TL;DR: Recovering from a stomach bug can leave you feeling weak and disrupt your digestive system. To support gut health, stay hydrated (with electrolytes), eat easy-to-digest foods, get rest, and consider probiotics to promote balance. Most people recover in a week to ten days, but lingering symptoms may last a bit longer. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or worsen.
Getting a stomach bug can really knock you off your feet. Even after the worst symptoms pass, you may still feel weak, and your digestive system might be out of whack. The good news is there are several things you can do to help support your gut health after a stomach bug so you can get back to normal.
Whether you're a parent nursing a child back to health or recovering yourself, let's look at how you can support your gut health after dealing with a stomach bug so you can comfortably get on with your life!
What Are the Symptoms of a Stomach Bug?
A stomach bug can make you feel really sick with a variety of symptoms. It usually starts suddenly with nausea and vomiting, which can make it hard to keep any food or drinks down. You might also have diarrhea, which can be watery and frequent, leading to dehydration if you're not careful. Stomach cramps are common and can be pretty uncomfortable. Sometimes, you might get a low-grade fever (between 99°F and 100.4°F), feel tired, and feel achy all over.
How Long Does It Take for Your Stomach To Recover From a Bug?
Recovery time varies from person to person. Typically, the acute symptoms of a stomach bug—vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, general stomach discomfort, and nausea—last between one to three days without any specific treatment. However, fully restoring gut health after a stomach bug can take a bit longer.
Overall, you should start feeling better within a week to ten days. However, you might experience lingering symptoms like bloating or irregular bowel movements for a few weeks. The key is to be patient and gentle with your digestive system during this recovery phase.(1)
How Does a Stomach Bug Mess Up Your Gut?
A stomach bug can mess up your gut by disrupting your gut-brain axis and how your brain and gut communicate. This disruption can lead to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea because the gut-brain axis involves both the nervous system and the gut microbiota.(2) Additionally, the inflammation and immune response caused by the bug can lead to more digestive issues and even affect your mood and overall well-being.
When a stomach bug hits, it throws off the balance in the environment where your gut bacteria live, the gut microbiome.(3) Bacteria in your gut play a crucial role in digestion by helping to break down food and absorb nutrients. They also protect against harmful microorganisms, keeping your digestive system healthy and balanced. When your gut microbiome is off balance from having a stomach bug, your chances of developing other digestive problems later on may increase.(4)
All of this instability can also cause inflammation and irritation in the lining of your intestines—your gut lining. If your gut lining isn’t working properly, you can develop a leaky gut, which makes it harder for you to absorb the nutrients your body relies on from the food you eat. The result? A weakened digestive system that needs time and care to recover. You may feel just as bad as when you had a bug!
The main symptoms of a weakened digestive system after a stomach bug include:(5)
- Persistent abdominal discomfort
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Vomiting
How Do You Detox After a Stomach Bug?
After a stomach bug, it's important to help your body detox and recover. One of the best ways to start is by staying hydrated. Drinking plenty of water with electrolytes (more on this in the next section) and clear fluids like broth can help flush out toxins and keep you hydrated. Eating nutritious foods is also crucial. Initially, focus on easy-to-digest foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the "BRAT" diet), and gradually reintroduce other healthy foods as you feel better.(6) Additionally, getting plenty of rest is essential for your body to heal and regain strength.
Why Are Electrolytes Important After a Stomach Bug?
Drinking water alone isn't enough to stay hydrated—you also need electrolytes. Electrolytes are important minerals that help your body function properly, especially after a stomach bug. They include sodium, potassium, and chloride†. When you have vomiting and diarrhea, you lose these electrolytes which can lead to dehydration and make you feel weak.
