What causes stools to float. How can diet affect stool buoyancy. When should you be concerned about floating stools. What are the potential health implications of persistently floating stools. How can malabsorption lead to changes in stool characteristics. What diagnostic tests might a doctor recommend for floating stools. How can you manage floating stools at home.

The Science Behind Floating Stools

Floating stools are a common occurrence that often raises questions about digestive health. To understand this phenomenon, it’s essential to explore the underlying mechanisms of digestion and stool formation.

Why do some stools float while others sink? The primary reasons are:

• Poor nutrient absorption (malabsorption)
• Excessive gas (flatulence) in the stool

These factors can alter the density of the stool, causing it to be less dense than water and consequently float. Let’s delve deeper into the digestive process to better understand how this occurs.

The Journey of Food Through the Digestive System

The digestive journey begins in the stomach and progresses through several stages:

1. Food enters the stomach for initial breakdown
2. Partially digested food moves into the small intestine
3. Nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine
4. Unabsorbed matter passes into the colon
5. Water is absorbed in the colon
6. Remaining waste is eliminated as feces

Any disruption in this process can potentially lead to floating stools. For instance, if the small intestine fails to absorb nutrients efficiently, the resulting stool may contain more fat or gas, causing it to float.

Common Causes of Floating Stools

While floating stools are often harmless, they can sometimes indicate underlying health issues. What are the most frequent causes of floating stools?

• Dietary changes
• Increased gas production
• Gastrointestinal infections
• Malabsorption disorders
• Chronic pancreatitis

Dietary changes are the most common culprit. Consuming foods that produce more gas can lead to floating stools. In some cases, however, persistent floating stools may signal a more serious condition such as malabsorption or chronic pancreatitis.

The Role of Diet in Stool Buoyancy

How does your diet influence stool characteristics? Certain foods can significantly impact stool density and buoyancy:

• High-fiber foods: Can increase gas production
• Dairy products: May cause floating stools in lactose-intolerant individuals
• Artificial sweeteners: Can lead to increased gas and diarrhea
• Fat-rich foods: May result in floating, greasy stools if not properly absorbed

Identifying and avoiding trigger foods can often resolve the issue of floating stools. However, if dietary changes don’t alleviate the problem, it may be necessary to consider other potential causes.

Malabsorption and Its Impact on Stool Characteristics

Malabsorption is a condition where the body fails to absorb nutrients properly. How does this affect stool properties? When malabsorption occurs:

• Unabsorbed fats can make stools greasy and more likely to float
• Increased gas production may occur due to bacterial fermentation of unabsorbed nutrients
• Stools may become bulkier and less dense

Malabsorption can result from various conditions, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatic insufficiency. If you experience persistent floating stools accompanied by weight loss or other digestive symptoms, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for proper evaluation.

Recognizing Signs of Severe Malabsorption

What symptoms might indicate severe malabsorption? Be alert for:

• Floating, greasy stools with a foul odor
• Unexplained weight loss
• Chronic diarrhea
• Abdominal pain or bloating
• Fatigue or weakness

These symptoms, especially when occurring together, warrant medical attention. A healthcare provider can perform appropriate tests to diagnose the underlying cause and recommend suitable treatment options.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Floating Stools

While occasional floating stools are usually not a cause for concern, certain situations call for medical evaluation. When should you consult a healthcare provider about floating stools?

• Persistent floating stools lasting more than two weeks
• Floating stools accompanied by unexplained weight loss
• Blood in the stool
• Severe abdominal pain or cramping
• Chronic diarrhea
• Signs of dehydration

These symptoms may indicate a more serious underlying condition that requires prompt medical attention. Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice if you’re concerned about changes in your bowel movements.

What to Expect During a Medical Consultation

During a medical visit for floating stools, your healthcare provider will likely:

1. Perform a physical examination
2. Ask about your medical history and symptoms
3. Inquire about recent dietary changes
4. Possibly request a stool sample for analysis
5. Consider ordering blood tests if necessary

Be prepared to answer questions about when you first noticed the floating stools, their frequency, and any associated symptoms. This information will help your provider determine the appropriate diagnostic approach and treatment plan.

Diagnostic Approaches for Persistent Floating Stools

When floating stools persist or are accompanied by other concerning symptoms, healthcare providers may recommend various diagnostic tests. What are some common diagnostic approaches for investigating floating stools?

