What does your poop color mean. How can stool texture indicate digestive health. Why is the Bristol Stool Chart important for understanding bowel movements. What are signs of unhealthy stool that require medical attention.

Understanding the Basics of Healthy Stool

Stool, commonly known as poop, is a complex mixture of digested food, proteins, bacteria, salts, and other substances produced and released by the intestines. The appearance of your stool can provide valuable insights into your overall health and digestive function. While individual variations are normal, certain characteristics generally indicate a healthy bowel movement.

Key Indicators of Healthy Stool

• Color: Typically brown due to bile and bilirubin
• Shape: Log-like, formed by intestinal passage
• Size: A few inches in length
• Consistency: Between firm and soft
• Duration: Easily passed within 1-3 minutes
• Frequency: Every other day to three times daily

Is frequent variation in stool appearance cause for concern? Not necessarily. Occasional changes can be normal, but persistent alterations may warrant medical attention.

The Bristol Stool Chart: A Visual Guide to Stool Types

The Bristol Stool Chart, developed from a 1992 study of 2,000 people, categorizes stools into seven types. This classification system helps both medical professionals and individuals assess digestive health more effectively.

Bristol Stool Chart Types Explained

1. Type 1 (Marbles): Hard, separate lumps indicating constipation
2. Type 2 (Caterpillar): Lumpy but log-shaped, suggesting mild constipation
3. Type 3 (Hot dog): Log-shaped with surface cracks, considered ideal
4. Type 4 (Snake): Smooth and snake-like, also considered normal
5. Type 5 (Amoebas): Soft blobs with clear edges, suggesting low fiber intake
6. Type 6 (Soft serve): Fluffy with ragged edges, indicating mild diarrhea
7. Type 7 (Jackson Pollock): Entirely liquid, signifying diarrhea

How can you use the Bristol Stool Chart in your daily life? By comparing your stool to the chart, you can gain insights into your digestive health and make necessary dietary or lifestyle adjustments.

Deciphering Stool Colors: What They Mean for Your Health

Stool color can vary significantly and often provides clues about your diet, medication use, or potential health issues. While shades of brown are most common, other colors may appear occasionally.

Common Stool Colors and Their Meanings

• Brown: Normal, healthy stool
• Green: Often normal, can indicate rapid transit or high vegetable intake
• Black: May result from certain foods or medications, or indicate upper GI bleeding
• Red: Could be from red foods or suggest lower GI bleeding
• Pale or Clay-colored: Might indicate bile duct obstruction
• Yellow: Potential sign of fat malabsorption or giardiasis

When should you be concerned about stool color? While occasional color changes are often benign, persistent alterations, especially black or red stools not explained by diet or medication, should prompt a medical consultation.

Stool Texture and Consistency: Indicators of Digestive Health

The texture and consistency of your stool can provide valuable information about your digestive system’s functioning. Ideally, stool should be soft enough to pass easily but firm enough to maintain its shape.

Factors Influencing Stool Consistency

• Fiber intake
• Hydration levels
• Dietary choices
• Intestinal transit time
• Gut bacteria balance

How can you improve your stool consistency? Increasing fiber intake, staying well-hydrated, and maintaining a balanced diet can often help achieve optimal stool consistency.

Frequency Matters: Understanding Normal Bowel Movement Patterns

Bowel movement frequency can vary significantly among individuals. While some people may have multiple bowel movements daily, others might go every other day. Both patterns can be normal, provided they’re consistent for the individual and don’t cause discomfort.

Factors Affecting Bowel Movement Frequency

• Diet composition
• Fluid intake
• Physical activity levels
• Stress levels
• Medication use
• Underlying health conditions

Can changes in bowel movement frequency indicate health issues? Yes, significant changes in frequency, especially when accompanied by other symptoms, may suggest underlying digestive problems and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

When to Seek Medical Attention: Red Flags in Stool Appearance

While minor variations in stool appearance are often normal, certain changes can signal more serious health issues. Being aware of these red flags can help you seek timely medical attention when necessary.

Concerning Stool Changes

• Persistent black or tarry stools
• Bright red blood in stool
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation
• Narrow, pencil-thin stools
• Pale or clay-colored stools
• Mucus in stool
• Unexplained weight loss accompanying stool changes

How quickly should you consult a doctor for stool changes? While occasional variations are usually not cause for immediate concern, persistent changes or those accompanied by pain, fever, or other symptoms should be evaluated promptly.

Promoting Healthy Bowel Movements: Diet and Lifestyle Tips

Maintaining healthy bowel movements is crucial for overall well-being. Fortunately, many dietary and lifestyle factors can positively influence your digestive health and stool quality.

Strategies for Optimal Digestive Health

1. Increase fiber intake through fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
2. Stay well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day
3. Engage in regular physical activity to promote intestinal motility
4. Manage stress through relaxation techniques or mindfulness practices
5. Establish a regular bathroom routine
6. Consider probiotic supplements or fermented foods for gut health
7. Limit processed foods and excessive alcohol consumption

How long does it take to see improvements in bowel health after implementing these strategies? While some changes may yield quick results, it often takes several weeks of consistent effort to notice significant improvements in bowel function.

The Gut-Brain Connection: How Stress Affects Your Stool

The intricate relationship between your gut and brain, often referred to as the gut-brain axis, can significantly impact your digestive health and stool characteristics. Stress, anxiety, and other emotional factors can alter gut motility, secretion, and overall function.

