Question 1

wouldn't it make sense that chronic diarrhea causes weight loss? less calories are being absorbed if the food exits sooner, no?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily: If the diarrhea is due to a issue with the colon, e.g., lactose intolerance, a person would not lose weight despite diarrhea. If the diarrhea is due to a pathology in the small intestine, then the person is more likely to lose weight.
Wish you good health! - Have a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk products, nuts, beans, legumes, lentils and small amounts of lean meats. Avoid saturated fats. Drink enough water daily, so that your urine is mostly colorless. Exercise at least 150 minutes/week and increase the intensity of exercise gradually. Do not use tobacco, alcohol, weed or street drugs in any form. 
Practice safe sex, if you have sex. 
Get HPV vaccine

Question 2

im lactose intolerant. eventho i watch intake, iget diarrhea sometimes if i overdo it, does my body excrete the food just ate along w/those calories?

Accepted Answer

Lactose intolerant: If you are lactose intolerant, you will have diarrhea and/or other symptoms every time you eat dairy products. Your body will retain some of the other food, but you'll be losing some nutrients and electrolytes from the diarrhea.  There are other milks available -- such as almond, coconut, and soy. Some people use lactaid (lactose free) products too.  http://www.lactaid.com/products.

Question 3

if you have diarrhea are you absorbing all your calories?

Accepted Answer

No not true always: No it is not true.When you have diaarhea you loose fluids and electrolytes and do not absorp food/calories.It all depends on cause and severity of diarrhea.In mild cases you may absorp food and in severe cases you do not.

Question 4

if i get diarrhea after eating does that mean my body is not absorbing the calories or fat and vitamins?

Accepted Answer

Possibly: It might also mean you are sensitive to a particular food.  If you're lactose intollerant, for example, you will getting bloating, gas and diarrhea after eating dairy.   It's helpful to keep a food log and write down what you eat and when you have diarrhea.  This will help you see what foods trigger the problem.  If this has only been going on for a short time, it might be something viral.

Question 5

if i eat  and get diarrhea in less than an hour after eating, does my body still absorb the calories and nutrients from that meal? i have stomach bug

Accepted Answer

Infection?: If the problem is due to infection, then it should be limited and you should be ok once the infection or the problem is cleared, if it is an ongoing problem, then you have to see your doctor to find out why.

Question 6

am i burning more calories when i am constipated or when i have a bad case of diarrhea?

Accepted Answer

Neither in most case: Neither constipation not diarrhea affect calorie consumption. In some cases an infectious diarrhea may lead to poor absorption of calories and decreased intake and chronic inflammatory diarrhea may increase metabolic demands in some cases but a significant difference would only be seen in very sick patients.

Question 7

if i have diarrhea will i not get the calories, nutrients, or protein from the stuff i eat earlier?

Accepted Answer

See below: The stuff you ate more than 6-8 hours before diarrhea would have been digested and absorbed and will provide the nutrition you are questioning.
For good health - Have a diet rich in fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk products, nuts, beans, legumes, lentils and small amounts of lean meats. Avoid saturated fats. Drink enough water daily, so that your urine is mostly colorless. Exercise at least 150 minutes/week and increase the intensity of exercise gradually. Do not use tobacco, alcohol, weed or street drugs in any form. 
Practice safe sex, if you have sex.

Question 8

i have ibs that causes diarrhea often can i be loosing calories i eat if so how many should i eat to balance it out?

Accepted Answer

Not losing calories: Patients with ibs more frequently have multiple loose stools rather than true diarrhea which requires 250 grams of stool per day. Usually with ibs you are not malabsorbing nutrients so important nutrients are not lost. There are treatments for ibs and i would encourage you to see your doctor to discuss.

Question 9

for the last few days my calorie intake is 1200 and i've been working out for 1-2 hrs. i've had diarrhea and lightheadedness. should i be worried?

Accepted Answer

Perhaps unrelated: You should make sure that your fluid intake is sufficient and that you are not dehydrating yourself with prolonged exercise in summer while taking in less liquid.  The 1200 calories a day is low and you might be burning 500 calories per hour of exercise.  Probably should check blood sugar, urine ketones, blood pressure and electrolyte imbalance. It may also be completely unrelated and just a virus.

Question 10

if i have diarrhea would i be absorbing food?

Accepted Answer

Not well: With diarrhea, food moves very quickly through your GI system.  With some types of infectious diarrhea, the villi in your small intestine which are most responsible for absorbing nutrients, can be damaged.  If they're not doing their job, you would not be absorbing food well and some may come out in your stool.

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Doctor answers about:

Is my bidy absorbing calories from food if I have diarrhea

A member asked:

Wouldn't it make sense that chronic diarrhea causes weight loss? less calories are being absorbed if the food exits sooner, no?

A member asked:

Im lactose intolerant. eventho i watch intake, iget diarrhea sometimes if i overdo it, does my body excrete the food just ate along w/those calories?

A member asked:

If you have diarrhea are you absorbing all your calories?

A member asked:

If i get diarrhea after eating does that mean my body is not absorbing the calories or fat and vitamins?

A member asked:

If i eat and get diarrhea in less than an hour after eating, does my body still absorb the calories and nutrients from that meal? i have stomach bug

A member asked:

Am i burning more calories when i am constipated or when i have a bad case of diarrhea?

A member asked:

If i have diarrhea will i not get the calories, nutrients, or protein from the stuff i eat earlier?

A member asked:

I have ibs that causes diarrhea often can i be loosing calories i eat if so how many should i eat to balance it out?

A member asked:

For the last few days my calorie intake is 1200 and i've been working out for 1-2 hrs. i've had diarrhea and lightheadedness. should i be worried?

A member asked:

If i have diarrhea would i be absorbing food?

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