Diarrhea, or loose watery stool, is a condition that may cause dehydration, which can be dangerous and even fatal in young children. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in young children infectious diarrhea is the second leading cause of death globally. Planning an appropriate diet can help reduce the severity and duration of your diarrhea. Consuming live cultures found in yogurt has been shown to affect diarrhea.
Background
Several conditions such as lactose intolerance, viral infections, certain diseases, food poisoning or certain medications may cause diarrhea. Home treatments for diarrhea may include consuming a bland diet, drinking plenty of fluids while avoiding caffeinated beverages, replacing electrolytes, consuming foods consisting of clear liquids and eating yogurt that contains live active cultures of probiotics.
Yogurt Basics
Yogurt is a milk-based diary product that may contain live active cultures of probiotics, or healthy bacteria. Yogurt is often easier to tolerate than milk in people with lactose intolerance, and is a good source of complete, or high-quality, protein. Yogurt generally contains about 5 or 6 grams of protein per 6-oz. container.
Probiotics
Healthy bacteria found in the human gut are important for immune system development and nutrient digestion and absorption. Probiotics are cultures of healthy or "good" bacteria that are similar to bacteria found in the human digestive tract. Probiotics are present in some yogurts and probiotic supplements.
Benefits
Benefits of consuming yogurt with probiotics for diarrhea include a shorter duration and less severe case of diarrhea according to the National Institutes of Health. Probiotics also show promise for preventing or treating medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, some types of cancer and urinary tract infections, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Concerns
The safety of using probiotics has not been extensively studied, especially in children and elderly adults. Different species or strains of probiotics may produce different results, and some serious side effects have been observed. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, probiotics found in supplements and yogurts could potentially cause certain infections, overstimulation of the immune system or the insertion of genetic material into a cell, or gene transfer. Before taking a probiotics supplement or consuming yogurt with probiotics for diarrhea, it's important to speak with a health care professional.