Stress-Related Digestive Issues

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) flare-ups
• Changes in stool frequency or consistency
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Nausea or loss of appetite

Can managing stress improve digestive health? Absolutely. Incorporating stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or regular physical activity can often lead to improvements in digestive function and stool quality.

Digestive Health Across the Lifespan: Age-Related Changes in Stool Patterns

As we age, our digestive system undergoes various changes that can affect stool characteristics and bowel habits. Understanding these age-related shifts can help individuals maintain optimal digestive health throughout their lives.

Age-Related Digestive Changes

• Decreased gut motility in older adults
• Reduced digestive enzyme production
• Changes in gut microbiome composition
• Increased susceptibility to certain digestive disorders
• Medication-related effects on digestion

How can older adults maintain healthy bowel function? Regular exercise, a fiber-rich diet, adequate hydration, and staying active can help counteract age-related digestive changes and promote healthy bowel movements.

The Role of Gut Bacteria in Stool Composition and Health

The trillions of bacteria residing in your gut play a crucial role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall health. The composition of your gut microbiome can significantly influence stool characteristics and digestive function.

Gut Microbiome Influences on Stool

• Stool consistency and frequency
• Nutrient absorption and metabolism
• Production of beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids
• Protection against harmful pathogens
• Modulation of the immune system

How can you promote a healthy gut microbiome? Consuming a diverse range of plant-based foods, incorporating fermented foods, and considering probiotic supplements can help support a balanced and beneficial gut bacterial population.

Digestive Disorders and Their Impact on Stool Appearance

Various digestive disorders can significantly alter stool appearance, consistency, and frequency. Recognizing these changes can aid in early detection and management of underlying conditions.

Common Digestive Disorders Affecting Stool

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Celiac disease
• Colorectal cancer
• Pancreatic disorders
• Liver diseases

How important is early detection of digestive disorders? Early identification and treatment of digestive conditions can often lead to better outcomes, improved quality of life, and prevention of complications.

Medication Effects on Stool: What You Need to Know

Many medications can influence digestive function and alter stool characteristics. Understanding these potential effects can help individuals and healthcare providers manage medication-related digestive issues more effectively.

Medications Commonly Affecting Stool

• Antibiotics
• Iron supplements
• Antacids containing bismuth
• Opioid pain medications
• Some blood pressure medications
• Certain antidepressants

Should you stop taking medication if you notice stool changes? Never discontinue prescribed medications without consulting your healthcare provider. If you’re concerned about medication effects on your stool, discuss these issues with your doctor to explore potential alternatives or management strategies.

The Importance of Hydration in Maintaining Healthy Stools

Proper hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal digestive function and healthy stool consistency. Adequate fluid intake helps soften stools, promote regular bowel movements, and prevent constipation.

Benefits of Proper Hydration for Digestive Health

• Softens stool for easier passage
• Helps prevent constipation
• Supports overall digestive function
• Aids in nutrient absorption
• Helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome

How much water should you drink for optimal digestive health? While individual needs vary, aiming for 8-10 glasses of water per day is a good general guideline. Factors such as climate, physical activity, and overall health may influence your specific hydration needs.

Dietary Fiber: The Key to Healthy Bowel Movements

Dietary fiber plays a vital role in maintaining digestive health and promoting regular, healthy bowel movements. Both soluble and insoluble fiber contribute to optimal stool formation and intestinal function.

Types of Dietary Fiber and Their Benefits

• Soluble fiber: Helps soften stool and regulate blood sugar levels
• Insoluble fiber: Adds bulk to stool and promotes regular bowel movements
• Prebiotic fiber: Feeds beneficial gut bacteria

How much fiber should you consume daily? The recommended daily intake for adults is 25-30 grams of fiber. Gradually increasing fiber intake and ensuring adequate hydration can help prevent digestive discomfort as your body adjusts to a higher-fiber diet.

Exercise and Digestion: How Physical Activity Affects Your Stool

Regular physical activity can have a significant positive impact on digestive health and bowel function. Exercise promotes intestinal motility, reduces transit time, and can help alleviate constipation.

Benefits of Exercise for Digestive Health

• Increases intestinal muscle contractions
• Reduces transit time of food through the digestive system
• Helps maintain a healthy body weight
• Reduces the risk of colon cancer
• Supports overall gut health

What types of exercise are best for digestive health? Any form of regular physical activity can be beneficial, but activities that involve core engagement, such as walking, jogging, swimming, or yoga, may be particularly helpful for promoting healthy bowel function.

Monitoring Your Digestive Health: When and How to Keep a Stool Diary

Keeping a stool diary can be an effective way to track changes in your bowel habits, identify potential triggers for digestive issues, and provide valuable information to healthcare providers if concerns arise.

Key Elements to Include in a Stool Diary

• Frequency of bowel movements
• Stool consistency and appearance
• Any pain or discomfort during bowel movements
• Diet and fluid intake
• Medications taken
• Stress levels and significant life events

How long should you keep a stool diary? For general health monitoring, keeping a diary for 1-2 weeks can provide useful insights. If you’re working with a healthcare provider to diagnose or manage a specific condition, they may recommend a longer tracking period.

Understanding the intricacies of your digestive health through stool characteristics can provide valuable insights into your overall well-being. By paying attention to factors such as color, consistency, frequency, and other attributes of your bowel movements, you can gain a better understanding of your body’s functioning and potentially identify issues early on. Remember that while occasional variations are normal, persistent changes or concerning symptoms should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and managing stress can all contribute to healthy digestion and optimal stool quality. By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can support your digestive health and overall wellness for years to come.

