How much does a normal bowel movement weigh. What is the relationship between pooping and weight loss. How does fiber intake affect bowel regularity and overall health. What factors influence the frequency and consistency of bowel movements.

The Science Behind Bowel Movement Weight

Many people wonder about the weight of their bowel movements and how it might affect their overall body weight. According to Mitzi Dulan, RD, author of The Pinterest Diet, the weight of a single bowel movement can vary significantly. “Depending on your size and how regular you are, your poop can vary from one to four pounds,” she explains. This variation is influenced by several factors, including diet, hydration, and frequency of bowel movements.

But what exactly makes up the weight of our waste? Let’s break it down:

• Water: Approximately 75% of fecal matter is water
• Bacteria
• Mucous
• Dead blood cells
• Undigested food particles

Understanding the composition of bowel movements can help us appreciate the complex processes of our digestive system and the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Debunking the Myth: Does Pooping Cause Weight Loss?

Many people experience a feeling of lightness after a bowel movement, leading to the question: does pooping actually contribute to weight loss? While it’s true that you may feel lighter and more comfortable after using the bathroom, the actual impact on your body weight is minimal.

The weight you lose from a bowel movement is primarily due to the elimination of waste and water, not a reduction in body fat or muscle mass. This weight fluctuation is temporary and doesn’t reflect true weight loss in terms of body composition changes.

To put it into perspective, consider this: even if a bowel movement weighs up to four pounds, it’s not a significant amount when compared to your overall body weight. The number on the scale naturally fluctuates throughout the day due to various factors, including hydration levels, food intake, and yes, bowel movements.

The Connection Between Bloating and Bowel Movements

While pooping may not lead to substantial weight loss, it can significantly impact how you feel and look, particularly in relation to bloating. Bloating occurs when the digestive system traps air or gas, causing discomfort and a visibly distended abdomen.

After a bowel movement, many people experience relief from bloating, which can create the illusion of weight loss. As Dulan explains, “Pooping can reduce bloating and help you fit more comfortably in your clothes so you feel smaller overall.” This reduction in bloating can make a noticeable difference in how your clothes fit and how you perceive your body, even if the actual weight change is minimal.

Tips for Managing Bloating

1. Stay hydrated to promote regular bowel movements
2. Incorporate probiotic-rich foods into your diet
3. Avoid foods that commonly cause gas, such as beans and carbonated beverages
4. Practice stress-reduction techniques, as stress can exacerbate bloating
5. Exercise regularly to stimulate digestion and reduce bloating

The Role of Fiber in Digestive Health and Weight Management

While the direct link between pooping and weight loss may be minimal, there’s an important indirect connection through fiber intake. Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, a nutritionist at B Nutritious, emphasizes the importance of fiber in both digestive health and weight management.

How does fiber contribute to digestive wellness and potential weight loss? Consider these points:

• Fiber promotes regular bowel movements by stimulating the GI tract
• A high-fiber diet can help prevent constipation
• Fiber-rich foods are often nutrient-dense and lower in calories
• Fiber helps you feel full and satisfied, potentially reducing overall calorie intake
• Some studies suggest that fiber may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, especially colon cancer
• Fiber can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol

To incorporate more fiber into your diet, focus on consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Zeitlin recommends that women aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day for optimal health benefits.

Tracking Weight Loss: Best Practices and Considerations

If you’re monitoring your weight as part of a health or fitness journey, it’s important to approach weigh-ins with consistency and context. Dulan suggests weighing yourself at similar times in the morning, without clothes, to minimize variables that could affect the scale reading.

When it comes to bowel movements and weigh-ins, Dulan advises, “If you have to go to the bathroom, go ahead because it will lower the scale a little bit. But if you don’t need to poop, don’t sit on the toilet trying to go so you weigh less. It won’t be a substantial difference.”

Tips for Accurate Weight Tracking

• Weigh yourself at the same time each day, preferably in the morning
• Use the same scale consistently
• Wear minimal or no clothing during weigh-ins
• Consider tracking your weight as a weekly average rather than focusing on daily fluctuations
• Remember that weight is just one measure of health and fitness

Factors Affecting Bowel Movement Frequency and Consistency

The frequency and consistency of bowel movements can vary greatly from person to person. While some individuals may have a bowel movement daily, others may go several times a day or only a few times a week. What factors influence these patterns?

• Diet: The types and amounts of food you consume play a crucial role
• Hydration: Adequate water intake is essential for healthy bowel function
• Physical activity: Regular exercise can stimulate digestion
• Stress levels: High stress can disrupt normal digestive processes
• Medications: Certain drugs can affect bowel movement patterns
• Medical conditions: Various health issues can impact digestive function

Understanding these factors can help you maintain regular bowel movements and overall digestive health. If you experience significant changes in your bowel habits or persistent digestive issues, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional.

The Dangers of Excessive Fiber Intake

While fiber is undoubtedly beneficial for digestive health and weight management, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Consuming excessive amounts of fiber can lead to various gastrointestinal issues and potentially interfere with nutrient absorption.

According to research from Duke University, regularly consuming more than 70 grams of fiber per day may result in:

• Bloating
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Decreased appetite
• Reduced nutrient absorption

To avoid these potential side effects, it’s crucial to increase fiber intake gradually and stay within the recommended range of 25 to 30 grams per day for women. If you’re considering a significant increase in your fiber consumption, it’s advisable to consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider.

Balancing Fiber Intake for Optimal Health

To maintain a healthy balance of fiber in your diet:

1. Introduce high-fiber foods gradually to allow your digestive system to adjust
2. Drink plenty of water to help fiber move through your digestive tract
3. Choose a variety of fiber sources, including both soluble and insoluble fiber
4. Pay attention to how your body responds to different fiber-rich foods
5. Consider keeping a food diary to track your fiber intake and any digestive symptoms

The Impact of Digestive Health on Overall Wellness

Maintaining a healthy digestive system goes beyond regular bowel movements and can significantly impact your overall well-being. A well-functioning digestive tract is crucial for nutrient absorption, immune function, and even mental health.

How does digestive health contribute to overall wellness?

• Nutrient absorption: Proper digestion ensures your body receives essential nutrients from food
• Immune function: A large portion of the immune system is located in the gut
• Mental health: The gut-brain axis plays a role in mood and cognitive function
• Energy levels: Efficient digestion can lead to improved energy and vitality
• Skin health: Digestive issues can manifest as skin problems
• Hormone balance: The gut influences hormone production and regulation

By prioritizing digestive health through proper nutrition, hydration, and lifestyle habits, you can support your body’s overall functioning and potentially improve various aspects of your health.

Strategies for Promoting Digestive Wellness

1. Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
2. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day
3. Manage stress through relaxation techniques or mindfulness practices
4. Engage in regular physical activity to stimulate digestion
5. Consider incorporating probiotic-rich foods or supplements into your diet
6. Limit processed foods, excessive alcohol, and smoking
7. Listen to your body and address digestive discomfort promptly

By implementing these strategies and maintaining awareness of your digestive health, you can work towards optimal overall wellness and potentially improve various aspects of your daily life.

Does Pooping Cause Weight Loss? What RDs Want You To Know About Poop

Anyone who has ever hit the bathroom at Target or Barnes & Noble to emerge a new person has probably wondered (beyond “What is it about this place?”) whether pooping actually affects weight loss.

It’s a fair question. A nice, productive poop (I think you know what I’m talking about without me having to describe) can make you feel lighter and leaner and more comfortable in your jeans. Being “stuck” (a.k.a. constipated) makes you feel…the opposite. But is that lighter feeling after pooping real?

Turns out, it can be—but only a bit, says Mitzi Dulan, RD, author of The Pinterest Diet. “It’s actually fairly simple,” she says. “Depending on your size and how regular you are, your poop can vary from one to four pounds. It’s likely to be on the higher end if you haven’t pooped for a few days.”

Wait…

how much does poop weigh?

If you’re thinking, “Four pounds, seriously?!” I get it. ..that’s not exactly a small amount if you’re struggling to lose weight. But you have to remember that your poo is made up of some pretty heavy stuff: Specifically, it’s about 75 percent water, per UMass Memorial Healthcare, with the rest being composed of bacteria, mucous, dead blood cells, and duh, food remains.

That said, you have to think big picture here. Even four pounds isn’t a significant amount of weight at the end of the day, since the number on the scale will consistently swing up and down as your bowel movements do. In other words, when you’re backed up, your weight will increase a bit, and after you relieve yourself, it’ll drop.

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Either way, pooping won’t affect your weight in any huge way—even if it does feel like you just dropped 10 pounds. That amazing feeling is more about de-bloating than actual loss of body mass. Sorry!

Oh, tell me more about weight loss versus de-bloating.

Bloating is that awful, uncomfortable, full feeling that strikes when your digestive system has trapped air or gas inside it, and it can be downright painful, not to mention make you look puffy AF. Even though your stomach might appear bigger when you’re bloated, bloating doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve gained actual weight (in terms of body mass).

“Pooping can reduce bloating and help you fit more comfortably in your clothes so you feel smaller overall,” says Dulan. “It’s not like after you poop you should be saying, ‘This is my new weight!’”

“Pooping can reduce bloating and help you fit more comfortably in your clothes so you feel smaller…”

If you’re trying to track weight loss, Dulan suggests weighing yourself at similar times in the morning, sans clothes, to avoid letting your poops (or lack thereof) trick the scale. “If you have to go to the bathroom, go ahead because it will lower the scale a little bit,” she says. “But if you don’t need to poop, don’t sit on the toilet trying to go so you weigh less. It won’t be a substantial difference.”

Ah, so what affects my ability to poop?

While the direct connection between pooping and weight loss is minimal (again, sorry!), there is one aspect of the link that you can use to your benefit: “Eating a diet that’s higher in fiber causes you to not only be more regular, but it can also help you lose weight,” says Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, a nutritionist at B Nutritious.

How so? Stocking up on enough fiber throughout your day helps push food through your system to avoid constipation before it starts. “It actually stimulates your GI tract to promote movement,” says Zeitlin. Beyond that, a high-fiber diet may help ward off certain cancers, especially that of the colon, and help regulate blood sugar and reduce cholesterol, studies show.

And when it comes to your weight, fiber fills you up like few nutrients can. “Fiber is found in three things: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains,” says Zeitlin. “If you’re incorporating fiber at every meal and snack, you’re making sure you’re eating one of these fabulous foods that promote weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. In addition, you’re probably removing other things that aren’t as great [from your diet].”

Speaking of things that aren’t as great for your diet, here’s how J.Lo and A-Rod pulled off a no-sugar challenge:

That said, don’t overdo it on the F word: Zeitlin recommends women aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, because getting much more than that can not only constipate you but cause other GI distress symptoms, too.

According to Duke University, regularly consuming more than 70 grams of fiber may lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea, cramps, and a decrease in appetite. Eating too much fiber can also limit nutrient absorption and even cause intestinal blockages (that’s pretty serious stuff).

To get a healthy amount of fiber every day, try having a cup of a high-fiber food as part of your breakfast, like a cup of berries with Greek yogurt (it’s high in probiotics, which “promote healthy GI bacteria to help move things along,” says Zeitlin). You should also aim to eat two fistfuls of veggies at both lunch and dinner to keep your digestive system—and your weight—as regular as possible.

Oh, and don’t forget about all the other stuff you do all day that affects how often you poop (fiber is just one piece of the puzzle!). As WH previously reported, you might find yourself pooping less frequently if you:

• don’t drink enough water
• forget to manage your stress levels
• change your schedule or travel frequently (hi, vacation constipation)
• experience hormonal changes (thanks to PMS, pregnancy, or menopause)
• take certain OTC or prescription medications
• change up your diet or caloric intake
• don’t engage in regular physical activity

Of course, the reverse of all these factors is true, too; some medications can make you poop more often, as can your overall activity/hydration/caffeine levels. It’s all one big balancing act.

So how do I find my “normal”?

If you’re hoping for an exact number of bowel movements that’s considered “healthy” or “normal,” so sorry (gosh, I keep apologizing here). There is no one number, because the range of normal varies from person to person. Anywhere from three times a day to once every three days is generally considered healthy, so as long as you fall somewhere along that spectrum (and aren’t experiencing anything painful or out of the ordinary), you’re good.

Now, if you are experiencing something painful or out of the ordinary, you should contact your doctor. Depending on the issue, he or she may refer you to a gastroenterologist. According to Penn Medicine, having the following symptoms for any extended period of time (i.e. more than a few days) warrants a phone call or visit:

• consistently off-colored poop (like pale, red, or black stool) or color changes not related to new dietary habits
• sudden changes to the frequency of your bowel movements
• bloody stool
• severe abdominal pain while pooping
• poop that floats (which can be a sign of infection)
• poop that smells unusual or especially odorous

The bottom line? It’s important to know that a slowdown in your regular bathroom habits may make you feel like you’ve gained a bunch of weight, but that’s really not the case. A combination of bloating and discomfort—along with a couple extra pounds of poop—can make the situation seem more dire than it actually is.

When you do finally go, you’ll feel lighter than air…but you’ll still only weigh a leeeettle less than before. So if weight loss is your goal, you’ll need to think outside the bathroom—good thing WH is here for that!

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How Much Poop Weighs & How to Lose Weight Farting & Pooping

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Have you ever weighed yourself before and then after taking a dump?

Of course you have! Who hasn’t? The best part is seeing the scale budge in your favor after dropping the kids off at the pool.

So it stands to reason that if you could poop more, you’d lose weight, right? Same for farting — gas has mass, after all. Could pooping and farting be legit weight-loss secrets, or is it all just a lot of hot air?

How much your poop weighs

To find out how much our stool adds to the scale, researchers (serious poop researchers do exist, folks) collected samples from people living in 12 different countries to get a comprehensive overview.

They discovered that poop weighs between 2.5oz and 1lb, on average.

Unsurprisingly, Westernized populations have the lowest poop weights, thanks to a severe lack of fiber that comes with a fast-food diet. Western samples only averaged between 3-4oz, which isn’t nearly enough to make a difference in your skinny jeans.

How much do farts weigh? And how do you even weigh farts?

Very, very carefully. Gastroenterologists in England tried to determine a fart’s weight by giving study participants 200g of baked beans in addition to their normal diet. Even scientists know beans are a magical fruit. To measure the toots these beans are known for, they used rectal catheters over the course of 24 hours, which raises serious concerns about the mental stability of the participants.

Despite the method, the data collected may surprise you more.

Scientists learned that the farts weighed between 16-50oz per day. That’s right: You’re holding as much gas in your system as a small Sweetums soda. And in case you’re wondering (you’re obviously wondering), “Women and men expelled equivalent amounts,” according to science.

Can you lose weight by pooping and farting more?

Now that you know how much poops and farts weigh, is it possible to incorporate this info into your New Year’s resolution? Adina Pearson, RDN, says, “Yes, if you weighed yourself before and after a bowel movement, you would weigh less after.” Unfortunately, she also says you won’t “be slimmer or have less mass on your visible body.”

So what happens if you try to poop more?

Pearson points out that while upping your water and fiber intake increases your bowel movements and ensures healthy digestion, naturally expelling more poo doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be shedding extra pounds.

Pooping to lose weight is actually a really bad idea

Of course, there are those out there who see “poop can weigh a pound” and will try to up their poop game by taking laxatives. Bad idea. Robert Herbst, an 18-time world-champion powerlifter and one of the drug-testing supervisors at the Rio Olympics, says laxative-driven weight loss happens even at the highest levels of sport, and it isn’t pretty.

Herbst confirms that dropping a deuce will in fact budge the number on the scale, though it won’t alter your body composition or muscle percentage, saying, “One pound in does not guarantee one [pound] out,” because food is metabolized differently. Certain foods are absorbed more efficiently, while others pass right through (looking at you, corn).

So while a pound of lettuce may work its way out to the porcelain water slide, a pound of pie will most likely stick to your thighs. Pooping isn’t a total elimination of all the calories you eat, since that wouldn’t make any sense. Your body needs energy, so it’s not going to shit it all out.

On top of that, Herbst’s experience monitoring weigh-ins taught him that no one’s going to see Biggest Loser-type results. He says you may see a 5lb drop (if that), depending on how much you currently weigh. If you’re a big dude, you’re going to expel more in weight and volume because you’re already eating more.

The majority of people will only be able to look forward to a mere 1-2lb difference (at most) if you’re an active person. Those losses aren’t worth canceling your gym membership, and in extreme cases, excessive laxative use can lead to all sorts of nasty medical complications.

So does this mean pooping all the time won’t help me lose weight?

Sadly, that’s exactly what it means. Laxatives, pooping, and farting won’t help you lose enough weight to show off a sexy before-and-after picture transformation on Instagram.

Sure, you’ll notice less bloating and a few pounds missing from the scale, but these losses probably won’t stick around any longer than the corn you just ate.

There’s no lazy way around losing weight; focus on eating a balanced diet and get your ass exercising a few times a week. Boring advice is sometimes the best advice, though no one’s stopping you from claiming your disgusting gas is your favored strategy for losing weight.

Though Herbst acknowledges that laxatives will definitely help you clean out what’s in your digestive tract, they’re not a solid long-term option. In short, don’t use laxatives to lose weight.

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Devan Ciccarelli is a writer and marketing specialist who always appreciates a courtesy flush. To keep this sh!t train going, follow her on Twitter @DevanCiccarelli.

Do You Lose Weight When You Poop?

