What causes stools to float. How can dietary changes affect stool buoyancy. When should floating stools be a cause for concern. What tests might a doctor recommend for persistent floating stools.

The Science Behind Floating Stools

Floating stools, while often a topic of concern for many individuals, are typically harmless and can be attributed to various factors. The primary reasons for stools that float are poor nutrient absorption (malabsorption) and excessive gas (flatulence) in the digestive system. To understand this phenomenon better, it’s crucial to examine the digestive process.

The journey of food through the digestive system begins in the stomach and continues into the small intestine. It is within the small intestine that nutrient absorption primarily occurs. Any unabsorbed material then passes into the colon, where most of the water is extracted from the food residue. Finally, this residue is eliminated from the body as feces.

Why do some stools float while others sink?

The buoyancy of stools is largely determined by their composition. Stools that contain more gas or fat tend to float, while denser stools are more likely to sink. The presence of gas in stools can be influenced by various factors, including diet, digestive health, and the balance of gut bacteria.

Common Causes of Floating Stools

While floating stools are generally not a cause for alarm, understanding their potential causes can provide valuable insights into one’s digestive health. Here are some of the most common reasons for floating stools:

• Dietary changes
• Increased gas production
• Malabsorption of nutrients
• Gastrointestinal infections
• Certain medical conditions

Can dietary changes cause floating stools?

Indeed, alterations in diet are one of the most frequent causes of floating stools. Consuming foods that increase gas production in the digestive system can lead to stools that float. Examples of such foods include:

• High-fiber vegetables
• Legumes
• Whole grains
• Carbonated beverages
• Artificial sweeteners

If you notice a change in your stool’s buoyancy after modifying your diet, it’s likely that the new foods you’ve introduced are the culprit.

Malabsorption and Floating Stools

Malabsorption occurs when the body fails to properly absorb nutrients from food. This condition can lead to floating, greasy stools that often have a foul odor. In severe cases of malabsorption, weight loss may also be observed.

What medical conditions can cause malabsorption?

Several medical conditions can interfere with nutrient absorption, potentially leading to floating stools:

1. Celiac disease
2. Crohn’s disease
3. Chronic pancreatitis
4. Cystic fibrosis
5. Short bowel syndrome

It’s important to note that while floating stools can be a symptom of these conditions, they are not diagnostic on their own. If you suspect malabsorption, consulting with a healthcare professional is advisable.

When to Be Concerned About Floating Stools

In most cases, floating stools are harmless and will resolve without treatment. However, there are instances when they may indicate an underlying health issue that requires medical attention.

What symptoms accompanying floating stools warrant medical consultation?

If you experience any of the following symptoms along with persistent floating stools, it’s advisable to seek medical advice:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Chronic diarrhea
• Blood in the stool
• Fever
• Dizziness
• Severe abdominal pain

These symptoms could indicate a more serious underlying condition that requires proper diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosing the Cause of Floating Stools

If you’re concerned about persistent floating stools, your healthcare provider will likely perform a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause. This process typically involves a combination of physical examination, medical history review, and potentially some diagnostic tests.

What questions might a doctor ask about floating stools?

During your office visit, your healthcare provider may inquire about the following:

• When you first noticed the floating stools
• The frequency of occurrence
• Your usual diet and any recent changes
• Other accompanying symptoms
• The odor and color of the stools

These questions help the doctor gather important information about your digestive health and potential causes of the floating stools.

What diagnostic tests might be recommended for floating stools?

Depending on your symptoms and medical history, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

1. Stool sample analysis
2. Blood tests to check for malabsorption or infections
3. Endoscopy or colonoscopy to examine the digestive tract
4. Imaging tests such as CT scans or MRI

It’s important to note that in many cases, extensive testing may not be necessary if the floating stools are not accompanied by other concerning symptoms.

Managing and Preventing Floating Stools

For most people, floating stools are a temporary issue that resolves on its own. However, there are steps you can take to manage and potentially prevent their occurrence.

How can dietary modifications help with floating stools?

