Diarrhea during menstruation: causes and how to deal with it

Abdominal cramps, fluctuating emotions, headaches, and easy hunger are the most common "set" of PMS symptoms and can sometimes continue until your period is over. Even so, some people also experience diarrhea during menstruation. What, yes, is the cause?

Diarrhea during menstruation, is it normal?

Yes. Basically, diarrhea during menstruation is a normal "side effect" and may be experienced by some women.

During your period, your body produces prostaglandin compounds that trigger uterine contractions. These compounds are actually the masterminds behind those annoying stomach cramps that you experience during your period. Well, prostaglandins also indirectly affect the work of the digestive tract. Prostaglandins cause the stomach to become more gassy during menstruation. As a result, you will have more frequent bowel movements and even diarrhea during menstruation than on other normal days.

Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea during menstruation are also influenced by the level of the hormone progesterone which increases during this time. Progesterone will peak right before the first day of your period, then drop dramatically afterward. When this hormone is at its highest levels, you are more prone to constipation, because progesterone works to inhibit the work of the intestines to digest and causes food to accumulate in the stomach. When progesterone drops significantly, the opposite happens. In fact, you tend to go back and forth more frequently.

So, what can you do to solve it?

Diarrhea during menstruation can be overwhelming, especially if you are busy. But you can work around this by increasing your fluid intake (water, broth, juices, electrolyte drinks, to ORS) and eating fiber-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains). Also choose foods that contain probiotics, which can increase the number of healthy bacteria in the gut to fight germs in your digestive tract.

In addition to fresh food, intake of vitamin B6 and calcium supplements for the few days leading up to the D-day of menstruation is also believed to reduce the risk of diarrhea during menstruation later. Even so, first check with your doctor to determine whether the supplement is safe for you to consume and if so, what is the right dose.

Finally, be more active during menstruation. Exercise can help restore normal digestive tract function.

If your condition does not improve even after menstruation is over, you need to consult a doctor to find out the cause and the right treatment.

x