• Stool analysis: To check for fat content, parasites, or blood
• Blood tests: To assess nutrient levels and screen for celiac disease or other disorders
• Hydrogen breath test: To diagnose lactose intolerance or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
• Imaging studies: Such as CT scans or MRIs to evaluate the pancreas and intestines
• Endoscopy or colonoscopy: To visually examine the digestive tract

The specific tests ordered will depend on your symptoms, medical history, and the results of the initial examination. These diagnostic tools help healthcare providers identify underlying causes and develop appropriate treatment strategies.

Interpreting Diagnostic Results

How do healthcare providers interpret the results of these tests? They look for indicators such as:

• Elevated fat content in stool samples
• Abnormal levels of nutrients in blood tests
• Presence of harmful bacteria or parasites in stool cultures
• Structural abnormalities in imaging studies
• Signs of inflammation or damage during endoscopic procedures

Based on these findings, your healthcare provider can determine the underlying cause of your floating stools and recommend appropriate treatment options.

Management and Treatment of Floating Stools

The approach to managing floating stools depends on the underlying cause. What are some common strategies for addressing this issue?

• Dietary modifications
• Treating underlying infections or disorders
• Enzyme replacement therapy for pancreatic insufficiency
• Medications to manage symptoms
• Nutritional supplementation in cases of malabsorption

For many individuals, simple dietary changes may be sufficient to resolve floating stools. However, if an underlying medical condition is identified, more targeted treatments may be necessary.

Dietary Strategies for Managing Floating Stools

How can you modify your diet to address floating stools? Consider these approaches:

• Keep a food diary to identify trigger foods
• Gradually increase fiber intake to promote healthy digestion
• Avoid foods that cause excessive gas production
• Stay hydrated to support proper digestion
• Consider probiotics to promote gut health

Remember that dietary changes should be made gradually to allow your digestive system to adjust. If symptoms persist despite dietary modifications, consult your healthcare provider for further guidance.

Preventing Floating Stools and Promoting Digestive Health

While not all causes of floating stools can be prevented, there are steps you can take to promote overall digestive health. How can you maintain healthy bowel function?

• Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Stay adequately hydrated
• Exercise regularly to promote healthy digestion
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
• Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement

By adopting these healthy habits, you can support your digestive system and potentially reduce the occurrence of floating stools.

The Importance of Regular Health Check-ups

Regular health check-ups play a crucial role in maintaining digestive health. Why are routine medical visits important?

• Early detection of potential digestive issues
• Opportunity to discuss any changes in bowel habits
• Screening for age-appropriate digestive health conditions
• Personalized advice on maintaining digestive health
• Timely intervention for emerging health concerns

Don’t hesitate to discuss any concerns about your digestive health with your healthcare provider during these check-ups. They can provide valuable guidance and recommend appropriate screenings or tests if necessary.

In conclusion, while floating stools are often harmless and temporary, they can sometimes indicate underlying health issues. By understanding the potential causes, recognizing when to seek medical attention, and adopting healthy lifestyle habits, you can effectively manage this common digestive phenomenon and maintain optimal digestive health.

Stools – floating Information | Mount Sinai

Floating stools

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

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

Considerations

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

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

Causes

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

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

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

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

Home Care

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

When to Contact a Medical Professional

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

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

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

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

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

Treatment depends on the specific diagnosis.

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

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

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

Last reviewed on: 5/4/2022

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

Why Do Stools Float Sometimes?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Are Floating Stools?
• Why Would Stools Float?
• When To See a Doctor
• Treatment
• Prevention

Stools, or poop, usually sink to the bottom of the toilet, but sometimes, they can float. If your poop never sinks to the bottom of the toilet bowl, you may have too much gas in your intestines.‌

Normally, floating stools aren’t a cause for concern. Read on to learn more about why stools float, what floating stools say about your health, and more.

When stools float, it means the poop stays on the surface of the toilet water instead of sinking. Normally, poop sinks to the bottom of the toilet bowl.‌

Floating poop doesn’t mean you’re sick, but it can be a symptom of various conditions.

There are several reasons why poop floats and never seems to sink.

Too much gas. You may have too much gas in you due to your diet, which can make your stools float. 

Some people think that floating poop is caused by fat, but it’s usually caused by gas. Research has indicated that once floating stools were degassed, they weighed the same as sinking poop. This indicates that gas was responsible for making floating stools float, rather than fat inside the poop.

Gas in your digestive system is usually caused when you swallow air or eat certain types of foods that break down into gas. 

If you eat a high-fiber diet with a lot of vegetables and fruits, you may get floating stools because digesting high-fiber foods releases more air during digestion. This leads to air or gas being trapped in the stool, making it float in the toilet bowl.