If your floating stools are caused by dietary factors, making some adjustments to your eating habits may help:

• Identify and avoid foods that increase gas production
• Gradually increase fiber intake to allow your digestive system to adjust
• Stay hydrated to support proper digestion
• Consider keeping a food diary to track which foods may be causing issues

Remember that everyone’s digestive system is unique, so what works for one person may not work for another. It may take some trial and error to find the right dietary balance for you.

The Role of Gut Health in Stool Buoyancy

The health of your gut microbiome plays a significant role in digestion and can influence the characteristics of your stools, including their buoyancy. A balanced and diverse gut microbiome can contribute to more efficient digestion and nutrient absorption.

How can probiotics affect stool consistency and buoyancy?

Probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that support gut health, may help improve digestion and potentially affect stool consistency. Some ways probiotics might influence stool characteristics include:

• Enhancing nutrient absorption
• Reducing gas production
• Improving overall digestive function
• Helping to maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria

While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between probiotics and stool buoyancy, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is generally beneficial for digestive health.

Floating Stools in Different Age Groups

The occurrence and significance of floating stools can vary across different age groups. Understanding these differences can help in interpreting this digestive phenomenon more accurately.

Are floating stools more common in children or adults?

Floating stools can occur in both children and adults, but their significance may differ:

• In children: Floating stools are often normal and may be related to their diet or developing digestive system.
• In adults: While often harmless, persistent floating stools in adults may warrant closer attention, especially if accompanied by other symptoms.
• In older adults: Changes in stool characteristics, including buoyancy, may be more significant and could indicate underlying health issues.

Regardless of age, any persistent changes in bowel habits should be discussed with a healthcare provider to rule out potential health concerns.

Understanding the causes and implications of floating stools can help individuals make informed decisions about their digestive health. While often harmless, persistent floating stools accompanied by other symptoms may warrant medical attention. By maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and being attentive to changes in bowel habits, individuals can support their digestive health and overall well-being. Remember, every person’s digestive system is unique, and what’s normal for one individual may not be for another. When in doubt, consulting with a healthcare professional is always the best course of action for addressing concerns about digestive health.

Stools – floating Information | Mount Sinai

Floating stools

Stools that float are most often due to poor absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) or too much gas (flatulence).

Food passes from the stomach into the small intestine. In the small intestine all nutrient absorption occurs. Whatever has not been absorbed by the small intestine passes into the colon. In the colon most of the water is absorbed from the food residue. The residue is then eliminated from the body as feces.

Considerations

Most causes of floating stools are harmless. In most cases, floating stools will go away without treatment.

Floating stools alone are not a sign of an illness or other health problem.

Causes

Many things can cause floating stools. Most of the time, floating stools are due to what you eat. A change in your diet may cause an increase in gas. Increased gas in the stool allows it to float.

Floating stools may also happen if you have a gastrointestinal infection.

Floating, greasy stools that are foul smelling may be due to severe malabsorption, particularly if you are losing weight. Malabsorption means your body is not properly absorbing nutrients.

Most floating stools are not caused by an increase in the fat content of the stool. However, in some conditions, such as long-term (chronic) pancreatitis, the fat content is increased.

Home Care

If a change in diet has caused floating stools or other health problems, try to find which food is to blame. Avoiding this food may be helpful.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Tell your health care provider if you have changes in your stools or bowel movements. Contact your provider right away if you have bloody stools with weight loss, dizziness, and fever.

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms, such as:

• When did you first notice the floating stools?
• Does it happen all the time or from time to time?
• What is your usual diet?
• Does a change in your diet change your stools?
• Do you have other symptoms?
• Are the stools foul smelling?
• Are the stools an abnormal color (such as pale or clay-colored stools)?

A stool sample may be needed. Blood tests may be done. In most cases, however, these tests will not be needed.

Treatment depends on the specific diagnosis.

Höegenauer C, Hammer HF. Maldigestion and malabsorption. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 104.

Schiller LR, Sellin JH. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16.

Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 131.

Last reviewed on: 5/4/2022

Reviewed by: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Causes, is it normal, and when to see a doctor

Stool is denser than water and usually sinks, but it can float if it contains too much fiber, fat, or gas. This could stem from an infection, irritable bowel syndrome, and other health conditions.

