Kombucha by synergy caused diarrhea 5 hours After drinking....anyone have experience with this?
Created August 12, 2011 at 4:19 AM
I have not read anywhere that this is normal. This particular brand was the fizziest And the most bitter. About 1 hour after drinking about 2 oz I heard my stomach grumble and bubble. I didn't think too much of it because I was famished from not having food since breakfast and figured I probably shouldn't have had that drink on an empty stomach. Thoughts?
-
-
Views
65.3K -
Last Activity
88D AGO

Get FREE instant access to our Paleo For Beginners Guide & 15 FREE Recipes!
17 Answers
I make my own kombucha, my 14 year old son would rather drink that than soda now. I have about 6oz first thing every morning on an empty stomach. It is not for everyone eitheryou love it or hate it lol.
Maybe you reacted to the yeast in the drink.
How do you make yours, please?
@PinkPika - Here are a couple links for information: http://www.pure2raw.com/2010/03/making-homemade-kombucha/ and http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kombucha_howto.shtml
Try doing a search for "herxheimer reaction" along with "kombucha". It could be that the probiotics from the kombucha initiate a die-off of the bacterica already present in the digestive system. The toxins released from the dying bacteria may be responsible for the intestional woes.
I had this problem with Synergy as well -- multiple times. Felt like food poisoning. After months of testing we finally found it was the tea. I will not drink it again. It was not an initial reaction for me either -- happened every time I drank it for six months.
That happened to me the first time I drank it years ago. I've been drinking GT's or my own brew for years and it's never happened since.
i know people love that stuff, but... it's never gone down well for me. combine that with the awful taste and i just don't get it. you want gut bacteria? eat some kimchi, yogurt or kefir. you want tea? drink tea. ne'r the twain shall meet.
i experienced this, when i started drinking kombucho. my stomach got used to it though. not i can drink a bottle without any problems.
OMG! I just drank not even a 3rd of a bottle of Synergy Gingerade and had to run to the restroom. After reading all the comments above I think this brand mighy have to review their recipe. Don't really know why but definitely this is not a coincidence most of the people has had more or less the same simptoms. No bueno!
I tried brewing my own kombucha from home 2 months ago. I followed the instructions to the letter, and used a starter kit bought from a store. After I brewed my first batch, I let it ferment to carbonate. When I drank it, it tasted great. But a few hours later, I became violently ill and was bedridden for days. Anything I ate would be rushed through me within 2 hours, so I stopped eating anything that didn't help relieve my symptoms. I threw up about 4 times the first night, and I'm not sure if the strain from that caused my neck pain, or something else. I wrote a bit about it in my last blog post at: soluble-fiber[dot]com/2015/08/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-home-brewing-kombucha/ - because of this, I'm sworn off kombucha for good!
The idea that k. is causing a detox reaction that is good for you while simultaneously giving you diarrhea and upsetting your digestion that can last for days seems a little hard to beleive. I only ever get that kind of reaction when taking probiotics like S. bouardii. More likely your digestion and immune system thinks it is being invaded by pathogens (putting all that yeast and bacteria into your small intestine which generally is somewhat sterile compared to the large instenstine). Perhaps eating rotten food will give you the same kind of "toxin" release and a side dose of botulism. If you are constipated that intestinal purge might not be a bad thing but if you generally have good digestion then get the shizzles and nausea and by drinking kombucha I don't really see the point. I think I'll pass and just eat kimchee and yoghurt like usual to get the probiotics without all the yeasts and do a good juice fast once or twice a year for the "toxin" release. I'll trust my gut on this one.
Synergy (GT's) changed their scoby culture it seems in the last couple of years and ever since it's given me diarrhea if I drink it in too large a quantity. I don't recall the dates precisely but they had to pull their product from the shelves (variable alcohol content) and then when it was available again, I noticed the change. I read the label and noticed that they now listed a patented strain of Bacillus Coagulans. Perhaps it helps them control and meet regulations? Well, due to my experience with "Activia" yogurt, I figure these bugs are aimed at most SAD eaters who get constipated, not me who is not only regular but tends to loose stools even. See this article, that's about what I figured. I only drink about a quarter of a bottle at a time now and save the rest for later or to use as a starter for sourdough, sauerkraut, etc.
Totally happened to me! I only had about 3-4 oz, too. The worst part is I'm breastfeeding and my little girl had some horrible toots and an impressively explosive poop right around the time I was a-running to the bathroom.
Your body is going through detox. This is common with consumption. Especially if you are plugged up and/or have some intestinal issues. The probiotics are eating the bad bacteria in your gut and this is the reaction. For most people, it's a good thing. However, for some, Kombucha may not be right due to biochemical individuality. I do suggest you continue and see if the effects diminish, because it could actually be doing wonders for your body.
I hear lots of great things about kombucha but I have to attest that it doesn't agree with my stomach either. I tried the synergy brand and REGRETTED it later on (diarrhea, terrible cramping). it works great for some but clearly not all.
