Diarrhea is the condition of having a frequent passage of loose or liquid bowel movement during a day. It happens with or without abdominal bloating, pressure and if last for few days may also result in dehydration of the body due to fluid loss, with the initial symptoms like skin tightness or roughness and moody behavior. If not treated effectively may lead to the loss of skin color and decreased urination.
The infection caused inside the intestine is also known as Gastroenteritis. Bacteria, virus, or parasite are the common cause of diarrhea. These infections are caused by consuming food or water that has been contaminated through the direct contact with an infected person.
Diarrhea is divided into three types:
- Short duration watery diarrhea (caused by Cholera infection)
- Short duration bloody diarrhea (also called Dysentery)
- Persistent diarrhea.
Diarrhea can be prevented by improved sanitation, washing hand with soap and clean drinking water. ORS and Zinc tablets are also recommended for the prevention of infectious diarrhea is the treatment of diarrhea. Probiotics are also used to decrease the risk of diarrhea.
Diarrhea relief probiotics
Probiotics are the live microorganisms which are good for health. Prolonged working habits, unhealthy eating, and stress can upset the level of healthy bacteria inside the body. This might result in various digestive problems. Regular consumption of probiotic supplements can boost the digestive system and improve the production of gut bacteria, hence makes the immune system strong and efficient. The diarrhea relief probiotics are more likely to cure diarrhea by reducing its duration.
Enriching your diet with beneficial bacteria include probiotic rich food and supplements. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, yogurt, and other fragmented food can help in balancing the gut bacteria inside the body, hence preventing diarrhea. The diarrhea relief probiotics also help the body in digesting the essential and valuable nutrients from the consumed food and play an important role in a production of the required vitamin K and B12.
Different kind of bacteria provides different health benefits. The strains of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in the diarrhea relief probiotics keep the digestive system efficient. Lactobacillus bacteria strains are more prevalent in the small intestine while the Bifidobacteria strains are more prevalent in the large intestine.
Role in the gastrointestinal function
Gut bacteria play an important role in food digestion and production of certain vitamins that provide a boost to the immune system and protect the body against the disease-causing microorganisms. The digestion of the food inside the intestine by various infection causing bacteria, virus, or parasites lead to the production of gas, which causes strain, resulting in the loose stools. Diarrhea relief probiotics help with constipation by reducing the infectious bacteria present in the body and increasing the gut bacteria production.
How to treat diarrhea
Diarrhea relief probiotics can be used in the treatment of acute or short-term diarrhea. Using diarrhea relief probiotics along with usual rehydration therapy can reduce the duration of diarrhea and the frequency of stools. If the diarrhea relief probiotics are taken along with the antibiotics, it can reduce the chance of Clostridium difficile infection that can result in the C.difficile–associated diarrhea, which is deadly diarrhea with a mortality rate of about 2%.
However, more research is required to understand probiotics in detail and its utilization so that it can boost the gut bacteria production and result in optimizing health and immune system. Although not all probiotics are helpful in treating diarrhea but can effective in the treatment of certain types. These diarrhea types are:
- Kids and diarrhea
Diarrhea in children is caused by the Rotavirus. In the case of infants, breastfeeding is recommended for the first three months as a vaccine against this virus. Probiotic is very effective in the treatment of diarrhea in children and can reduce its effect and duration to very much extent. Probiotics help in the production of the gut bacteria strains like Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces boulardii.
- Diarrhea caused by antibiotics
Antibiotics are taken during illness to kill the disease-causing bacteria; however, they also harm the good bacteria present in our body in the intestine and other areas that result in the unbalance digestion of the food inside the intestine, resulting in diarrhea. Consuming the diarrhea relief probiotic supplements along with the antibiotics can reduce the risk of diarrhea.
- Traveler’s diarrhea
Travelers move from one place to other and often eat the different type of food and water. Consumption of bad food and water result in diarrhea. This type of diarrhea can even last for months. However much research is not carried out on probiotics but for this condition, there are no proofs about its effectiveness.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Probiotics may help in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Precautions to be taken
Consuming diarrhea relief probiotics is strictly advised as per the doctor consultation. This is because a prolonged consumption of diarrhea relief probiotics may lead to infection in people with a weak immune system, such as infant and elder ones. These probiotics could also cause cramps, bloat, and gas. However, most people could tolerate normal doses without showing any side effects.
