Peanut butter is considered an easy food to digest, so much so that the Cleveland Clinic recommends using peanut butter after you've had an episode of diarrhea because of its easy-to-digest properties. If you feel that peanut butter is causing diarrhea, you may have a peanut allergy. Peanuts are one of the most common lifelong food allergies, according to MayoClinic.com.
Cause
If you experience diarrhea after ingesting peanut butter, record your symptoms and call your doctor. Digestive difficulties from a peanut allergy are caused by an overreaction of the immune system to the proteins found in peanuts. The body rejects the proteins as safe and begins to defend the body by producing antibodies and histamine, according to Kids Health. Histamine is a hormone in the body that helps the immune system product the body. A byproduct of too much histamine in the digestive tract is inflammation and irritation.
Digestive Symptoms
One of the most common aspects of the body affected by a peanut allergy is the digestive system. A peanut allergy will cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping, according to MayoClinic.com. The symptoms will vary from mild to severe, depending on the person. Most digestive symptoms will develop within the first minutes after eating peanut butter, but can take up to one hour. Digestive symptoms from a peanut allergy will not respond to common over-the-counter medications.
Other Symptoms
If the diarrhea is from an allergic reaction, you will develop other symptoms unrelated to the gastrointestinal tract. Other symptoms related to an allergic reaction to peanut butter are wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, skin rashes, hives, nasal congestion, a runny nose, throat irritation and itchy eyes, according to Kids Health.
Treatment
MayoClinc.com states that the most effective treatment for digestive issues from peanut butter is to avoid all products containing peanuts. See an allergist and undergo allergy testing to properly identify and diagnose the condition. If you think you're allergic to peanuts and suffer minor allergy symptoms, take an oral antihistamine to block the body from producing too much histamine. If you've been diagnosed with a severe allergic reaction, talk with your doctor about carrying an epinephrine pen on your person.
Warning
If you suddenly experience diarrhea, vomiting or severe nausea accompanied with dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath and a drop in blood pressure, call 911 because you may be experiencing anaphylactic shock.
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