If an individual’s stool floats often, it may be the result of their diet or a medical condition.

This article will provide information about some of the causes of floating stool. It will also discuss when a person’s stool indicates the need to seek guidance from a doctor.

Stool’s ability to float is usually related to air. A high fiber diet and gas can cause stool to float.

However, if a person’s stool never sinks, it may be an indication of an underlying health condition, such as:

• malabsorption
• a gastrointestinal (GI) infection
• pancreatitis

Excess fat in stool can also lead to floating stool. This can happen if a person consumes a large quantity of fat in their diet or if they have a condition that affects fat absorption, such as Crohn’s disease.

A diet high in fiber leads to increased bacterial fermentation during digestion. This produces more air, which can get trapped in stool, causing it to float.

Many high fiber foods, such as beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower, can cause gas. A 2020 study found that switching from a low fiber diet to a diet rich in fiber increased bloating, especially when the new diet was also rich in protein.

Some people also develop gas when they change their diet. If stool floats after an individual has eaten a new food or has switched to a new diet, gas could be the culprit.

Research from 2016 notes that 95% of adults and children in the United States do not consume enough fiber. Recommendations for fiber intake vary by age and sex.

Females aged 19–50 years should consume at least 25 grams (g) of fiber per day, while males in the same age group need at least 38 g of fiber daily.

GI infections can cause floating stool.

Some infections may cause gas, which can become trapped in the stool, lowering its density. In other cases, certain infections impair the body’s ability to absorb food, causing malabsorption. This can lead to fatty stools that float.

One example includes giardiasis. This is a parasitic infection that results in greasy stools that float.

Q:

What other GI infections can cause floating stool?

Anonymous

A:

Any GI infection can cause your stool to float, because the gas that the virus, bacterium, or parasite creates causes the stool to float. Other GI infection examples include those caused by Escherichia coli and Salmonella.

Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-CAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational, and people should not consider it to be medical advice.

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Some GI disorders can cause stool to float.

The authors of a 2015 study found that 26% of people with functional bowel disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia, had floating stools.

Additionally, 3% of those with functional GI disorders, which are a group of disorders that affect movement in the digestive tract, had floating stools.

For some individuals, floating stool may be the first warning sign of a GI or bowel problem. When floating stool occurs alongside other symptoms, such as pain, diarrhea, bloating, or constipation, it may signal an underlying GI issue.

According to research from 2021, floating stools are a symptom of a malabsorption syndrome. The stool may also be greasy and large and smell foul.

Examples of malabsorption syndromes that can lead to floating stool are fat malabsorption and carbohydrate malabsorption.

Fat malabsorption is one of the most common syndromes and can lead to steatorrhea. This is an increase of fat in stool, causing it to float. Although floating stool may be a sign of steatorrhea, a 2017 article observes that stool sticking to the toilet bowl is a more specific sign.

Steatorrhea can also occur due to a variety of malabsorption conditions, including small intestine disorders and liver and biliary disease.

Disorders that affect the small intestine can cause steatorrhea. People who have had a portion of their small intestine surgically removed, such as to treat Crohn’s disease, may also experience steatorrhea.

The liver produces bile, which helps the body digest food. When little or no bile reaches the intestines, it may result in a fatty stool. A person may also lose weight or develop diarrhea. Liver disease, blocked bile ducts, and gallstones may cause a fatty stool.

Carbohydrate malabsorption also causes stool to float. It occurs when a person’s body is unable to absorb starch, lactose, and sucrose. Carbohydrates that the body does not absorb ferment in the colon, leading to acidic stool, bloating, and flatulence. This gas can become trapped in the stool, causing it to float.

One important cause of carbohydrate malabsorption is lactose intolerance, which is the inability to metabolize lactose properly. This occurs when an individual’s digestive system produces too little of an enzyme known as lactase. It is also the most common cause of malabsorption.

People with lactose intolerance may experience bloating and diarrhea when they consume milk, cheese, or other dairy products.

As a 2017 article explains, some conditions affecting the pancreas can lead to a fatty stool due to fat malabsorption. Malabsorption can occur when the pancreatic enzymes or bile does not travel in sufficient quantities to the small intestine.

