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Published on: 4/7/2025

What Could Cause Stomach Cramps, Diarrhea, Sweating, and Fainting?

Stomach cramps, diarrhea, sweating, and fainting can be signs of conditions like low blood sugar after meals, the stomach emptying too quickly, or a vasovagal response.

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Explanation

When you experience symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, sweating, and even fainting, several things might be happening in your body. One possibility is reactive hypoglycemia, which is when your blood sugar drops quickly after eating. This can happen when food moves out of your stomach too fast, causing your body to react with symptoms like sweating and weakness. Another possibility is that these symptoms occur during exercise after eating. In some people, exercising too soon after a meal can lead to distress in the stomach and intestines, causing cramps and diarrhea. Additionally, a vasovagal response—where your body overreacts to a trigger like intense pain—can cause you to faint, and it may come along with sweating. Since these symptoms can overlap and may be linked to different conditions, it is important to talk with a doctor if you experience them, so they can determine the exact cause and recommend the right treatment.

(References)

  • de Oliveira EP, Burini RC. Food-dependent, exercise-induced gastrointestinal distress. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2011 Sep 28;8:12. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-8-12. PMID: 21955383; PMCID: PMC3190328.

  • Middleton SJ, Balan K. Post-prandial reactive hypoglycaemia and diarrhea caused by idiopathic accelerated gastric emptying: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2011 May 13;5:177. doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-5-177. PMID: 21569503; PMCID: PMC3113993.

  • Wang J, Li H, Huang X, Hu H, Lian B, Zhang D, Wu J, Cao L. Adult vasovagal syncope with abdominal pain diagnosed by head-up tilt combined with transcranial doppler: a preliminary study. BMC Neurol. 2024 Apr 10;24(1):118. doi: 10.1186/s12883-024-03623-1. PMID: 38600450; PMCID: PMC11005138.

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