Antibiotics are medicines used to fight bacterial infections. Many people experience one common side effect of antibiotics that many people experience is antibiotics-related diarrhea. 

The action of antibiotics is to kill the bacteria that cause infection and make you ill. However, antibiotics kill both harmful and good bacteria in your intestinal system.  This disturbs the balance between good bacteria and bad bacteria in the intestine. It increases the level of bad bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. 

If you take antibiotics to treat any kind of infection and it causes diarrhea or passing watery or loose stools three or more times a day, then it is called antibiotic-associated diarrhea.  Usually, diarrhea due to antibiotics use is mild and no treatment is required. You will feel better when you stop taking antibiotics. If taking antibiotics causes severe diarrhea or the condition becomes worse you may switch antibiotics or stop taking antibiotics. 

 

Symptoms

 

The signs and symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea are mild. They include 

• Frequent bowel movements 
• Loose stools 

Diarrhea due to antibiotics mostly initiates one week after you start taking antibiotics. Some people don't experience any symptoms of diarrhea even after you finish antibiotic treatment.  

 

Clostridium difficile infection

A toxin-producing bacterium called Clostridium difficile can lead to severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The common symptoms are more frequent bowel movements, loose stools. It also causes the following symptoms 

• Cramping and lower abdominal pain 
• Loss of appetite 
• Nausea 
• Low-grade fever 

You must consult your doctor if you experience serious signs and symptoms of antibiotic-related diarrhea. Your doctor may recommend a test to find out the exact cause, as these symptoms are common to many conditions¹. 

When you are taking an antibiotic, the medication will induce a slight alteration in the population of intestinal bacteria that may cause periodic loose stools or mild diarrhea for a few days. These signs should cease until the antibiotic therapy stops.

The alteration in the bowel bacteria causes the overgrowth of C. difficile bacteria, the symptoms include

• Cramps and fever
• Abdominal pain 
• Watery diarrhea 
• Abdominal tenderness 
• Blood or pus in patient’s diarrhea²

 

Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea?

Only take antibiotics when you and your healthcare providers think they are required.

• Strictly follow the prescribing instructions of antibiotics. Do not change by yourself without consulting your doctor? Do not discontinue antibiotic therapy just because you feel better. 
• Do not take antibiotics that cause diarrhea³. 

 

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

 

Diarrhea is a common side effect of antibiotics. As the bacterial cells structures are different from human cells, that's why antibiotics target bacteria. However, they kill both good and bad bacteria residing in your intestines. 

Good bacteria in the intestine to increase and check the growth of good bacteria.  Clostridium difficile is bacteria which causes infection when allowed to flourish, which happens when antibiotics kill good bacteria. 

C. difficile produces toxins that cause intestinal inflammation, leading to diarrhea.  The number of C. difficile increases in hospitalized patients⁴. 

 

What foods should you eat to treat diarrhea?

Diet adjustment is necessary if you are experiencing diarrhea due to antibiotics.  The following are general suggestions. 

 

Eating low fiber foods

High fiber foods are essential for your health when you are healthy but they make your condition worse if you use them during diarrhea.  

 

Replacing potassium

Diarrhea causes loss of many essential nutrients and electrolytes, potassium is also lost due to diarrhea. So you should consume foods rich in potassium like bananas. 

 

Replenishing lost fluids and salts

Rapid loss of fluids and electrolytes happens in diarrhea that lowers your energy level and makes you weak.  That's why fluid and electrolyte replacement is essential. 

Based on these suggestions, try to consume the following foods and beverages when you have diarrhea:

Add the following foods and beverages to your diet if you have diarrhea. 

Fluids 

Decaffeinated tea, water, and broths 

Fruit 

Canned fruits without syrups, bananas, and applesauce 

Grains 

Noodles white rice and white bread 

Peeled potatoes

Peeled potatoes are an excellent source of potassium. You can eat them as baked or boiled. 

Protein 

Fish, meat, and poultry

Yogurt 

IT is good for digestion and contains live cultures or probiotics 

 

What foods should you avoid?

You should avoid the following food or drinks that interfere with antibiotic treatment. 

• Soda drinks, tea, coffee
• Alcoholic beverages 
• Dairy products other than yogurt 
• Fatty foods or deep-fried food like potato chips, fatty meats, and baked goods. 
• Food with high added sugar like cookies, cakes, sodas, and fruit juices. 
• Do not take calcium supplements or eat grapefruit. They interfere with the absorption of antibiotics thus decrease the effect of the medication⁵. 

  

Treatment

 

Usually, diarrhea associated with antibiotics will improve once you stop taking antibiotics. When symptoms are intolerable, it is necessary to change the antibiotic. Dehydration and loss of electrolytes are associated with diarrhea. Drink plenty of water to overcome the dehydration. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Alongside use chicken and beef broth that replace sodium. 

Since diarrhea cleans the body of the bacteria, physicians should not typically recommend antidiarrheal drugs, unless there is no other option. The antibiotics metronidazole and vancomycin can be administered to kill the bacteria and restore the normal digestive flora if a C. difficile infection is confirmed. To spread the infection of bacteria, prevention efforts are necessary⁶. 

 

 

References

 

1. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea. [internet]. [cited 2020 November 5]; Available from  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antibiotic-associated-diarrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352231#:~:text=Antibiotic%2Dassociated%20diarrhea%20refers%20to,mild%20and%20requires%20no%20treatment.
2. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea. [internet]. [cited 2020 November 5]; Available from  https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/antibiotic-associated-diarrhea-a-to-z
3. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea. [internet]. [cited 2020 November 5]; Available from  https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/aha_antibiotic_associated_diarrhea/
4. What You Need to Know About Antibiotics and Diarrhea. [internet]. [cited 2020 November 5]; Available from  https://www.healthline.com/health/antibiotics-diarrhea#diarrhea-from-antibiotics
5. What You Need to Know About Antibiotics and Diarrhea. [internet]. [cited 2020 November 5]; Available from  https://www.healthline.com/health/antibiotics-diarrhea#foods-to-avoid
6. Can Antibiotics Cause Diarrhea? [internet]. [cited 2020 November 5]; Available from  https://www.verywellhealth.com/antibiotics-and-diarrhea-1941560

 

 

 

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