Medical conditions. If your poop floats, there’s a slight chance you have steatorrhea, which means you have too much fat in your poop. Steatorrhea indicates you can’t absorb fat properly, and it can be a symptom of the following conditions:

• Celiac disease
• Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) due to cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis
• Diseases affecting small intestines such as tropical sprue, Whipple disease, and lymphoma
• Bile acid deficiency

You may also have the following conditions if you have floating poop:

• Gastrointestinal infection
• Malabsorption, which means you’re not absorbing nutrients as well as you should

Floating stools don’t necessarily mean you have an underlying health condition. To determine if a health condition is causing this, you should be on the lookout for other indicators. 

If your floating stools are smelly, sticky, or bloody, for example, you should see a doctor. Your doctor will give you a proper diagnosis and walk you through the process of understanding your condition if you have one. Here’s a closer look at what might cause these symptoms. ‌

Smelly and sticky stools. Smelly and sticky stools are typically a symptom of nutrient malabsorption. This means your body isn’t able to completely absorb and digest nutrients from your gastrointestinal tract due to damage to the small intestine, not having enough pancreatic enzymes, liver disease, HIV/AIDs, or other conditions.

If your floating stools are smelly and appear sticky, you should contact your doctor.

Blood in your stool. If your floating poop is accompanied by blood, it could be caused by:

• Bleeding in your anus or rectum
• Cancer of your digestive system
• Blood vessel abnormalities
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis
• Ulcers in the stomach or small intestine
• Polyps
• Diverticulitis ‌

If you find blood in your stools, you should see a doctor. If you’re experiencing weight loss, dizziness, or fever in addition to finding blood in your stools, you should talk to your doctor immediately. You should also get emergency medical help if there is a lot of blood in your poop, or if it is maroon or black and tarry.‌

Your doctor will be able to determine what is the exact cause of bloody poop through imaging tests and physical exams.

When you visit your doctor, they will likely ask you several questions about your medical history and your current health to determine why you have floating stools. They will also ask you about your diet and how long you’ve been having this issue so they can make any needed diet and medication recommendations.

Unless there is a medical condition causing you to have floating poops, there is no need to do anything to treat or prevent them.

Monitor your pooping habits. Always be aware of any changes to your stool and bowel movements. If you’re suddenly pooping more or less, or your poop looks very different, you should report these changes to your doctor. Your doctor will find it easier to diagnose any health conditions you may have if you keep an organized record about your pooping habits.

Changing your diet. Sometimes, preventing floating poop can be as easy as changing your diet, since floating poop can be caused by eating foods that cause you to have more gas.

You should avoid the following foods if you have a problem with too much gas:

• Hard candy
• Fizzy or carbonated drinks
• Gum‌

Keep a food diary so you can keep track of what you eat and narrow down what foods are giving you gas. You should bring this diary to your doctor so you can talk to them about how you can change your diet.

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Feces buoyancy linked to intestinal microbiota

American researchers figured out why some feces sink in water while others float on the surface. According to experiments on mice, the composition of the intestinal microbiota is solely responsible for this. The report on the work was published in the journal Scientific Reports .

Feces 10-15 percent of people float on the surface of the water, and this is not associated with any pathological condition. Among people with functional bowel disorders, this proportion rises to about one in four. Historically, it was believed that the buoyancy of feces is due to the high content of fat in it, but in 19In 1972, Michael Levitt, a gastroenterologist from the University of Minnesota, and his student William Duane, in experiments with the stool of 39 people (including six patients with steatorrhea), showed that even fatty feces sink when gas is removed. The researchers did not specify the origin of the gas component, and this question, which has the potential for clinical application, has remained open until now.

To understand it, staff at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, under the direction of Nagarajan Kannan, used conventional C57BL/6 (B6) and gnotobiotic (born and reared in aseptic conditions that do not have a microbiome) mice. Some of the latter have been colonized with microbiota in their intestines by a single intragastric injection of the drug, either in the faeces of normal mice or one of two healthy women, or by allowing contact with environmental bacteria. Fecal sterility of germ-free mice and successful colonization of the intestines of the rest were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, scanning electron microscopy, and measurement of bacterial DNA concentration (a measure of microbiota density).

Flow cytometry showed that the number of undigested particles of food biomass is inversely related to the density of the intestinal microbiota. In thermogravimetry, the feces of germ-free mice differed from the rest of the samples in at least three temperature ranges; pycnometry revealed its significant superiority in relative density. The shape, size and color of the stool in all groups of animals did not differ.

