Most food poisoning resolves on its own within one to three days, and the single most important thing you can do is stay hydrated. Your body is already working to flush out the toxin or pathogen, so treatment is mainly about managing symptoms, replacing lost fluids, and knowing when the situation calls for medical help.
Hydration Is the Priority
Vomiting and diarrhea drain water and electrolytes fast. Plain water helps, but it doesn’t replace the sodium and potassium you’re losing. Oral rehydration solutions (sold at any pharmacy) are the most effective option. You can also sip clear broths, diluted fruit juice, or coconut water. Sports drinks work in a pinch, though they contain more sugar than ideal.
Take small, frequent sips rather than gulping large amounts. If you’re vomiting repeatedly, waiting 15 to 20 minutes between sips gives your stomach a better chance of keeping fluid down. Ice chips are another good option when even small sips come back up.
Signs you’re becoming dehydrated include dark urine, dizziness when standing, dry mouth, and producing very little urine. In young children, watch for fewer wet diapers, no tears when crying, and unusual drowsiness. Dehydration can escalate quickly in children, older adults, and pregnant women, so these groups should be monitored closely from the start.
What to Eat During Recovery
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast). It’s fine for the first day when you feel the worst, but it lacks protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and fiber. The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends a strict BRAT diet for children because it’s too restrictive and may actually slow gut recovery.
The current guidance is simpler: eat as tolerated. Once your stomach starts settling, move beyond plain crackers and add soft, nutritious foods like scrambled eggs, skinless chicken or turkey, and cooked vegetables. Your body needs those nutrients to recover, so the sooner you can reintroduce them, the better. Avoid greasy, spicy, or heavily seasoned foods until you’re feeling close to normal. Dairy and caffeine can also irritate a sensitive gut, so hold off on those for a day or two.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Anti-diarrheal medications containing loperamide can reduce the frequency of bathroom trips, and bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) can help with nausea and diarrhea. However, there are important situations where you should not use these products:
- Bloody diarrhea or fever. These suggest a bacterial or parasitic infection. Anti-diarrheal drugs can trap the pathogen in your system and make things worse.
- Infants and young children. These medications can be dangerous in this age group.
For nausea specifically, ginger tea is a well-established home remedy. Fresh ginger slices boiled in water with a little honey can ease stomach cramps and reduce the urge to vomit. Peppermint tea works through a different mechanism, relaxing the muscles of the intestinal wall to relieve cramping and bloating. Neither will cure anything, but both can make the worst hours more bearable.
Whether Probiotics Help
There’s reasonable evidence that certain probiotic strains can shorten the duration of infectious diarrhea. A review of over 2,400 participants found that a specific strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG) was most effective at a dose of at least 10 billion colony-forming units per day. Another review of similar size found that Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, reduced both the duration and frequency of diarrhea when taken for 5 to 10 days.
In 2023, the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology updated its guidelines to recommend specific probiotics for children with acute gastroenteritis, including LGG and S. boulardii. For adults, the evidence is less formalized, but these same strains are widely available and generally well tolerated. If you decide to try probiotics, start them early in the illness rather than waiting until symptoms are already fading. Look for products that list the specific strain and a CFU count in the billions.
When Food Poisoning Needs Medical Attention
Most cases don’t need a doctor. But the CDC identifies several red flags that mean you should get medical care:
- Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days
- Fever above 102°F (38.9°C)
- Vomiting so frequent you can’t keep any liquids down
- Signs of severe dehydration (dizziness, confusion, very dark urine, or no urination)
- Blood in your stool or vomit
Pregnant women, adults over 65, young children, and anyone with a weakened immune system face higher risks from foodborne illness. These groups are more likely to develop complications like bacteremia (bacteria entering the bloodstream), and doctors often have a lower threshold for starting treatment. If you fall into one of these categories and your symptoms feel more than mild, err on the side of getting evaluated early.
Antibiotics are not routine for food poisoning. Most bacterial cases, including mild Campylobacter infections, resolve without them. Doctors typically reserve antibiotics for severe symptoms, very young or elderly patients, or specific pathogens like Salmonella in people with compromised immune systems. The decision depends on what the lab culture grows and how sick you are, not simply on whether bacteria caused the illness.
Preventing Spread While You Recover
Even after you feel better, you can still pass the infection to others. People with norovirus, the most common cause of foodborne illness, remain contagious for several days after symptoms stop. The virus can persist in stool for two weeks or more after recovery. Rotavirus follows a similar pattern, with contagiousness lasting up to two weeks post-recovery.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after every bathroom visit, and avoid preparing food for others until at least 48 hours after your last symptom. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are less effective against norovirus than soap and water, so don’t rely on them alone. If someone in your household is sick, clean shared bathroom surfaces with a bleach-based disinfectant, and wash contaminated clothing or bedding on the hottest setting your fabrics allow.