Identifying Types of Poop with the Bristol Stool Chart and More

Stool is made up of digested food, proteins, bacteria, salts, and other substances produced and released by your intestines. What your poop looks like can be important. Unexpected changes could be a sign of an underlying condition.

We all do it. For some, it’s a necessary inconvenience. For others, it’s a pleasant and satisfying part of the digestive process. It has fascinated toddlers since time immemorial, and there’s a reason for that.

Going number two might not be the prettiest topic for a dinner party, but there’s a lot to learn from this mundane yet mysterious, process. In the end (no pun intended), it’s simply a part of our functioning body.

So, what exactly is poop? Although everyone is unique in the size, shape, and smell of their poop, there are a few things that indicate a healthy (or unhealthy) poop.

Healthy poop can be as varied and as unique as the individuals who make it. But there are a few general rules to follow if you want to assess your poo artistry for optimum health.

Color

The poop emoji has one thing right: the brown coloring. The combination of stomach bile and bilirubin, which is a pigment compound formed from the breakdown of red blood cells in the body, gets the credit for this oh-so-lovely shade of brown.

Shape

A somewhat log-like shape is how most poop should come out due to its formation within the intestines. However, as we’ll get to later, there are a variety of shapes that poop can have.

When they differentiate from the log shape, that’s when your poop is trying to tell you something’s up.

Size

Poops shouldn’t come out in small pellets — something else we’ll get to later — but instead should be a couple of inches in length, and comfortable and easy to pass.

Consistency

Anywhere between a firm and soft consistency is pretty much normal. If it sways too much one way or another, it could suggest some digestion or fiber issues.

Length of time

A commonly heard joke is that when someone takes too long in the bathroom, it must mean they’re pooping. A healthy poop, however, should be easy to pass and take only a minute or so to push out.

That said, some people do spend a bit more time on the toilet, so as a general rule, a poop should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Frequency

Fun fact: Did you know most people poop around the same time every day?

On average, a person with healthy digestion will poop anywhere between every other day to three times a day. Any less could suggest possible constipation. This means you need some more water to move the “boat.”

Share on Pinterest

The Bristol stool chart is an overarching indicator of how and why different types of poops look or feel a certain way.

It’s broken up into seven categories based on a 2,000-person study published back in 1992, and it makes poop knowledge basic and easy to understand.

Type 1: Marbles

Appearance: Hard and separate little lumps that look like nuts and are hard to pass.

Indicates: These little pellets typically mean you’re constipated. It shouldn’t happen frequently.

Type 2: Caterpillar

Appearance: Log-shaped but lumpy.

Indicates: Here we have another sign of constipation that, again, shouldn’t happen frequently.

Type 3: Hot dog

Appearance: Log-shaped with some cracks on the surface.

Indicates: This is the gold standard of poop, especially if it’s somewhat soft and easy to pass.

Type 4: Snake

Appearance: Smooth and snake-like.

Indicates: Doctors also consider this a normal poop that should happen every 1–3 days.

Type 5: Amoebas

Appearance: Small, like the first ones, but soft and easy to pass; the blobs also have clear cut edges.

Indicates: This type of poop means you’re lacking fiber and should find ways to add some to your diet through cereal or vegetables.

Type 6: Soft serve

Appearance: Fluffy and mushy with ragged edges.

Indicates: This too-soft consistency could be a sign of mild diarrhea. Try drinking more water and electrolyte-infused beverages to help improve this.

Type 7: Jackson Pollock

Appearance: Completely watery with no solid pieces.

Indicates: In other words, you’ve got the runs, or diarrhea. This means your stool moved through your bowels very quickly and didn’t form into a healthy poop.

As with size and consistency, poop’s color can be a helpful signal about what’s going on within your body. As we previously mentioned, varying shades of brown are what’s considered the norm.

Even a hint of green is considered healthy. But if your poop is veering toward other ends of the rainbow, you might want to assess.

Share on Pinterest

Black

If you’ve had licorice, iron supplements, or bismuth medications (such as Pepto-Bismol), that could be the explanation behind black stool.

If you haven’t had any of that, black poop could be a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

It may seem like red would be a more likely color for this sort of concern, but since it’s taken a while to travel down, it’s older and therefore darker.

Green

While hints of green are quite normal, if your poop has gone from brown to full green, it may mean one of two things. Either you’ve added lots of green foods like spinach to your diet, or your stools passing through you too fast.

When it doesn’t pick up as much of the brown-tinting bilirubin, it has more bile salts that turn it this color.

Pale, white, or clay

If your poop is a chalky light shade, it might mean you’re lacking bile. Bile is a digestive fluid that comes from your liver and gallbladder, so if you’re producing white stool, it probably means your duct is blocked.

Pale poop could also be a side effect of certain medications like antidiarrhea medicine. Either way, if it continues, consult with a healthcare professional.

Red

You’re probably not surprised to hear that red poop can mean bleeding, either due to hemorrhoids or to bleeding in the lower intestinal tract. If your stool is a little red, however, there may be no need to immediately fret.

There are other, less serious reasons for this change in color. Foods like beets, cranberries, red gelatin, or tomato juice can turn poop red as well.

Yellow

Greasy, stinky, yellow stool is typically a sign of too much fat. This could also be a direct relation to a malabsorption disorder like celiac disease, where your body isn’t absorbing enough nutrients.

If your poop looks bright yellow, it could signify a condition called giardiasis, which is caused by an intestinal parasite in North America and the world.

