What is a Normal Poo?
Your poo provides valuable insights into your digestive system. Talking to a gut health dietitian about your bowel movements is standard practice, so you do not need to feel embarrassed!
What is Poop?
Poop, also known as poo, faeces or stool, is a waste product that results from the digestion of food.
Stool Composition
Faeces is composed of:
Water
Protein
Undigested fats
Polysaccharides (dietary fibre and resistant starch)
Bacterial biomass
Ash
Undigested food residues
Digestive System Anatomy
The gastrointestinal tract measures about 8-9 m. Despite much speculation, the current estimate of the area of the gastrointestinal tract is around 32m2, or half the size of a badminton court.
The Journey from Food to Waste
Food travels through the gastrointestinal tract on a journey from the mouth to the anus.
Mouth (5 sec – 2 min): In the mouth, the teeth chew, cut, tear and grind food into smaller particles. The tongue then forms these particles into a soft ball called a bolus, which is lubricated with saliva to make swallowing easier.
Oesophagus (8 - 10 sec): Once swallowed, the bolus moves quickly and smoothly down the oesophagus and into the stomach.
Stomach (15 min - 4 hrs): In the stomach, food is pushed, churned, ground, and mixed with digestive acids.
Small Intestine (1 - 5 hrs): Next the food moves into the small intestine, where smooth muscles create wave-like contractions that push food along. This is where most absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals occurs.
Large Intestine (12 - 24 hrs): The food then enters the large intestine, where gut bacteria digests fibre, producing beneficial byproducts and completing the final absorption of nutrients. Most of the water is reabsorbed here, resulting in the formation of soft stool.
Rectum: Finally, the stool then sits in the rectum, waiting to be expelled. When you decide to release it, the stool exits through the anus.
Characteristics of Normal Stool
Colour: Typically, any shade of brown from light to dark but can vary due to foods (such as beetroot or food colouring) or iron supplements.
Consistency: Should be formed, soft, and smooth, ideally resembling types 3 or 4 on the Bristol stool scale.
Frequency: Can range from three times a day to three times a week.
Other Factors: There should be no pain or blood present.
Signs of Abnormal Poo:
Colour: Pale white, grey, yellow, green, black or bright red. Presence of blood in the stool.
Consistency: Watery (types 5, 6, 7), hard (types 1, 2), greasy or containing undigested food.
Frequency: Less than three bowel motions per week, or more than three watery, loose bowel motions each day
Other Symptoms: Feeling of incomplete evacuation (sensation of remaining stool), spending prolonged periods of time on the toilet or straining during bowel movements.
When to See Your GP
If you experience nocturnal (nighttime) diarrhoea.
If there is blood in your stools.
If you are aged over 50 years and experience changes in your bowel habits.
If there is a family history of bowel conditions (e.g., bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease).
If you experience weight loss without trying.
Factors Influencing Stool
Several factors can affect the consistency, colour, frequency, and urgency of our bowel movements, including:
Medications: Prescription medicines, laxatives and supplements can significantly change stool characteristics.
Infections: Viruses, bacteria, food poisoning, and parasites may alter bowel habits.
Physiological Changes: Menstruation, pregnancy, and conditions like endometriosis can influence bowel function.
Medical Conditions: Diseases such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, diverticular disease, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes can affect stool.
Cancers: Bowel and ovarian cancers also impact bowel health.
Pelvic Floor Issues: Problems with the pelvic floor can lead to abnormal stool patterns.
Surgical History: Surgical resections of the bowel or gallbladder can change how we experience bowel movements.
Dietary Factors: Fluid intake, fibre consumption, total food quantity, trigger foods, caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol, fat intake, and lactose can all play a crucial role.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: This condition can cause significant variations in bowel habits.
Eating Patterns: Whether you've eaten a meal or not can influence the urgency and frequency of bowel movements.
Exercise: Physical activity has a notable impact on bowel function.
Gut-Brain Axis: Our mental state can also affect our bowel movements. For example, feeling anxious can lead to a sudden urge to use the bathroom, even if you've already gone that day, demonstrating the connection between the brain and the gut.
The Impact of Abnormal Bowel Movements
Experiencing abnormal bowel habits can be distressing and frustrating and can impact various aspects of life, including quality of life, work, social interactions, intimacy, physical activity and mental health.
Tips for Healthy Toileting Habits
Go to the bathroom when you feel the urge.
Avoid trying to have a bowel movement if you don't need to.
Relax while seated: lean forward, keep your knees above your hips, maintain a straight spine, and push your lower belly out.
You should be able to have a bowel movement within a minute of sitting on the toilet.
Holding in your stool can lead to constipation.
Spending too long on the toilet may cause haemorrhoids.
Hovering above the toilet seat can negatively impact your pelvic floor muscles.
Women should wipe from front to back.
Always wash your hands afterwards.
Working with a Gut Health Dietitian
We can collaborate to identify the factors affecting your bowel health. Various options and strategies for dietary adjustments are available. Our goal is to help you achieve regular bowel movements. Most importantly, we want to ensure you can enjoy a wide variety of foods while obtaining all the essential nutrients your body needs.
References
Read More About Bowels
How are farts made? — St Kilda Dietitian & Nutrition (emmakeenandietitian.com.au)
What is irritable bowel syndrome? — St Kilda Dietitian & Nutrition (emmakeenandietitian.com.au)
