I’m a doctor and here’s what the smell of your poo says about your health
IT’S a given that your number twos are never going to smell like a bed of roses.
But why do they smell so bad? And when is a seriously stinky poop something to worry about?
According to gastroenterologist Dr Sameer Islam from Texas, US, stinky poops don’t usually reveal much about your health.
In a youtube video, Dr Sameer reveals what poop should smell like.
“Let me give you guys a little hint here: Your poop is not supposed to be smelling good,” he says in the video.
After all, poo it’s a quite literally, waste.
“Even if your stool smells terrible, that doesn’t mean that something bad is going on,” he says.
“If you have a new change in your bowl habits or a new change in your stool colour, that is more important than change in the stool [smell],” he adds.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule which you should be aware of.
Why it smells
“Sometimes if the stool smells very tar-y or very foul smelling, that could be a sign of an infection or it could be a sign of some gastrointestinal bleeding going on,” the expert explains.
“There are certain diarrhoea conditions that have a particular smell to them as well.”
He adds: “But by in large, the smell of your stool does not give us a good clinical indication of what’s going on,” he adds.
There are also some other reasons why you poo might smell, according to GP Dr Deborah Lee.
Food intolerance
Many of us suffer with intolerances to certain foods or food types.
Due to the way we reject or react to these foods impacts the smell (as well as other aspects) of our poo, Dr Deborah explained.
A lactose or gluten intolerance often results in diarrhoea, painful poos and smelly poos, she said.
But while some of us know we have serious food intolerances, others might not if the symptom is only “smelly poo”, she added.
Taking antibiotics
Antibiotic medication can affect gut function as it kills off not just bad bacteria in the body, but the good bacteria in the gut too.
When the bacteria in the gut is killed off we cannot breakdown, digest or absorb food properly, resulting in foul smelling poo, the doctor explained.
High sulphur foods
The body needs fat to function, but diets that are very high in fat can cause smelly poos.
High fat diets are troublesome because the gut is unable to absorb all the fat, leaving the gut overwhelmed with fat and needing to “get rid” of it in our poo, the GP said.
Poo that contains a lot of fat typically smell more due to the smell of fat being particularly unpleasant.
How to reduce smelly poos
Here are a few lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce the smell of your poo that Dr Deborah recommends.
Avoid a very high sulphur diet: “If you want to reduce your poo smell it could be worth looking at your diet and cutting down on sulphur rich foods.”
- Cruciferous vegetables – Brussels sprouts, cabbage kale, spinach, broccoli,Pak Choi, kale, radish, turnips and watercress
- Dairy products
- Dried fruits
- Garlic
Avoid processed foods: “Processed foods are not only unhealthy and low in nutrients, they are also high in sugar, salt and unnatural preservatives. This also included carbonated drinks.”
Cut down on alcohol: “Alcohol wreaks havoc with your gut and the bacteria within it. Cut down your consumption or cut it out completely to help avoid smelly poos.”
Visit your GP: “If you have long-term smelly poo or are experiencing a big change from normal that is
not settling, see your GP.
“Smelly poo can be a sign of disease and should be checked out.”