Typically, you can develop giardiasis from contaminated water or exposure to a person with the condition.

Every now and again, when you take a look in the toilet bowl, you’ll see poop bobbing like a toy sailboat in the bathtub. As alarming as this seems, all it means is that the stool is less dense than the others that sink.

One potential reason for this lack of density can come from an increased amount of gas or water, or even a high fiber diet.

It’s also possible that malabsorption is, once again, the reason for a floating stool. If this is the case, the other abnormalities previously mentioned, like slight constipation, might also be present.

Constipation is defined as having fewer than 3 bowel movements per week.

There could be many reasons you experience this lack of pooping. Nerve issues in and around the colon or rectum may slow down pooping, as can problems with pelvic muscles.

Conditions that affect hormones, like pregnancy or diabetes, could also be the culprit.

If you’re experiencing this clogged-up feeling, you can add more high fiber foods to your diet, like beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Drinking lots of fluids, staying active, and managing stress can also help alleviate constipation.

If a diet change doesn’t seem to get things moving, constipation could be caused by certain medications or even a blockage in the bowel. Talking with a doctor is the best course of action to find relief in this instance.

A green poop here or hard poop there happens to the best of us. It’s when this type of irregularity carries on for more than a day or two that you should take action and talk with a doctor. The same goes for changes in color or consistency, or constipation.

Chronic constipation can obstruct the bowels, while chronic diarrhea can make it difficult for a person to absorb necessary nutrients from food. Both chronic constipation and chronic diarrhea could even be a sign of more serious conditions.

Again, the first sign of either of these should not be immediate cause for concern, but keep an eye on it and see if it lasts more than a few days.

That said, pay attention to any signs of blood. If you haven’t eaten any of the foods mentioned above that could turn your poop this color, consult with a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

As quick as we are to write it off, our poop can provide a wealth of knowledge about our health and ourselves. So next time you pop a squat, take note of what’s going on. The toilet bowl is a window into your health and you.

Read this article in Spanish.

Emily Rekstis is a New York City-based beauty and lifestyle writer who writes for many publications, including Greatist, Racked, and Self. If she’s not writing at her computer, you can probably find her watching a mob movie, eating a burger, or reading an NYC history book. See more of her work on her website, or follow her on Twitter.

Identifying Types of Poop with the Bristol Stool Chart and More

Stool is made up of digested food, proteins, bacteria, salts, and other substances produced and released by your intestines. What your poop looks like can be important. Unexpected changes could be a sign of an underlying condition.

We all do it. For some, it’s a necessary inconvenience. For others, it’s a pleasant and satisfying part of the digestive process. It has fascinated toddlers since time immemorial, and there’s a reason for that.

Going number two might not be the prettiest topic for a dinner party, but there’s a lot to learn from this mundane yet mysterious, process. In the end (no pun intended), it’s simply a part of our functioning body.

So, what exactly is poop? Although everyone is unique in the size, shape, and smell of their poop, there are a few things that indicate a healthy (or unhealthy) poop.

Healthy poop can be as varied and as unique as the individuals who make it. But there are a few general rules to follow if you want to assess your poo artistry for optimum health.

Color

The poop emoji has one thing right: the brown coloring. The combination of stomach bile and bilirubin, which is a pigment compound formed from the breakdown of red blood cells in the body, gets the credit for this oh-so-lovely shade of brown.

Shape

A somewhat log-like shape is how most poop should come out due to its formation within the intestines. However, as we’ll get to later, there are a variety of shapes that poop can have.

When they differentiate from the log shape, that’s when your poop is trying to tell you something’s up.

Size

Poops shouldn’t come out in small pellets — something else we’ll get to later — but instead should be a couple of inches in length, and comfortable and easy to pass.

Consistency

Anywhere between a firm and soft consistency is pretty much normal. If it sways too much one way or another, it could suggest some digestion or fiber issues.

Length of time

A commonly heard joke is that when someone takes too long in the bathroom, it must mean they’re pooping. A healthy poop, however, should be easy to pass and take only a minute or so to push out.

That said, some people do spend a bit more time on the toilet, so as a general rule, a poop should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Frequency

Fun fact: Did you know most people poop around the same time every day?

On average, a person with healthy digestion will poop anywhere between every other day to three times a day. Any less could suggest possible constipation. This means you need some more water to move the “boat.”

Share on Pinterest

The Bristol stool chart is an overarching indicator of how and why different types of poops look or feel a certain way.

It’s broken up into seven categories based on a 2,000-person study published back in 1992, and it makes poop knowledge basic and easy to understand.

Type 1: Marbles

Appearance: Hard and separate little lumps that look like nuts and are hard to pass.

Indicates: These little pellets typically mean you’re constipated. It shouldn’t happen frequently.

Type 2: Caterpillar

Appearance: Log-shaped but lumpy.

Indicates: Here we have another sign of constipation that, again, shouldn’t happen frequently.

Type 3: Hot dog

Appearance: Log-shaped with some cracks on the surface.

Indicates: This is the gold standard of poop, especially if it’s somewhat soft and easy to pass.

Type 4: Snake

Appearance: Smooth and snake-like.

Indicates: Doctors also consider this a normal poop that should happen every 1–3 days.

Type 5: Amoebas

Appearance: Small, like the first ones, but soft and easy to pass; the blobs also have clear cut edges.

Indicates: This type of poop means you’re lacking fiber and should find ways to add some to your diet through cereal or vegetables.

