Most cases of diarrhea resolve on their own within one to two days, but you can speed recovery and reduce discomfort with a combination of fluid replacement, dietary changes, and over-the-counter medication. The key priorities, in order, are preventing dehydration, avoiding foods that make things worse, and letting your gut recover.
Replace Fluids First
Diarrhea pulls water and electrolytes out of your body fast. Replacing them is more important than stopping the diarrhea itself. Water alone isn’t ideal because it doesn’t replace the sodium and potassium you’re losing. Oral rehydration solutions (sold at most pharmacies) are the most effective option. Broth-based soups and diluted fruit juices also work. Aim to drink small, frequent sips rather than large amounts at once, which can trigger more cramping.
Signs you’re getting dehydrated include dark urine, urinating much less than usual, extreme thirst, dizziness, and fatigue. A quick check: pinch the skin on the back of your hand. If it doesn’t flatten back immediately, you’re likely dehydrated and need to increase your fluid intake.
Over-the-Counter Medications That Help
Two widely available options can reduce symptoms. Loperamide (the active ingredient in Imodium) slows gut movement, giving your intestines more time to absorb water. It’s effective for run-of-the-mill loose stools from a stomach bug or dietary triggers. However, you should avoid loperamide if you have a high fever or bloody stools, because slowing the gut when a bacterial infection is involved can make things worse by giving the bacteria more time to multiply.
Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) works differently. It reduces inflammation in the intestinal lining and has mild antibacterial properties. Adults can take two tablets every half hour to an hour as needed, up to 16 tablets in 24 hours. It shouldn’t be used in children under 12, and because it contains a compound related to aspirin, it’s not appropriate for people with bleeding disorders, gout, kidney disease, or stomach ulcers. It should also be avoided during breastfeeding.
What to Eat (and What to Skip)
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s a reasonable starting point for the first day or two, but there’s no research showing it works better than other bland foods. You don’t need to limit yourself to just those four items. Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and plain dry cereals are all easy on the gut and fine to eat from the start.
Once your stomach settles, usually after 24 to 48 hours, start adding more nutritious foods back in: cooked carrots, sweet potatoes without skin, cooked squash, avocado, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, and eggs. Your body needs the calories and nutrients to recover, so don’t stay on a highly restricted diet longer than necessary.
What you avoid matters just as much as what you eat. Several common foods and drinks actively make diarrhea worse:
- Caffeine speeds up the digestive system. This includes coffee, tea, chocolate, and many sodas.
- Dairy products like milk, soft cheese, and ice cream contain lactose, which many people struggle to digest even under normal circumstances. During a bout of diarrhea, your ability to break down lactose drops further.
- High-sugar foods and drinks pull extra water into the intestines. Sugars stimulate the gut to release water and electrolytes, loosening stools. Fructose is a common culprit, found in fruit juices, sodas, and fruits like pears, cherries, and apples. People who consume more than 40 to 80 grams of fructose per day are especially likely to develop diarrhea.
- Sugar-free gum and candy contain sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol, which are poorly absorbed and draw water into the bowel.
- Fatty and greasy foods are harder to digest and can increase intestinal contractions.
- Gas-producing foods like beans, onions, garlic, and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage) add cramping to an already irritated gut.
Probiotics for Recovery
Certain probiotic strains can shorten a bout of diarrhea. The best-studied strain for this purpose is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which has been shown to reduce the duration of diarrhea by roughly 19 hours compared to standard rehydration alone. It also cut stool frequency by about 32% by the second day in clinical trials. Another commonly recommended strain, Saccharomyces boulardii (a beneficial yeast), showed a similar trend but with less consistent results across studies.
Probiotics are most useful when started early. Look for products that list specific strain names on the label rather than just genus and species. Yogurt with live cultures can also contribute beneficial bacteria, but if dairy is worsening your symptoms, a capsule-form probiotic is the better choice.
Zinc Can Help in Children
The World Health Organization recommends zinc supplementation for children with diarrhea. It reduces both the duration and severity of episodes and helps prevent recurrence. The recommended dose is 20 mg per day for 10 to 14 days for children over six months, and 10 mg per day for infants under six months. For adults, zinc supplementation during acute diarrhea is less well studied, but maintaining adequate zinc intake supports immune function and gut repair.
Red Flags That Need Medical Attention
Most diarrhea is self-limiting and resolves without medical care. But certain signs indicate something more serious is going on. In adults, seek medical attention if diarrhea lasts more than two days, you develop a high fever, you’re having six or more loose stools per day, or you notice blood, pus, or black tarry stools. Severe abdominal or rectal pain, frequent vomiting that prevents you from keeping fluids down, and signs of dehydration (despite drinking fluids) also warrant a call to your doctor.
For infants and young children, the threshold is lower. Diarrhea lasting more than one day, any fever in infants, refusal to eat or drink for more than a few hours, or signs like no wet diapers for three or more hours, no tears when crying, or unusual drowsiness all call for prompt medical evaluation. Children under 12 months, those born prematurely, or those with other health conditions should be seen early rather than waiting.