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OK, we know you’ve wondered if pooping can actually shed pounds—it’s a fair thought, since you do often feel less bloated and lighter letting it out. Yet, can you actually lose weight? As in drop a few pounds from one poop? We’d like to hope so, right?

We were curious, too, so we asked experts if pooping can lead to weight loss. Here’s what they have to say about it.

Yes, You Do Lose a Little Bit of Weight

You can lose weight from pooping, but it’s very, very slight. “Most stool weighs about 100 grams or 0.25 pounds. This can vary based on a person’s size and bathroom frequency. That said, poop is made up of about 75% water, so going to the bathroom gives off a little bit of water weight,” says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD. But it’s not like you’re going to fit in clothes the next size down.

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If you were to weigh yourself before and after pooping, the weight change on the scale would reflect the weight of the stool, which also contains protein, undigested fat, bacteria, and undigested food residues.

Of course (and unfortunately), this doesn’t mean you’ve lost weight. Well, at least not the weight that really matters to most of us—as in the type that means you’ve lost body fat.

“Your true weight is based on your body stores, and only decreases when your energy intake is less than the energy you’re burning,” says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT. Meaning, of course, your weight changes when you eat differently and you exercise more. So the weight loss from pooping is incredibly temporary.

Weight Loss Can Vary Based on the Person

What’s more, poop can vary in how much it weighs based on how often you poop and on what each poop is like. “Some people only go to the bathroom every few days, and this can cause your stool to weigh more,” Rizzo says, for example. The weight of your poop also depends on your body size and your food and water intake. “For example, those who eat less fiber tend to have less heavy poops,” adds Martin.

What Can Pooping Help With?

Pooping isn’t a legitimate weight loss approach, but it is a necessary, important, and normal bodily function that can make us feel a little lighter immediately after doing it (here’s how to tell it it’s healthy). “This lighter and trimmer feeling is more about the de-bloating than loss of actual body mass,” says Martin.

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Having a bowel movement can help relieve bloat by not only ridding some of that solid mass (aka poop) in your GI tract but also allowing trapped gas to escape. “When your stool is backed up in the large intestine, it can cause that uncomfortable bloated feeling. Plus, intestinal gas gets trapped behind it, only adding to the bloat,” says Martin.

Tips For Being Regular

If you go more than your pal, or vice versa, don’t freak out. “Frequency can vary from person to person. Some people go twice a day and some people go every other day. As long as what is normal for you stays the same most days, then that’s perfectly fine,” says Rizzo.

Staying hydrated (“drink enough every day so your urine is pale yellow,” says Rizzo) and exercising both help you stay regular. And it’s essential to eat fiber-rich foods like legumes, fruits, veggies and whole grains, says Rizzo. Start with these incredibly easy ways to get more fiber—that also happen to really taste good (time to let go of the idea that high-fiber foods taste like cardboard).

You should be getting 30 grams of fiber a day, and it’s easier than you think. Use this plan to get it all in throughout the day, while eating normal, good foods—even from your favorite fast casual spots.

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Do You Lose Weight When You Poop?

If you’ve stepped on the scale before and after a big poop to see how much weight you just unloaded, you’re not the only one.

Technically speaking, your total body weight will change when you poop. But will you “lose weight” (aka body fat) by pooping more, or more often? Nope.

You might feel lighter and more comfortable after going. Especially if you’re constipated or bloated.

About 16 percent of adults have symptoms of constipation — aka fewer than three bowel movements a week, hard or dry stools, stools that are painful to pass, or bowels that feel less-than-empty afterward.

Read on for the straight poop about poop and weight.

It’s practically impossible to estimate how much stool is in a person’s body at a particular moment. It depends on how much they’ve eaten, how hydrated they are, how often they go to the bathroom, etc.

How much poop weighs can vary for many reasons, but scientists have done the calculations and apparently the average healthy adult poops 128 grams a day (about a quarter pound). The average person has 1.2 bowel movements in a 24-hour period.

These stats vary wildly from person to person. In the scientific review mentioned above, individual poop weights ranged from 5 to 1,505 grams per day.

Fiber intake seemed to have the biggest impact on fecal mass (more fiber, more poop). Body weight, gender, and calorie intake also seem to impact fecal mass.

Digestion begins with chewing. Next, food moves down the esophagus into the stomach, where stomach acids and digestive enzymes break it down further.

From there it moves into the small intestine, where more digestive juice is added. Along the way, starches, carbohydrates, and proteins break down.

The pancreas adds pancreatic juice to the mix, and the liver adds bile for fat digestion. As food moves through the small intestine, the body absorbs water and nutrients.

Like the small intestine, the large intestine moves its contents through the system with rhythmic muscle contractions called peristalsis. The large intestine contains all that good bacteria that helps finish digesting your food.

Throughout this trek, more water and nutrients are absorbed from the mixture until solid stool is left in the lower section of the bowel, ready to be pooped out.

The whole process is orchestrated by hormones and nerves in the digestive system. It’s almost elegant, right? But if the choreography is stalled or out of rhythm (like with constipation and bloating), you may not be feeling the elegance.

Some people are more likely to be constipated, including:

• women who are pregnant or have just given birth
• older adults
• non-Caucasians
• peeps lacking dietary fiber
• having functional gastrointestinal disorders

It should take food 3 to 5 days to make its way completely through your body.

Typical poop is 75 percent water and 25 percent solid. The solid matter is about 30 percent dead bacteria, 30 percent indigestible food matter, 10 to 20 percent cholesterol and fat, 10 to 20 percent inorganic material, and 2 to 3 percent protein.

Does this diet make my tummy look full?

The composition of your diet can definitely impact how much and how often you go. (More fiber, more poop, remember?) Diets that recommend a higher volume of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains will increase fecal output because of all that healthy fiber.

On the other hand, diets that prioritize high protein foods over high fiber foods will likely slow down your pipes and lead to constipation.

As with any restrictive diet, short-term weight loss is possible, but it’s probably not related to how much you poop.

If you just ate a giant meal, it might temporarily feel like you swallowed a beach ball. If you have that feeling a lot, consider whether bloating (usually caused by gas in the digestive system) is your problem.

Review the signs of constipation above. Constipation and bloating often go hand in hand. Other causes of bloating include irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis, and gynecological problems.

When you identify the cause and get some relief from bloating, your pants will feel looser and you’ll be more comfortable in your body. Hallelujah!

Surely you must have lost weight? Probably not. It’s just another one of those biological things that makes being a radiant being in a meat suit feel different from day to day.

Consistency is a key factor for poop health. If your poo is solid (but not too hard) and you go every few days (up to a few times a day), you’re probably doing fine.

However, if it’s hard to go and you feel constantly bloated, it may be time to ask your doctor what’s up.

And ditch the laxatives! Overuse of laxatives to lose weight is a dangerous purging behavior in people with eating disorders.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association, laxative abuse causes loss of water, electrolytes, and minerals, but not calories or body fat. And it can lead to renal inflammation, cardiac arrest, seizures, tachycardia, and muscle breakdown.

Being part of a body image-obsessed culture can make you do weird things. Like contemplate the weight of your poop and how it impacts your total body weight.

You might as well weigh the hair that clogs your shower drain. While poop weight and hair shedding won’t tell you much about changes in the shape and size of your body, they can be indicators of general health and wellbeing.

So, go ahead and think about how healthy your poop is. Add water, fiber, and exercise to get your bowels moving right.

This Is How Much Weight You Lose While Having A Poo

Given that December ended with you pledging yourself to the gym, and now January has finished and the only exercise you’ve done is lifting chicken wings to your mouth, you’re probably scrambling for a get-fit-quick option that requires no effort and no change in your diet.

It’s unfortunate, really, because there isn’t one. But let’s face it, rather than working up a sweat, killing your legs and throwing your self two squats away from a stroke, it’s preferable to sit on the sofa watching Alan Partridge re-runs, twiddling your nipples and wondering why you’re not ripped yet. So here you are.

You can take solace in one thing though. Because if you look at it scientifically you lose weight on a daily basis. It’s often overlooked how much weight you drop while having a poo.

I’m not kidding here, you actually do shed some weight dropping the kids off at the pool, and, if it’s a tough one, the kind where you catch yourself in the bathroom mirror with your fists clenched and face beetroot red, then you’re also sweating out additional weight.

It’s obviously not a huge amount that you’ll lose, but hey, if you set your goals low, then when you step off the throne and on to the scales feeling good about yourself.

Don’t poo for a week and then squeeze it all out in one sitting and you’ll feel really good about yourself.

A lot of important research has gone into this important subject. Researchers at the University of Cambridge went about collected data on stool weight from 20 populations in 12 countries when trying to find a correlation between the weight and risk of colon cancer. When the paper was published they found that your average deuce weighed between 2.5oz and one pound.