Type 6: Soft serve

Appearance: Fluffy and mushy with ragged edges.

Indicates: This too-soft consistency could be a sign of mild diarrhea. Try drinking more water and electrolyte-infused beverages to help improve this.

Type 7: Jackson Pollock

Appearance: Completely watery with no solid pieces.

Indicates: In other words, you’ve got the runs, or diarrhea. This means your stool moved through your bowels very quickly and didn’t form into a healthy poop.

As with size and consistency, poop’s color can be a helpful signal about what’s going on within your body. As we previously mentioned, varying shades of brown are what’s considered the norm.

Even a hint of green is considered healthy. But if your poop is veering toward other ends of the rainbow, you might want to assess.

Share on Pinterest

Black

If you’ve had licorice, iron supplements, or bismuth medications (such as Pepto-Bismol), that could be the explanation behind black stool.

If you haven’t had any of that, black poop could be a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

It may seem like red would be a more likely color for this sort of concern, but since it’s taken a while to travel down, it’s older and therefore darker.

Green

While hints of green are quite normal, if your poop has gone from brown to full green, it may mean one of two things. Either you’ve added lots of green foods like spinach to your diet, or your stools passing through you too fast.

When it doesn’t pick up as much of the brown-tinting bilirubin, it has more bile salts that turn it this color.

Pale, white, or clay

If your poop is a chalky light shade, it might mean you’re lacking bile. Bile is a digestive fluid that comes from your liver and gallbladder, so if you’re producing white stool, it probably means your duct is blocked.

Pale poop could also be a side effect of certain medications like antidiarrhea medicine. Either way, if it continues, consult with a healthcare professional.

Red

You’re probably not surprised to hear that red poop can mean bleeding, either due to hemorrhoids or to bleeding in the lower intestinal tract. If your stool is a little red, however, there may be no need to immediately fret.

There are other, less serious reasons for this change in color. Foods like beets, cranberries, red gelatin, or tomato juice can turn poop red as well.

Yellow

Greasy, stinky, yellow stool is typically a sign of too much fat. This could also be a direct relation to a malabsorption disorder like celiac disease, where your body isn’t absorbing enough nutrients.

If your poop looks bright yellow, it could signify a condition called giardiasis, which is caused by an intestinal parasite in North America and the world.

Typically, you can develop giardiasis from contaminated water or exposure to a person with the condition.

Every now and again, when you take a look in the toilet bowl, you’ll see poop bobbing like a toy sailboat in the bathtub. As alarming as this seems, all it means is that the stool is less dense than the others that sink.

One potential reason for this lack of density can come from an increased amount of gas or water, or even a high fiber diet.

It’s also possible that malabsorption is, once again, the reason for a floating stool. If this is the case, the other abnormalities previously mentioned, like slight constipation, might also be present.

Constipation is defined as having fewer than 3 bowel movements per week.

There could be many reasons you experience this lack of pooping. Nerve issues in and around the colon or rectum may slow down pooping, as can problems with pelvic muscles.

Conditions that affect hormones, like pregnancy or diabetes, could also be the culprit.

If you’re experiencing this clogged-up feeling, you can add more high fiber foods to your diet, like beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Drinking lots of fluids, staying active, and managing stress can also help alleviate constipation.

If a diet change doesn’t seem to get things moving, constipation could be caused by certain medications or even a blockage in the bowel. Talking with a doctor is the best course of action to find relief in this instance.

A green poop here or hard poop there happens to the best of us. It’s when this type of irregularity carries on for more than a day or two that you should take action and talk with a doctor. The same goes for changes in color or consistency, or constipation.

Chronic constipation can obstruct the bowels, while chronic diarrhea can make it difficult for a person to absorb necessary nutrients from food. Both chronic constipation and chronic diarrhea could even be a sign of more serious conditions.

Again, the first sign of either of these should not be immediate cause for concern, but keep an eye on it and see if it lasts more than a few days.

That said, pay attention to any signs of blood. If you haven’t eaten any of the foods mentioned above that could turn your poop this color, consult with a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

As quick as we are to write it off, our poop can provide a wealth of knowledge about our health and ourselves. So next time you pop a squat, take note of what’s going on. The toilet bowl is a window into your health and you.

Read this article in Spanish.

Emily Rekstis is a New York City-based beauty and lifestyle writer who writes for many publications, including Greatist, Racked, and Self. If she’s not writing at her computer, you can probably find her watching a mob movie, eating a burger, or reading an NYC history book. See more of her work on her website, or follow her on Twitter.

table of normal values, interpretation of the results of fecal analysis and preparation for the test

Coprogram or general fecal analysis is a laboratory study of human feces in order to study its physical, chemical characteristics, composition, types of inclusions and further diagnosis of the gastrointestinal tract. All information about the interpretation of the results of fecal analysis in the article is for informational purposes only, do not interpret and diagnose yourself, this should be done by a specialist!

