Chronic Diarrhea: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Outlook

Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: October 2026

Quick Answer: What is chronic diarrhea?

Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that persists for more than four weeks. [2] [5] [4] If loose stools have lasted this long, see a healthcare provider rather than ignoring the symptom. [5] [6] The cause may be as simple as coffee or a medication, or it may be an underlying condition such as IBS, celiac disease or an infection that needs treatment. [5]

Key takeaways

• Chronic diarrhea is loose, runny stools happening regularly for more than four weeks, and it affects an estimated 1% to 3% of the population. [5]

• It is never a normal everyday experience; something is preventing your colon from absorbing water as it normally would. [5]

• Common causes include coffee, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, food intolerances, and many medications. [5] [4]

• Providers classify it into watery, fatty, or inflammatory types to narrow down the cause. [2] [5]

• Left untreated, it can lead to dehydration, electrolyte loss, and dehydration-related stress on your kidneys. [5]

• Most cases improve once the cause is found and treated, but you should seek urgent care for fever, pain, bleeding, or unintended weight loss. [5]

What the research says

• Chronic diarrhea is common, and the first clues often come from your history. A clinical review reports that chronic diarrhea affects up to 5% of the population at a given time (estimates vary between sources), with 4 weeks a frequently used cutoff that separates it from acute diarrhea. Diet, medications, surgery, and radiation therapy can be important causes that are suspected from the history alone, and testing is indicated when alarm features are present or no obvious cause is evident. This is a narrative review, not a trial (Schiller et al., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2017). [1]

• A basic workup can point toward celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, and stool studies help sort the type. A review in American Family Physician advises that a history and physical examination with a complete blood count, C-reactive protein, anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA, total IgA, and a basic metabolic panel are useful for spotting conditions such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. When the differential is broad, stool studies can categorize diarrhea as watery, fatty, or inflammatory, and functional disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome are common causes (Burgers et al., Am Fam Physician, 2020). [2]

• Bile acid diarrhea is common after gallbladder removal and often responds to colestyramine. A meta-analysis pooled 361 people with chronic watery diarrhea and previous cholecystectomy and found that 70% (95% CI 56% to 82%) had bile acid diarrhea on SeHCAT testing. Among 166 patients with bile acid diarrhea in five studies, 79% (95% CI 63% to 91%) responded to colestyramine, a bile acid binder. The findings apply to people with chronic watery diarrhea after cholecystectomy, and the studies varied considerably (Ruiz-Campos et al., Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2019). [3]

What Is Chronic Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is loose, runny poop. Almost everyone has experienced it at some point. It tends to come out fast, suddenly, and urgently, and you may have cramping or spasms in your colon when you go. If you have food poisoning or the flu, you might have diarrhea for a day or so, and it goes away when the original infection does.

Chronic diarrhea is different. It is persistent diarrhea that continues for more than four weeks [2] [5] [4]. That four-week mark is the line that separates everyday, self-resolving diarrhea from a chronic condition that deserves a closer look.

How Common Is Chronic Diarrhea?

An estimated 1% to 3% of the population has chronic diarrhea. [5] However, these estimates may be low, because many people do not seek treatment unless they have other symptoms, such as pain or bleeding. [5]

Is It Normal to Have Diarrhea All Day Every Day?

Chronic and frequent diarrhea is an everyday experience for some people, but under normal circumstances, it shouldn't be. Your colon — where poop is formed — is reacting to something abnormal. [5]

Some people have chronic bowel diseases that cause chronic diarrhea. These diseases may not be curable, but you can treat the symptoms. [5] Other causes are often curable with the right treatment.

What Happens in Your Body With Chronic Diarrhea?

Normally, your colon receives liquefied food waste from your small intestine and gradually condenses it into solid poop. [5] With diarrhea, something impairs this process, leaving you with liquefied poop.

Something is making it hard for your colon to absorb water as it normally would, making it excrete extra water, or both. [5] It may be a problem with your colon itself or something abnormal inside it.

Who Does Chronic Diarrhea Affect?

Anyone can develop chronic diarrhea, but certain patterns raise suspicion. People of African or Asian descent are more likely to have lactose intolerance, a common cause of chronic diarrhea. [5] [4] People taking long-term medications — especially antibiotics, metformin, proton pump inhibitors, or chemotherapy — also face higher odds of medication-related diarrhea. [5] [4]

What are the signs and symptoms of chronic diarrhea?