To assess the buoyancy of faeces, the researchers used a simple LIFT test they had previously developed – levô in fimo (literally translated from Latin as “raising in dung”) test. It consists in placing stool fragments in water and a Trump fixer solution (10 percent formaldehyde and one percent glutaraldehyde) in phosphate buffer (TFS), followed by recording their position (at the bottom or surface) after a minute, hour and day. It turned out that all samples from germ-free mice sink in water and TFS in less than a minute, while about half of the bacteria-colonized samples remain on the surface of the water and all of them continue to swim in TFS after a day.

Also, the authors of the work performed simultaneously LIFT and microbiota density determination in gnotobiotic mice before intragastric colonization (all faeces were drowned, bacterial DNA was practically not determined) and after it weekly for 12 weeks. By the third week, with all methods of microbiota formation (transplantation from mice and humans, from a non-sterile environment), the DNA concentration in the whole stool began to stabilize at a level of more than 10 thousand nanograms per milligram, from that time all biosamples floated.

Metagenomic analysis of the intestinal microbiota of conventional, artificially colonized gnotobiotic and their donor mice revealed 13 dominant species of gasogenic bacteria from 11 genera, and their composition in different animals was extremely heterogeneous. The most common was methane-producing Bacteroides ovatus , associated, as previously shown, with an increased risk of flatulence in humans.

Thus, the buoyancy of feces depends solely on the gases produced by the microbiota; Swallowed air and the chemical composition of the dense matter of the stool do not play a role in this, Kannan concluded.

In 2019, Tufts University researchers reported that fecal transplants from physically fit older adults significantly increased the grip strength of mice. At the same time, a Belgian-Dutch scientific group showed that the intestinal microbiota affects the quality of life and the risk of developing depression. In turn, the species composition of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract depends on at least 69 main factors, including such non-obvious ones as the opinion of one’s own body weight and plans to reduce it, preferences for chocolate varieties and taking antidepressants – the Dutch, Belgian, Russian and British scientists.

You can read about the various uses of excrement in wildlife in the blog “It’s the norm: about the instrumental use of feces.” Issues related to fecal transplantation are analyzed in detail by Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Mikhail Gelfand.

On mice

Found a typo? Select the fragment and press Ctrl+Enter.

Why poop sinks (and why they float to the surface) – Drink-Drink

07/07/2022 07/10/2023 DrinkDrinkAdmin

Contents

• Floating and sinking poop
  • What to do if your poop floats to the surface. poop color
    • Unhealthy shapes
  • Healthy smell of poop
    • Unhealthy smells
  • Doctor visit
  • Healthy poop frequency
    • Relieve constipation
  • Conclusion

  When was the last time you looked at what you left in toilet?

  While there are certainly more attractive (and better smelling) things, checking out what comes out on the other end can actually tell you a lot about your diet, activity level and overall health.

  It is especially important to know if your stool is sinking or floating. But since you probably (hopefully?) don’t look at other people’s poop regularly, it can be difficult to know if yours is “normal”.

  Let’s go over the basics of what normal, healthy poop looks like, what to do if it doesn’t look normal, and when to see a doctor.

  Floating and sinking poop

  Feed typically consists of: 0044

Hearing a loud bang! when you sit on the toilet, it is actually a sign that your poop is dense and therefore healthy.

If you’re on a high-fiber diet and your digestive system is working at full capacity, your stool should be heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the toilet.

What to do if your poop floats to the surface.

Although healthy stools sink, sometimes your stools float up like a lifeline.

One of the causes of floating stools is the formation of gas in the intestines, which is mainly due to the action of bacteria in the large intestine. These bacteria produce gas as a result of their activity in the processing of food in the intestines. Usually the population of these gut bacteria is under control. However, under certain conditions, their number may increase. In addition, some conditions can cause incomplete digestion and absorption of food in the intestines. Both can lead to excess gas production.

Gas can also enter the intestines from the air that is swallowed during breathing, eating and drinking. Carbonated drinks are a source of gas in the intestines. In addition, gas is able to penetrate the walls of the intestine and be formed as a result of the chemical breakdown of food.

If you leave random floats behind, this is probably nothing to worry about. Eating new foods or foods that cause more gas can make your stool less dense, resulting in floating stools. It usually goes away on its own after about a day.

Floating stools can sometimes be a symptom of a gastrointestinal or gastrointestinal infection. They also tend to be temporary and will disappear on their own.

But if your stool floats a lot and seems greasy, it could mean you have malabsorption.

