Q. For over two decades a friend has been plagued with daily diarrhea that may have been caused by years of chronic antibiotic use. Doctors eliminated Crohn’s and celiac disease as the cause. They suggested a fungal infection might be the source but were never able to cure it.
Every year when in Japan on a business trip, he was not bothered by diarrhea. This year it occurred to him that perhaps the difference was the miso (fermented soy) soup he always consumed at least twice a day in Japan.
On his return to the States, he purchased miso soup paste, and has consumed miso soup at least once each day. To his delight, the terrible diarrhea has not come back. Has anyone else reported a similar result?
A. Miso is a fermented soybean paste that is used as the basis for one of Japan’s most popular soups. Although we could find no research showing that miso soup counteracts diarrhea, the probiotic effect might help normalize gastrointestinal function. We’d be interested in hearing from others who have experience with this remedy.
