Diabetes is an endocrine disease in which the body is unable to process the sugars in foods appropriately. Patients are diagnosed with diabetes when the level of glucose in their blood is too high on a blood test. Diarrhea can occur in patients with diabetes, but has multiple causes.
Diarrhea From Diabetes
Some patients experience diarrhea due to diabetes. This can occur when the autonomic nervous system that controls the function of internal organs is damaged. Diabetes is known to affect nerves in the body, but it's not yet clear what happens to the autonomic nervous system. Patients with this type of autonomic neuropathy might have diarrhea due to problems with the nerves that control the small intestine.
Diarrhea From Diabetes Medications
Some of the medications used to treat diabetes can cause diarrhea. Metformin is used in many patients with type 2 diabetes and can lead to diarrhea if not taken with food. Other oral diabetes medications known to cause diarrhea include acarbose and miglitol. Newer, injectable medications for diabetes, such as exenatide, are also known to cause diarrhea.
Diarrhea from Associated Diseases
Some digestive illnesses are more common in type 1 diabetics. Celiac disease or gluten intolerance is found in about 10 percent of this group. A reaction to gluten in the diet can damage the small intestine, leading to diarrhea. Patients follow a gluten-free diet to help with this problem.
Diarrhea From Sugar-Free Foods
Diabetics must limit sugar and carbs in their diet. Many turn to sugar-free foods to have something sweet. One hidden cause of diarrhea is the sugar substitutes used in many sugar-free candies and other sweets. These sweeteners are known as sugar alcohols and include xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol and others. While they might be good sugar substitutes, they are also excellent laxatives and can lead to diarrhea in patients who ingest too much sugar alcohol.