However, with the recent trend of people eating high fiber foods, shed loads of protein, as well as lots more fast food, Positive Med reported that at any given time a turd can weigh between one and four pounds.

Adina Pearson, RDN told Thrillist the words we all wanted to hear: “Yes, if you weighed yourself before and after a bowel movement, you would weigh less after,” but then followed it up with the words we didn’t want to hear, saying: “[but you] be slimmer or have less mass on your visible body. “

Unfortunately, if now you’re planning on downing a jar of curry sauce, along with raw eggs and a few laxatives, in order to poo your way to way to a glorious number on your scales, think on.

Though it’s a technique used by some at even the highest levels of sport, laxative-driven weight loss isn’t pretty and can have disastrous effects on the likes of the esophagus, gastrointestinal system, kidneys, skin and cardiovascular system.

So yeah, as you were wondering, turns out you do lose weight when you shit.

Is It Possible This Guy Took a 15-Pound Poop?

It’s recently come to our attention that some men enjoy the scholarly pursuit of weighing themselves before and after taking a big ol’ dump. Particularly enthralled by a discussion of “what’s the heaviest shit you’ve ever taken” on r/AskMen, we decided to seek out professional help to discover what’s healthy and expected when pushing out a log for the record books. So: What is the biggest shit possible, and did this guy actually break the record?

Have you ever weighed yourself pre and post shit? What was your biggest shit? from AskMen

The Daily Weigh-In

A lot of men admit to weighing themselves after pooping. Like, a lot. Take this guy who reports to be on the keto diet, and weighs himself after every poop, averaging half a pound per squat. Surely it feels great to be a big shitter, but according to Evan Goldstein, a surgeon who specializes in rectal rejuvenation at Bespoke Surgical, heavier poop doesn’t necessarily mean anything “good or bad.”

“When someone is on a keto diet, they’re on a high-protein, low-sugar diet, which can definitely lead to bulkier stool,” he explains. The high amount of protein leads to a dense piece of poop, while a sugar and fat-heavy diet will do the opposite — producing “more stool, but not necessarily heavy stool.”

In other words, a single heavy shit versus, say, seven pounds of diarrhea is merely a reflection of someone’s diet — not a marker of one’s health. “At the end of the day, it’s more the desired effect that one is achieving,” Goldstein says. “I’m assuming it’s weight loss, rather than loaded defecation.”

How Heavy Is Too Heavy?

So fine, heavier shits don’t make you any healthier. But let’s get back to the guy who claims to have weighed 15 pounds less after dropping deuces. Or this guy who claims he lost 21 pounds after shitting. Or the man who cared for an obese patient who pooped once a week, and produced something so massive it had to go into the trash rather than down the toilet. None of those stories can be true, right? That is, you can’t possibly be physically equipped to birth something that weighs double or triple the size of the average newborn.

Judith Meer, a physical therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor, explains, “You tend to produce about an ounce of stool for every 12 pounds of body weight — so if you haven’t had a bowel movement in a few days, you might have a few pounds of stool weighing you down.” She adds, however, that she’d “be surprised” if 15 pounds is a realistic weight loss amount.

“This particular situation sounds beyond excessive to me,” says Goldstein. “But the colon can definitely distend and hold a shitload of, well, shit. ”

If you want to have particularly heavy shits, again, do it through your diet. “Things like protein, roughage and fiber can contribute to ‘heavier’ stool,” explains Goldstein.

How Long Is Too Long?

If the human body can handle the weight, what about length? This guy, for example, claims he took an “11-inch” shit that he “needed to cut up with a wooden spoon before flushing.” Forget what kind of havoc that wreaks on your plumbing, it seemingly can’t be good for your ass/body either. Again, not necessarily. “Essentially, this guy must have been super relaxed and was able to prevent his rectal muscles from contracting,” explains Goldstein. “That allowed the stool to exit in one piece. Otherwise, rectal muscles help ‘cut’ up stool as it’s coming out.”

According to Meer, assuming the rectal muscles are relaxed, such a poop is possible since the curvatures of the long intestine won’t break up the poop. “It’s possible to have stool that’s a foot or longer,” she says, “especially considering that the large intestine is about five to six feet long in total. ”

What you should be aware of, she says, is the opposite of relaxed butt muscles. “We assess poop quality using the Bristol Stool Scale to determine if someone’s diet would benefit from more water or fiber. Thus, long sausage-like stools are what someone should aim for. For someone who witnesses smaller pieces of stool, it could be that they have trouble relaxing their rectal muscles, and therefore, those muscles are preventing a long, smooth stool from exiting their body.”

The opposite — “pellet-like poops” — aren’t ideal. Nor is the other end of spectrum — diarrhea. “If someone feels urgency to poop but can’t seem to get it out, that could indicate the hardness of the stool from lack of fiber and water,” says Meer. “Or if the stool that does eventually come out isn’t firm, it’s an issue with how the abdominal or pelvic muscles are functioning.”

How Girthy Is Too Girthy?

At a certain point, constipation reaches the point of no return, and the poop needs to be surgically removed. Case in point: This woman needed to get an impacted stool removed after three weeks of constipation due to pain killers. The doctors took 6.6 pounds of fecal matter out of her body. She looked legitimately pregnant with poop in the “before” picture.

Goldstein says such procedures aren’t common, but that he’s performed them on a couple of occasions. “It’s more common in elderly individuals or those who overuse pain medication,” he explains. “What’s key for each of them is that they’re on a proper and regular bowel regimen to prevent constipation and to keep things moving.”

One sign of your poop growing out of control might be back pain, says Meer. “Chronic constipation can cause low back pain, as the hard mass of fecal matter presses on the sacral nerves of the lower back.”

This might explain why one redditor claimed that he felt his back “pop” after dropping a 6.5 pound dookie. “Defecation can translate to generating significant forces that may affect other regions significantly,” explains Goldstein. “So [the pop] may have been due to the pressure he exerted while defecating, the angle of his pelvis while sitting on the toilet and/or the height of the toilet he was using.” A successful poop takes “an exquisitely coordinated ballet of muscle and nerve function,” adds Meer.

The lesson here: Don’t screw it up by tightening your butthole to accumulate your shit in the hopes of taking an extra heavy bowel movement later on. Be it a six-pound brick or half a pound of browned hamburger chunks, push it out every time.

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Quinn Myers


Quinn Myers is a staff writer at MEL. He reports on internet culture, technology, health, masculinity and the communities that flourish within.

Do you lose weight when you poop?

When a person has a bowel movement and then weighs themselves, they may see a small change in weight that tends to be equal to the weight of the stool. If they do see this change, it is rarely significant, and it does not amount to long term weight loss.

Health professionals do not recommend relying on bowel movements to lose weight. Instead, a person should try to adopt a healthful diet that contains lots of fiber.

Research suggests that fiber-rich diets are good for long term weight loss. They can also cause a person to poop more often. This makes them a good option for constipation relief.

Constipation causes stool to build up in the bowels, creating an uncomfortable heavy or bloated feeling. This can make a person feel as though they are carrying extra weight.

This article looks at how much weight a person might lose after a bowel movement, and how much stool the body usually contains. It also looks at how weight loss diets can affect bowel movements and lists some tips for relieving constipation.

Share on PinterestWhen a person has a bowel movement, they may lose an insignificant amount of weight.

A person may lose a very small amount of weight when they have a bowel movement.

How much weight this is differs for every individual, but in general, it is not significant.

As the body passes stool, it also releases gas. This can reduce bloating and make a person feel as though they have lost a little weight. However, it is important to remember that many factors affect weight. It is not simply a measurement of what goes in and out of the body.

The weight loss associated with having a bowel movement is temporary. This is because the body is constantly processing food. Also, people will gradually replace the waste matter that leaves the body as stool by eating more food.

The amount of time it takes for the body to completely digest food and pass it from the body as stool is hard to estimate. There are two reasons for this: It is not easy to track the passage of food through the digestive system, and every individual and type of food is different.

As an estimate, for a healthy adult eating a standard meal, it takes around 4–5 hours for the stomach to empty and around 30–40 hours for the matter to pass through the colon.

Acids and enzymes in the stomach break down food. It then enters the gut, where bacteria break it down further. The body absorbs useful nutrients and passes the rest as waste.

Stool is not just undigested food. It also comprises:

• water
• food that the body cannot digest or absorb
• bacteria
• dead cells

That said, the makeup of a person’s stool will vary depending on how much fluid they consume and what they have eaten. Incorporating plenty of fluids, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in the diet can make for a softer stool.

It is not possible to determine exactly how much stool is in the body at any given time.

As an estimate, the average amount of stool an adult produces per day is 128 grams. Every person is different, however. Also, if a person has a bowel movement two to three times per day, the average weight of each stool is likely to be lower.

Some factors that can affect the average weight of a person’s stool include:

• their diet, particularly fiber intake
• frequency of bowel movements
• body size
• fluid intake

Including more fiber in the diet tends to increase stool weight.

People who are taller or weigh more are likely to have heavier stools. In addition, drinking more fluids increases the weight of a stool, as more fluid leaves the body through bowel movements.

Waiting to pass a stool can make it drier and heavier. It is best to pass a stool as soon as the urge is there. Softer stools with a higher liquid content tend to pass more easily from the body.

Healthful weight loss diets usually include lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These are all high in fiber. Including more fiber in the diet can increase stool weight and encourage more regular bowel movements.

Because of this, a person following a weight loss diet may have bowel movements more often. However, it is important to remember that any weight loss they see is primarily due to other aspects of the diet — not the increase in bowel movements.

Many weight loss diets suggest eating more protein. Meat is a common source of protein, but it can be more difficult to digest than other foods.

Also, these diets may not include as much fiber as the body needs. Fiber helps bulk out a stool, and without it, the stool may be loose and runny. A lack of fiber can also give rise to constipation.

Weight loss diets that are high in fiber and may increase bowel movements include:

Weight loss diets that are low in fiber and may decrease bowel movements, or not affect them, include:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend following a balanced diet and a healthful eating plan as the best way to lose weight.

A balanced diet should include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts. It should limit saturated fats, processed foods, and high amounts of salt and sugar.

Eating only as many calories per day as the body needs, and trying to exercise every day, are effective ways to maintain a healthful weight.

Getting an accurate measurement of weight can also help when following a weight loss diet. To get an accurate reading, step on the scales at the same time each day, without clothes on and ideally after having a bowel movement.

Relax and take time to have a bowel movement. Trying to have a bowel movement at the same time every day, such as after breakfast, can help keep things regular.

However, not everyone will have a bowel movement every day. A healthy range is between three times per day and three times per week. However, traveling, stress, pregnancy, medication, and illness can all affect usual bowel movements.

It is important to listen to the body’s signals. Be sure to go when needed, and not to force the body.

Gentle exercise may help encourage a bowel movement. As well as adopting a healthful diet, being physically active can help maintain a healthy digestive system and encourage regular bowel movements.

Other tips include drinking enough fluids and including enough fiber in the diet.

Constipation may need treatment with over-the-counter laxatives. Sometimes, an underlying health condition may be to blame. If constipation does not improve with changes to diet and exercise, seek medical advice.

If a bowel movement results in weight loss, it will be a temporary and insignificant change to a person’s weight. This is because the body is always processing food and passing waste.

As a result, people should not consider bowel movements as a weight loss method.

Including more fiber in the diet can encourage regular bowel movements. It may also help to lose weight. Heavier stools tend to be healthier, as they contain more fiber and fluids.

90,000 ➢ How much feces do we produce and where to put it? (entry of 11.11.2013)

Human life is unthinkable without food. Adequate nutrition is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. But as a result, our body turns the consumed food into feces. What amount of a product with a specific smell does a person produce per day from the moment of birth to the last breath? The mass of feces is an individual parameter, and varies widely among representatives of different nations, depending on the characteristics of nutrition. It is higher in people who eat mainly plant foods, and less in meat lovers. Let us give as an example some data reflecting the results of special studies. The daily weight of feces for residents of the United States and Great Britain is on average 100-200 g, and often less than 100 g. For people living in rural Uganda, the average weight of feces per day is about 470 g, and for the adult population of India – 311 g. In Ukraine, the population sends 250-300 g to the bathrooms. It should be noted that 1/3 of the mass of feces are bacteria, some of which remain alive, and the other part – dead unicellular.One gram of feces contains about 25,000,000 live putrefactive intestinal bacteria. It is these bacteria that are the producers and causative agents of poisonous, fetid and explosive gases – ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and methane.

It is not difficult to calculate the mass of feces of one of our fellow countrymen, which the sewage system should take in a year, or in 70 years of work of his healthy stomach. Let’s make simple calculations: 300 grams x 365 days (1 year) = 109.5 kg, that is, the mass of feces produced by one person per year is 109.5 kg.We multiply this number by 70 years of life and we get already 7665 kg.

Now the question for those who are not united by centralized sewerage, and who himself solves the problem of sewage disposal – a question for private homeowners. What to do with the daily arriving undigested organic matter that left our flesh when we sat down on the toilet? The answer is ready, in a cesspool, septic tank, local treatment plant (VOC). But feces gradually clog the bottom of the cesspool, the water ceases to drain, the pit, the septic tank overflows, and cannot cope with the overload of VOCs.We need drastic measures – unique bacteria are needed that exist to consume feces for food and instead release purified water (h3O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into nature. Such bacteria are part of the biological product “Vodograi” and “Alligator”. Bacteria – destructors produce enzymes, break down the fibers of fecal organic matter, bringing it to digestible substances, and then feed on them. Biological products “Vodogray” or “Alligator” are introduced into the local sewerage system once a month. The questions often arise, why do you have to replenish the sewage system with bacteria all the time, because bacteria, having settled in the sewer drains, can themselves multiply? But let’s remember the above.Feces are 1/3 bacteria, some of which are alive. A lot of bacteria every day from our body with feces enters the sewer and, of course, fight for life in the confined space of a cesspool or septic tank. Life is a struggle, and the strongest wins in it. That is why there is a need to monthly enter into the sewer, as to the front, reserves from a box with a biological product, and the bacteria “Vodogray” or “Alligator” are immersed in their usual monotonous work – they process feces, fat, starch, protein, fiber, food waste into purified liquid capable of draining into the ground and harmless carbon dioxide.This stops the decay processes and finally removes the unpleasant fetid odor that was exuded by the bacteria contained in the feces and other organic products that got into the sewage system.

Knowing the technology of stool disposal, now you can enjoy your meal.

Be healthy, live long, and biological products “Vodogray” and “Alligator”

are always ready to be helpful!

90,000 What should a normal stool look like?

“At my appointments, I concluded that patients sometimes have no idea about normal stool at all.For some, daily diarrhea or going to the toilet once a week is the norm. Let’s figure out how many times and how a person should walk “in a big way,” Olga Lyannaya, a gastroenterologist at the Medlux clinic, began our conversation.

Norm and pathology

Any gastroenterologist has this picture, called the Bristol scale.

It shows variants of bowel movements that humans have. The scale is especially convenient for interviewing children, because they do not always know how to clearly explain how they went to the toilet.This scale is easier for them to understand. And for adults, looking at the picture, it will be easier: no need to get confused in words, just poke your finger at the picture.

“Pay attention to the third and fourth types. This is what we call the norm. This is how a good, healthy stool should look: shaped, soft, in other words, in the shape of a sausage. Defecation should be easy and pain-free. And after a normal bowel movement, there should be a feeling of lightness and complete emptying, ”the doctor explains.

Looking at pictures 1 and 2, you understand exactly what the chair shouldn’t be. These are very dense stools that, when passing through the rectum, cause severe pain, and can even cause ruptures with cracks. It is so dry that it is sometimes peeled off by hand. “It also happens,” Olga Lyannaya nods.

Another option is not the norm – the so-called sheep feces. Simply, a person “walks in balls”.

Both of these options indicate constipation and require consultation with a gastroenterologist.“It is clear that in modern conditions, when any information and medicines are available in pharmacies, the first thing people start to do is self-medicate. I often use bran. But I am categorically against, often this can only aggravate the situation, ”warns Olga Anatolyevna.

She also does not recommend getting carried away with senna-based laxatives. The intestine, constantly receiving help from the outside, begins to be lazy, its motility is impaired, so it becomes more and more difficult to defecate without medication.You should not lead your body to such an addiction.

In general, if you go to the toilet only three times a week, but this does not cause you discomfort, then it is too early to talk about constipation, this is a variant of the norm.

Does diarrhea always indicate a problem?

A radically different case when a person sees in the toilet separate fragments of a soft consistency or even liquid, watery stool. Often this really does signal problems, and very serious ones. For example, about milk protein intolerance.As a rule, in this case, in addition to diarrhea, flatulence, bloating and rumbling in the abdomen are observed.

Also, loose stools occur with dysbiosis, that is, bacterial growth of unhealthy intestinal microflora. And, of course, infectious diseases cannot be discounted. Therefore, diarrhea, coupled with an increase in temperature, a deterioration in general well-being and abdominal pain, is a reason to immediately consult a doctor.

But diarrhea is not always a reason to panic. Most often it is a functional disorder associated with dietary errors or dietary changes.For example, in the summer, when the diet is high in fiber in the form of fruits and vegetables, temporary stool thinning is normal.

Olga Liannaya especially focuses on the sharp change in stool quality after 45-50 years: “If you have always had regular, normal stools, and suddenly constipation or diarrhea suddenly developed, this is a reason to urgently go to a gastroenterologist. Such changes can be symptoms of very serious diseases, including bowel cancer. ”

You can make an appointment with a gastroenterologist by calling the clinic: 200-300.

