Diarrhea After Eating: Causes and What to Do

Diarrhea after eating is referred to as postprandial diarrhea. The condition can be acute (sudden and severe) or chronic (persistent or recurrent).

Diarrhea after eating can be caused by many things, ranging from lactose intolerance and food poisoning to more serious concerns like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or colon cancer.

This article will go over the reasons why you might be experiencing diarrhea after eating. It also provides some steps you can take to feel better and avoid future episodes.

What Causes Acute Diarrhea After Eating?

Acute diarrhea is a common problem that can sometimes happen after eating. It typically gets better on its own after one or two days.

Possible causes of acute diarrhea after eating include:

• Food poisoning
• Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
• Certain medications, including antacids, antibiotics, and chemotherapy

What Causes Chronic Diarrhea After Eating?

Chronic diarrhea after eating can be a symptom of several health conditions. For people with these conditions, a snack or meal can be enough to trigger an episode of diarrhea.

There are many reasons why you might have diarrhea after eating as a long-term symptom rather than a temporary problem.

Lactose Intolerance

People who have lactose intolerance do not have enough of an enzyme that is needed to break down a sugar found in milk and milk products (lactose). People who are lactose intolerant can get diarrhea after eating dairy foods.

Sugar Malabsorption

Some people can’t digest the sugars fructose and sorbitol. Eating these sugars may cause diarrhea after eating. This is broadly referred to as sugar malabsorption.

Fructose is found in many fruits and in high-fructose corn syrup. Sorbitol is found in some fruits and artificial sweeteners.

Glucose-galactose malabsorption (GGM) is an inherited disease mainly seen in children who lack the digestive enzymes to break down and absorbed glucose.

Celiac Disease

People with celiac disease have an immune reaction to a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley called gluten. It is thought to be autoimmune, meaning that the immune system will launch an inappropriate attack on the intestines when gluten is introduced.

Diarrhea that’s caused by celiac disease is often very smelly. The stool is also more likely to float than sink. The avoidance of gluten is the primary form of treatment.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

The two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—can cause diarrhea after eating. IBD has long been thought to be an autoimmune disease, but research suggests that the chronic inflammation may be due to the immune system attaching harmless bacteria in the intestines.

People with IBD may also have bloody diarrhea, along with abdominal pain, cramping, fever, and the need to go to the bathroom urgently.

Microscopic Colitis

Microscopic colitis is an inflammation of the large intestine that causes persistent watery diarrhea. It gets its name from the fact that it can only be identified on a microscope and that tissue will appear normal when viewed during a colonoscopy.

Diarrhea that doesn’t improve with treatment is typical of microscopic colitis. It can occur immediately after eating or on an ongoing basis.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can also be a cause of diarrhea after eating. It is a poorly understood condition that causes a group of symptoms, including abdominal pain and changes in bowel movements (such as diarrhea, constipation, or episodes of both).

When diarrhea is the main feature, it is referred to as irritable bowel syndrome with predominant diarrhea (IBS-D).

With IBS, you experience symptoms without any visible signs of damage or disease in your digestive tract.

Bile Acid Diarrhea

Bile acid diarrhea is caused by the excess production of digestive fluid known as bile. The gallbladder secretes bile to help your digestive system break down fats. But when bile accumulates, it triggers contractions and the excess release of fluid from your large intestines. Diarrhea is the result.

Bile acid diarrhea is common after gallbladder removal surgery but can also occur due to an illness involving the gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, or other digestive organs.

Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency

In people who have pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, the pancreas does not produce enough pancreatic enzymes to fully digest the foods that you eat. This can lead to diarrhea along with abdominal pain, a constant feeling of fullness, a loss of appetite, and weight loss.

The most common cause of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is chronic pancreatitis followed by pancreatic tumors and pancreas resection surgery.

Dumping Syndrome

Dumping syndrome is most common among people who have had bariatric surgery for weight loss. The condition is also called rapid gastric emptying because the stomach empties its contents into the small intestine faster than it should.

Eating can trigger diarrhea in people with dumping syndrome, especially when snacks or meals have a lot of sugar in them.

Colon Cancer

Chronic diarrhea is not typically a sign of colon cancer; constipation is more likely. With that said, it is not uncommon to have intermittent bouts of constipation followed by an episode of explosive diarrhea.

This is because fluids can start to accumulate if hardened stool blocks the intestines for a prolonged period. The inflammation can cause the walls of the intestines to release fluids that cause stools behind the plug to become watery.

Blockages like these are common due to the narrowing of intestines (called strictures) in people with advanced colon cancer. Other symptoms include bloody stools, mucus in stools, abdominal cramping, fatigue, and unintended weight loss.

How to Relieve Diarrhea After Eating

Here are some things to keep in mind if you have diarrhea after eating. These tips can help ease the symptom or even prevent it from happening.

Stay Hydrated

Your body won’t absorb fluids and minerals when you have diarrhea because of how quickly stool is passing through your system. Make sure to drink extra water, clear fruit juice, rice water, or broth to replace the lost fluids.

You can also try drinking ginger tea when you have diarrhea to soothe your stomach ache.

Eat Bland Foods

The BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast is often recommended to relieve diarrhea symptoms. These foods are low in fiber and easy to digest. They are also starchy, which helps bind loose stools.

Avoid foods that can worsen diarrhea, like dairy products, fatty foods, and foods that give you gas.

Take Probiotics

Consuming probiotics may help relieve diarrhea symptoms by restoring the balance of bacteria in your gut. You can get probiotics by taking a probiotic supplement or consuming probiotic foods, such as yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, and sourdough bread.

Use Relaxation Exercises

There’s a close connection between your brain and your gut, so stress can be a trigger for diarrhea.

Deep-breathing exercises and the strategic tensing and relaxing of muscles throughout the body (progressive muscle relaxation) can be effective in calming your body. They may also help slow the emptying of your bowels.

Should You Take Medication?

There are several over-the-counter (OTC) diarrhea treatments available, but they are not always recommended.

Products like Imodium (loperamide) or Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol (both bismuth subsalicylate) should not be used if you have a fever or mucus or blood in your stools. If in doubt, ask your healthcare provider for advice.

Keep in mind that these medications should not be given to children without their pediatrician’s OK.

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider

There are some signs and symptoms along with diarrhea that could indicate a more serious health problem. Call your provider right away if you also have any of these symptoms:

• Blood in your stools
• Feces that look like coffee grounds, which could mean bleeding in your GI tract
• Dehydration symptoms (decreased urine, dry mouth, sunken eyes)
• Fever of 102 degrees or higher
• Severe stomach pain
• Frequent vomiting
• Diarrhea that doesn’t get better within two days
  

Summary

Diarrhea after eating will often get better on its own after a few days. However, it can also be a chronic, ongoing problem.

Acute diarrhea is often caused by a temporary illness like the stomach flu or food poisoning. When it’s ongoing, diarrhea can be a symptom of a chronic illness like lactose intolerance, IBS, or celiac disease.

If you are suddenly having diarrhea after you eat or you’ve had it for more than five days, you need to talk to your provider. In the meantime, drink lots of water to stay hydrated, eat small meals, and be on the lookout for symptoms like dehydration or blood in your stools, which require urgent medical attention.