Apple Pectin for Diarrhea

Diarrhea is an uncomfortable, inconvenient problem that also tells you something's wrong with your digestion. This condition causes the colon to eliminate waste before enough water can be absorbed through the intestinal wall. It's important to control this problem quickly, since long-term diarrhea can lead to dehydration. Commercial treatments are available, but apple pectin provides an inexpensive, natural alternative.

Significance

• Pectin is a type of soluble fiber present in many different types of fruit, including apple puree and citrus peels. Pectin is responsible for the jelling action in jellies and jams, and it's also used to stabilize acidic protein drinks and as a substitute for fat in low-fat baking recipes. It can be used to combat both diarrhea and constipation without significant side effects, as long as you take it in the correct quantities.

Expert Insight

• According to PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a German double-blind study on the effects of pectin in children with diarrhea produced positive results. Parents documented the digestive health of their children twice per day and reported continuous improvement in children who had received a pectin-chamomile extract. After three days of treatment, 33 out of 40 children who received the pectin extract had no more symptoms, versus 23 children who had received a placebo.

Effects

• Pectin works on diarrhea by increasing the volume and viscosity of the waste. It's therefore an ingredient in several commercial diarrhea remedies. Pectin derived directly from apples and other fruits provides nutrients to beneficial bacteria in the colon and helps stimulate repair of damaged tissue in the colon. Interestingly, apple pectin can also be used to combat constipation, as it's a type of fiber.

Types

• Apple pectin can be consumed in supplement format, often as a mixed supplement, along with kaolin (and other clays) and other herbal remedies. You can also use it to combat diarrhea by consuming apples, applesauce and other pectin-rich apple foods. Apple juice isn't a good choice, since most of the pectin is removed from the juice to produce a clearer product. Unstrained, cloudy apple juices still retain some of the pectin.

Warning

• Taking excessive amounts of apple pectin can have unpleasant results, including gas and cramps. Too much apple pectin can also cause diarrhea in people who didn't previously have symptoms. Fortunately, these symptoms will disappear as soon as the pectin passes out of your system. Take supplements only as directed on the package. If using fresh apples, applesauce or apple juice, start with a single serving and consume more in small amounts throughout the day.