Why does poop smell so bad? 9 unexpected reasons
If you notice this consistently, it may be time to talk to your doctor.
It goes without saying that your poop will never smell like roses. But if you're wondering, “Why does my poop smell so bad?” you shouldn't just brush it off and carry on with your daily routine. A particularly foul odor can sometimes be a sign that something is wrong with your health, says gastroenterologist Tamika Jaswani.
MigNews will list possible causes of unpleasant stool odor and when it's time to see a doctor.
Why your poop smells so bad: you're taking antibiotics
Your gut has what’s called a gut flora, which is a collection of microorganisms that help break down food. But when you take antibiotics, they can change your gut flora. “This leads to all sorts of byproducts,” says gastroenterologist Anika Cohen. This change in bacteria can also lead to a change in your odor.
The reason for bad smelling poop: you have an infection
An infection can also disrupt the bacteria in your gut. “Various bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can affect your digestive tract,” says Dr. Seyedehsan Nawabi. They can cause diarrhea, he says, but they can also change the gas content of your stool and create an unpleasant odor.
Why your poop smells so bad: you have a food intolerance or allergy
According to gastroenterologist Marvin Singh, with a food intolerance or allergy, your body can't properly process a certain ingredient. The combination of gas produced by bacteria trying to break it down and undigested food can lead to a foul-smelling odor. It can also cause stomach cramps and sometimes bleeding.
The reason for bad smelling poop: you have celiac disease
Celiac disease means that your body has an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, and attacks the lining of your small intestine. Damage to the lining of your intestine can make it difficult to absorb nutrients. As a result, you experience symptoms like diarrhea or constipation, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and fatty, smelly poop.
Why your poop smells so bad: You have inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term used to describe several autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Inflammation of the colon in ulcerative colitis can change the composition of bacteria in the gut and cause bleeding. Both can lead to a strong odor. Crohn’s disease can cause similar problems, as well as difficulty absorbing nutrients, which can also lead to smelly poop. IBD in general can cause unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
The reason for bad smelling poop: your body is not digesting food properly
There are many reasons why your body can't absorb nutrients properly (called malabsorption). These include infection, gluten allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, and several syndromes. Any chronic inflammation in your gut can change the balance of bacteria. And that can increase the amount of gas in your stool.
Why your poop smells so bad: You have Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
Clostridioides difficile is a contagious intestinal infection that causes inflammation of the colon. Most cases of the disease are associated with taking antibiotics or occur shortly after stopping antibiotics.
C. diff spreads through skin-to-skin contact. Therefore, washing your hands after using the bathroom is an important part of minimizing the risk of infection. Along with smelly stools, other symptoms include watery stools, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and an abnormal heartbeat.
The reason for bad smelling poop: you have cancer
This is a rare but important case to mention. Changes in the colon microbiome due to colon cancer or advanced polyps can change the gas composition of our stool. The result? Abnormal stool odor. This condition tends to run in families, so talk to your doctor about your risk if your parents or siblings have these conditions.
Why your poop smells so bad: you have gastrointestinal bleeding
There is a big difference between blood you can feel in your stool and digested blood, which has a foul odor. If your stool is black, sticky, or tarry, it could be a sign of bleeding in your gastrointestinal tract.
But it's not the same as what you might see if you eat spinach or take medications like bismuth or oral iron. “Blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract mixes with digestive enzymes in the stomach and is altered by gut bacteria, creating the odor,” says Dr. Jaswani.
When should you see a doctor about very smelly stool?
Don't ignore the problem, especially if there are other symptoms. Source: vecteezy.com
If you think something is wrong with you and it doesn't go away in a few days or seems to be getting worse, it's a good idea to call your doctor. But you should see a doctor sooner rather than later if you have any of the following symptoms along with your smelly poop:
- Nausea;
- Vomit;
- Weight loss;
- Blood in the stool;
- Family history of cancer or inflammatory bowel disease;
- Fever;
- Chills;
- Joint swelling;
- Mouth ulcers;
- Pain around the eyes;
- Waking up at night to poop;
- You cannot get relief from over-the-counter medications.
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