Turmeric Tablets & Diarrhoea

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi, just wondered if anyone has taken Turmeric (in tablet form) nd it cause an adverse effect on their bowels  or have any knowledge of the effect of it on IBS?

I was taking one tablet for 3,5 weeks then suddenly a few days ago woke up at 5.30 in the morning with diarrhoea and my stomach was unsettled for the remainder of the day. I didn't take a tablet that day but the following day woke up with D. again. After a couple of days it settled own. I had a normal BM yesterday and today but first thing in the morning my gut feels a bit unsettled.

I don't "suffer" with IB as such but will get the occasional flare-up, normally due to something causes irritation. Last time it happened was by adding too many nuts to my diet (causing daily half/half stools or normal and runny) and the time before that I had the same effect when drinking 2 x daily lemon water. 

This was proper liquid D, though. Does anyone thing the Turmeric could have been responsible? It's listed as a possible, though quite rare side effect. 

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Usually if a new addition or change to your diet is going to upset your system, it will do it quite early on and not as far as 3 and a half weeks in.

    You are correct though with the information that Turmeric can upset the stomach, however it does depend on a few other factors, for instance, the dosage of the tablet, how often you take said tablet, whether you crush the tablet or take it whole  and whether you are taking it on an empty stomach or with food.

    IBS is a condition that can change quickly and come and go.  It's a good idea to keep a food diary, then you can link any changes with what you've consumed.  It's also worth remembering that food travelling through the body doesn't have exact exit date, things you are a few days ago still may be lingering and causing a problem.  

    I take Turmeric and Ginger tablets to help with the bloating of IBS.  I did find taking a whole tablet upset my stomach so now I take half with my main evening meal.

    Good luck !

  • Posted

    Thank you for the reply.

    Previously when adding nuts and lemon water to my diet, they upset my stomach a couple of weeks in, it was like perhaps it was just a bit of an overload. I thought that's what my have happened with the turmeric. Perhaps by almost a month in it was just a kind of overload and I wasn't able to tolerate anymore. 

    This tablets are tiny so I'm not able to split them. I thought of staying off them for at least a month to see how things settle and then maybe take a tablet every other day.

  • Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    I've not taken turmeric tablets but after I read that turmeric is an anti inflammatory I started having a teaspoon full every evening in a hot milk (unsweetened soya in my case) and it neither helped nor caused any negative reaction.

  • Posted

    Not sure, maybe go see your doctor, nuts have been known to give people diarreah, not sure about tumeric, I heard powdered or fresh is supposed to be good, anyone else in the group any ideas?
    • Posted

      My doc probably isn't going to be too concerned about a brief bout of morning diarrhoea and will chalk it up to something I've eaten, I read various articles, many that said tumeric can cause D as some people may be quite sensitive/intolerant to it. Although, I wasn't taking a huge dose by any means. I have also been taking a multivitamin. A reaction of the two perhaps? Since I've stopped take the tumeric the D has stopped. I will see how I go. Thanks for your input. 

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