Why You're Suddenly Pooping More Than Usual, According to Gastroenterologists
Some people poop like clockwork. They go every day after their morning workout or take an afternoon bathroom break. Others might only poop every other day. Knowing what’s normal for you is incredibly important so that if you start pooping more frequently, you’ll take notice.
If you suddenly seem to be pooping a lot more than usual, it could be due to a number of factors, including what you’re eating, how active you are and your stress levels, says Dr. Mejdi Ahmad, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to LabFinder.com. “Individual variances in nutrition, lifestyle and the operation of one’s digestive system may all contribute to a wide range in bowel movement frequency.”
Everyone’s bowel habits are a little different. Most doctors consider a healthy frequency to be between three times a day to three times a week, says Sonia Rivera-Martinez, DO, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine. “I have found over the years that an individual’s normal pattern of bowel movements may differ from these numbers.”
What’s most important is that your bowel movements are “comfortable and effortless without too much straining, pain or abdominal bloating,” she explains.
Still, if you notice you’re pooping a lot more than usual, you may wonder why. Here are some possible reasons, according to doctors.
Reasons Why You’re Pooping a Lot
Even if you seem to be pooping a lot, as long as your stool is easy to pass and sausage-shaped, smooth and soft (but maybe with a few cracks on the surface), as the Bristol Stool Chart suggests, Dr. Ahmad says it’s probably nothing to worry about. Here are 10 reasons why you might be pooping more than normal, though:
Related: How Healthy Is Your Poop? Use This Simple Chart to Find Out
1. You’re eating more fiber
Diet plays a massive role in your bowel movements. If you don’t usually eat a lot of whole grains, fruits or vegetables and then suddenly start, you might see your bowel movements increase. These fiber-rich foods can help bulk up the stool and make it easier to pass.
“When you eat a lot of fiber or certain sugars, like sorbitol or fructose, you may have to go to the bathroom more often,” Dr. Ahmad says. “Foods with a lot of fiber can speed up digestion, while some sugars may help you go to the bathroom.”
2. You’re exercising more
Upping your exercise regimen or starting a new routine can make you poop more. Physical activity improves the digestive process and increases muscle contractions in the colon, helping you poop. “Exercise remains the best way to help move stools through the large intestines more quickly, while inactivity can have the effect of slowing down the digestive tract,” Dr. Rivera-Martinez says.
3. You’ve upped your fluid intake
Water is crucial for your digestive system. It’s absorbed by fiber in your gut and helps you poop. So, if you’re drinking more water, you may poop more often, Dr. Rivera-Martinez says. When you don’t drink enough water, it can make you constipated.
Related: 20 Foods High in Soluble Fiber
Other fluids, especially coffee, can help you poop too. The acids in coffee may boost the levels of the hormones gastrin and cholecystokinin, which play essential roles in the digestive process, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
4. You have an infection
Infections caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites can upset your digestive system and cause diarrhea and more frequent bowel movements, Dr. Ahmad says. These infections can include anything from stomach flu to E.coli to salmonella. With an infection, you might also have abdominal cramps or a low-grade fever.
5. You could have a GI condition
More frequent trips to the bathroom could be a sign of a more serious gastrointestinal disorder, Dr. Ahmad says. These could be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can lead to diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Chron’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder when your body reacts to the protein gluten that’s found in grains. It can cause diarrhea, gas and bloating. If you suspect that you have one of these conditions, talk to your doctor so you can get the treatment you need.
6. You’re dealing with extra stress
You might notice that you run to the bathroom more often when you’re stressed or your anxiety levels rise. “High-stress levels can affect gut function, leading to changes in bowel habits and increased poop frequency,” Dr. Ahmad says.
7. You’re on your period
You’ve likely noticed that being on your period gets your bowels moving. The shift of estrogen and progesterone levels in your body that happen when you’re menstruating can make you poop more and might give you diarrhea. Usually, your digestive system will return to its normal state once your cycle ends.