License for medical activities LO-75-01-001537 dated June 10, 2019

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What your chair will tell you

Information on stool is perhaps the most important indicator of the condition of the gastrointestinal tract .

For many, talking about feces can cause laughter or embarrassment. But seriously speaking, you can learn a lot about the health of your intestines from the appearance of your stool and, for that matter, about your overall health.

Anything from shape, size, smell, color can indicate disease, poor diet, or other gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Even the color and smell of your bowel movements can give you a clue about your overall health.

Feces (feces, faeces, excrement) – contents of the distal colon, excreted during defecation. In a healthy person, feces are a mixture, consisting of about 1/3 of the remnants of food taken, 1/3 of the remnants of the secreted digestive organs and 1/3 of microbes, 95% of which are dead.

The amount of feces depends on the quantity and quality of food taken. With a mixed diet that quantitatively meets the needs of the body, the weight of feces excreted per day is 200-300g.

The weight of feces largely depends on the content of water in it, therefore, with constipation, when the absorption of water is enhanced, the weight of daily feces decreases, and with diarrhea, it is increased.

A significant increase in feces is observed in diseases accompanied by the absorption of food (gastric achilia, lesions of the pancreas, etc.)P.). A special abundance of feces occurs with lesions of the pancreas, in which its weight can reach 1 kg.

The shape of the feces depends on the consistency, the content of water, mucus and fat in them. Normal stool contains about 70-75% water, has a sausage-like shape and a homogeneous dense composition. Dense, even hard feces, observed with constipation, loses its normal shape and usually consists of separate lumps from its long stay in the large intestines. With spastic colitis, “sheep feces” are often observed, which are small round lumps of dense consistency.Such dense stool contains about 60% water.

Changes in the shape of feces (ribbon, pencil) may depend on both organic stenosis and spastic narrowing of the sphincters. Unformed mushy and especially liquid feces is a pathological phenomenon, it contains 90-92% of water. Stool can also have a heterogeneous character, dense lumps can float in liquid or mucus, which happens during inflammatory processes in the large intestine.

The consistency of feces depends on a number of reasons, the main of which is the time spent in the large intestine.Acceleration of peristalsis leads to insufficient absorption of water, slowing down – to excessive absorption. Feces acquire a more liquid than normal consistency with the abundant secretion of inflammatory exudate and mucus by the intestinal wall, while taking saline laxatives. Feces, containing a lot of fat, have an oily consistency.

The color of feces in a healthy person may vary slightly depending on the food intake. Most often there are various shades of brown – dairy food gives a light brown, even yellow color, meat – dark brown.Vegetable products give feces their color, beets – red, blueberries, black currants, coffee, cocoa – dark brown to black. Some medicinal substances taken orally also have a significant effect on the color of feces (for example, bismuth is black, iron preparations are greenish-black, etc.).

The color of feces also changes during pathological processes in the digestive organs, there are many of these options, for example, we will give a few. If bile does not enter the intestine, feces acquire a grayish-white, clayey or sandy color.Fatty stool can be gray in color. The presence of blood in the feces gives the feces a different color depending on the place of bleeding, if in the stomach, then a dark brown, almost black color. The lower along the intestine is the focus of bleeding, the less dark color and more red.

The smell of feces depends on the presence in it of decay products of food residues, mainly protein, therefore, with an abundance of proteins in food, the smell increases. With the predominance of putrefactive processes in the intestines (putrefactive dyspepsia, decay of tumors), the feces acquire a fetid odor, during fermentation processes – sour.With poor chewing of food, and more with poor digestion, the feces may contain undigested food debris in the form of whitish or grayish lumps.

With a significant content of fat in the feces, the surface of the stool acquires a kind of slightly dull sheen, and the consistency is oily. Mucus in normal feces is present in a minimal amount in the form of a thin, shiny coating that covers the surface of the feces. In inflammatory processes, it can appear in the feces in the form of whitish or yellow lumps on the surface of the feces or between its fragments.

This article is posted for educational purposes only and does not constitute scientific material or professional medical advice.

90,000 What should be stool in a healthy cat

Like many cat owners, cleaning the litter box is probably not your favorite pastime (but if this is not the case, we will gladly accept your help in this matter!). But did you know that to keep your cat healthy, it is quite important to check if the color and shape of her excrement is normal?

Most animals defecate at least once a day, and a cat’s stool is an excellent indicator of its health.By its appearance, you can determine if she has constipation or any other disease, as well as whether her food is suitable for her.

Knowing what a “good turd” should look like can help you recognize if your cat’s stool doesn’t look normal.

Healthy and unhealthy cat stools: what to look for

As a rule, the feces of a healthy cat are quite plastic (like modeling clay: not too soft or too hard) and have an oblong shape – like a chocolate bar.This is considered the “gold standard” for excrement. Normal stools are dark brown in color, but not too dark, as dark or even color may indicate the presence of digested blood in the stool. Feces that are too light can indicate a more serious problem, such as liver disease, as it could be a sign of a complete blockage in the bile duct, PetWave says.

Stool in the form of small hard balls is considered abnormal as it may be a sign of constipation.This is a serious problem for cats, as it can signal health problems such as neurological or metabolic disease or an obstruction in the colon, notes International Cat Care. According to Wag! Constipation in your cat can also indicate that she is dehydrated. You should definitely contact your veterinarian if your cat has a bowel movement of small, hard balls.

You should also look for loose, soft or almost loose stools with mucus without any pronounced shape.Diarrhea in cats can be caused by a variety of causes, from bacterial infections to intestinal parasites and food intolerances. If you do not look closely at the contents of the tray, sometimes you can mistake very loose stools for urine. So always take a close look at what you take out of the litter in the tray – or you can even use a pair of disposable gloves to check the texture.

Not every unusual cat turd is a cause for panic, but it should still be closely monitored.Your cat may have diarrhea for one to two days after a diet change or a hard car trip, says Cornell University’s Cat Health Center. However, if this stool lasts more than two days or is accompanied by poor appetite, lethargy or vomiting, take the animal to a veterinarian immediately, says Dr. Richard Goldstein of Cornell University. It’s always best to play it safe.

How to Prepare Cat Feces Samples for Analysis

At each annual check-up, your veterinarian may ask you to bring a stool sample for laboratory testing.Samples are best collected in special plastic containers available from both veterinary and human pharmacies. Just remember: the lab needs a fresh sample, so collect these “treasures” from the tray on the day you visit your veterinarian. Once you collect the faeces in an approved plastic sample container, be sure to sign the date and time of the collection so that your veterinarian has accurate information.

Multiple cats – multiple checks

If you have multiple cats, it is not necessary to collect samples for each individual animal, unless your veterinarian asks to do so.However, if you find blood in your stool, you will most likely have to watch the litter box to determine which cat has a health problem. Of course, if one cat is sick, the rest can be sick too. If you notice a serious problem with one cat, try to isolate it and its litter box from the rest of the animals until you can show it to your veterinarian.

Believe it or not, your cat’s stool can tell a lot about how she is feeling. By checking it as you clean the litter box every day, you can monitor and maintain her health and provide her with a clean, healthy environment.

Contributor Bio

Christine O’Brien

Christine O’Brien is a writer, mom and longtime owner of two Russian blue cats, who are the main ones in the house. Her articles can also be found on Care.com, What to Expect, and Fit Pregnancy, where she writes about pets, pregnancy and family life.

Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @brovelliobrien.

90,000 Biorhythms and human health (chronic constipation)

