Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
On Alkaline Diet, Have Loose Bowel Movements Occasionally That Have No Solid Waste. Cause?
Question: I Have been on an alkaline diet. (Mostly fruit and vegetables).Occasionally my bowel movements are loose and produce few or no solid waste material. If I wanted to be tested or to see a doctor I would have done that to begin with. I don't need that particular advice.
From your knowledge and experience what could be the most probable or most common cause of this problem?
From your knowledge and experience what could be the most probable or most common cause of this problem?
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
Before I answer your question, I would like to put across this fact to you -the type of stool produced depends on the food consumed, the intestinal transit time and presence/absence of intestinal mucosal pathology. Neuroendocrine system sometimes influences bowel movements.
Now, presuming you do not have other symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, bloating, blood stained stools and so on, it is less likely you have a serious intestinal mucosal pathology.
Therefore I think of only two conditions to explain your symptoms:
1. If the symptoms are of recent duration, this may be related to intestinal infection. Amoebic (parasitic infection) are notorious to cause increased bowel movements with few or no stool particles. Vegetables and fruits that are not washed and cooked thoroughly can be the source of infection.
2. If the symptoms have been for a long while, then irritable bowel where the transit time is reduced could be the cause.
Off course both the conditions are confirmed by investigations. However these are the 2 most common conditions that I see with my patients with similar medical history.
I hope your thyroid functions are normal. Abnormal thyroid levels can cause similar symptoms too.
Hope this answers your query. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Thanks for the query.
Before I answer your question, I would like to put across this fact to you -the type of stool produced depends on the food consumed, the intestinal transit time and presence/absence of intestinal mucosal pathology. Neuroendocrine system sometimes influences bowel movements.
Now, presuming you do not have other symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, bloating, blood stained stools and so on, it is less likely you have a serious intestinal mucosal pathology.
Therefore I think of only two conditions to explain your symptoms:
1. If the symptoms are of recent duration, this may be related to intestinal infection. Amoebic (parasitic infection) are notorious to cause increased bowel movements with few or no stool particles. Vegetables and fruits that are not washed and cooked thoroughly can be the source of infection.
2. If the symptoms have been for a long while, then irritable bowel where the transit time is reduced could be the cause.
Off course both the conditions are confirmed by investigations. However these are the 2 most common conditions that I see with my patients with similar medical history.
I hope your thyroid functions are normal. Abnormal thyroid levels can cause similar symptoms too.
Hope this answers your query. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