8. You’re taking medication
Some medications, such as antibiotics, can interfere with your GI tract, possibly causing diarrhea or more frequent bowel movements. Your pooping habits should go back to normal once you finish taking the medication, but if they don’t, talk to your doctor.
9. You have a food intolerance
“If you can’t digest certain foods, like the lactose in dairy, you might get diarrhea and have to go to the bathroom more often,” Dr. Ahmad says. If you notice that you’re pooping more often after eating cheese or ice cream, you could have a lactose intolerance.
Related: The Very Best Pre-Bedtime Snacks To Eat if You Want to Poop Tomorrow Morning, According to GI Docs
10. You might have a thyroid condition
When your thyroid produces too much of the hormone thyroxine, it can cause hyperthyroidism, which can speed up your metabolism. Dr. Ahmad says, “This can cause digestion to go faster and bowel movements to happen more often.” Talk to your doctor if you’re also noticing heart palpitations, feeling shaky or nervous, weight loss or an increased appetite.
When To Worry About Changes in Your Pooping Frequency
Usually, you don’t need to worry if you’re pooping more than what’s normal for you, Dr. Rivera-Martinez says. “The situation should be considered normal as long as the stools are normal, and there is an absence of other symptoms such as abdominal pain or prolonged diarrhea.”
Pay close attention to the frequency, intensity and any other symptoms that you have if you are pooping more, Dr. Ahmad says. Talk to your doctor any time you have:
- Persistent diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Blood in your stool
- Unexpected weight loss
- Vomiting and nausea
- Fever
- Chills
“A doctor is in the best position to assess your condition, order any required tests, and give a diagnosis and treatment plan that’s tailored to your needs,” Dr. Ahmad says. “Preventing future issues and ensuring your health and well-being depend on prompt intervention.”
Next, read more about what it means when your poop patterns change.
Sources:
- Mejdi Ahmad, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan
- Sonia Rivera-Martinez, DO, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine
Some people poop like clockwork. They go every day after their morning workout or take an afternoon bathroom break. Others might only poop every other day. Knowing what’s normal for you is incredibly important so that if you start pooping more frequently, you’ll take notice.
If you suddenly seem to be pooping a lot more than usual, it could be due to a number of factors, including what you’re eating, how active you are and your stress levels, says Dr. Mejdi Ahmad, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to LabFinder.com. “Individual variances in nutrition, lifestyle and the operation of one’s digestive system may all contribute to a wide range in bowel movement frequency.”
Everyone’s bowel habits are a little different. Most doctors consider a healthy frequency to be between three times a day to three times a week, says Sonia Rivera-Martinez, DO, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine. “I have found over the years that an individual’s normal pattern of bowel movements may differ from these numbers.”
What’s most important is that your bowel movements are “comfortable and effortless without too much straining, pain or abdominal bloating,” she explains.
Still, if you notice you’re pooping a lot more than usual, you may wonder why. Here are some possible reasons, according to doctors.
Reasons Why You’re Pooping a Lot
Even if you seem to be pooping a lot, as long as your stool is easy to pass and sausage-shaped, smooth and soft (but maybe with a few cracks on the surface), as the Bristol Stool Chart suggests, Dr. Ahmad says it’s probably nothing to worry about. Here are 10 reasons why you might be pooping more than normal, though:
Related: How Healthy Is Your Poop? Use This Simple Chart to Find Out
1. You’re eating more fiber
Diet plays a massive role in your bowel movements. If you don’t usually eat a lot of whole grains, fruits or vegetables and then suddenly start, you might see your bowel movements increase. These fiber-rich foods can help bulk up the stool and make it easier to pass.
“When you eat a lot of fiber or certain sugars, like sorbitol or fructose, you may have to go to the bathroom more often,” Dr. Ahmad says. “Foods with a lot of fiber can speed up digestion, while some sugars may help you go to the bathroom.”
