside vomiting, it is the body's way of getting rid of things it doesn't like as quickly as possible. If we ingest poison, spoiled foodor contaminated water, the body gets rid of it as quickly as possible. The nervous system of the digestive tract - which has about as many nerve cells as a cat's brain - makes this decision independently and without consulting the brain.

Symptoms

Almost everyone has had diarrhea: unusually frequent and then usually thin, watery bowel movements, usually preceded by the urge to go to the nearest toilet with particular urgency. If someone has very soft or liquid stools at least three times in one day, this is known as diarrhea. Diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal pain and bloating.

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When to see a doctor for diarrhea?

If diarrhea lasts longer than three days or is very severe, you should go to the doctor. For babies, small children or older people, the doctor should be contacted earlier. If, in addition to diarrhea, you experience severe abdominal pain, vomiting and fever, you must seek medical help immediately. Circulatory problems and dizziness can be signs that the body has lost too much fluid and salts. This requires an urgent medical examination. The same applies to blood in the stool, high feveror suspected poisoning.

Causes of diarrhea

Acute diarrhea is usually caused by a gastrointestinal infection (bacteria, viruses), as is often the case with the well-known traveler's diarrhea. This usually sets in very suddenly and usually resolves itself within a few days. It is rarely necessary to see a doctor. It is important to drink plenty of fluids to compensate for the loss of fluids and to eat easily digestible food for a few days to relieve the bowel.

In addition to infections caused by the well-known noroviruses or rotaviruses, salmonella, shigella and colibacillus, there are other possible causes of diarrhea. These include

• Food intolerances such as gluten intolerance or lactose intolerance
• Unfamiliar food on Long-distance travel
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Side effect of antibiotic treatment, as the intestinal flora as a whole is attacked

Causes of chronic diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that lasts longer than a fortnight. Chronic diarrhea is a problem that significantly affects not only health but also quality of life. There are many possible causes of chronic diarrhea:

• Food that is not tolerated or is spoiled
• Polluted or contaminated water
• Infection by bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites
• Inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g. Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
• Malabsorption
• Lactose intolerance
• Laxatives
• Antibiotic treatments
• Intestinal cancer

If you have problems with your gallbladder, you may experience diarrhea after a high-fat meal. It is important that a doctor gets to the bottom of the problem.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will first ask a few questions and then carry out a physical examination and a series of tests. These may include blood, stool, urine or breath tests or even a colonoscopy. Blood tests can reveal evidence of pathogens, inflammatory markers or antibodies (e.g. in the case of coeliac disease). Certain viruses, bacteria, parasites and inflammatory markers can also be detected in the stool. Sometimes this makes further invasive examinations such as a colonoscopy or endoscopy unnecessary. In other cases, however, these are also necessary to confirm or rule out a diagnosis.

If the doctor cannot find any evidence of illness or infection, the diagnosis is often irritable bowel syndrome. This is a diagnosis of exclusion, i.e. the known tests did not lead to any other conclusion. Irritable bowel syndrome is not an organic disease, but a functional disorder between the autonomic nervous system and the intestinal musculature. It is often triggered by an infection, but persists after the causative infection has been resolved. Infections can lead to imbalances in the intestinal flora (dysbiosis). If this imbalance persists for a long time, the intestinal mucosa can become damaged and "leaky". This is referred to as "permeable bowel", also known as "leaky gut syndrome".

It is important not to regard this diagnosis as the end of the line when it comes to irritable bowel syndrome. We recommend a microbiome analysis and nutritional advice for irritable bowel syndrome,

Prevention

Bacteria and viruses are transmitted through contact with contaminated objects, water, food or stool. When traveling abroad, special care should be taken not to drink tap water (not even as ice cubes!), meat and fish should only be consumed when thoroughly cooked or boiled, and unpeeled fruit and vegetables should be avoided.

