Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a condition where one have loose, watery stools three or more times a day. It usually lasts for one or two days, depending on the severity; if lasts more, it can cause a serious problem to the patient, resulting in chronic situation.

Common Causes:

  • Indigestion
  • Overeating
  • Bacterial attack
  • Viral attack
  • Overdose of certain medicine
  • Lactose intolerance
  • GI disorders like- ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, microscopic colitis etc.

Severity Markers:

  • 3+ day’s longer diarrhea
  • Blood in stool
  • Dehydration
  • Severe stomach pain
  • High fever (above 103 F)
  • Visit you doctor immediately if you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms

Treatment:

  • Healthy & safe diet plan
  • Maintaining personal hygiene
  • Ask your doctor before taking antibiotics
  • Intake a lot of fresh water
  • Avoid dehydration and drink oral saline

Role of Probiotics in treating Diarrhea:

The World Health Organization defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.

Diarrhea is a common health problem worldwide. Antibiotics, nosocomial infections and microorganism are the common factors responsible for diarrhea. Moreover, imbalance in intestinal microbial flora also leads to diarrhea. Probiotics is a living microorganism administered to promote the health of the host by treating or preventing infections due to strains of pathogens. Probiotics are effective against diarrhea and act by various mechanisms like colonization resistance, production of antimicrobial substances, competitive inhibition for bacterial adhesion sites, anti-secretary effect, and inhibition of toxin binding, enhancement of immune system and tropic effects of intestinal mucosa.

In fact, research has shown that probiotics prevent and treat certain types of diarrhea in both children and adults.