Why do stools float in the toilet

Think of it like a separated salad dressing—the oil fat floats to the top. De Latour says. Instead, floating poop and the excess fat that causes it are an indicator of several different health problems—all of which have the same symptom in common: malabsorption.

De Latour. That means something in your digestive system is out of whack, making you unable to digest your food properly. De Latour says malabsorption and floating poop is typically caused by three main conditions: celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or pancreatitis.

All three health conditions mess with your digestion. People who have celiac disease, for example, struggle to digest gluten a group of proteins that exist in the starch of certain grains, like wheat , while people who are lactose intolerant have trouble digesting lactose a sugar found in milk.

FYI: The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach that secretes digestive juices, according to the U. National Library of Medicine. Then it goes away on its own. Diarrhea lasting more than a few days may be a sign of a more serious problem. People who are constipated may experience any one or more of the following poop symptoms:. The process of pooping is learned early in childhood and retains spontaneity throughout life in most people.

However, some people may lose the spontaneity of pooping for a variety of reasons such as childbirth trauma, surgery, medications that slow bowel transit, or other reasons. Some common health conditions such as diabetes can weaken the nerves in the colon and result in severe constipation. Normal poop stools are soft and formed not hard or lumpy.

They are passed without urgency or straining. A sudden change from a person's normal bowel pattern should be reported to a doctor. So, brush up on this poop stool trivia, and then pay attention to how often you go, how long it takes, and what the end result looks and, yes, smells like.

Simply put, know your poop. Water makes up about 75 percent of your stool. The rest is an often-stinky combination of fiber , dead and live bacteria, other cells, and mucus. 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. 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 explains why they may emerge in your poop stool looking relatively unchanged.

Sheth has seen patients get full work-ups for bright red stool that turned out to be nothing more than the passing of beets. Leafy vegetables can cause green stool, while certain medications can make your poop look white or clay-colored.

Look out for jet- black stool. Though it could be from something as harmless as iron supplements or black licorice , the color could be a sign of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Oz Show , who explained during a now-famous appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show that the perfect poop is log-like and S-shaped, not broken up into pieces.

Part of getting that log-style shape, compared with poop that comes out more pebbly-looking, comes from eating fiber , which lends bulk to stool and acts as a glue to keep the poop stuck together as it exits your body.

Pencil-thin poops, on the other hand, can be a sign of rectal cancer , which narrows the opening through which stool passes, according to Sheth. Terrible-smelling poops are a signature side effect of one stomach bug caused by the parasite giardia, ingested most often by swimming in fresh water lakes. It could also suggest a more serious digestive condition such as ulcerative colitis , Crohn's disease , or celiac disease. Do you hit the bathroom at the same exact time every morning, or can you go days before you need to poop?

Plus, it can tell you a lot about your health. A bowel movement is the last stop your food makes as it goes through your digestive tract.

What and how you eat affects your digestive system, and sometimes, your bowel movements can change simply because of changes in your diet. Other times, changes in bowel movements signify something more serious. For example, eating a lot of green, leafy vegetables can turn your poop green. Also, food coloring can change the color of your poop.

Blood in your stool can cause your poop to appear red. Your primary care provider can determine if there are any problems with your digestive system by performing a physical exam and lab or imagining tests. The important thing is staying regular.