Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? You’re in the right place. Here you’ll find answers to the things we’re most often asked about our products and travel health.
If you’d like to learn more about the ingredients we’ve selected for our products, visit our dedicated Ingredients page. You can also explore our Resources page, where you’ll find informative educational videos and a free, downloadable eBook guide — Travellers’ Diarrhoea: The Unwanted Travel Companion.
If you need anything further, simply email us at help@thebellysolution.com.au and we’ll be happy to assist.
Below: The most common cause of travellers’ diarrhoea worldwide, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)
Understanding Travellers’ Diarrhoea
What is travellers’ diarrhoea?
Travellers’ diarrhoea is a digestive illness acquired while travelling, usually caused by microbes spread through contaminated food, water, or hands. It’s also known by many colourful nicknames — Bali Belly, Delhi Belly, Montezuma’s Revenge, among many other descriptive monikers — and while the names are humorous, the impact can be anything but.
Is travellers’ diarrhoea contagious?
Yes — it can be. Travellers’ diarrhoea isn’t airborne, but the organisms that cause it can spread easily, particularly in settings with poor hygiene.
It spreads primarily through:
- contaminated food or drinking water
- unwashed hands (hand-to-mouth contact)
- shared surfaces such as bathroom fixtures, door handles, phones, towels or taps
This is why travellers’ diarrhoea can spread quickly among families, travel companions, tour groups or cruise passengers — especially where hand hygiene is limited.
What causes travellers’ diarrhoea?
Travellers’ diarrhoea can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. It begins when foreign microorganisms enter the gut — typically via contaminated food, water, or hands — and disrupt the gut’s normal balance.
The most common cause worldwide is enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), estimated to be responsible for up to half of all travellers’ diarrhoea cases globally.
What is the most common cause, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), actually doing in the gut?
ETEC produces toxins that pull water and salts (electrolytes) into the intestines, leading to sudden watery diarrhoea and digestive upset. This is why effective rehydration requires key electrolytes — not just water alone — to help replace what’s lost and support proper fluid absorption.
What is gastro or gastroenteritis while travelling — and is it the same as travellers’ diarrhoea?
“Gastro” is the everyday term for gastroenteritis — an infection or inflammation of the stomach and intestines that can cause diarrhoea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting and sometimes mild fever.
They’re related, but not always the same:
- Gastroenteritis is a broad umbrella term (it can happen anywhere, travel or not, and can be caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites).
- Travellers’ diarrhoea refers specifically to diarrhoeal illness acquired while travelling, often linked to exposure to unfamiliar microbes — and is more commonly bacterial (e.g. ETEC), though viruses and parasites can also be involved.
Because symptoms overlap, travellers often use “gastro” and “travellers’ diarrhoea” interchangeably — but medically, they aren’t identical.
Why is travellers’ diarrhoea more common when travelling overseas?
Travel exposes the digestive system to unfamiliar microbes through changes in food, water quality, hygiene standards, climate and routine. Contamination can occur anywhere along the chain — from food preparation to surface sanitation — even in high-end accommodation.
Are some people more susceptible to travellers’ diarrhoea than others?
Travellers’ diarrhoea can affect anyone, but risk and severity tend to be higher in:
- Infants and children, whose symptoms can escalate quickly and who are more likely to touch surfaces or place objects in their mouths
- Older travellers
- People with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions
No one is truly immune. For every traveller who claims they’ve never experienced it, there are just as many losing valuable holiday time in bed.
Are some destinations higher risk than others?
Yes. Travellers’ diarrhoea is more common in “high-risk” destinations — particularly where water quality, food handling and sanitation standards vary.
Higher-risk destination countries commonly include:
- India
- Indonesia (including Bali)
- Nepal
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Philippines
- Mexico
- Peru
- Guatemala
- Bolivia
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Fiji
However, you can get travellers’ diarrhoea anywhere that poor water quality, food hygiene and poor general hygiene is prevalent — so no destination is entirely risk-free.
In high-risk destinations, as many as 50–70% of international travellers can fall ill.
What are the symptoms of travellers’ diarrhoea?
Common symptoms include:
- frequent loose stools
- abdominal cramping
- urgency
- bloating
- nausea or vomiting
- fatigue
- mild fever
How long does travellers’ diarrhoea usually last?
Most cases resolve within 1–3 days. Moderate cases may last 3–5 days, while more severe or untreated cases can persist for a week or longer. Lingering symptoms may occur if hydration and gut balance are not properly restored.
Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or worsen — and especially where infants, children, older travellers, or immune-compromised people are involved.
When should I seek medical attention?
Seek medical attention promptly if you experience:
- blood or mucus in stool
- high fever (over 38.5°C)
- severe or persistent vomiting
- signs of dehydration such as dizziness or reduced urination
- symptoms lasting more than several days
- diarrhoea in infants, young children, older travellers, or people with chronic illness
Children should receive urgent medical attention if they develop high fever, refuse fluids, vomit persistently, show signs of dehydration, or become unusually drowsy.
Hydration & Electrolytes
Why is hydration important during travellers’ diarrhoea?
Travellers’ diarrhoea can lead to dehydration quickly — especially in hot climates and in children, older travellers, or people with underlying health conditions.
During diarrhoeal illness the body loses not only water but also essential electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, which are needed to maintain normal fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle activity.
If these losses are not replaced promptly, dehydration can lead to weakness, dizziness, reduced urine output, low blood pressure, and electrolyte imbalance. In more severe cases it can place strain on the kidneys and may require medical treatment or hospital care — particularly in vulnerable individuals.
This is why replacing both fluids and electrolytes is important. Water alone does not fully replace what the body loses during diarrhoeal illness, which is why oral rehydration solutions are commonly recommended to support recovery.
Why isn’t drinking water alone enough?
Plain water does not adequately replace the electrolytes lost during travellers’ diarrhoea. Effective rehydration requires both fluid and the right balance of electrolytes — particularly sodium and potassium — which help the body absorb water properly and restore normal fluid balance.
Drinking large amounts of plain water alone can sometimes worsen electrolyte dilution in the body, as it does not replace the salts being lost through diarrhoea. This can contribute to weakness, dizziness, and delayed recovery.
It is also important to note that salt water — such as ocean water — is not a safe substitute for electrolyte replacement. Seawater contains extremely high levels of sodium chloride and lacks the balanced combination of electrolytes the body requires. Drinking it can actually worsen dehydration and place additional strain on the kidneys.
Our Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula has been specifically developed with travellers’ diarrhoea in mind and contains the balanced electrolytes the body needs to support effective rehydration during and after diarrhoeal illness.
What are electrolytes and why do they matter?
Electrolytes are minerals that regulate hydration, nerve function and muscle activity. During diarrhoeal illness, key electrolytes become depleted and must be replaced to support recovery.
Electrolytes particularly important for diarrhoea-related rehydration include:
- Sodium — regulates fluid balance
- Potassium — supports nerve and muscle function
- Chloride — helps maintain digestive and fluid balance
- Magnesium — supports muscle and nerve function
Maintaining electrolyte balance is essential for effective rehydration and overall recovery.
Prevention & Travel Smarts
What is travel gut health and why does it matter?
Your gut contains trillions of microorganisms that support digestion, immunity and protection against harmful microbes. Travel can disrupt this balance, making digestive illness more likely.
Can travellers’ diarrhoea be prevented?
No method guarantees complete protection, but sensible precautions can significantly reduce the risk.
Prevention starts with understanding what travellers’ diarrhoea is and how it is typically transmitted. Being aware of how infection occurs allows travellers to take practical steps to reduce exposure, including careful food and water choices, good hand hygiene, and preparing appropriately before departure.
While these precautions greatly reduce risk, they cannot eliminate it entirely, which is why many travellers choose to be prepared with appropriate travel health support should illness occur.
How can I prepare my gut before travelling?
A strong gut microbiome is a natural defence — and preparation before you leave matters. This is exactly what The Belly Solution has been designed to support.
Preparation may include:
- starting a targeted, travel-specific gut support formula 5 days before departure
- supporting beneficial gut bacteria with prebiotics (to help them thrive)
- building in comprehensive hydration support so you’re not playing catch-up if illness strikes
- packing appropriate travel health support (e.g. hand sanitiser)
The Belly Solution’s Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula has been purpose-designed specifically to address these challenges — supporting travel preparation, prevention, comprehensive hydration support and gut recovery across the full travel cycle (before travel, during illness and after recovery).
We recommend travellers commence taking it 5 days prior to travel to help strengthen gut health.
What else can I do to protect myself while travelling?