The defining sign of chronic diarrhea is loose, runny poop happening regularly for more than four weeks, with other symptoms depending on the underlying type.

Symptoms of Chronic Diarrhea

The defining sign is loose, runny poop happening regularly for more than four weeks [2] [5] [4]. Depending on the underlying type, additional symptoms can include:

What causes chronic diarrhea?

Chronic diarrhea can be caused by many diseases, but also by certain foods and medications, such as coffee, tea and alcohol. [5] [7] [4]

What Causes Chronic Diarrhea?

Many diseases can cause chronic diarrhea, but so can certain foods and medications. Before looking for diseases, a healthcare provider will ask you about your diet and medications, because these are some of the most common causes of self-induced chronic diarrhea — and also some of the easiest causes to fix. [5]

The table below summarizes the main dietary and medication causes:

How Coffee and Tea Cause Chronic Diarrhea

Coffee affects your motility, speeding up your colonic transit time. Too much can make the food waste in your colon hastily exit before it has time to solidify. [5] It is unclear whether this is due to the caffeine or other chemicals in coffee. Some people experience similar effects from caffeinated tea or decaffeinated coffee. Different people may be more or less sensitive to different chemicals in these products, and you may also be sensitive to the milk or sweeteners added to them. If you drink them often enough, you might have chronic side effects. [7]

How Alcohol Causes Chronic Diarrhea

Alcohol also speeds up your gut motility and your colonic transit time, especially on an empty stomach. [5] It might be more likely to occur with moderate amounts than with excessive amounts — too much alcohol may slow your digestion and dehydrate you, causing constipation. [5] But regular, heavy drinking can cause diarrhea for a different reason: inflammation. If your colon is irritated and inflamed by alcohol, it cannot absorb water and minerals as it normally would. [5] [4] If the mucous lining of your colon has been damaged, it might even leak fluids.

How Sugars and Food Intolerances Cause Chronic Diarrhea

Some sugars are harder to digest, and too much may cause diarrhea. Your intestines may lack the necessary enzymes to break them down, or there may be no such enzyme at all. Artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol, mannitol, and lactulose, are among the sugars that cannot be digested by human intestines — that is why they do not add calories. [5] When your intestines cannot break the molecules down, they draw in extra water to help usher the oversized molecules out of your body. Fructose can have this effect in certain quantities and proportions, which is why products made with high-fructose corn syrup may cause diarrhea. [5] [7] [4] Some people also have specific intolerances to specific sugars, with lactose intolerance being the most common. [5]

You might have a food intolerance if you have difficulty digesting a particular type of food. This often means that you lack an enzyme necessary to break the food down in your digestive system. Gluten intolerance, histamine intolerance, and certain sugar (carbohydrate) intolerances are common examples. [5] Unabsorbed foods cause diarrhea.

Which Medications Cause Chronic Diarrhea?

Many medications can cause chronic diarrhea as a side effect, through several different mechanisms. [5] [4] Whether they have that effect on you may depend on a variety of other factors, including dosage, diet, and other conditions. A healthcare provider will look at your complete medical profile to determine whether medications are a factor.

The Three Types of Diarrhea

Healthcare providers sometimes classify diarrhea into three or four types as a way of narrowing down the cause. These types produce diarrhea with distinct qualities that doctors can recognize in your stool. They represent broad categories of causes. The three main types are inflammatory, fatty, and watery. Some divide watery diarrhea into two subtypes — secretory and osmotic — to make four main types. [2] [5]

How is chronic diarrhea diagnosed?

Chronic diarrhea diagnosis starts with your history, as a healthcare provider first reviews your diet and medications before looking for diseases. [5]

How Is Chronic Diarrhea Diagnosed?

Because a wide range of diseases can cause chronic diarrhea — and so can things you are eating or medications you are taking — diagnosis starts with your history. A healthcare provider will first ask about your diet and medications before looking for diseases. [5] [4]

Your provider will review your complete medical profile, including every medication, supplement, and herbal tea ingredient you take. If diet and medication review does not reveal the cause, further testing may target the type of diarrhea you have — watery, fatty, or inflammatory — because each type points to a different set of underlying conditions. [2]

How is chronic diarrhea treated?

