Most Americans consume sodas every week, if not every day. If you are intolerant to some of the sugar or ingredients found in sodas, you may experience diarrhea within a few hours to up to two days after you drink a soda. Whenever you experience diarrhea, drink enough water to prevent dehydration. If it lasts for more than a couple of days, meet with your doctor to make sure don't have an infection or other health problems.
Hydrogen Breath Test
If you believe that sodas cause you to experience diarrhea, you can ask to have a hydrogen breath test to determine whether you have fructose malabsorption. Fructose malabsorption can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, cramping, abdominal pain, flatulence and constipation. To diagnose fructose malabsorption, you will consume a small amount of fructose and your breath will be analyzed at specific intervals. If your breath hydrogen levels are high, it indicates that you are a fructose malabsorber. Sodas contain large amounts of fructose, so malabsorption can explain the symptoms.
Sodas and Fructose
Sodas are usually sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, which is made of 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. If you have fructose malabsorption, consuming foods that contain more fructose than glucose or consuming a large amount of fructose at once can trigger diarrhea.
Diet Sodas
If you choose diet sodas, which are free of high-fructose corn syrup, you may prevent diarrhea. People with fructose malabsorption can usually tolerate diet sodas. You can try replacing your regular sodas with diet sodas to see if your diarrhea improves. However, some people may also be sensitive to the sugar substitute that sweetens diet sodas.
Avoiding High-Fructose Foods
If you have fructose malabsorption and experience diarrhea after drinking sodas, you should consult with a registered dietitian to learn what other foods to avoid. For example, if you react to sodas, you will probably have problems with any other foods or beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup, agave syrup or honey. You will probably need to also eliminate fruits with a higher fructose content, such as apples, pears, watermelon, mango or fruit juices.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Diarrhea
- "Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology"; Evidence-Based Dietary Management of Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach; Peter R. Gibson, et al.; 2010
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Fructose Malabsorption and Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Guidelines for Effective Dietary Management; Susan J. Shepherd, et al.; 2006
- Shepherd Works: Hydrogen Breath Testing