The result is a fatty stool that may float or be difficult to flush. The stool may also be white or very pale. Additionally, a person may notice that they have very dark urine.

Floating stool can also occur as a result of pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis.

Pancreatic cancer causes stool that is greasy and light in color. A person may also experience itchy skin, poor appetite, and weight loss, among other symptoms.

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It can lead to pain in the upper abdomen that may also spread to the back. Additionally, a person may experience:

• fever
• a fast heartbeat
• nausea
• vomiting
• a swollen abdomen

It is not possible to diagnose conditions affecting the pancreas based on a person’s symptoms alone. Pancreatic disorders are serious, so it is essential to get help and treatment as soon as possible.

Floating stools are not usually a cause for concern, as they can result from gas being trapped in the stool and from a high fiber diet. However, if the symptom persists, a person may wish to contact a doctor.

It is advisable to seek guidance from a healthcare professional if:

• a floating stool also looks very fatty or greasy, and the symptom persists
• a person experiences chronic constipation or diarrhea
• the stool is very light or pale
• a person begins losing weight unintentionally
• a person with an underlying medical condition develops changes in their bowel habits
• a person has very dark urine

If an individual suspects that they have pancreatitis, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible, especially if the following symptoms occur:

• pain that begins in the upper abdomen that:
  • begins slowly or suddenly
  • spreads to the back
  • is mild or severe
  • lasts for several days
• fever
• vomiting
• nausea
• a swollen abdomen
• a fast heartbeat

Stool is the body’s way of eliminating waste, and it typically reflects a person’s diet. Floating stool, changes in stool color, and other temporary changes in bowel habits are usually not a sign of a serious medical condition.

However, a person should contact a doctor if symptoms persist or get worse. A doctor can do a variety of tests to reach a diagnosis.

Read this article in Spanish.

It’s embarrassing to talk about, but you need to know: how to understand if your intestines are working properly

• Health

People are very embarrassed to talk about problems of the intestines and natural functions. And going to the doctor to solve delicate problems is far from being solved. Therefore, serious pathologies of the colon are so common.

September 4, 2022

Source:

iStockphoto

When a doctor asks you to describe your stool, many people simply get lost and cannot give a clear answer. Meanwhile, gastroenterologists and proctologists have well-defined criteria for the norm and pathology regarding physiological functions.

Based on the data on stool changes, conclusions can be drawn about which digestive organ is suffering. For example, discoloration of the stool is a sign of hepatitis or lesions of the biliary tract. In more detail about the toilet theme, “Doctor Peter” talked with Vera Samsonova, a therapist, a gastroenterologist.

What is not assimilated during digestion

The process of digestion is accompanied by the formation of particles of undigested and undigested food, stool is formed – residues as a result of enzyme processing, absorption of nutrients and compounds necessary for the body.

After the intestines have taken everything that the body needs from food, a compacted, formed mass remains at the exit – feces. They form in the lower colon, reach the rectum, and are expelled to the outside. Ideally, this should take place daily in the morning, before or after breakfast. But individual differences are allowed.

Read also

About regularity

Depending on the activity of peristalsis and the type of food taken, the process of digestion from the start to the end point can last from 24 to 48 hours. The rate of passage of food masses depends on the amount of food eaten, the level of fiber in it, water intake and your activity.

The more fiber and water in the diet, the more actively you move, the more frequent the stool. The normal rhythm of bowel movements is from daily, up to 2-3 times a day, to a frequency of three times a week. But there is one “but” – the chair should move away without any discomfort.

About volume

Healthy people excrete on average about 100-200 g of digestive waste per day. With an increase in the volume, the so-called polyfecal matter, problems with the stomach, liver, and pancreas must be excluded. It is these organs that are responsible for the most complete assimilation of food. A decrease in stool volume is most often the result of prolonged constipation, slowing down the passage of food through the intestines with dehydration of food masses in the colon.

There are also warning signs that require a visit to the doctor:

• pale voluminous stool floating on the surface of the water;

• stool that sticks to the sides of the toilet and is difficult to wash off.

