Time to get the scoop on your poop.
Is discussing bowel movements considered NSFW? Not here at BINTO!
Your stool color and texture are huge signifiers of your digestive health. BINTO is all about having a healthy gut- hence, we only allow health professionals and scientists to develop our products, including our probiotic and digestive enzyme supplement. Everything is put together carefully and purposefully to fix your microbiome, stop bloating, and improve your bowel movements. What you put in your body directly impacts what you produce. So, keep on eye what your body might be telling you!
If your poop is brown and soft:
This is normal and “most desirable” as poop goes. Your gut is probably super happy (you must be using BINTO probiotics!)
If your poop is darker in color than usual:
This is common in people who just started a probiotic because you body is getting rid of all that old stool sitting around. Women taking a prenatal vitamin containing iron may also notice this coloring.
If your poop is hard or the size of marbles:
Sounds like you don’t have enough fiber in your diet, or maybe you don’t drink enough water. Change these things, get more exercise, and try a probiotic with Lactobacillus to regulate your gut. Prolonged constipation may be a sign of IBS-Constipation (2).
If your poop is greenish or runny:
You’re dealing with diarrhea, which is no fun. There’s a chance you ate something funky and your body is reacting to the bacteria, or maybe you caught a virus. Diarrhea can also be a sign of IBS-D, lactose intolerance, or an upset stomach from medicine like antibiotics (3). The green color means food is running through you body quickly and bile didn’t have time to break it down quickly- especially noticeable in those who eat a lot of green veg.
If your poop is deep red, maroon, black, or tarry:
This is a sign you have blood in your stool from either the colon, rectum, small bowel, or stomach. You should definitely seek medical attention if you’re experiencing this- it could mean something serious (4).
Note: If you’re noticing just a teeny tiny bit of blood on the toilet paper, it’s probably from a little tear or hemorrhoid- not anything to worry about.
If your poop is yellow, greasy, and smells especially bad:
This can signify excess fat in your poop. Malabsorption issues such as Celiac Disease can cause this type of bowel movement (5).
If your poop is white, pale, or clay colored:
Normally, your liver will release bile salts into your poop-giving it a normal brown color. If something is wrong with your liver, pancreas, or gallbladder, bile production is affected and your stool turns to a light color. Having yellow skin (called jaundice) is common along with this- you should definitely seek medical care for these issues (6).
Sources:
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9663-stool-changes-what-do-they-mean-when-should-i-see-a-doctor
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4059-constipation
- https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Problems-of-the-Digestive-System
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/14612-rectal-bleeding
- https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/carbohydrate-malabsorption
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003129.htm