Table of reference (normal) values ​​of the general analysis of feces

Index	Breastfed babies	Formula-fed infants	Children	Adults
Macroscopic characteristics
Quantity	40-50 g/day	30-40 g/day	100–250 g/day	10-400 g/day
Consistency	Viscous, mushy	Putty	Decorated	Decorated
Color	Yellow, golden to greenish	Light brown, orange	Brown to dark brown	Brown to dark brown
Smell	Sour, mild, milky	Sour, pronounced	Fecal soft	Fecal soft
Slime	A small amount of clear mucus is acceptable	A small amount of clear mucus is acceptable	Not found	Not found
Blood	Not found	Not detected	Not found	Not found
Pus	Not detected	Not detected	Not detected	Not detected
Parasites	Not found	Not found	Not found	Not found
Undigested food	Not found	Not found	Small to moderate amounts of vegetable indigestible fiber are acceptable	Small to moderate amounts of vegetable indigestible fiber are acceptable
Chemical data
Acid, pH	4. 8–5.8	6.8–7.5	7.0–7.5	7.0–7.5
Bilirubin	Small quantities allowed up to three months	Small quantities acceptable up to three months	Not detected	Not detected
Stercobilin	Discovered	Discovered	Discovered	Found, 75-350 mg/day
Soluble protein	Not detected	Not detected	Not detected	Not detected
Microscopic characteristics
Ammonia	Not detected	Not detected	Up to 20-40 mmol/kg	Up to 20-40 mmol/kg
Starch	Not detected	Not detected	Not detected	Not detected
Neutral fats	Single drops allowed	Acceptable in small quantities	Not found	Not found
Fatty acids	Small number of crystals allowed	Small number of crystals allowed	Not found	Not found
Soaps	Small quantities allowed up to one year	Small quantities allowed up to one year	Not found	Not found
Digestible fiber	Not found	Not found	Not found	Not found
Muscle and connective tissue fibers	Not found	Not found	Small quantities allowed	Small quantities allowed
Erythrocytes	Not found	Not found	Not found	Not found
Leukocytes	Not found or single	Not found or single	Not found or single	Not found or single
Yeast fungi	Not found	Not found	Not found	Not found
Iodophilic bacteria	Not found	Not found	Not found	Not found
Epithelial cells	Not found or single	Not found or single	Not found or single	Not found or single

Interpretation of the results of the general analysis of feces

The volume of feces excreted per day directly depends on the amount of food and diet consumed. The predominance of vegetable products on the table increases the volume of excrement, protein products – reduces. The deviation of the daily volume from the reference values ​​​​that has become regular may indicate a pathology: a constant increase in volume – about enterocolitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, dyspepsia of various etiologies, increased intestinal motility or IBS, a constant decrease – about constipation or malnutrition.

Normal consistency feces in children (after weaning) and adults is a cylindrical shaped stool, approximately ¾ of which consists of water. Breastfeeding babies normally have mushy stools, while formula-fed babies have putty stools. Cholelithiasis, cholecystitis and pancreatitis cause an ointment-like consistency. Dysentery, salmonellosis, dyspepsia and enterocolitis cause foamy stools. Hard feces are the result of constipation, spasm of the intestinal walls, stenosis of the large intestine. There are a lot of possible causes of loose stools, most often it is diarrhea, IBS, or increased intestinal motility.

Stercobilin pigment imparts the characteristic brown color to adult feces . In infants, the stool is lighter, towards light yellow, golden and greenish hues. In artificials, on the contrary, the stool is usually darker: from dark yellow to brown. Most often, the color of the feces of an adult changes due to the characteristics of the diet and after taking certain medications. If the rules for preparing for the fecal analysis were followed, then this is what the color change can indicate: black – internal bleeding, varicose veins of the esophagus, peptic ulcer or stomach cancer; dark brown – recurrent constipation, an excess of protein in the diet, problems with the digestion of protein foods, colitis, dyspepsia; light brown – an excess of plant foods, IBS, increased intestinal motility; reddish brown – ulcerative colitis; light yellow – pancreatitis; grayish or almost white – hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, obstruction of the bile ducts.

Sour smell of stool causes fermentation processes; for children under 6 months, sour smell is a normal variant and is explained by the use of breast milk or artificial mixtures (in this case, the smell is more pronounced). Putrid dyspepsia, enterocolitis, gastric pathology, ulcerative colitis and a number of more severe conditions cause a putrid odor. Cholecystitis, obstruction of the bile ducts, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis explain the appearance of a fetid odor.

The presence of mucus, a product of destruction of the intestinal epithelium, indicates an inflammatory process in the intestine, hemorrhoids, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, or the presence of certain parasites.

Detection of blood in the stool is an alarming sign. Easily detectable fresh scarlet blood on the feces most often indicates hemorrhoids or anal fissure. The combination of loose stools and blood is a symptom of dysentery and a number of diseases of an infectious nature. The appearance of streaks of blood accompanies ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, less often – oncological diseases. The combination of blood cells and mucus in the analyzes may indicate the development of paraproctitis, colitis, the appearance of polyps and intestinal diverticulum. Abundant and / or regular rectal bleeding is a reason for a mandatory and urgent visit to the proctologist.

For children and adults, the detection of pus in excrement is a dangerous pathology and indicates an active inflammation in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. In such situations, additional laboratory and instrumental examinations are always prescribed.

If helminths (worms) and their eggs are detected in the stool sample , antiparasitic drug therapy is prescribed.

Positive coprogram for undigested food residues leads the doctor to suspect a fermentation disorder, insufficient production of gastric juice, gastritis, or problems with intestinal motility.

The norm is neutral acidity feces. Weak alkalization (pH 7.5-8.0) is observed in diseases of the small intestine, medium (pH 8.0-8.5) – with pancreatitis, colitis, regular constipation, strong (pH> 8.5) – with putrefactive dyspepsia . A slightly acidic reaction is normal for infants and artificial babies due to the intake of milk and mixtures; in adults, an increase in acidity indicates an excess of carbohydrates in the diet, active fermentation processes, for example, with fermentative dyspepsia.