Konstantin Aleksandrovich Shemerovsky, Doctor of Medical Sciences, specialist of the Institute of Experimental Medicine spoke about the consequences of disturbance of circadian rhythms for our body, focusing on the excretory function of the body.
Each cell of the human body works in a circadian (circadian) mode – 24 plus or minus 4 hours, synchronized with the rhythm of the earth’s rotation. Sleep and wakefulness, nutrition and fasting, heart rate and blood pressure are subordinated to circadian rhythms. The motility of the duodenum, transit time through the colon, increased anal pressure and the rhythm of defecation are also subject to circadian biorhythms. In the morning, the body has already “prepared” everything that is needed for the evacuation. When a person lives on a daily basis, then he has a timely excretion of metabolic products from the body.
Having daily morning bowel movements is a normal evolutionary response. The intestines are programmed to empty every 24 hours, but nearly half of the population has a circadian rhythm disorder. In this case, desynchronosis develops – the malaise of the body due to a violation of its circadian rhythms. If the regime is violated, such as working on the night shift, then the excretory function also suffers. We are talking about constipation, which is not given due attention, about which it is considered a shame to speak with a doctor.Constipation is a lack of feces within 24 hours. For some reason, irregular bowel movements do not raise questions for many of us and are considered almost normal. If the stool happens 5-6 times a week, then this is constipation of the 1st degree, if 3-4 times, then this is the 2nd degree, if the stool is only 1-2 times a week, then this is constipation of the 3rd severity. The quality of life also suffers. With constipation of 3 degrees, it is necessary to exclude oncological pathology and be sure to consult a gastroenterologist.
Normal stools should be daily, in the morning, between 6 and 12 hours.Why exactly at this time? First, a portion of stool is formed during a night’s sleep, since the colon works all night. Secondly, in the morning there are 3 powerful reflexes (urges): orthostatic – for an upright position when we get out of bed, sigmo – rectal – for bowel prolapse and gastro – rectal – for eating. Therefore, we must try not to suppress the urge due to the morning rush. With morning stool, the risk of constipation is minimal, and with evening stool, the risk of constipation is 4 times increased.
Why is chronic constipation dangerous? First of all, its complications: cracks in the anus, hemorrhoids, the formation of coprolites (stones), rectal prolapse, perforation and peritonitis.In addition, chronic constipation is a risk factor for the development of colorectal cancer, which is the leader in cancer incidence in St. Petersburg. Colorectal cancer is diagnosed only in 5% of cases at 2 stages, in 95% it is detected at 3-4 stages, which is why the mortality rate is so high. Risk factors for developing colon cancer include poor nutrition, malnutrition of vegetables and fruits, weight gain, bad habits, and even the abuse of laxatives.It has been proven that taking certain medications can slow down the bowel function, so a dose adjustment of the medications is always required.
Regular constipation is not just a harmless symptom. Bradiesteria is a slowdown in the rhythm of the bowel movement, leading to constipation, 2.7 times increases the risk of obesity, 2.3 times more often leads to dissatisfaction with one’s well-being compared to the normal rhythm of the bowel. Thus, irregular and untimely cleansing of the body contributes to the development of various diseases, therefore, you should always regulate the work of the intestines.You need to rely not on enemas and laxatives, but on vegetables and fruits, since plant fiber always helps to avoid constipation.
How can you accustom yourself to morning chair? After getting out of bed, drink a glass of water at room temperature, and at night – a cup of kefir. Try oatmeal for breakfast. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day – tea, juice, mineral water. Normally, the contents of the large intestine are 78% water. If the amount of fluid in the intestine decreases to 50%, then the movement of feces becomes difficult, and if the amount of fluid in the intestine decreases to 20%, then it may stop altogether.
Move more! This also helps your bowel function, but remember not to exercise before you have a bowel movement. Stop senna medications if you are taking them. Remember that regular bowel movements are an indicator of your health.

90,000 Stool norms for a newborn during breastfeeding: what you need to keep in mind

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Such variability is quite natural, because mother’s milk during lactation is different, because its composition “adjusts” to the needs of the child.His feces are also affected by the woman’s condition, diet, time of day.

Over time, the baby’s intestines adapt to all variables. A number of symptoms can be used to determine whether it is normal or indicative of a baby’s health problem.

Stool norms for GW

It is important to monitor the well-being and behavior of the baby. Does he behave calmly, eats well and gains weight, does not spit up often, does he have bloating? Then it is normal if:

• on the first day after the birth of the child, his stool is thick, dark green or almost black in color.The body gets rid of what got into it with amniotic fluid while the baby was in mother’s belly. This is the original feces – meconium;
• a baby who is breastfed in the first month of life “walks in a big way” 5-6 times a day (sometimes more often – with each feeding). Over time, the stool becomes less frequent and by the year the number of bowel movements decreases to 1-2 per day. Feces in composition and color are similar to mustard, it is golden yellow, with a sour smell, without pathological impurities ¹ ;
• a newborn with breastfeeding has loose stools, even watery, in which there is a little mushy mass and whitish blotches.This is also considered the norm ² ;
• no bowel movements within 1-2 days. This is evidence of good digestibility of nutrients. After that, the feces may be greenish ² . This usually happens to a child over 6 weeks old – his digestive system is already producing more enzymes;
• When the baby reaches six months, the bowel movements become denser and begin to smell more harshly, even if the parents did not introduce complementary foods. During this period, green stools in babies for HB, similar to porridge or ointment in consistency, may be a natural reaction to the food that the mother ate.Or, the bowel movement may look like this if the used diaper is not immediately thrown away, but left in the air.

How complementary feeding affects diaper maintenance

Introduction of complementary foods, as well as switching the baby to artificial or mixed feeding, in 90% of cases change the frequency and consistency of stools.

Normal baby’s feces during this period are light brown or dark brown in color, sometimes with green blotches, mushy consistency or thick.The main thing is that it is not solid and does not have an unpleasant pungent odor.

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The contents of the diaper during this period may acquire an unusual shade, such as orange or red, or be colored interspersed. The stool is stained with fruits and vegetables. Undigested residues are also visible in feces.

Stool pathology in a newborn on GV

Mandatory consultation with a pediatrician is required if:

• feces with pathological impurities – greens, mucus, streaks of blood ¹ .Or a child on HV has frothy stools with flakes. In this case, pain, rumbling, bloating also occur, the baby becomes anxious, gains weight more slowly, irritation appears around the anus. This nature of bowel movements may indicate intolerance to milk or complementary foods;
• frequent loose stools are observed – it can be yellow, brown or green, with an unpleasant odor. Accompanied by sharp fluctuations in weight – in any direction. It can be an infectious disease, allergic reaction, or poisoning;
• the baby has “goat feces” – small dense fragments.The tummy is tense, the baby screams during bowel movements. Such a reaction, constipation, is often caused by intolerance to some product from the mother’s diet or complementary foods;
• Blood in the stool – red or black – indicates an allergy, bacterial infection, hemorrhoids, or intestinal bleeding. You need to see a doctor immediately.

What else you need to know

Alarming symptoms sometimes occur, but they are not dangerous. However, parents should treat them with increased attention.

• At the age of 1-2 weeks, the baby may have colic and regurgitation – during this period, breast milk changes. Usually after 3 weeks, it acquires a more constant composition, and the child regularly begins to “walk in a big way.”
• Liquid or frothy stools in infants on HS from a yellow to brown shade with a pronounced sour odor is a signal that mainly sweet milk from the front enters the child’s body. Parents may also notice restless feeding behavior and irritation around the anus, but this does not affect weight gain.This happens with increased lactation in a woman. In this case, you do not need to change breasts as often during the feeding process.
• Much mucus can appear in the stool after suffering from acute respiratory viral infections, as well as when a child’s teeth are teething. If there is mucus in the diaper after a few days, see a doctor to rule out an infectious disease or lack of enzymes.
• Stool may change color when taken with medication. For example, if a child is prescribed iron, the stool turns dark brown.

It is always important to monitor your baby’s behavior and appearance. If the parents are worried about too frequent or rare stools, there is no need to immediately interfere with the work of his intestines, for example, do an enema. It is best to weigh your baby regularly to see if he is getting enough milk. Normally, weight gain should be about 200 grams per week in the first year of life.

Read also:

9 incredible facts about newborns

8 “dangerous neurological symptoms” that are actually the norm

A quick guide to baby sign language

_{1.Dotsenko V.A., Batyrev M.I. St. Petersburg, 2003 .– S. 61-62.}

_{2. Keshishyan E. S., Ryumina I. I. Feeding children of the first year of life // Russian Bulletin of Perinatology and Pediatrics. – 2007 (1). https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vskarmlivanie-detey-pervogo-goda-zhizni-2/viewer}

_{3. Zakharova I.N., Ardatskaya M.D., Sugyan N.G. probiotics on the metabolic activity of intestinal microflora in infants with functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract: results of a placebo-controlled study // Questions of modern pediatrics.- 2016 .– 15 (1). Pp. 68 – 73. (p. 73) https://vsp.spr-journal.ru/jour/article/view/1583#}

Children’s Clinico Diagnostic Center in Domodedovo

02/04/2021 Anna

Good afternoon. The son is 2 years old, from birth problems with stool, blood, mucus, diarrhea. Against this background, at 8 months, there was paraproctitis. Now the stool has returned to normal in moments, mushy in moments. Because of this, the scar is inflamed, from the operation. Diet and medication are not always effective. What kind of examination or what else can you do?

Dear parents of our patients!
Due to the current circumstances, we are forced to temporarily suspend the acceptance of questions to the gastroenterologist (questions regarding problems with the gastrointestinal tract, defecation and digestion disorders, stool disorders, changes in feces analyzes).
We will inform you additionally about the resumption of the practice “Question to the gastroenterologist”.

Respectfully yours, management of LLC “DDC”.

03.02.2021 Christina

Hello, my daughter is now 3 years old, and her sheep kcal is as hard as a stone, sometimes kcal in peas, and sometimes like a big stuck together solid kcal. We visited a gastroenterologist 2 years ago, she said to go on a diet and give a laxative for 2 months.But it didn’t really help us, but earlier my daughter had blood, kcal scratched the walls of the intestine. Now there is no blood, but pooping as before, does not give a laxative effect. And my daughter’s anus is also hard. Tell me what to do?