Most often, these signs indicate the presence of a large amount of fat in the stool, which may indicate chronic pancreatitis, hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver, biliary tract disease, or the presence of ulcerative colitis. Steatorrhea is the presence of fat in the stool, a sign that nutrient absorption is impaired and treatment is needed.

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About color

With a mixed diet, the color of feces is brown, which is associated with the presence of stercobilin in the residues. This is a product of the metabolism of hemoglobin and bilirubin, formed by intestinal bacteria during the passage of food masses through the intestines. But the color of the stool can significantly affect the food, drinks and drugs, vitamins that we take. The most common variations are:

• Light brown color when eating herbal products.

• Light yellow – high consumption of dairy products.

• Greenish – if the diet has a lot of spinach, sorrel, greens.

• Reddish – eating too much tomatoes, pork, beets.

• Brown-black – a lot of meat in the diet, eating blueberries, black currants.

The presence of plant skins, seeds or corn kernels in the stool is acceptable if you have eaten a lot of plant foods. But if the stool is significantly different from the usual one, this is a reason for a visit to the doctor.

Pathological changes:

• A greenish-yellow color usually associated with loose stools and diarrhoea.

• Black stool – the presence of bleeding in the digestive tract.

• Gray-white stools – problems with the flow of bile into the intestines.

• Blood in the stool is a sign of serious pathologies.

Read also

Bristol feces scale – there is such a

It is difficult to subjectively assess the consistency of the stool, and this is important for the diagnosis of various diseases. To help the doctor and the people themselves who seek help, experts have developed the Bristol stool scale – it allows you to assess the consistency of the stool and give the specialist an understanding of the problem. This scale distinguishes seven types of shape and consistency of feces.

• 1 — fragmented dense fragments, sheep balls.

• 2 — sausage-shaped, dense, lumpy.

• 3 – decorated, sausage with rare cracks.

• 4 – formed, smooth, without lumps.

• 5 – soft, lumpy.

• 6 – lumpy, loose, voluminous.

• 7 – loose, watery stools.

Standard options include 3-5 types. On this scale, types 1 and 2 indicate constipation, and types 6 and 7 indicate diarrheal diseases. If it is difficult for you to describe your problem, you can give numbers in a conversation with a doctor – this will help the specialist understand you better.

Text author:Alena Paretskaya

CAUTION: CHOLERA! (reminder for the population)

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused when a bacterium, vibrio cholerae, enters the digestive organs.

The source of the disease and the mechanism of transmission. The source of infection is a person with a typical form, as well as an asymptomatic form, a convalescent (recovering person) and a healthy carrier.

Infection occurs mainly when drinking non-disinfected water, swallowing water while swimming in polluted water bodies, while washing. Infection can occur when eating food contaminated during cooking, storing, washing or distributing it, especially foods that are not subjected to heat treatment (shellfish, shrimp, dried and lightly salted fish). Contact-household (through contaminated hands) transmission route is possible. By the fecal-oral route, Vibrio cholerae enters the intestine and causes inflammation, which causes the main clinical symptoms.

Main symptoms. The incubation period lasts from several hours to 5 days, usually 1-2 days. The severity of the disease varies from an asymptomatic form to severe conditions with severe dehydration and death within 1-2 days. A typical clinical picture of cholera is characterized by: acute onset, diarrhea: copious stools from 3 to 30 per day; characteristic stool: mushy or liquid feces, first white-gray, then colorless, odorless and blood impurities, with floating flakes. All this is reminiscent of “rice water”. There is usually no pain in the abdomen. Vomiting is also characteristic: sudden, frequent, fountain, first eaten food, then liquid like “rice water”. Temperature increase: usually absent, in severe cases, the temperature is lowered to 35-35.5 ° C. (feature – only children can have an increase in body temperature). Further, dehydration develops: thirst, dryness of the mucous membranes and skin, sharpened facial features, sunken eyes, weakness, lethargy, impaired consciousness, coma. The amount of urine decreases until it disappears. There are cramps of masticatory and calf muscles, shortness of breath. The most common complication of cholera is currently pneumonia.

Treatment. If cholera is suspected, the patient must be hospitalized.