I have been drinking it for some time now and the diarrahea subsided. I now I use it to make sure I have good bacteria in my guts and it helps when i get constipated.
This is a great problem as I'm usually stopped up. Problem is its expensive to get synergy drinks, really like the ginger one. Even when having to go, if I get the urge from kombatcha, my consistency is like rock balls.
I havent had this original problem until just the other day. I tried the Chai kombucha....BAM...bad stomach cramps...lower than heartburn and MAN it hurt...no diarrahea though..I am scared to drink the rest but I got a big hit of that slime and i try to spread that out so i dont get too may bacteria at once...
Happened to me when I tried probiotics for the first time 2 days ago... Stomach now only feeling normal.
I buy Yogi's Kombucha decaf, and it works in my gut fine, no diarrhea problems (and consider that I have IBS-D).
That's not real kombucha. That's probably why it doesn't effect you.
In the US the evidence supports skepticism toward commercial brands. I know some are excellent, but with these traditional foods/beverages home-made seems the tastiest and healthiest way to go.
YouTube is full of videos by people who've been making the food/beverage forever. You can see and hear whether or not they know what they're doing and whether it's something you want to get involved with.
I brew my own water kefir. Since it's fruit-based, I've had no problems at all but I did follow the advice to start very slowly. Thanks to the kefir, I'm now able to eat yogurt without problems (never could before) so I'm planning to make yogurt at home also.
EDIT: Sheesh! I don't know why I said water kefir is fruit-based. It's brewed in a sugar-water solution or juice and the sugar is consumed during fermentation. Fruit can be used to flavor the kefir in a secondary fermentation.
ImmanuelMessiah
(0)
on November 09, 2018
at 08:07 PM
I drank some mango kombucha yesterday not sure what it was but hoping it would be something delicious and it turned out tasting like vinegar. The tiny sip I took after shaking the bottle was all it took me (a 380 lb man) to have the runs all morning long and make me intensely hungry without craving food (after the tiny - maybe one ounce sip - I poured the rest down the drain).
5thEssence
(0)
on March 01, 2016
at 06:26 AM
I've had this happen twice. Both times in the middle of the night after having drank it right before bed. Mistake. Felt like I was gonna die! BUT I figured out why. #1. If you start drinking kombucha, you MUST drink water. The komucha releases toxins from your system and if you don't flush the through... you'll get sick from all the toxins holding still in your intestines and once your bloodstream figures it out it reacts as if you have food poisoning or something, plus couple this with the fact that your current intestinal bacterial flora recognize the new kombucha bacteria as a foreign invader. Not only all that, but throw a bunch of active yeast into the mix, and tah dah! You may wish you were dead. Moral of the story, start small, flush with water a little while after, and DO NOT drink it on an empty stomach right before bed!
MTultrarunner
(0)
on May 22, 2014
at 04:53 PM
How long did the diarrrhea last after drinking the Synergy Kombucha tea? I tried this brand and it was my first time consuming Kombucha. I had diarrhea 5 hours after drinking 1/2 bottle but didn't make the connection until I drank it again a few days later and experienced very severe diarrhea as well as stomach pain. Its been 6 days and the diarrhea is getting worse. No nausea, vomiting, or fever.
paleoprimal
(1471)
on March 11, 2012
at 07:12 PM
I have been drinking it for some time now and the diarrahea subsided. I now I use it to make sure I have good bacteria in my guts and it helps when i get constipated.
Ashley_Roze_
(10904)
on March 11, 2012
at 03:19 AM
That's not real kombucha. That's probably why it doesn't effect you.
paleoprimal
(1471)
on November 29, 2011
at 11:42 PM
I havent had this original problem until just the other day. I tried the Chai kombucha....BAM...bad stomach cramps...lower than heartburn and MAN it hurt...no diarrahea though..I am scared to drink the rest but I got a big hit of that slime and i try to spread that out so i dont get too may bacteria at once...
Namby_Pamby
(5152)
on August 12, 2011
at 07:52 PM
Some tummy ache in the beginning but it goes away quickly.
Josh_M
(11121)
on August 12, 2011
at 02:30 PM
@PinkPika - Here are a couple links for information: http://www.pure2raw.com/2010/03/making-homemade-kombucha/ and http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kombucha_howto.shtml
paleoprimal
(1471)
on August 12, 2011
at 01:03 PM
ok, I only ask because I have had 4 other bottles, different brands than this, and it has never affected me this way and I drank more at one time of the other brands. This brand seems to have the least sugar of all the ones at Whole Foods and is fizzier. thanks!
Katherine
(4764)
on August 12, 2011
at 12:53 PM
It's really common when starting out. *really* common. You'll adapt, just go slowly.
PinkPika
(452)
on August 12, 2011
at 05:58 AM
How do you make yours, please?