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Diarrhea makes life difficult for young and old, it can have a variety of causes, and is the best proof that health and wellness begins in the gut. We explain how important “probiotic support” is in the case of diarrhea.
Understanding diarrhea – what is diarrhea?
What exactly is diarrhea, commonly known as diarrhea? It is passing stools of excessively loose consistency – semi-fluid, liquid or watery, with increased frequency – three or more times a day. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), it affects about 2 billion people worldwide each year. The most common accompanying symptoms observed during diarrhea are:
- increased intestinal peristalsis, i.e. too fast movement of food in the digestive system, as a result the food is not fully digested and the body does not have time to form proper, non-aqueous stools,
- stomach pain,
- fever,
- vomiting,
- nausea,
- general weakness
- headaches.
Due to its duration, we can distinguish diarrhea:
- acute (up to 14 days),
- persistent (14-29 days),
- chronic (lasting 30 days and longer).
For weeks and months, diarrhea can lead to severe disturbances in nutritional status or to deficiencies in electrolytes, amino acids, vitamins, iron and other substances that are essential for life.
Various causes of diarrhea: infectious and non-infectious
Diarrhea can be infectious and non-infectious. In the first case, the causative factors are:
- viruses (e.g. Rotawirus, Norowirus),
- bacteria (e.g. Clostridium difficile, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae),
- products of bacterial metabolism, the so-called enterotoxins,
- protozoa (e.g. Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium minor).
When it comes to non-infectious diarrhea, they are most often associated with the underlying disease (diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, colorectal cancer) or with the use of drugs, such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) , defined as a diarrheal syndrome that occurs during or even up to 2 months after the end of therapy with antimicrobial drugs, mainly antibacterials. It is estimated that it concerns on average about 10-40 percent. patients receiving antibiotic therapy, depending on the drug used.
Post-antibiotic diarrhea (AAD) is a consequence of an imbalance between the bacteria inhabiting the large intestine, the so-called dysbiosis, caused by the action of antibiotics. Under the influence of the drug, species resistant to a given antibiotic are selected, their selective multiplication and toxic effects on the intestine occur. A particular example is pseudomembranous enteritis, a severe disease resulting from the action of toxins A and B produced by gram-positive bacteria Clostridium difficile, by the selected action of the antibiotic.
Each of these causes of diarrhea, both infectious and non-infectious, affects the gut and the composition of the gut microbiota, which in turn can lead to inflammation and reduced water absorption, which in turn contribute to the onset of diarrhea.
Remedies for diarrhea – hydration, diet, inhibitory drugs, and … probiotics
The most important thing in treating diarrhea is to prevent dehydration – that is, to keep the person hydrated. It is estimated that 350-700 ml of fluid should be consumed after each loose stool. For irrigation, apart from still water and weak tea, it is worth using clear soups, as well as electrolyte preparations available at the pharmacy without a prescription.
When it comes to diet, meals should be easy to digest with little fiber. You should give up fatty meats and fish, pods, cruciferous vegetables, fresh fruit, hard and ripened cheese, nuts and seeds. The best choice will be steamed or boiled dishes. During diarrhea, it is advisable to eat small amounts of food at relatively short intervals (every 2-3 hours). You can return to a normal diet after you feel better.
In the treatment of diarrhea it is worth using “probiotic lifebuoys”, which not only restore the balance of the intestinal microbiota, but also contribute to shortening the duration of infectious diarrhea. Their use is distinguished by their safety compared to other drugs for diarrhea, therefore selected probiotics are recommended for the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea in children and adults by the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO – World Gastroenterologist Organization).
A recommended and safe probiotic for infectious diarrhea is the drug Enterol, containing a yeast strain Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745. Research to date has shown that the strain Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 has a positive effect on the causes and symptoms of diarrhea, as well as on the disturbed intestinal microbiota through activities such as:
- antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of microorganisms that can cause diarrhea,
- neutralizing bacterial toxins,
- stimulating the immune system (immunostimulating effect),
- anti-inflammatory (enterohemorrhagic E. E. coli coli),
- restores the balance of the intestinal microbiota, which ensures the proper functioning of the intestines.
Importantly, the probiotic drug Enterol has a versatile effect and can be used for various causes of diarrhea: it works against bacteria, viruses and protozoa. In addition, it can be successfully used as a preventive measure against diarrhea associated with antibiotics and travelers’ diarrhea.
Diarrhea drugs are also offered to slow down gastrointestinal motility or diastolic drugs. Their purpose has certain limitations and it is best to consult a doctor about their use. In some cases, especially in children, it is discouraged to use defecation arresters, which may slow down the excretion of pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins.
In turn, another group of drugs for diarrhea is only applicable to diarrhea caused by pathogenic bacteria and will not be an effective solution to viral diarrhea caused by, for example, such a popular rotavirus.
What’s best for diarrhea?
In summary, the most important steps in the management of diarrhea include adequate hydration, an easily digestible diet, and the use of proven effective probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745), which shorten its duration and restore the balance of the intestinal microbiota. It is the safest solution not only for children but also for adults. However, other drugs, if necessary at all, should be adjusted individually, after consulting a doctor.
Unfortunately, not all diarrhea can be controlled with home remedies without the intervention of a doctor. If there is blood, mucus or pus in the stool, or intense diarrhea lasts more than two days (in the case of children, more than a day) – see a doctor.
Details on the enterol.pl website
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