Q. My husband is plagued with diarrhea. He’ll be okay for a week or so. Then for no apparent reason, he has diarrhea. He’s been eating two coconut macaroons a day for about two weeks. We thought that had taken care of the problem, but it appeared again today.
I read that sugarless gum could cause diarrhea. He chews it every day. Can you tell me about this?
A. Many readers report that eating two coconut macaroon cookies daily helps control their chronic diarrhea. But why treat a problem that might be avoided?
Sugarless gum could be the culprit in your husband’s case. Sweeteners in sugarless gum such as sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol and xylitol are poorly absorbed from the digestive tract. When the residue reaches the large intestine, it can cause gas and diarrhea. Your husband should try giving up
the gum to see if that solves the problem.