Hello. An examination by a gastroenterologist or pediatrician is definitely needed. Therapy is needed. It is advisable to take fresh tests the day before: a clinical blood test, a general urine test, scatology. Perform an abdominal ultrasound. For the prevention and treatment of constipation, you need a diet, be sure to follow the drinking regimen, take up to 800-1000 ml of water per day.Fiber-rich foods, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, limit flour, especially fresh baked goods, sweets.

31.01.2021 Elena

Hello, please tell me is it worth worrying? For a year and 10 months, the child stopped drinking the mixture, switched to ordinary milk, the feces became like goat poop, but not always when it is normal when there are hard round stones, which doctor should we go to and what tests should we take? Or does it happen with children and you shouldn’t worry?

Hello.When complementary foods or switching to another food, in your case milk, the stool has changed like “sheep”, as it is called by gastroenterologists. You need to pass a coprogram, an analysis of feces for dysbiosis, perform an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and come to an appointment with a gastroenterologist, come and be happy to help.

02.02.2021 Tatiana

Hello. The child is 3 years old, weight is almost 15kg, height is 97cm. I will describe the problem, the child began to say that his stomach hurts, but how he podpuket or descends on a large scale, everything goes on up to 5 times a day on a large scale, then everything seems to be fine.Now we have had a cold, we did not take antibiotics, and then again the stomach hurts, everything is the same 5 6 times a day, we walk on a large scale and then the stomach passes without crying, it goes a little bit too much, there is not even a digested food quite a bit color, well, it’s usually brown, but I don’t eat much like chtoli mucus, walks can once straight a lot, then just a little bit. Eats apples bananas borscht without overcooking his homemade tomato just a little bit chicken soups once a day a slice of kinder baby chocolate, etc.nuggets tea cutlets cottage cheese for children, before that they gave well a little rye croutons with sour cream eats well appetite to eat itself asks not to force feed very active runs plays and for two days in a row, almost like eating, goes straight to the toilet and we still sit on our breasts since. What can we do? Of course we signed up for a doctor.

Good afternoon! In case of abdominal pain, unstable, undigested stool, frequent bowel movements, it is necessary to exclude enzymatic insufficiency of the intestine, helminthic invasion, giardiasis of the intestine.To do this, it is necessary to do an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, pass a general analysis of feces (scatology), feces for lamblia antigens qualitatively, 3 times feces for helminth eggs, scraping for enterobiasis. An additional examination, if necessary, will be prescribed by the doctor after examining the child. Health to you, gastroenterologist M. N. Goroshanskaya

02.02.2021 Alexandra

Good afternoon. The baby is 9 months old, on gv + complementary foods 3 times a day, allergy to BKM, iron deficiency anemia (reduced ferritin with normal hemoglobin) 2 weeks ago, all indicators of the age norm were taken.From drugs we take teknofer, aquadetrim, biogaya.
Complaints of constant flatulence (the child does not sleep well at night). The last week the baby goes to the toilet from 1 to 4 times (kcal is mushy, from light yellow to brown, a small amount), before that the chair was 1 time in 2-3 days. I did not introduce new products.
Mom follows a dairy-free diet.
She eats dairy-free, gluten-free porridges.
The kid is active, gaining weight well, the appetite is excellent, but the increased gas production is very disturbing.At 1 month and 4, they did an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, gas formation was increased, at half a year they did a coprogram – the enzymatic system was not perfect.
Tell me what kind of examination to go through to find out the cause of increased gas production? Could anemia be one of the causes?

Good afternoon! It is unlikely that a decrease in ferritin is the cause of flatulence. Scatology needs to be repeated, perhaps enzymatic deficiency remains. With loose stools, an analysis of feces for carbohydrates is shown.If the symptoms of flatulence are persistent, and with all options for stool, feces for dysbiosis with the determination of sensitivity to bacteriophages can help in correcting the intestinal microflora. If flatulence depends on the frequency and nature of the stool, correction of the diet and drinking regimen is necessary. Stool after 1 – 2 days is not the norm, the reason for such a rare bowel movement needs to be clarified. See your doctor with a food diary for your baby a few days in advance, which will indicate the amount and composition of food eaten, liquid, intervals between meals, frequency and nature of stools.Health to you, gastroenterologist M. N. Goroshanskaya.

02.02.2021 Olga

Good evening. The child is 4 years old. 1.5 weeks ago I noticed that at the end there is red blood on the feces.
The chair is always 2-4 times a day. No constipation. Sometimes it is tight, pushing!
The pediatrician advised, without examination, to put down sea buckthorn candles. After 8 candles, the picture does not change.
Tell me, what could it be? And which doctor should you sign up for? (Proctologist, surgeon, gastroenterologist?)
The child is active, eats everything.Thanks in advance!

Good evening! The main reason for the presence of blood at the end of the act of defecation in children of this age group is an acute anal fissure. Also, it is impossible to unequivocally exclude other diseases (colon polyp, intestinal hemangiomas, enterocolitis, etc.), in which blood may also be present in the feces. First of all, you need to see a pediatric surgeon. If necessary, you will be referred for consultation with other specialists and for additional examinations.

02.02.2021 March

Good afternoon! Baby 1.5 months
Constantly crying, spitting up.
Constipation for 6 days
Can’t poop himself.
Small pimples on the face
With red spots, they either go away or pour out five
As soon as we use a gas pipe
There are also a lot of gases
Constantly grabs the stomach from him
The child’s stool is yellowish dirty color
With white lumps
Sometimes it poops very liquid
Sometimes thick
It is also noticeable in the chair like pebbles
When you crush them, they crumble like starch.in general, it all scares me
What could it be?
Our pediatrician says it doesn’t look like dysbiosis
And we think that this is it
Because mucus is still secreted when pushing

Dear Mom!
You have not indicated on what kind of feeding your baby is, it is very important to understand the symptoms that the baby has.
But for children of this age, it is impossible to give recommendations without examining the child, asking the mother, and, if necessary, prescribing tests to find out the causes of the condition that has arisen.Come to an appointment at our center, we will try to help your baby.

02/01/2021 Christina

Hello, the child is 4 months old, rashes on the cheeks are small red pimples (sometimes merge into a red spot), the pediatrician said food allergy and referred to the allergist they said atomic dermatitis (and definitely not food), but I’m sure it’s not him, since in other places rashes are very very rare and punctate, and he does not scratch them.Recently, I began to regurgitate milk after each feeding. The stool, as far as I can appreciate, is normal, several times a day, a little bit, yellow. What tests can you take to understand what it can be? I am on a hypoallergenic diet (about two weeks), the child is on gv, but the redness does not go away. Ultrasound did everything, everything is normal, except for an enlarged pelvis near the kidney.

Good evening Christina. Very often, the first manifestations of atopic dermatitis in a baby appear on the cheeks, in the form of redness, dryness, maculopapular rash.The most common cause may be an allergy to cow protein and a mom’s irregularity in her diet. I recommend completely eliminating all dairy products in your diet for 2 weeks, as well as red fish and seafood, honey, jam, chocolate, sweets, nuts, citrus fruits. If, on your diet, your child’s regurgitation decreases and the cheeks turn pale, then most likely it is an allergy. After 2 weeks, try gradually introducing dairy products into your diet. If redness, small rash or dryness reappears, it is a cow’s milk protein allergy.Unfortunately, blood tests for allergens are not always informative at this age. I would advise you to take an analysis for scatology, dysbiosis, carbohydrates and make an appointment with our pediatricians. I think we can help you deal with this problem.

02/01/2021 Zhanna

Hello! Daughter is 3 months old. Born at 37 weeks. From birth, constipation and colic. And a green chair. Probiotics have already been drunk.

Hello.It depends on what formula you are on or you are breastfeeding, what is the increase in the child, maybe the child does not eat up, the formula may not be suitable. If you have not done an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, then you need to do it in order to exclude pathology. We need a clinical blood test. I think it is better to visit a doctor for an examination, taking an anamnesis and, thus, finding the cause of your constipation.

01/30/2021 Christina

Good afternoon.Daughter is 10 months old. Born on time. 40 weeks. With a weight of 3626 / 52cm.
A month later from birth, I was tormented by gaziks / colic. Then constipation. Helped with a gas pipe. After a while, everything returned to normal. We are now 9.5 months old. Complementary feeding EP. Eats everything from the table. I add some water. Weight 8.200 constipation began again. The pediatrician prescribed hilak forte and fermented milk mixture. The child suffers from the mixture all night, screams. 10 days have passed. There is no improvement. What should we do?

Good afternoon! The first thing that can be done in case of constipation is adjusting the diet and drinking regimen.