Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

Q: Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

Yes , antibiotic treatment can often be associated with diarrhea, called antibiotic-induced diarrhea or antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Antibiotics destroy both good and bad bacteria in the gut, which can alter the normal balance in your intestines. Normally, a mild case of soft stools or diarrhea occurs until the antibiotic treatment is complete. A more serious outcome of antibiotic-induced diarrhea is colitis, an inflammation of the colon, and an infection called Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). Side effects of C. difficile may include severe, watery diarrhea, stomach cramps and tenderness, fever, weight loss, and pus or blood in your diarrhea. If you have symptoms of C. difficile, contact your doctor immediately for further evaluation and treatment.

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on March 31, 2025.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

Yes, antibiotic treatment can often be associated with diarrhea, called antibiotic-induced diarrhea or antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Antibiotics destroy both good and bad bacteria in the gut, which can alter the normal balance in your intestines.

Normally, a mild case of soft stools or diarrhea occurs until the antibiotic treatment is complete. A more serious outcome of antibiotic-induced diarrhea is colitis, an inflammation of the colon, and an infection called Clostridium difficile (C. difficile).

Side effects of C. difficile may include severe, watery diarrhea, stomach cramps and tenderness, fever, weight loss, and pus or blood in your diarrhea. If you have symptoms of C. difficile, contact your doctor immediately for further evaluation and treatment.

Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?

There is controversy about whether you should routinely take probiotics with antibiotics and the question cannot be answered with a straight yes or no. Evidence for taking probiotics with antibiotics includes a Cochrane review which reported that children who were given a course of probiotics after antibiotics had less diarrhea. Evidence against taking probiotics with antibiotics includes a 2019 Italian study that reported that the gut microbiome of people given probiotics after antibiotics took six months to return to its normal state compared to only three weeks for those not given any probiotics. More studies are needed before a definite statement can be made. Continue reading

What to eat when you have a stomach virus?

When you have a stomach virus, it is best to eat bland and easy to-digest foods until your symptoms improve, such as:

soda crackers (“saltines”)
plain toast
gelatin (“jello”)
bananas
rice
plain chicken

It’s best to stay away from caffeine, dairy, alcohol, high amounts of sugar, and fried or spicy foods until you feel better. Continue reading

Why does metformin cause diarrhea?

According to the manufacturer, about 53% of people taking metformin immediate-release tablets experienced diarrhea in one clinical study. In another study, 10% of people taking metformin extended-release tablets reported diarrhea as a side effect. Continue reading

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

Read next

Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?

What to eat when you have a stomach virus?

Why does metformin cause diarrhea?

See also:

Wegovy

Rybelsus

Ozempic

Zepbound

Trulicity

Lantus

Tresiba

Victoza

Levemir

Basaglar

Related medical questions

Related support groups