🕷️ Crawler Inspector

[Skip navigation](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm#start)  An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know Here’s how you know  **Official websites use .gov** A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.  **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS** A **lock** ( Locked padlock icon) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. [](https://www.nih.gov/ "National Institutes of Health") [National Library of Medicine](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/) [](https://medlineplus.gov/) The navigation menu has been collapsed. Menu - [Health Topics](https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html) - [Drugs & Supplements](https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html) - [Genetics](https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/) - [Medical Tests](https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/) - [Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html) - [About MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/about/) Show Search - [About MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/about/) - [What's New](https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/) - [Site Map](https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html) - [Customer Support](https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&category=medlineplus&from=//medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm) - [Health Topics](https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html) - [Drugs & Supplements](https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html) - [Genetics](https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/) - [Medical Tests](https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/) - [Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html) [Español](https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/000293.htm "Español") You Are Here: [Home](https://medlineplus.gov/) → [Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html) → Drug-induced diarrhea URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm # Drug-induced diarrhea [](mailto:?subject=Drug-induced%20diarrhea%3A%20MedlinePlus%20Medical%20EncyclopediaLock&body=I%20found%20this%20information%20on%20MedlinePlus.gov%20and%20I'd%20like%20to%20share%20it%20with%20you%3A%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmedlineplus.gov%2Fency%2Farticle%2F000293.htm%3Futm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Dshare%26utm_campaign%3Dmplus_share%0A%0AMedlinePlus%20\(https%3A%2F%2Fmedlineplus.gov\)%3A%20Trusted%20Health%20Information%20for%20you%0A%0ATo%20get%20updates%20by%20email%20when%20new%20information%20becomes%20available%20on%20MedlinePlus%2C%20sign%20up%20at%20https%3A%2F%2Fmedlineplus.gov%2Flistserv.html. "Email this page to a friend") [](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm "Print") [](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm "Facebook") [](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm "X") [](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm "Pinterest") To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Drug-induced [diarrhea](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000218.htm) is loose, watery stools that occur when you take certain medicines. ## Causes Expand Section Nearly all medicines may cause diarrhea as a side effect. The medicines listed below, however, are more likely to cause diarrhea. Laxatives are meant to cause diarrhea. - They work either by drawing water into the gut or by causing the muscles of the intestines to contract. - However, taking too much of a laxative can cause diarrhea that is a problem. Antacids that have magnesium in them may also cause diarrhea or make it worse. Antibiotics also can produce diarrhea. - Normally, the intestines have many different bacteria. They keep each other in balance. Antibiotics destroy some of these bacteria, which allow other types to grow too much. - In some cases, antibiotics can allow a type of bacteria called *Clostridioides difficile* to grow too much. This can lead to severe, watery, and often bloody diarrhea due to a condition called [pseudomembranous colitis](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000259.htm). Many other medicines may cause diarrhea: - Chemotherapy medicines used to treat cancer. - Medicines used to treat heartburn and stomach ulcers, such as omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), dexlanxoprazole (Dexilant), rabeprazole (Aciphex), pantoprazole (Protonix), cimetidine (Tagamet HB), famotidine (Zantac 360 and Pepcid AC), and nizatidine (Axid AR). This is uncommon. - Medicines that suppress the immune system (such as mycophenolate). - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used to treat pain and arthritis, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. - Metformin used to treat diabetes. Some herbal teas contain senna or other "natural" laxatives that can cause diarrhea. Other vitamins, minerals, or supplements may also cause diarrhea. ## Prevention Expand Section To prevent diarrhea due to antibiotic use, talk to your health care provider about taking supplements containing healthy bacteria (probiotics) or eating yogurt. Some of these products may reduce the risk for diarrhea. Keep taking these supplements for a few days after you finish your antibiotics. ## Alternative Names Expand Section Diarrhea associated with medicines; Medicine-induced diarrhea ## Patient Instructions Expand Section - [Diarrhea - what to ask your health care provider - adult](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000218.htm) ## Images Expand Section - [Digestive system organs](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8710.htm) ## References Expand Section Schiller LR, Sellin JH. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. *Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management*. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16. Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. *Goldman-Cecil Medicine*. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 126. ## Review Date 10/20/2025 Expand Section Updated by: Todd Eisner, MD, Private practice specializing in Gastroenterology in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida at Gastroenterology Consultants of Boca Raton. Affiliate Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Learn how to cite this page ## Related MedlinePlus Health Topics Expand Section - [Drug Reactions](https://medlineplus.gov/drugreactions.html) ## Related MedlinePlus Health Topics - [Drug Reactions](https://medlineplus.gov/drugreactions.html) ## Images - [Digestive system organs](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8710.htm) ## Patient Instructions - [Diarrhea - what to ask your health care provider - adult](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000218.htm) ## Was this page helpful? Yes No Thank you for your feedback\! [](https://accreditnet.urac.org/directory/#/certification/HCP010004/info) Health Content Provider 06/01/2028 [A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC](), for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's [accreditation program]() is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s [editorial policy, editorial process](), and [privacy policy](). The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- 2026 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. All content on this site including text, images, graphics, audio, video, data, metadata, and compilations is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may view the content for personal, noncommercial use. Any other use requires prior written consent from Ebix. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, transmit, display, publish, reverse-engineer, adapt, modify, store beyond ordinary browser caching, index, mine, scrape, or create derivative works from this content. You may not use automated tools to access or extract content, including to create embeddings, vectors, datasets, or indexes for retrieval systems. Use of any content for training, fine-tuning, calibrating, testing, evaluating, or improving AI systems of any kind is prohibited without express written consent. This includes large language models, machine learning models, neural networks, generative systems, retrieval-augmented systems, and any software that ingests content to produce outputs. Any unauthorized use of the content including AI-related use is a violation of our rights and may result in legal action, damages, and statutory penalties to the fullest extent permitted by law. Ebix reserves the right to enforce its rights through legal, technological, and contractual measures. [](https://www.adam.com/about) - [About MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/about/) - [What's New](https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/) - [Site Map](https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html) - [Customer Support](https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&category=medlineplus&from=httpsundefined) - [Subscribe to RSS](https://medlineplus.gov/rss.html) - [Connect with NLM](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/socialmedia/index.html) - [NLM Web Policies](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html) - [Copyright](https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/usingcontent/) - [Accessibility](https://medlineplus.gov/accessibility.html) - [Guidelines for Links](https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/criteria/) - [Viewers & Players](https://medlineplus.gov/plugins.html) - [HHS Vulnerability Disclosure](https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html) - [MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs](https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-connect/) - [For Developers](https://medlineplus.gov/about/developers/) [National Library of Medicine](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/) 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services](https://www.hhs.gov/) [National Institutes of Health](https://www.nih.gov/) [](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000293.htm#top "Return to top")

Drug-induced [diarrhea](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000218.htm) is loose, watery stools that occur when you take certain medicines. Nearly all medicines may cause diarrhea as a side effect. The medicines listed below, however, are more likely to cause diarrhea. Laxatives are meant to cause diarrhea. - They work either by drawing water into the gut or by causing the muscles of the intestines to contract. - However, taking too much of a laxative can cause diarrhea that is a problem. Antacids that have magnesium in them may also cause diarrhea or make it worse. Antibiotics also can produce diarrhea. - Normally, the intestines have many different bacteria. They keep each other in balance. Antibiotics destroy some of these bacteria, which allow other types to grow too much. - In some cases, antibiotics can allow a type of bacteria called *Clostridioides difficile* to grow too much. This can lead to severe, watery, and often bloody diarrhea due to a condition called [pseudomembranous colitis](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000259.htm). Many other medicines may cause diarrhea: - Chemotherapy medicines used to treat cancer. - Medicines used to treat heartburn and stomach ulcers, such as omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), dexlanxoprazole (Dexilant), rabeprazole (Aciphex), pantoprazole (Protonix), cimetidine (Tagamet HB), famotidine (Zantac 360 and Pepcid AC), and nizatidine (Axid AR). This is uncommon. - Medicines that suppress the immune system (such as mycophenolate). - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used to treat pain and arthritis, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. - Metformin used to treat diabetes. Some herbal teas contain senna or other "natural" laxatives that can cause diarrhea. Other vitamins, minerals, or supplements may also cause diarrhea. To prevent diarrhea due to antibiotic use, talk to your health care provider about taking supplements containing healthy bacteria (probiotics) or eating yogurt. Some of these products may reduce the risk for diarrhea. Keep taking these supplements for a few days after you finish your antibiotics. Diarrhea associated with medicines; Medicine-induced diarrhea - [Digestive system organs](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8710.htm) Schiller LR, Sellin JH. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. *Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management*. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16. Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. *Goldman-Cecil Medicine*. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 126. Updated by: Todd Eisner, MD, Private practice specializing in Gastroenterology in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida at Gastroenterology Consultants of Boca Raton. Affiliate Assistant Professor, Florida Atlantic University School of Medicine. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.