The most important thing to give for diarrhea is fluid. Diarrhea pulls water and electrolytes out of your body fast, and dehydration is the real danger, especially for young children and older adults. Beyond replacing fluids, a combination of the right foods, over-the-counter medications, and probiotics can shorten how long symptoms last and make you more comfortable while your gut recovers.
Start With Fluids and Electrolytes
Plain water alone isn’t enough. When you lose fluid through diarrhea, you also lose sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes that your cells need to function. Drinking only water dilutes what’s left and doesn’t replace what’s gone. An oral rehydration solution, which balances water with salt and a small amount of sugar, is the gold standard for preventing dehydration.
You can make one at home: mix 4 cups of water with half a teaspoon of table salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. That’s it. The sugar isn’t for energy; it helps your intestines absorb the sodium and water together. If plain salt water doesn’t appeal, a chicken broth version works too: dissolve one dry broth cube in 4 cups of water and add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Commercial options like Pedialyte or store-brand electrolyte drinks follow the same principle.
Sip steadily rather than gulping large amounts. If you’re vomiting as well, take small sips every few minutes to keep the fluid down.
Drinks That Make Diarrhea Worse
Fruit juice, soda, and sports drinks with high sugar content can actually pull more water into your intestines and loosen stools further. Fructose is one of the biggest offenders. It’s found naturally in apples, pears, cherries, and peaches, and it’s added to juice beverages and soft drinks. Sugars stimulate the gut to release water and electrolytes, which is the opposite of what you want. If you use a sports drink like Gatorade G2 (a lower-sugar version), add half a teaspoon of salt per 4 cups to bring the electrolyte balance closer to what your body needs. Avoid coffee and alcohol, both of which speed up the gut.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Two medications are widely available without a prescription, and they work in different ways.
Loperamide (sold as Imodium) slows the movement of your intestines so your body has more time to absorb water from the stool. It’s the faster-acting option and is useful when you need symptom relief quickly, like before travel or a work event. It won’t treat the underlying cause, but it reduces the number of trips to the bathroom.
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol or Maalox) reacts with stomach acid to improve stool consistency, reduce how often you go, and ease abdominal cramping. It’s a gentler option and also helps with nausea, which makes it a good choice when diarrhea comes alongside an upset stomach.
One important caution: bismuth subsalicylate contains a compound related to aspirin. Do not give it to children or teenagers who have, or are recovering from, the flu, chickenpox, or any other viral infection. It raises the risk of Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition that affects the brain and liver.
Probiotics That Help
Certain probiotic strains can shorten the duration of acute diarrhea when taken alongside rehydration. The two most studied are Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii (a beneficial yeast). In a clinical trial comparing the two in children with acute diarrhea, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG reduced the average duration of symptoms by nearly 19 hours compared to no probiotic. Saccharomyces boulardii showed a smaller, less consistent benefit in that same trial.
Look for these specific strain names on the label, not just a generic “probiotic blend.” They’re available as capsules, powders, and chewables at most pharmacies. Starting them early in the illness gives the best results.
What to Eat (and What to Skip)
You may have heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s been repeated for decades, but no clinical trials have ever tested whether it actually works. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the World Health Organization all recommend the same approach: resume a normal, age-appropriate diet as soon as you can tolerate food. Restricting yourself to bland, low-nutrient foods can actually slow recovery by depriving your body of the calories and nutrients it needs to heal the gut lining.
That said, some foods are easier on an irritated digestive system than others. Lean proteins, cooked vegetables, potatoes, and plain grains tend to sit well. Greasy, fried, or heavily spiced foods are more likely to trigger cramping. If you’re breastfeeding an infant with diarrhea, continue nursing. For formula-fed babies, continue with full-strength formula.
Soluble Fiber During Recovery
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material as it passes through your intestines. This gel absorbs excess water in the stool, which helps firm things up. Psyllium husk (the main ingredient in Metamucil) is the most common soluble fiber supplement. It can help manage both diarrhea and constipation depending on how much water is in the gut. Adding it during the recovery phase, once the worst has passed, can improve stool consistency faster.
Diarrhea in Children
Children dehydrate faster than adults because of their smaller body size. The most reliable signs that a child is becoming dehydrated are dry mouth and lips, no tears when crying, and skin that stays “tented” when you gently pinch it on the side of the belly rather than snapping back immediately. A capillary refill time of more than two seconds (press on a fingernail until it turns white, then count how long it takes for the pink color to return) is another warning sign. If two or more of these signs are present, the child has likely lost at least 5% of their body fluid and needs medical attention.
The World Health Organization recommends zinc supplementation for children with acute diarrhea: 20 mg per day for 10 to 14 days, or 10 mg per day for infants under six months. Zinc helps the intestinal lining repair itself and reduces both the severity and duration of the episode. Zinc supplements for children are available as dispersible tablets that dissolve in breast milk, formula, or water.
Signs of Dehydration in Adults
For adults, watch for dark yellow urine, dizziness when standing up, a dry or sticky mouth, and fatigue that feels out of proportion to the illness. Mild dehydration can usually be corrected at home with oral rehydration. If you can’t keep fluids down, notice blood or mucus in the stool, run a fever above 102°F, or have diarrhea lasting more than two days, those are signals that something beyond a simple stomach bug may be going on.