Practical steps include:
Water safety
- drink bottled, boiled or properly filtered water
- avoid ice unless the water source is safe
- use safe water for brushing teeth
Hand hygiene
- wash hands thoroughly before eating and after using the toilet
- use sanitiser when soap and water aren’t available
Food choices
- eat food that is thoroughly cooked and served hot
- peel fruit and vegetables yourself if unsure how they were washed
- be cautious with buffets in hot climates
Travellers’ diarrhoea spreads through contaminated food, water and hands, so these habits — and simple common sense — are extremely important.
Should I take antibiotics for travellers’ diarrhoea?
Antibiotics are not always necessary and should only be used under medical guidance. Overuse contributes to antibiotic resistance and may do more harm than good.
For many cases, the foundation of care is electrolyte rehydration plus gut support, with time and rest. If symptoms are severe or persist, seek medical advice or consult a doctor.
What makes The Belly Solution range of products stand out from others?
A New Approach to Travellers’ Diarrhoea
Most digestive health products are designed to address a wide variety of general gut concerns. The Belly Solution takes a different approach.
Our entire range has been developed specifically to address travellers’ diarrhoea — one of the most common and disruptive illnesses affecting travellers worldwide.
By focusing squarely on this single travel health challenge, our research, formulation, and ingredient selection are carefully designed with the realities of travel in mind — helping reduce the risk of valuable holiday time being lost to an entirely preventable illness.
Rather than offering generic digestive products, our goal is to create a coordinated range designed to help travellers prepare for, manage, and recover from travellers’ diarrhoea — helping minimise disruption so travellers can continue enjoying their journey.
Our Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula — and why it’s different
Most travellers end up cobbling together separate products for gut support and hydration — often probiotics, electrolyte powders, and other remedies — usually at considerable expense and with varying effectiveness.
Our Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula brings these elements together in a single travel-specific formulation designed to support travellers throughout the full journey.
Rather than focusing on only one aspect of digestive health, the formula combines:
- Targeted probiotics to help strengthen and support gut microbial balance
- Prebiotics to nourish beneficial gut bacteria
- Electrolyte rehydration support to help restore fluid and electrolyte balance during diarrhoeal illness
Together, these components provide a more comprehensive approach to gut health — supporting travellers before departure, during illness if it occurs, and while restoring gut balance afterwards.
Our approach is designed to reflect the real travel cycle, rather than focusing on only one part of digestive health.
Is the Rehydration Formula vegan-friendly or gluten-free?
Yes. The probiotic + prebiotic + electrolyte rehydration formula is vegan-friendly and gluten-free, made with all natural ingredients and no added sugar. It has been carefully formulated to support a wide range of dietary needs without compromising on quality or effectiveness.
Flavour and what to expect
Our Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula has not been designed to taste like a sugary sports drink or artificially sweet energy beverage — because when you’re dealing with travellers’ diarrhoea, that’s not what you want to be drinking.
Instead, we’ve deliberately formulated this product with functional, purposeful ingredients selected to support gut health, hydration, and recovery during and after travel-related gastrointestinal upset.
What you can expect is a mild, natural ginger-forward flavour, with savoury/mineral notes from the electrolyte blend. Ginger was chosen not simply for flavour, but because it has long been valued for its digestive support and its ability to help settle the stomach — particularly if nausea is part of the picture.
We’ve also deliberately avoided added sugar. Many conventional hydration products rely heavily on sweetness, but that simply wasn’t aligned with our philosophy or with the needs of travellers experiencing gastrointestinal illness.
As for preparation, each daily dose is recommended to be mixed with a minimum of 250mL of water, however you’re welcome to dilute it further with more water or another suitable fluid to suit your taste preferences. Some customers may also prefer to stir it through soft foods.
One practical tip from our experience: we find the formula tends to dissolve more easily in room temperature water than iced cold water — but ultimately, what works best for you is yours to discover.
In short: purposeful, practical, naturally considered — not artificially sweet.
Does The Belly Solution come in different flavours?
Not at this stage. We’ve very deliberately started with a mild ginger flavour. Ginger is well known for helping to ease nausea, and we’ve kept the taste gentle — because when you’re not feeling your best, strong or overly sweet flavours are often the last thing you feel like.
We may look at introducing other flavours down the track, but for now, we believe this is the most appropriate and thoughtful place to start.
What if I have fussy kids or I don’t like the flavour?
Whether you’re taking it preventatively to stay well, supporting recovery, or trying to convince a reluctant child, we appreciate that flavour preferences are personal.