Chronic diarrhea may need medical treatment, but you can first try examining your diet, reviewing your medications and staying hydrated. [5]

What Can I Do at Home to Treat Chronic Diarrhea?

You might need a medical diagnosis and medical treatment to stop it, but there are some things you can try first:

1. Examine your diet. Ask whether something you regularly eat or drink may be causing your diarrhea. If you consume coffee, tea, alcohol, or something made with artificial sweeteners, like diet soda, try eliminating that first. If you have fatty diarrhea, try eliminating fats from your diet and see if it stops. Lactose intolerance is very common, especially in people of African or Asian descent, so you might want to try eliminating dairy products. [5] [4] You may also want to try a more formal elimination diet, such as the low-FODMAP diet, to isolate your food intolerances. [5]

2. Review your medications. If you use medications regularly, ask your doctor whether any of them might be causing your diarrhea. If so, ask if you can try an alternative or try going off of it temporarily. [5]

3. Stay hydrated. Make sure you stay hydrated while you have diarrhea. Try a hydration solution, such as a sports drink or electrolyte mix that you add to water. Water alone does not contain electrolytes. [5]

How Do You Get Rid of Chronic Diarrhea?

If it does not go away with simple diet and medication changes, you need to see a healthcare provider. The provider will thoroughly examine the possible causes of your chronic diarrhea in order to identify the right treatment. Treating the underlying condition may solve your chronic diarrhea, or the condition may not be directly treatable. You may need treatment that targets your chronic diarrhea separately. [1] [5]

What is the outlook for chronic diarrhea?

The outlook for chronic diarrhea depends entirely on its cause, and it can affect quality of life and raise the risk of dehydration and electrolyte losses. [5]

What Are the Long-Term Side Effects of Chronic Diarrhea?

Diarrhea that comes on suddenly and urgently, or that is difficult to hold in, can have a dominating effect on your day-to-day life. It requires you to always have your eye on the nearest bathroom. This habit can be difficult to hide on a regular, long-term basis. It can affect your confidence, as well as your overall quality of life. [5] It may affect your ability to hold a job, especially a public-facing one. [5]

Physically, chronic diarrhea puts you at risk of dehydration and its side effects. [5] You lose a lot of water and electrolytes — minerals found in your body fluids — with chronic diarrhea. Electrolyte losses can have serious consequences. They can affect your heart, lungs, brain, and nervous system. [5] Dehydration also stresses your kidneys and can lead to kidney disease [5].

Can Chronic Diarrhea Be Cured?

Whether chronic diarrhea can be cured depends entirely on its cause. Causes such as coffee, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, food intolerances, and medication side effects are often fully curable by removing the trigger or changing the medication. Underlying diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease may not be curable, but their symptoms can be treated and controlled. [5]

How can you prevent chronic diarrhea?

Many causes come from underlying diseases, but common triggers such as coffee, caffeinated tea, alcohol and artificial sweeteners are among the easiest causes to fix. [5]

How Can I Prevent Chronic Diarrhea?

Many causes come from underlying diseases, but common dietary and medication triggers are some of the easiest causes to fix. [5] Coffee, caffeinated tea, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, fructose and, in people with lactase deficiency, dairy are recognized triggers. [4] [5] If you suspect one of them, try eliminating it, and ask your provider whether any of your medications might be the cause. [5]

When should you see a doctor about chronic diarrhea?

Seeing a doctor about chronic diarrhea is never a bad idea, and you should seek care right away if you have other symptoms of illness.

When Should I See a Doctor About My Chronic Diarrhea?

It is never a bad idea to see a doctor about chronic diarrhea. Unless you think you can solve it by quitting something in your diet, you will probably need treatment. If it has been going on for a long time, you might be more at risk of additional complications that may also need treatment.

You should seek care right away if you have other symptoms of illness, such as:

Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider

When you see your provider, consider asking: Could something I eat or drink regularly be causing this? Could any of my medications or supplements be the cause? What type of diarrhea do I have — watery, fatty, or inflammatory? What tests will help find the cause? Should I try an elimination diet, and which one? How can I stay hydrated and protect my kidneys in the meantime? What treatment targets my specific type of diarrhea?

