Why do you have diarrhea soon after drinking a soda?

Answer 1

I just read this online Karl King #1 Subject: Pepsi/Mt. Dew, Cramps, Diarrhea George Beinhorn mentioned cramps, and Ed Furtaw mentioned diarrhea after using these drinks a lot in an ultra. There are three contributing factors in using soda as a sports drink. # whey usually contain either high fructose corn syrup or sucrose as the sugar source. Sucrose is split into glucose and fructose in the digestive tract. Many people get diarrhea from large amounts of fructose. As Ed notes, it tends to pull water into the intestines. That reverses the hydration process and causes diarrhea. # If you take a lot of caffeinated soda, you may over dose on caffeine, particularly if you don't use it much away from the run. Caffeine and other xanthines ( tea, chocolate are sources ) cause relaxation of smooth muscle. Net result: urgency along the way. Combine that with the tendency for diarrhea caused by too much fructose, and you're primed for extra potty breaks. # The electrolyte balance of most sodas is terrible for running. Many have no sodium to speak of. Unless you take in other sources of sodium, you may mess up your electrolyte balance and get cramps. If the fructose and caffeine aggravate water loss, that can only make dehydration and cramping more likely. Small amounts of these sodas along the way can help, but don't make them your primary source of anything.