The body of a healthy adult completely converts bilirubin into stercobilin. If in infants a small amount of bilirubin in the feces is considered a variant of the norm and is explained by the incompletely formed intestinal microflora, then in adults it may indicate the development of IBS, dysbacteriosis, and the recent use of antibiotics.

A noticeable decrease in stercobilin in the results of stool analysis, up to its absence, indicates functional problems of the liver, cholelithiasis, blockage of the bile ducts. If the indicator exceeds the norm, then there is a suspicion of hemolytic anemia and excessive production of bile.

A positive reaction to protein in the coprogram usually indicates a pathology of the duodenum or stomach, dyspepsia, gastritis, enterocolitis, hemorrhoids.

Even the minimum concentration of ammonia in the feces of infants is considered a deviation from the norm. For adults, a concentration of about 20-40 mmol / kg is allowed. The increased content of ammonia accompanies violations of fermentation and the process of digestion of protein foods. Also, the indicator is growing against the background of colitis and putrefactive dyspepsia.

Starch in a healthy body is completely broken down in the gastrointestinal tract and should not be “exited”. Traces of intracellular starch in the feces may appear during hyposecretion of gastric juice, the processes of putrefaction and fermentation. Extracellular starch, a breakdown product of plant cells, is not absorbed in case of insufficient production of the amylase enzyme by the body or due to an abnormally high rate of food movement through the gastrointestinal tract.

Neutral fats (triglycerides) and soaps in a stool sample may only be normal in children under 1 year of age. For older children and adults, non-disintegration of fats is a sign of a functional disorder of the pancreas, liver, or gallbladder. Fatty acids are found in the results of fecal analysis in violation of the absorption function of the intestinal walls and with increased intestinal motility. Another reason for the incomplete breakdown of fats can be a banal excess of fatty foods in the diet or the intake of fat-containing drugs.

Indigestible fiber may be present in the coprogram, it is not by chance that it was called indigestible. But the presence of digestible fiber in the analyzes at best indicates an excess of raw vegetables and fruits in the diet, in less pleasant scenarios – violations of the secretory function of the stomach, biliary process, accelerated evacuation of feces from the intestines.

In a completely healthy body, protein foods (meat, fish) are completely digested. One of the manifestations of the violation of this process is the appearance in the feces of muscle fibers and connective tissue elements . The reason for this may be insufficient production of enzymes by the pancreas and a decrease in the acidity of the stomach.

A positive reaction to erythrocytes when deciphering the analysis of feces usually indicates hemorrhoids, fissures and ulcers in various parts of the intestine, polyposis. The presence of leukocytes clearly indicates the course of the inflammatory process in one or more sections of the intestine. In the case of the collapse of the intestinal tumor, both red blood cells and white blood cells are found in the stool.

Yeast-like fungi multiply against the background of dysbacteriosis caused by antibiotics and/or corticosteroids.

Iodophilic bacteria got their name because of their ability to change color under the action of iodine-containing solutions, such as Lugol’s solution. Pathogenic cocci and bacilli appear in the results of fecal analysis during dysbacteriosis, active fermentation processes in the stomach, against the background of an excess of carbohydrates in the diet, and insufficient production of pancreatic enzymes.

The presence of crystals in the feces, depending on their chemical composition, may indicate the processes of putrefaction, bleeding from the intestinal walls, an allergic reaction, helminthic invasion.

The penetration of squamous epithelium cells into the stool has no diagnostic value, cylindrical epithelium – indicates the course of acute or chronic colitis.

Preparing for a stool test

1. Stop antibiotics, laxatives, corticosteroids, rectal suppositories, enemas, and ointments 72 hours before your scheduled sample collection time. It is advisable to consult with your doctor about the need to stop taking certain drugs.
2. For 48 hours, exclude from the diet foods containing coloring matter (tomatoes, beets, blueberries, etc.), alcohol, dairy products, products that cause fermentation. Moderately eat fatty, spicy and pickled foods.
3. It is not recommended to do a coprogram during menstruation, as well as earlier than a week after contrast radiography.
4. Doctors recommend taking a stool sample for examination in the morning on an empty stomach, without using an enema, laxative, or other methods of stimulating peristalsis. It is better to deliver the container to the laboratory on the same day, the sooner the better. Keeping the stool sample in the refrigerator is not recommended, as this may distort the results.
5. The stool specimen must be free of water, urine, and any other third-party fluids and chemicals. It is recommended to urinate, then thoroughly rinse the perineum and genitals, dry with a clean towel.
6. Do not defecate into the toilet to avoid contact with water, urine or chemicals. Defecate into a clean container or onto a surface that does not absorb moisture: into a pot, a vessel, onto an oilcloth, a sheet of polyethylene, into a special plastic container, etc.
7. The stool sample is taken with a special spoon, which is usually supplied with a disposable sterile container from a pharmacy. A stool sample weighing 1–2 g should fill the container by about a third of its volume. It is not allowed to transport a stool sample in matchboxes and other household containers that are not intended for this.
8. When preparing for a fecal occult blood test, avoid foods high in iron, bromine and iodine (apples, sweet peppers, beans, almonds, peanuts, seaweed, etc.) from the diet 72 hours before sampling. meat and fish products, all green and red vegetable products.
9. It is recommended that coprograms be performed in the same laboratory for better follow-up.

