Food poisoning happens when you eat or drink something contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins. In the United States alone, the CDC estimates around 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness each year.1
The tricky part? Symptoms can show up anywhere from 30 minutes to several days after eating contaminated food. This delay makes it hard to pinpoint exactly what made you sick.
Common culprits include undercooked meat and poultry, raw eggs, unpasteurized dairy, raw shellfish, and unwashed produce. The most frequent causes are norovirus, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria.1
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Available on the App StoreHere are the 10 symptoms to watch for if you suspect food poisoning.
1. Nausea
That queasy, unsettled feeling in your stomach is often the first warning sign. Nausea typically starts before vomiting and signals that your body has detected something harmful.
Your digestive system responds to contaminated food by slowing down stomach emptying. This protective mechanism gives your body time to assess the threat and decide whether to expel the contents.
If nausea persists, stick to clear fluids and avoid solid foods until the feeling passes. Ginger tea or small sips of water can help settle your stomach.
2. Vomiting
When nausea escalates, vomiting follows. Your body forcefully ejects stomach contents to get rid of harmful organisms or toxins. It’s unpleasant but effective.
Some people vomit just once or twice. Others experience repeated episodes over several hours. The intensity depends on what pathogen you ingested and how much contaminated food you consumed.
If you can’t keep down liquids for more than 24 hours, seek medical attention. Prolonged vomiting leads to dangerous dehydration.
3. Diarrhea
Loose, watery stools occurring three or more times in 24 hours indicate your intestines are inflamed and struggling to absorb water normally.2 Diarrhea is your body’s way of flushing out infectious agents.
You might also experience urgency, bloating, and cramping. These symptoms typically peak within the first day or two and gradually improve.
Staying hydrated becomes critical here. Drink water, broth, or oral rehydration solutions. Your urine should remain light yellow to clear. If it turns dark, you need more fluids.
Suggested read: 17 Foods and Drinks to Eat When You Have the Stomach Flu
4. Abdominal pain and cramps
Sharp, cramping pain in your midsection signals inflammation in your stomach and intestinal lining. These cramps intensify as your gut muscles contract to expel harmful substances.
The location of pain can vary. Some people feel discomfort around the navel. Others experience it lower in the abdomen, depending on which part of the digestive tract is most affected.
Cramps often come in waves, easing slightly between episodes of diarrhea or vomiting.
5. Fever
A body temperature above 100.4°F (38°C) means your immune system has activated its defenses. Fever makes your body a less hospitable environment for pathogens.
During an infection, your immune system releases pyrogens that signal your brain to raise body temperature. This elevated temperature helps white blood cells work more efficiently against invaders.2
A low-grade fever isn’t concerning on its own. But if your temperature exceeds 101.5°F (38.6°C) or lasts more than 24 hours, contact a healthcare provider.
6. Chills
Shivering and feeling cold even when the room is warm? That’s your body trying to generate heat through rapid muscle contractions. Chills typically accompany fever.
Pyrogens trick your brain into thinking your body temperature is too low, triggering the shiver response. Wrapping up in a blanket helps with comfort but won’t stop the underlying process.
Chills often alternate with sweating as your body struggles to regulate temperature during infection.
7. Weakness and fatigue
Feeling completely drained is normal during food poisoning. Your body diverts energy toward fighting the infection, leaving little for everyday activities.
Chemical messengers called cytokines play a role here. They coordinate your immune response but also trigger what researchers call “sickness behavior” — the overwhelming urge to rest and withdraw.3
Listen to your body. Sleep when you’re tired. Your immune system works most efficiently during rest.
8. Headache
Throbbing head pain often accompanies food poisoning, primarily due to dehydration. When you lose fluids through vomiting and diarrhea, blood volume drops and less oxygen reaches your brain.
Headaches worsen if you’re not replacing lost fluids adequately. The combination of dehydration, fatigue, and general malaise creates the perfect storm for head pain.
Keep sipping fluids even if you don’t feel thirsty. Electrolyte drinks help replenish what you’ve lost.
9. Muscle aches
Body-wide muscle soreness isn’t just from being stuck in bed. Your immune response causes it. When your body fights infection, it releases inflammatory substances that circulate throughout your system.3
Histamine dilates blood vessels to help white blood cells reach infected areas. But these inflammatory molecules also activate pain receptors in muscles, causing that all-over aching sensation.
Muscle aches typically resolve as the infection clears. Gentle stretching and staying hydrated can provide some relief.
10. Generally feeling unwell
Beyond specific symptoms, you simply feel sick. Loss of appetite, irritability, difficulty concentrating — these are all part of the package.
Your body sends clear signals to rest, avoid food, and isolate yourself. Evolutionarily, this response protected communities by keeping sick individuals away from food sources while they recovered.
Don’t force yourself to eat if you have no appetite. Once nausea subsides and your stomach settles, start with bland foods like toast, rice, or bananas.
When to see a doctor
Most food poisoning cases resolve within 24-48 hours without medical treatment. However, certain situations require professional attention:
- Bloody stool or vomit
- Fever above 101.5°F (38.6°C)
- Symptoms lasting more than three days
- Signs of severe dehydration (dark urine, dizziness, confusion)
- You’re pregnant, over 65, have a weakened immune system, or have a chronic condition
Young children and older adults face higher risks of complications from foodborne illness. Don’t hesitate to seek care if symptoms seem severe.
How to recover from food poisoning
Rest and hydration form the foundation of recovery. Your body needs fluids to replace what it’s lost and energy to fight the infection.
For the first 24 hours, stick to clear liquids — water, broth, electrolyte drinks. Avoid dairy, caffeine, and alcohol. Once vomiting stops, try bland foods in small amounts.
The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is gentle on recovering digestive systems. Gradually reintroduce normal foods as your appetite returns.
Probiotics may help restore healthy gut bacteria disrupted by the infection. Fermented foods like yogurt or supplements containing Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium species can support recovery once you’re able to tolerate food.
Prevention tips
The best approach is avoiding food poisoning altogether:
- Cook meat thoroughly — use a food thermometer to ensure safe internal temperatures. Check out our guide on how to tell if chicken is bad
- Wash produce — rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating
- Practice proper food storage — refrigerate perishables within two hours. Learn how long chicken lasts in the fridge
- Avoid cross-contamination — use separate cutting boards for raw meat and produce
- Check expiration dates — when in doubt, throw it out. Know how to tell if eggs are still good
- Wash hands frequently — especially before preparing food and after handling raw meat
The bottom line
Food poisoning symptoms range from mild discomfort to severe illness. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps are the hallmarks, often accompanied by fever, chills, and fatigue.
Most cases clear up on their own within a day or two. Focus on staying hydrated, resting, and letting your body do its job. Seek medical attention if symptoms are severe, persistent, or you’re in a high-risk group.
Suggested read: What is Cross-Contamination? How to Avoid Foodborne Illness
Prevention through proper food handling and storage remains your best defense against foodborne illness.
Scallan E, Hoekstra RM, Angulo FJ, et al. Foodborne illness acquired in the United States—major pathogens. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17(1):7-15. PubMed ↩︎ ↩︎
Switaj TL, Winter KJ, Christensen SR. Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illness. Am Fam Physician. 2015;92(5):358-365. PubMed ↩︎ ↩︎
Dantzer R. Cytokine, Sickness Behavior, and Depression. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2009;29(2):247-264. PubMed ↩︎ ↩︎
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