Can High Sugar And Caffeine Consumption Cause Blood In Stool?

Posted on Mon, 18 Jul 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 Answered on

Thu, 4 Aug 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi. I have been having different symptoms for a while. I am 29 yr old female. I am 5'2 and weigh 220pds. I had my gallbladder removed 3 yrs ago. I have severe obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and depression. I smoke around 13 cigarettes a day for 13 yrs now. I've been eating pretty unhealthy for 7 yrs or so. For the past 3 yrs I've been consuming between 60 and 180g of sugar per day, along with between 150 and 300mg caffeine per day. Two yrs ago the following symptoms started occurring once in a while: stomach burning, loose stool, and gagging. In the past year those symptoms started occurring a little more often. In the past 6 months those symptoms started occurring several times a week along with throwing up liquid sometimes when gagging, flank pain, acid reflux, and a phlem in throat feeling. Along with the loose stool sometimes my stool is dark brown, sometimes light brown, sometimes small pieces, sometimes more watery. Five months ago I had red chunky blood (roughly a tablespoon per bowel movement) with loose stool half a dozen times daily for three days or so. Right away I cut down the caffeine and sugar intake drastically. I didn't have any blood again. A couple months ago I started consuming a high amount of sugar again and quite bit of caffeine though not as much as before. I have had red blood in my stool again a few times in the past couple months. In the past few wks when i cut down my sugar and caffeine intake again these symptoms have not been occuring very much. I think I have a caffeine sensitivity and I have been consuming way too much sugar. Plus all the unhealthy eating. My questions are... Does this sound like there is something wrong or could it be due to the high sugar and caffeine consumption? I saw a gasterenterologist who said it doesn't sound like anything but still recommends a colonoscopy and endoscopy to be safe. I am booked in for the end of august. Does it sound like I need these procedures? I didn't like the doctor I saw. If I get a referral for another doctor I will have to go on a waiting list again and wouldn't get those procedures done until probably January 2017. Is that too long to wait? Do my symptoms sound like I need these procedures done asap?

Answered by Dr. Tayyab Malik (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Further evaluation is advised.

Detailed Answer:
hi.
Thank you for posting query at HCM.
i read your history and current presentation and fully understand your concern.

most likely, current presentation is related to unhealthy diet and a very high consumption (abuse) of sugar and caffeine.

the visiting doctor may have recommended you endoscopic examination to rule out any chronic disease as endoscopy is the best tool to visualize gastrointestinal tract thoroughly.

however, for now, you may:
- follow a healthy diet ( rich in fruits and green vegetables, low fat diet)
- avoid junk food altogether
- alcohol consumption and smoking as less as you can.
- eat a banana everyday and add plain yogurt to meals
- eat small meals frequently
- cut down commercial sugar consumption to minimum(less than 50g) and avoid caffeine altogether
- have a Fecal Occult Blood test (FOBT) and stool test for leukocytes ( if these test are positive , then go for endoscopy, ; if these test are negative then you NO need for urgent endoscopy.
strictly follow healthy diet and other aforementioned advise(s) for 4 to 6 weeks and observe your symptoms)

wish you good and sound health.
further queries are welcomed.
Hope to answers your concern

regards,
dr Tayyab Malik

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D