Conclusion

Chronic diarrhea is more than an inconvenience — it is your colon telling you that something is off. Whether the cause is as simple as too much coffee, a medication side effect, or a treatable food intolerance, or as complex as inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease, it deserves attention after four weeks of persistence. The good news is that a wide range of treatments exists, from dietary changes and hydration to targeted medications like loperamide, bile acid binders, and psyllium. Start by reviewing your diet and medications, stay hydrated with electrolytes, and see a healthcare provider to find the root cause before dehydration and electrolyte loss take a toll on your body.

Need help understanding your gut health journey? Rinnit's infographic templates make it easy to create clear, shareable visuals about digestive health topics like this one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is chronic diarrhea?

Chronic diarrhea is loose, runny poop that happens regularly for more than four weeks, as opposed to short-lived diarrhea from food poisoning or the flu.

How long does diarrhea have to last to be considered chronic?

More than four weeks of regular loose stools is the defining threshold for chronic diarrhea.

How common is chronic diarrhea?

An estimated 1% to 3% of the population has chronic diarrhea, though estimates may be low because many people do not seek treatment.

Is it normal to have diarrhea every day?

No. Frequent daily diarrhea is not a normal experience — your colon is reacting to something abnormal.

Why does diarrhea happen?

Something impairs the colon's normal job of condensing liquefied food waste into solid stool, either by preventing water absorption, causing extra water excretion, or both.

Can chronic diarrhea go away on its own?

Sometimes, if the cause is something you can identify and remove, such as a food, drink, or medication. Otherwise, treatment is usually needed.

Is chronic diarrhea contagious?

No. Chronic diarrhea itself is not contagious, although some infections that cause diarrhea (like parasites) can be.

What is the most common cause of chronic diarrhea?

Common causes include diet (coffee, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, food intolerances) and medications, which a provider checks before looking for diseases.

Can coffee cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes. Coffee speeds up colonic transit time so food waste exits before it has time to solidify, and frequent consumption can cause chronic side effects.

Is it the caffeine in coffee that causes diarrhea?

It is unclear — the effect may come from caffeine or other chemicals in coffee, and some people react to decaffeinated coffee too.

Can decaf coffee cause diarrhea?

Yes, some people experience similar effects from decaffeinated coffee as from regular coffee.

Can tea cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes. Some people experience similar effects from caffeinated tea, both from caffeine and other tea chemicals.

Can alcohol cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes. Alcohol speeds up gut motility, especially on an empty stomach, and moderate amounts may be more likely to cause it than excessive amounts.

Why does heavy drinking cause diarrhea differently?

Regular, heavy drinking inflames the colon lining, so it cannot absorb water and minerals normally, and a damaged mucous lining may even leak fluids.

Why do artificial sweeteners cause diarrhea?

Sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol, and lactulose cannot be digested by human intestines, so they draw extra water into the gut to help flush them out.

Can diet soda cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, if it contains artificial sweeteners like sorbitol or mannitol that your intestines cannot digest.

Why does high-fructose corn syrup cause diarrhea?

Fructose can draw water into the intestines in certain quantities and proportions, the same way undigested sweeteners do.

What is lactose intolerance?

A specific sugar intolerance where you lack the enzyme to break down lactose, the sugar in dairy products. It is the most common sugar intolerance.

Who is more likely to have lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is very common, especially in people of African or Asian descent.

What is a food intolerance?

Difficulty digesting a particular type of food, often because you lack the enzyme needed to break it down in your digestive system.

Can gluten intolerance cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes. Gluten intolerance is a common example of a food intolerance that causes unabsorbed food to trigger diarrhea.

Can histamine intolerance cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, histamine intolerance is another common example of a food intolerance that can cause chronic diarrhea.

Which medications cause chronic diarrhea?

NSAIDs, proton pump inhibitors, antibiotics, SSRIs, beta-blockers, metformin, chemotherapy, laxatives, and magnesium-containing antacids can all cause it.

Can aspirin cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, aspirin is an NSAID, and NSAIDs are a known medication cause of chronic diarrhea.

