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Causes of Diarrhea: Menstruation

Some women experience diarrhea that occurs monthly in relation to their periods.19

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What causes menstrual diarrhea?

Though the mechanism is not fully understood, changes in hormones are believed to be responsible for gastrointestinal symptoms related to your menstrual cycle.20

This is thought to be caused by a chemical called prostaglandin, which is released during menstruation. Prostaglandins stimulate contractile activity in the colon, which can lead to diarrhea.21

Why treat your diarrhea?

If your periods cause diarrhea, you can treat it. IMODIUM® products contain an active ingredient called Loperamide, which works to relieve your diarrhea so you can start to feel like yourself again.3 If symptoms persist for more than two days or get worse, stop use and consult your healthcare professional.

Tips for managing diarrhea

3. Schiller LR, Santa Ana CA, Morawski SG, Fordtran JS. Mechanism of the antidiarrheal effect of loperamide. http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(84)80161-4/pdf. Gastroenterology. 1984;86(6):1475-1480.

19. Kane SV, Sable K, Hanauer SB. The menstrual cycle and its effect on inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome: a prevalence study. http://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v93/n10/full/ajg1998420a.html?foxtrotcallback=true. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998;93(10):1867-1872.

20. Heitkemper MM, Chang L. Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3322543/. Gend Med. 2009;6(suppl 2):152-167.

21. Lim SM, Nam CM, Kim YN, et al. The effect of the menstrual cycle on inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3572320/. Gut Liver. 2013;7(1):51-57.

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