{"id":60346,"date":"2023-09-15T10:00:42","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=60346"},"modified":"2025-04-08T13:56:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T17:56:34","slug":"diarrhea-from-antibiotics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diarrhea-from-antibiotics\/","title":{"rendered":"Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have ever gone to the doctor for an infection, you have probably been prescribed antibiotic treatment. These medications are formulated to kill harmful bacteria that cause infections, and like most medications, antibiotics come with a risk of side effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most common complaints is antibiotic-induced diarrhea. Generally, diarrhea clears up after you stop taking the antibiotics. But while you\u2019re on antibiotics, you may wonder how to stop yourself from running to the toilet and if you should tell your doctor what’s happening. You may also wonder whether you can discontinue your antibiotics to resolve the problem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you navigate this uncomfortable side effect, three healthcare professionals explain why antibiotics cause diarrhea, the worst antibiotics for diarrhea, and how to stop diarrhea from antibiotics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

It’s not unusual for antibiotics to cause loose stools, says <\/span>Jodie Pepin, Pharm.D<\/span><\/a>., the clinical pharmacy program director at Harbor Health. <\/span>Research<\/span><\/a> suggests that 5% to 35% of people taking antibiotics develop antibiotic-associated diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Pepin says there’s a\u00a0 reason these medicines can send you to the toilet: <\/span>Antibiotics<\/span><\/a> disrupt the natural balance of good and bad intestinal bacteria. When an antibiotic kills the good bacteria in your gut, your body can’t process poop into its fully-formed, semi-soft consistency. However, the risk of diarrhea varies depending on the type of antibiotic.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Different classes of antibiotics treat different types of bacteria,” says <\/span>Christina M. Madison, Pharm.D.<\/span><\/a>, FCCP, founder of The Public Health Pharmacist in Las Vegas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“When we are unsure what the infection is being caused by, we typically use what’s called ’empiric’ therapy with a ‘broad spectrum’ antibiotic,” she says. These broad-spectrum antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria, which might temporarily impede your body’s ability to make fully-formed stools. The result? Diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>Mayo Clinic<\/span><\/a>, antibiotic-induced diarrhea typically starts about a week after the first antibiotic dose.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t stop taking your prescribed antibiotic if you experience this unpleasant side effect. Instead, report the frequency and severity to your healthcare provider to help you navigate your options, says <\/span>Minesh Amin, DO<\/span><\/a>, medical director at Regenerate Medical Concierge in Henderson, Nevada.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Which antibiotics cause diarrhea?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most antibiotics have the potential to cause diarrhea. However, Dr. Madison says “targeted” antibiotics\u2014drugs that are effective against just one bacterial type\u2014are less likely to impede healthy stool formation. Broad-spectrum antibiotics designed to kill a wide variety of microorganisms are hardest on the digestive system. But the likelihood of diarrhea occurring\u00a0 isn\u2019t necessarily what your provider considers before prescribing the antibiotic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can never select an antibiotic with the intent to try and avoid antibiotic-induced diarrhea,” says Dr. Amin. “The choice of antibiotic is always based on the greatest likelihood of eradicating the active infection,” he explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Antibiotic drug classes associated with the most significant risk of antibiotic-induced diarrhea include:<\/span><\/p>\n