Can ibuprofen cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, ibuprofen is an NSAID and can cause diarrhea as a side effect.

Can antibiotics cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, antibiotics such as amoxicillin and cephalexin can cause chronic diarrhea as a side effect.

Can metformin cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, metformin, a common diabetes medication, is a known cause of chronic diarrhea.

Can antidepressants cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, SSRIs such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft) can cause diarrhea.

Can vitamin C supplements cause diarrhea?

High doses of vitamin C supplements can cause chronic diarrhea.

Can magnesium supplements cause diarrhea?

Yes, both high-dose magnesium supplements and magnesium-containing antacids can cause diarrhea.

Can herbal supplements cause diarrhea?

Yes, certain herbal supplements and tea ingredients such as senna can cause diarrhea.

What is watery diarrhea?

Watery diarrhea happens when the colon cannot absorb enough water and electrolytes, or secretes more than it absorbs.

What is osmotic diarrhea?

The osmotic type is caused by poorly absorbed nutrients drawing extra water into your colon — the same mechanism osmotic laxatives use.

What is secretory diarrhea?

Secretory diarrhea represents a wide variety of diseases in which the colon secretes fluid beyond what it absorbs.

What causes bile acid diarrhea?

Too much bile in the gut — also called bile acid malabsorption (BAM) — causes watery secretory diarrhea.

What is microscopic colitis?

Microscopic colitis is a colon inflammation visible only under a microscope that is among the diseases causing watery diarrhea.

How does diabetes cause chronic diarrhea?

Diabetes-related neuropathy can damage the nerves controlling the gut, leading to watery diarrhea.

What is a vagotomy?

A vagotomy is surgery cutting the vagus nerve, sometimes performed for ulcers, that can cause watery diarrhea as a side effect.

Can hyperthyroidism cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, hyperthyroidism is one of the diseases that can cause watery secretory diarrhea.

Can adrenal disorders cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, adrenal disorders are listed among causes of watery diarrhea.

What are neuroendocrine tumors?

Neuroendocrine tumors are rare tumors that can secrete hormones causing watery diarrhea.

Does IBS cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is among the conditions that can cause chronic watery diarrhea.

What is fatty diarrhea?

Fatty diarrhea happens when excess fat in your stool changes its consistency to diarrhea, from trouble breaking down and absorbing fats.

Why is fatty stool smellier?

Fatty diarrhea tends to be smellier than normal and may leave a visible oil residue in the toilet.

What causes fatty diarrhea?

Malabsorption disorders (pancreatic insufficiency, celiac disease), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), mesenteric ischemia, and gastric bypass surgery.

What is pancreatic insufficiency?

A malabsorption disorder where the pancreas cannot break down fats properly, leading to fatty diarrhea.

Does celiac disease cause fatty diarrhea?

Yes, celiac disease is a malabsorption disorder that can cause fatty diarrhea.

What is SIBO?

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when excess gut bacteria produce excessive fatty acids, causing fatty diarrhea.

Can gastric bypass surgery cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, gastric bypass surgery is a listed cause of fatty diarrhea.

What is inflammatory diarrhea?

Inflammatory diarrhea is caused by inflammation in your colon (colitis) that swells the mucous lining and impairs absorption.

How does inflammatory diarrhea differ from the others?

It tends to come out more frequently and in smaller amounts, and may be accompanied by stomach pain, fever, or bleeding.

Can parasites cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, persistent infections such as parasites cause inflammatory diarrhea.

What is C. diff?

C. diff is a persistent infection causing pseudomembranous colitis, a type of inflammatory diarrhea.

Does Crohn's disease cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, is a cause of inflammatory diarrhea.

Does ulcerative colitis cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease causing inflammatory diarrhea.

What is ischemic colitis?

Ischemic colitis is reduced blood flow to the colon causing inflammation and inflammatory diarrhea.

Can diverticulitis cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, diverticulitis is listed among inflammatory causes of chronic diarrhea.

What is radiation colitis?

Radiation colitis is colon inflammation from radiation treatment, causing inflammatory diarrhea.

Can colon cancer cause chronic diarrhea?

Yes, cancer is listed as an inflammatory cause of chronic diarrhea.

What are the long-term effects of chronic diarrhea?