Thorough hand washing is therefore so important in order to protect yourself and your health. protect themselves and others from infection. Patients with acute diarrhea should wash their clothes as hot as possible, i.e. at least 60 degrees.

What to do with diarrhea?

Rehydrate

Dehydration is a significant side effect due to fluid loss and it is extremely important to replenish lost electrolytes and rehydrate the cells. Drinking plenty of still water, plus coconut water as a natural source of electrolytes, is a good way to do this. Carbonated water should be avoided. Various medicinal plant teas such as fennel, sage, camomile and black tea are also suitable for hydration.

Food for diarrhea

Most patients with gastrointestinal complaints also suffer from a loss of appetite. In the case of diarrhea, a light diet is recommended to relieve the stomach. The following foods are suitable as they bind liquids in the intestines and thus help to solidify the stool again: Potatoes, oatmeal, rusks, yogurt and rice gruel. Moro's carrot souphas also proven effective for diarrhea.

There are, however, a number of foods that should be consciously avoided if you suffer from diarrhea. These include spicy and fatty foods, citrus fruits, pulses, sauerkraut (juice), apple juice and sweets.

Keeping a food diary, in which you also record when symptoms occur, can help to determine which foods may be triggering or exacerbating the symptoms. Nowadays there are even apps for this. We also recommend enlisting the help of nutrition experts, as they know the foods that most often cause problems. This list is often surprising, as even healthy foods can trigger intolerances. It is then necessary to leave out certain foods for a while, but don't worry, this is not necessarily forever. When the gut heals, you can eat these things again, although perhaps not necessarily in large quantities.

Among the amino acids,glutamine has proven to be particularly helpful for the gut. The tissues in the gut use glutamine as an energy source. It also appears to play a role in maintaining the barriers of the intestinal mucosa. Chicken, fish, dairy products, tofu, cabbage, spinach, beetroot, peas, lentils and beans contain glutamine. Direct supplementation of L-glutaminemay be recommended to correct a deficiency, especially during times of significant stress and severe illness.

Arktibiotic AKUT for traveler's diarrhea & after taking antibiotics

Arktibiotic Akut has been specially developed for use during and after antibiotic therapy. The yeast Saccharomyces boulardii is considered an effective remedy for diarrhea, also for prevention. Don't worry: S. boulardii is a benign yeast that does not settle in the intestine, but is only passing through. In the meantime it serves as "Placeholder" to prevent the spread of pathogenic fungi during and after antibiotic treatment. Arktibiotic Akut is also ideal for preventing diarrhea when traveling to distant countries and belongs in every first-aid kit.

Bringing the gut back into balance

If an infection is likely, especially after returning from a hospital stay or a trip to exotic countries, then the solution may lie in tackling the infectious cause. It is usually better to let the diarrhea run its course, as this is a natural mechanism of the body to help eliminate the pathogen and its toxins. The best approach is to stay well hydrated during this process (see above). A good probiotic supplement can also help to re-strengthen the gut flora. We recommend Arktibiotic COMPENS, which contains nine strains of bacteria as well as folic acid and vitamin B12.

Avoid stress

It has long been known that stress contributes significantly to diarrhea. [ i] It is therefore very important to reduce stress wherever possible and take time to relax. A yoga class, taking the dog for a walk or just sitting in the garden are really great ways to relax. Meditation and breathing exercises can also be very useful, especially for those who have a busy schedule.

Acacia fibers

Another insider tip for diarrhea is acacia fiber like our acacia fiber powder GROW. Acacia fibers have a regulating effect, which means that their use is effective and helpful for both diarrhea and constipation. In addition, they serve as a prebiotic, i.e. as food for the "good" bacteria, and are converted by the intestinal flora into short-chain fatty acids that strengthen the intestinal mucosa.


[i] Almy TP, Tulin M (1947): Alterations in colonic function in man under stress; experimental production of changes simulating the irritable colon. Gastroenterology. 1947;8(5):616-626.