This formula has been created for function first — to support hydration, gut balance, and recovery — not to mimic a sweet soft drink.
If you prefer a milder taste, simply dilute it further with more water or another suitable fluid. You can also mix it into soft foods if that works better for you.
And for fussy children? The priority is simply getting it into them. If that means stirring it through mashed sweet potato, pumpkin, yoghurt, applesauce, or whatever works in the moment — get creative.
When practicality calls, flexibility wins.
Product Use, Safety & Practicalities
Can the Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula be taken on a daily basis?
Yes. It can be taken daily as part of travel health preparation and ongoing digestive support. The formula’s premium ingredients support a healthy gut microbiome, hydration and electrolyte balance.
Is The Belly Solution TGA-listed?
Yes. Our comprehensive Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula is TGA-listed with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), meaning it has been assessed and approved for supply in Australia as a listed therapeutic good.
The TGA is widely recognised as operating under some of the most stringent regulatory standards in the world for medicines and health products. Products listed with the TGA must be manufactured in TGA-licensed facilities, meet strict quality, safety and manufacturing standards, and comply with detailed regulatory requirements governing ingredients, formulation, labelling and advertising.
For travellers, this provides an added level of confidence that the product has been developed and manufactured under rigorous pharmaceutical-grade standards, rather than the looser oversight that can apply to many supplements in other parts of the world.
Is the Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula competitively priced?
Yes. We have combined everything travellers need into one robust, single-serve formulation, bringing together components that would otherwise often need to be purchased separately at a greater overall cost.
The result is a comprehensive travel gut health solution designed to help you stay well, travel with confidence, and avoid having your holiday disrupted — all at highly competitive pricing for the quality and breadth of ingredients included.
What if I already have symptoms — can I still take the probiotic + prebiotic + electrolyte rehydration formula?
Absolutely. While it is ideal to begin before travel for preventative support, the formulation can also be taken if symptoms develop. The combination of probiotics, prebiotics and electrolytes works to support gut balance, maintain hydration, and assist the body’s natural recovery process.
Is the Rehydration Formula effective against viral stomach bugs and parasites, or just bacterial infections?
The formulation is designed to support the gut across bacterial, viral, and (less commonly) parasitic gastrointestinal challenges. While travellers’ diarrhoea is most commonly caused by bacteria, the combination of probiotics, prebiotics and electrolytes helps reinforce the gut environment, support microbial balance, and maintain hydration — regardless of the underlying cause.
Brand & Logistics
What other products will be introduced to The Belly Solution range?
Our flagship Probiotic + Prebiotic + Electrolyte Rehydration Formula is the first product in a broader range being developed specifically to support travellers facing digestive illness.
Future products will be designed as stand-alone solutions in their own right, while also complementing each other within the wider The Belly Solution system — creating a coordinated approach to travel gut health.
Products currently being explored include ingredients and formulations such as:
- Bioactive bovine colostrum, researched for its role in supporting gut and immune health
- Pharmaceutical-grade activated charcoal, commonly used to support digestive comfort
- Ginger gummies, traditionally used to support digestive wellbeing during travel
These are just a few examples of the travel-specific products being considered as the range continues to grow.
Travellers who would like to stay informed as new products are introduced are encouraged to subscribe for updates as the range expands.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes — The Belly Solution currently ships internationally to selected destinations, including:
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- France
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- United Arab Emirates
We hope to expand this list over time as we carefully assess import and customs requirements for additional destinations.
If your country is not currently listed, we apologise for the inconvenience.
For shipping timeframes, delivery options, customs information, and full international shipping terms, please visit our Shipping Policy page.
The Travel Illness with Many Names…
What exactly are the many monikers that travellers’ diarrhoea is known as across the globe? Let’s have a look.
Bali Belly (Indonesia) · Delhi Belly (India) · Montezuma’s Revenge (Mexico) · Karachi Crouch (Pakistan) · Kathmandu Quickstep (Nepal) · Pharaoh’s Revenge (Egypt) · Cairo Crud (Egypt) · Rangoon Runs (Myanmar) · Hong Kong Dog (China/Hong Kong) · Gyppy Tummy (Middle East) · Aztec Two-Step (Central America) · Turkey Trots (Turkey) · Moroccan Mummy (Morocco) · Tourist Trot (Global) · The Runs (Global) · Gastro (Global)