Chronic diarrhea risks dehydration, electrolyte loss affecting the heart, lungs, brain, and nervous system, and kidney stress that can lead to kidney disease.

Can chronic diarrhea affect my job?

Yes — urgency that is difficult to hide can affect your confidence, quality of life, and ability to hold a public-facing job.

How do I treat chronic diarrhea at home?

Examine your diet for triggers, ask your doctor about your medications, and stay hydrated with an electrolyte solution rather than water alone.

What should I eliminate first?

Try eliminating coffee, tea, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners first; if you have fatty diarrhea, try eliminating fats; if lactose intolerant, try dairy.

What is an elimination diet?

A formal approach to isolating food intolerances by removing and reintroducing foods — the low-FODMAP diet is one example.

What is the low-FODMAP diet?

A structured elimination diet used to isolate food intolerances that can cause chronic diarrhea.

Does water alone hydrate you during diarrhea?

Not fully — water alone does not contain electrolytes, so a sports drink or electrolyte mix added to water is better.

What is loperamide?

An opiate antidiarrheal, often the first treatment choice, that slows colonic transit and increases absorption. It is not habit-forming and is available over the counter.

What are bile acid binders?

Medications that bind excess bile in the gut, used to treat bile acid diarrhea.

What is clonidine used for in chronic diarrhea?

Clonidine is a treatment for diabetes-related diarrhea.

What is eluxadoline?

Eluxadoline is a prescription medication for IBS-related diarrhea.

When are antibiotics used?

Antibiotics or antiparasitics treat chronic diarrhea caused by infections.

How does psyllium help?

Fiber supplements like psyllium add bulk to your stool and slow down its transit.

When should I see a doctor for chronic diarrhea?

It is never a bad idea to see a doctor; unless you can solve it by quitting a dietary trigger, you will probably need treatment.

What are the warning signs that need urgent care?

Fever, pain, bleeding, unintended weight loss, paleness, and weakness or fatigue all mean you should seek care right away.

Can chronic diarrhea damage my kidneys?

Yes — chronic dehydration stresses your kidneys and can lead to kidney disease.

Is chronic diarrhea curable?

If the cause is dietary or medication-related, often yes. Underlying conditions may not be curable but their symptoms can be treated.

What questions should I ask my doctor?

Ask whether your diet or medications could be the cause, what type of diarrhea you have, what tests are needed, and what treatment fits your specific situation.

Related Reading

• Diarrhea: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments & When to See a Doctor — Complete Guide

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

• Dehydration: Symptoms, Causes, Risk Groups & Treatment — Complete Guide

Stool Test: Types, How to Collect a Sample and What Results Mean explains the stool tests used to find infections, bleeding and other gut problems.

References

1. Schiller LR, Pardi DS, Sellin JH. Chronic diarrhea: diagnosis and management. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;15(2):182-193.e3. PMID: 27496381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2016.07.028

2. Burgers K, Lindberg B, Bevis ZJ. Chronic diarrhea in adults: evaluation and differential diagnosis. Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(8):472-480. PMID: 32293842. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32293842/

3. Ruiz-Campos L, Gisbert JP, Ysamat M, et al. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the prevalence of bile acid malabsorption and response to colestyramine in patients with chronic watery diarrhoea and previous cholecystectomy. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2019;49(3):242-250. PMID: 30585336. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15099

4. Arasaradnam RP, Brown S, Forbes A, et al. Guidelines for the investigation of chronic diarrhoea in adults: British Society of Gastroenterology, 3rd edition. Gut. 2018;67(8):1380-1399. PMID: 29653941. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2017-315909

5. Cleveland Clinic. Chronic Diarrhea: What It Is, Causes & Treatment Options. Medically reviewed; last updated October 19, 2022; accessed October 15, 2026. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24311-chronic-diarrhea

6. American College of Gastroenterology. Diarrheal Diseases – Acute and Chronic. Updated October 2025; accessed October 15, 2026. https://gi.org/topics/diarrhea-acute-and-chronic/

7. International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. Common Causes of Chronic Diarrhea. Published March 2021; updated December 2025; accessed October 15, 2026. https://iffgd.org/gi-disorders/lower-gi-disorders/diarrhea/common-causes/

Medical disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition or before making decisions about treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.