Many people experience loose stools from time to time which may be related to the type of food they eat and the transit time in their digestive system. In general, if the loose stools are episodic and not continuous, (i.e. having normal stools in between) and are not associated with fever, significant abdominal pain, blood stains or weight loss, you may want to try taking in more fiber and see what happens.
There are many people having some form of undiagnosed food sensitivity in our community and drawing up a food diary to detect any association may help. The other common cause is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is a form of heighten sensation and response of the gut. People with IBS may experience a spectrum of symptoms ranging from loose stools to constipation and abdominal cramps.
If your symptoms persist or getting more frequent, you should consider getting a former consultation from your family doctor and get treated.
- Dr Quan