Coprogram. Analysis result KALA

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• Coprogram. The result of the analysis of KALA

Coprogram – laboratory study of feces, which involves the study of their chemical, physical composition, as well as macro- and microscopic examination of feces for the presence of pathogenic organisms in order to identify diseases of the digestive tract (gastrointestinal tract, liver, gallbladder, pancreas) ).

What is specifically studied during the coprogram

During the coprogram, the following is studied:

• fecal color,
• consistency,
• acidity,
• smell,
• presence of soluble protein,
• occult blood,
• presence of stercobilin,
• reactions to bilirubin,
• iodophilic flora,
• detritus (destroyed intestinal epithelium),
• muscle fibers,
• starch,
• soap (remnants of digested fats),
• leukocytes,
• erythrocytes,
• fatty acids,
• triglycerides,
• vegetable fibre,
• connective fibers,
• presence of ammonia,
• the presence of yeast fungi.

Colour, texture, smell of feces

These indicators can change quite quickly for many reasons and are not stable. With a change in color, consistency, smell of feces, one can assume both the appearance of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and a change in the diet that the animal receives.

Parameters such as color, smell and consistency can be assessed by the owner at home when the feces are fresh and have not yet changed their properties. For example, you can independently notice if the stool has become lighter, red or, conversely, black, the consistency has become softer, liquid or solid, and the smell has changed to fetid, sour, etc. You can tell the doctor about all this at the appointment, and it is also recommended to back up your story with photographs of feces, which will only be welcome.

Hidden blood

The presence of visible or occult blood in the stool indicates the presence of ulcers, tumors in the gastrointestinal tract, or severe inflammatory processes in the large intestine, for one reason or another (for example, eating foreign bodies or the presence of infectious diseases). Hidden blood can appear when eating meat, mainly raw, as well as boiled. Therefore, its presence may be related to your pet’s diet.

Visible blood in the stool can be detected by the owner himself. Although the presence of occult blood is an important indicator, it, unfortunately, does not answer the doctor’s important questions “why did blood appear in the stool and from which part of the intestine?”. Therefore, to exclude possible bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, the veterinarian will definitely prescribe additional studies that will answer the above questions: abdominal ultrasound, endoscopic examination, computed tomography, etc. They will be more effective and faster than the study of feces for a coprogram.

Soluble protein

The presence of this indicator in the feces may indicate pancreatitis, ulcers, inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract or the presence of tumors.

Again, this question does not answer the questions described above, so to find out the reasons, the doctor will prescribe additional studies that were listed earlier. In addition, at the moment there is only one reliable way to make a diagnosis of “acute pancreatitis” – to donate blood for the “pancreatic lipase” indicator. However, it must be understood that a violation of the pancreas is not only pancreatitis, and each disease has its own research method (for example, if exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in dogs is suspected, blood is donated for trypsin-like immunoreactivity of the blood serum of dogs).

Stercobilin

The absence of this indicator in the feces indicates problems associated with the biliary tract and gallbladder, and its increase indicates possible hemolytic anemia.

There are many diseases associated with damage to the bile ducts and gallbladder . The reason may be:

• stones;
• parasites;
• inflammatory processes.

There are also quite a few diseases associated with hemolytic anemias . The reason may be:

• poisoning;
• parasites.

Therefore, to clarify these problems, the veterinarian will prescribe additional studies, including blood tests, not only clinical and biochemical, but also targeted ELISA and PCR studies to identify parasitic problems that the doctor suspects.

There are no reagents in veterinary laboratory diagnostics to determine qualitatively and quantitatively this indicator.

Detritus, mucus, erythrocytes, leukocytes

This group of indicators shows inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract of unknown etiology (from parasitic invasion to neoplastic process). In order for the doctor to accurately determine the location and cause of inflammation, he will prescribe additional studies that have already been described above.

Muscle fibers, starch, soaps, fatty acids, triglycerides, connective tissue fibers, ammonia.

The presence of any of these indicators indicates a violation of the processes of food digestion.

Such a large number of indicators were combined for a reason. The fact is that the presence, absence or excess of any digestive products in the feces depends on many parameters: the type of animal (because cats and dogs have different lengths of the gastrointestinal tract), its breed and weight, which determines the diet that the pet consumes, as well as the quality and quantity of this food and the individual tolerance of its components. Since these indicators are influenced by a lot of factors, it is impossible to have clear limits for the norm for such a study, which makes it a priori uninformative.

Reactions to bilirubin and iodophilic flora. Yeast mushrooms.

Positive reactions to bilirubin or iodophilic flora, as well as the presence of yeast fungi in feces, indicate dysbacteriosis.

Dysbacteriosis is a non-existent diagnosis in small animal veterinary medicine. In the intestines of every living being there is a microflora that helps to digest food. The quantity and composition of this microflora also depends on the type of animal, its breed, on the diet it follows, on the quality and quantity of feed, as well as individual sensitivity to feed components. It is impossible to establish what specific bacteria and in what quantity should be in all cats and dogs, the intestinal microflora is always purely individual. Therefore, these studies are not informative.

Helminths and worm eggs

This research parameter is very important and necessary, because the laboratory doctor will accurately describe which helminths or protozoa (more precisely, some of them) parasitize in the pet.

Doctors can often order this test at the first appointment, if the animal has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, in order to first find out whether the problem is infectious or not. For convenience, this type of analysis was placed in a separate column “parasitological analysis of feces”, since it is performed very often.

Conclusion. Why don’t we make a coprogram.

Thus, coprogram is currently an outdated and uninformative way to study diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, since this study does not answer such important questions as: why inflammation occurred;

what exactly is this inflammation.