Replenishing electrolytes after a stomach bug is crucial because they help restore the balance of fluids in your body so your gut can recover and work efficiently. They also support the proper function of your muscles and nerves, which is essential for overall health. By drinking fluids with electrolytes, you’re holistically supporting your body as it recovers from a bug so you can reduce the risk of experiencing new symptoms.(7)†
Optimal Electrolyte is a great way to make sure you get the electrolytes you need every day and especially after a bout with a stomach bug. It includes a unique blend of sodium as real Himalayan pink salt & potassium, PeakATP®, magnesium, and potassium to properly hydrate your body.†
Should You Take Probiotics After A Stomach Bug?
After a stomach bug, taking probiotics can help support a healthy gut and balanced microbiome. Probiotics are good bacteria that live in your gut and help keep you healthy. When you have a stomach bug, the bad bacteria in your gut can increase, making you feel even worse. Taking probiotics supports the growth of good gut bacteria, which can maintain balance. For example, certain probiotics, like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii, may help support normal bowel movements when experiencing diarrhea.(8)†
Probiotics work in several ways to support gut balance after a stomach bug. They compete with bad bacteria for space and food in your gut, making it harder for harmful bacteria to grow. Probiotics also support the strength of your gut lining, which helps keep bad bacteria from getting into your body so you don’t develop a leaky gut. Additionally, they support your immune system so that it can fight off any remaining germs from the stomach bug. By doing all these things, probiotics can help you feel better and support digestive health for the long term.(9)
When Is It Time To See Your Healthcare Practitioner?
After having a stomach bug, it's important to recognize when to seek medical attention. While you usually can recover in a few days without any intervention, you may develop some of the other symptoms we've mentioned even after the initial bug goes away. Severe symptoms may indicate the need to visit your healthcare practitioner, especially if they last more than a few days without improvement.
In general, signs to see your healthcare practitioner after a stomach bug include:
- High fever
- Blood in vomit or stool
- Severe dehydration (dry mouth, extreme thirst, little or no urination, dizziness)
- Symptoms lasting more than a few days without improvement
- Intense abdominal discomfort
- Inability to keep liquids down for more than 24 hours
- Existing health conditions that could be worsened by the stomach bug
Seeking Health’s Gut Health Supplements
Don't let a stomach bug keep you down long after it’s gone! Support your gut health with our gut health supplements. We've designed our supplements to provide gentle and comprehensive gut support that you can take daily along with a healthy, nutritious diet and lifestyle. They help support healthy immune system function, normal inflammatory responses, and microbiome balance for a healthy, happy gut!†
- ProBiota HistaminX is a histamine-friendly probiotic formulated without strains known to produce high levels of histamine and comes in an acid-resistant capsule for targeted delivery to the gut. It supports microbiome balance and a healthy gut response to ingested histamine.†
- Saccharomyces Boulardii is a beneficial probiotic yeast supplement that supports gut microflora during travel and supports overall healthy bacteria balance in your intestines.†
- Probiota Bifidobacterium is a live bacteria bifido-only probiotic formula ideal for anyone who negatively reacts to lactobacillus. It supports a healthy GI tract, immune system, and response to inflammation and ingested histamine with seven well-researched strains.†
Get comprehensive gut support and save money with our Gut Health Bundle! Our bundle includes ProBiota HistaminX, Gallbladder Nutrients, Histamine Digest, and Gut Nutrients. You'll also receive a copy of Dr. Ben Lynch's "Dirty Genes: The Histamine Workbook," created to be your essential guide to gut health!†
The Bottom Line
Recovering from a stomach bug takes time, and it's normal for your digestive system to need some extra support as you heal. Focus on staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of rest, and considering probiotics to support your gut health.†
Most people will find that their digestive system returns to normal within a few weeks. However, if you continue to have severe symptoms or aren't feeling better after several weeks, it's important to check with your healthcare provider. They can help rule out any other underlying issues and provide additional guidance for your recovery.
Remember, your body has an amazing ability to heal itself. By providing the right support, you can help your gut recover and get back to feeling your best after a stomach bug.
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34226482/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33920421/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34230563/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16697722/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37377581/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36612082/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33828604/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34959871/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36514580/
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.