Another symptom of malabsorption is weight loss. See your doctor if this is a regular symptom for you, especially if it is accompanied by floating poop.

Floating stools can also be a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS has other symptoms as well, such as:

• cramps
• bloating after eating
• constipation
• frequent diarrhea

If, in addition to these other symptoms, you often have floating poop, talk to your doctor.

Healthy poop color

Healthy brown stool. This is because bile from your digestive organs colors your stool.

Your poop may vary in color depending on what you have eaten recently. If your stool looks very dark or even black, it’s probably because you’ve been eating a lot of blueberries or foods that use dark food colorings like black licorice.

Unhealthy shades

If the color of your stool is not in the range between yellow and dark brown, this may indicate a serious health problem.

Light color

Light brown, gray, or clay-colored feces may indicate that your bile ducts are not working at full capacity. This may be a sign of:

• hepatitis
• blockage of the bile ducts
• gallstones
• tumor in the liver or pancreas

If your stool becomes lighter than usual and does not return to its dark brown color, look for other symptoms you may have. Contact your doctor if you are not feeling well.

Red

Red stools or bloody stools may be a sign that you have a rectal blockage. It can also indicate hemorrhoids or gastrointestinal bleeding.

In some cases, red stools can be a warning sign of colorectal polyps or bowel cancer.

If you see blood in your stools or frequently have red stools, call your doctor and let him know, regardless of other symptoms. They will be able to tell you if you need to have your stool checked to determine what is causing your red stools.

Healthy poop shape and consistency

Poop can take on many shapes and stay healthy.

Your faeces usually come out in shaped logs of clay consistency. Narrow, snake-shaped stool is also considered normal. Your poop can be big, small, short, or long: all of these shapes are on the spectrum of normal values.

Unhealthy shapes

There are some features in the consistency and shape of your stool that may indicate an underlying medical condition. Most things about the shape and size of your stool have to do with your diet.

Stool that looks lumpy or is shaped like a small softball or caterpillar may mean that you are constipated. Increase your water intake if you notice that your stools are pebbly or dry, even if you don’t strain to walk.

A stool that looks bumpy or fuzzy may mean it’s time to fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Low fiber in your diet can cause your poop to become very soft. If your feces lack (for lack of a better word) definition, increase the amount of fiber you get at every meal.

Healthy smell of poop

Even healthy poop doesn’t smell the best. After all, there is a reason why the word “excrement” is synonymous with the word “rude.”

Bad-smelling poop is the result of the decomposition of bacteria and food. Poop has a very distinct smell that you are probably familiar with, and each feces smells differently. Feces with an earthy or musty odor are typical and normal.

Unhealthy odors

Stool that smells like fat, unpleasant or especially putrid may be a sign in your body that something else is going on.

Taking antibiotics alters the microbiota in the gut. This can lead to foul-smelling stools. Often this is temporary and goes away on its own, but a course of probiotic supplements can’t hurt to help.

If you are menstruating, your stool may have a distinct and strong odor during your period (which is completely normal).

You may also develop bad stool odor in addition to diarrhea if you take more than the recommended dose of a multivitamin or supplement. This too will go away on its own in a day or two.

Seeing a Doctor

If your poop is especially smelly and accompanied by other symptoms, you may need to see a doctor.

Bacterial infections such as food and dairy allergies and gastrointestinal parasites can cause abnormally foul-smelling stools. Malabsorption can also cause a strong odor.

If your poop smells worse than usual, look out for other symptoms you may have. Call your doctor if you have particularly smelly stools and:

• frequent cramps
• constipation
• diarrhea
• weight loss
• bloody stools

Healthy poop frequency

Someone poops a couple of times a day. Others only poop every other day. Regularity is important, but there is a wide range of what is “normal” when it comes to poop frequency.

You may poop more or less depending on how much fiber you have in your diet, how much meat you eat, what kind of physical activity you tend to do, and other factors.

Constipation

If you feel constipated, try increasing your water intake first. Dehydration means you may not have enough water passing through your intestines to form hard, healthy stools.

If that doesn’t work, increase your fiber intake. Keep in mind that eating a lot of fiber can actually slow down digestion, at least initially.

Home remedies for constipation are another option if you don’t poop regularly. Consider taking a magnesium supplement or a natural laxative to get things moving. Certain exercises, such as jogging or yoga, can also help.

Tell your doctor if you regularly get constipated or if your stools are hard and dry.

Conclusion

Healthy poop tends to settle to the bottom of the toilet bowl, look dark brown and smell a bit musty, but not particularly unpleasant.