It’s no news that poop never smells pleasant, but particularly pungent stool is often a sign of infection, according to Sheth. Terrible-Smelling Poop May Be a Sign of Infection Type 5 typically indicates a lack of fiber in the diet, which lends bulk to stool and acts as a glue to keep the poop stuck together as it exits your body.Ĥ. If your poop consistently falls on this part of the scale, talk to your doctor to determine the underlying cause. Types 1 and 2 signal constipation, while types 6 and 7 are diarrhea and can be signs of an infection, food poisoning, or a gastrointestinal illness. Types 3 and 4 are considered normal, and the shapes are signs of a healthy diet and lifestyle, reports the Cleveland Clinic. Type 4: Thinner, more snake-like that is smooth and soft.Type 3: Sausage-shaped with cracks on the surface.Type 2: Hard and lumpy, resembling a sausage.Type 1: Separate hard lumps, like pebbles, that are difficult to pass.The Bristol Stool Form Scale identifies seven types of poop: So Does the Shapeĭid you know there’s an actual diagnostic chart that classifies human poop into seven categories based on shape and consistency? Though it could be from something as harmless as iron supplements or black licorice, the color could be a sign of bleeding or tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract, Penn Medicine notes. Leafy vegetables can cause green stool, while certain medications can make your poop look white or clay-colored. Sheth has seen patients get full work-ups for bright red stool that turned out to be related to nothing more than the passage of beets.īut don’t ignore red stool, as it may be rectal bleeding, a potential symptom of a serious health issue that needs treatment, per the Cleveland Clinic. Color Matters When It Comes to PoopĪs you may have seen in pictures of poop, the color can vary - a lot - depending on what kinds of food you’ve ingested and other factors. On the other hand, foods packed with insoluble fiber, such as corn, oat bran, and carrots, are more difficult for your body to digest, which, per the Mayo Clinic, explains why they may emerge in your poop (stool) looking relatively unchanged. Soluble fiber found in foods like beans and nuts is broken down during digestion and forms a gel-like substance that becomes part of your poop. The rest is an often-stinky combination of fiber, dead and live bacteria, other cells, and mucus. Water makes up about 75 percent of your stool, research has shown. Take a look at these facts about poop, and then pay attention to how often you go, how long it takes, and what the result looks and, yes, smells like. Your poop can reveal serious signs of infections, digestive problems, and even early signs of cancer, according to Anish Sheth, MD, a gastroenterologist at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in Plainsboro, New Jersey, and the coauthor of the books What’s Your Poo Telling You? and What’s My Pee Telling Me? That’s because your poop (stool) is an important clue to your overall digestion and health. Sure, it’s not exactly dinner-party material, but it’s important to learn all you can about bowel movements - what’s weird, what’s normal, what’s healthy, what’s not.
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