2. You’re exercising more
Upping your exercise regimen or starting a new routine can make you poop more. Physical activity improves the digestive process and increases muscle contractions in the colon, helping you poop. “Exercise remains the best way to help move stools through the large intestines more quickly, while inactivity can have the effect of slowing down the digestive tract,” Dr. Rivera-Martinez says.
3. You’ve upped your fluid intake
Water is crucial for your digestive system. It’s absorbed by fiber in your gut and helps you poop. So, if you’re drinking more water, you may poop more often, Dr. Rivera-Martinez says. When you don’t drink enough water, it can make you constipated.
Related: 20 Foods High in Soluble Fiber
Other fluids, especially coffee, can help you poop too. The acids in coffee may boost the levels of the hormones gastrin and cholecystokinin, which play essential roles in the digestive process, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
4. You have an infection
Infections caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites can upset your digestive system and cause diarrhea and more frequent bowel movements, Dr. Ahmad says. These infections can include anything from stomach flu to E.coli to salmonella. With an infection, you might also have abdominal cramps or a low-grade fever.
5. You could have a GI condition
More frequent trips to the bathroom could be a sign of a more serious gastrointestinal disorder, Dr. Ahmad says. These could be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can lead to diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Chron’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder when your body reacts to the protein gluten that’s found in grains. It can cause diarrhea, gas and bloating. If you suspect that you have one of these conditions, talk to your doctor so you can get the treatment you need.
6. You’re dealing with extra stress
You might notice that you run to the bathroom more often when you’re stressed or your anxiety levels rise. “High-stress levels can affect gut function, leading to changes in bowel habits and increased poop frequency,” Dr. Ahmad says.
7. You’re on your period
You’ve likely noticed that being on your period gets your bowels moving. The shift of estrogen and progesterone levels in your body that happen when you’re menstruating can make you poop more and might give you diarrhea. Usually, your digestive system will return to its normal state once your cycle ends.
8. You’re taking medication
Some medications, such as antibiotics, can interfere with your GI tract, possibly causing diarrhea or more frequent bowel movements. Your pooping habits should go back to normal once you finish taking the medication, but if they don’t, talk to your doctor.
9. You have a food intolerance
“If you can’t digest certain foods, like the lactose in dairy, you might get diarrhea and have to go to the bathroom more often,” Dr. Ahmad says. If you notice that you’re pooping more often after eating cheese or ice cream, you could have a lactose intolerance.
Related: The Very Best Pre-Bedtime Snacks To Eat if You Want to Poop Tomorrow Morning, According to GI Docs
10. You might have a thyroid condition
When your thyroid produces too much of the hormone thyroxine, it can cause hyperthyroidism, which can speed up your metabolism. Dr. Ahmad says, “This can cause digestion to go faster and bowel movements to happen more often.” Talk to your doctor if you’re also noticing heart palpitations, feeling shaky or nervous, weight loss or an increased appetite.
When To Worry About Changes in Your Pooping Frequency
Usually, you don’t need to worry if you’re pooping more than what’s normal for you, Dr. Rivera-Martinez says. “The situation should be considered normal as long as the stools are normal, and there is an absence of other symptoms such as abdominal pain or prolonged diarrhea.”
Pay close attention to the frequency, intensity and any other symptoms that you have if you are pooping more, Dr. Ahmad says. Talk to your doctor any time you have:
- Persistent diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Blood in your stool
- Unexpected weight loss
- Vomiting and nausea
- Fever
- Chills
“A doctor is in the best position to assess your condition, order any required tests, and give a diagnosis and treatment plan that’s tailored to your needs,” Dr. Ahmad says. “Preventing future issues and ensuring your health and well-being depend on prompt intervention.”
Next, read more about what it means when your poop patterns change.
Sources:
- Mejdi Ahmad, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan
- Sonia Rivera-Martinez, DO, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine
