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What Your Poop Can Tell You About Your Health

The No 1 reason to pay attention to your No 2 It offers clues to potentially serious conditions

Brook Rieman/Getty Images The topic may be taboo for cocktail conversation — and it’s definitely not discussed at the dinner table — but fecal matter, when it comes to health, is an important matter. That’s because what comes out of your body can tell you a lot about what’s going on inside of it. Changes in your stool can reflect , mood and physical activity; some shifts can even signal more serious conditions. Before you start obsessing over your bowel movements, know that “everybody’s stool varies some from time to time,” depending on what you eat, how much you move and the medicines that you’re taking, among other things, says William Chey, M.D., professor of gastroenterology and nutrition sciences at Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan. So best “not to overinterpret” it. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. On the other hand, “it’s also really easy to ignore things and not worry when you do need to,” Chey adds. The key is to know your normal. Some people poop a few times a day; others go a few times a week. When you want to start paying attention is “if you have an abrupt change in your bowel habits and it lasts more than a day .” Here are a few things to be on the lookout for.

Red maroon or black poop

One of the more concerning changes is blood in the stool, which can appear red, maroon or even black. Bright -red blood often indicates that the bleeding is coming from the lower end of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract — “and it’s almost always from hemorrhoids,” Chey says. A little bright -red blood can also be due to a small tissue tear inside the tush. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe Health & Wellness Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles and special content See more Health & Wellness offers > But know, too, that there are other, less distressing reasons that your waste may appear red or black. “Someone who takes a new affinity for beets, for example — that would be a competing explanation for consistent change in color toward red,” Ahuja says. And taking iron supplements or bismuth subsalicylate (better known by its brand name Pepto-Bismol) can turn your stool black — so can black licorice or a meal of squid-ink pasta.

What is poop br

It may be hard to picture, but poop is the remaining part of the food that you ate — the bits that your body didn’t want. After the small intestine absorbs all the nutrients the body wants and needs from your food, it passes what’s left (the digestive waste) to the large intestines, where it changes from a liquid to stool and starts making its way out of your body. Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Pale poop

If your poop appears pale and even seems to float in the toilet, it may be an indication that your pancreas, an organ that aids in digestion, isn’t working normally, Chey says. Very smelly poop that looks greasy or oily can also point to , according to the Mayo Clinic, and may mean that your body is having trouble digesting fat. A could be another reason for pale poop, since the organ is responsible for releasing the bile that typically gives feces its brown hue. Be sure to talk with a doctor if either of these issues — pale or greasy stool — persist s for more than a few days, especially if you’re experiencing weight loss or abdominal pain alongside it.

How often are you going

Consistency is another important feature to pay attention to — and , along with it, frequency. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. . So can exercise.

Constipated Try these foods br

Sixty-three million Americans deal with chronic constipation. Drinking lots of water and other liquids and getting plenty of exercise can get things moving. So can eating more fiber from foods including the following: Whole grains: Whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal and bran flake cereals Legumes: Lentils, black beans, kidney beans, soybeans and chickpeas Fruits: Berries, apples with the skin on, oranges and pears Vegetables: Carrots, broccoli, green peas and collard greens Nuts: Almonds, peanuts and pecans Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases “I tell many of my patients who have issues with constipation: The more you move, the more your gut moves,” Chowdhury says. “A sedentary lifestyle does slow your gut down.” Constipation also becomes more common with age. “Things just slow down” as we get older, Chey explains. Often, people are less active, their diets change and they’re taking more medications. Add all those factors together and you have a greater likelihood of experiencing constipation. If your issues lie on the opposite side of the spectrum and your bowel movements are frequent and watery (diarrhea), it may be due to something you ate or a sign that your body is fighting a virus or struggling with a food intolerance. The Bristol Stool Scale Getty Images Diarrhea is common and usually goes away on its own, according to Ahuja. But if it lasts more than a few days, it could signal a more serious problem. Another thing to be on the lookout for: having loose stools and frequent trips to the bathroom at night. “We always tell people that if they’re having diarrhea at night, they need to see their doctor, because that indicates that there’s some underlying disease, like inflammatory bowel disease, or microscopic colitis or celiac disease. There’s something else going on,” Chey says.

Stay on top of screenings

Any sudden changes in your bowel behaviors that last more than a day or two warrant a call to your doctor, who may order a colonoscopy “just to make sure that there’s no inflammation or evidence of cancer or something else that might have led to that abrupt change in your bowel habits,” Chey says. Adults 45 and older should get , according to the American Cancer Society. One option is a colonoscopy every 10 years; an alternative is a stool-based test, which is taken every one to three years. People at higher risk for may need to be screened earlier and more often. “The parting line is going to be , when in doubt, talk to a physician. We’re always happy to talk about what’s worrisome and what’s not,” Ahuja says. Editor’s note: This story, originally published Sept. 13, 2021, has been updated to include new information.

Are tummy troubles due to COVID-19

Gastrointestinal (GI) issues like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are all symptoms of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And emerging research shows they may also be an increasingly common symptom of long COVID. A study published in March 2022 from researchers at New York Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center found that among 147 COVID-19 patients with no prior GI issues, 16 percent reported new GI symptoms about 100 days out from their initial infection. What’s more, among 285 COVID survivors, 40 percent reported new GI symptoms. Another study, published in April 2022, found that patients with long COVID can experience disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), which can bring on symptoms of diarrhea, bloating and constipation. Greg Vanichkachorn, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic’s COVID Activity Rehabilitation Program, said there are a few explanations for how COVID-19 could cause GI problems. “For example, the lining of the gut has a large amount of the receptors that the SARS-COV2 virus [coronavirus] uses to invade cells,” Vanichkachorn told the Mayo Clinic News Network. “The general inflammation caused by the infection can also disrupt the normal bacteria that live in the gut and stimulate some of the gastrointestinal system’s nerves.” Hydration and a healthy diet may be able to help with symptoms. Also, don’t try to treat ongoing GI symptoms yourself. “Instead, speak to your medical professional first to develop a treatment plan,” Vanichkachorn said. Rachel Nania writes about health care and health policy for AARP. Previously she was a reporter and editor for WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. A recipient of a Gracie Award and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she also participated in a dementia fellowship with the National Press Foundation. More on health AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Restaurants offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS