Past the toilet humor stage, most of us don’t like talking about our bowel movements. However, it’s essential that we discuss and understand them because learning what’s normal can have a big impact on our health.
Our bowel habits can significantly influence the gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines. Experts believe these bacteria can affect our risk of chronic disease, so it’s important to take them seriously.
In a bid to help people understand what’s normal and healthy regarding bowel movements, a new study from the Institute for Systems Biology in the USA analyzed data from 1,400 healthy adults. The findings suggest that we should all be having regular bowel movements, ideally at least one per day.
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How often should we all be pooping?
Researchers from the Institute for Systems Biology concluded that the poop “Goldilocks zone” was around one to two bowel movements per day for most people. Constipation was determined as one to two bowel movements per week.
When we’re constipated, poop sticks around in the gut for too long. This allows our gut microbes to eat through all of the fiber in it, before turning to the protein. When the microbes ferment the protein in our stool, this can lead to the production of harmful toxic metabolites that increase the risk of chronic disease. The microbes can also start to break down the mucus membrane of our intestinal wall in our gut, which causes the toxins to “leak” into the bloodstream.
“[Increased intestinal permeability] is when the cells that line the intestine are not tightly bound together,” Betsy Redmond, PhD, MMSc, RDN, recently told VegNews. “In a healthy gut, intestinal cells are lined up tightly together and strictly control what comes in and out.”
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Experiencing diarrhea and going four or more times a day was associated with decreased liver function in the new study, and the inflammation it causes could also start to damage the mucus membrane, too.
“Overall, this study shows how bowel movement frequency can influence all body systems, and how aberrant [unusual] bowel movement frequency may be an important risk factor in the development of chronic diseases,” said author Sean Gibbons, PhD. “These insights could inform strategies for managing bowel movement frequency, even in healthy populations, to optimize health and wellness.”
The researchers also noted that the amount we poop can be influenced by factors like sex, age, and weight. They noted that younger females with a low BMI were more likely to have less frequent bowel movements. Fiber intake, however, was a big deal. The researchers concluded that those people who pooped twice a day had more fiber-fermenting bacteria in their guts.
“First and foremost, it’s important to eat a healthy diet, feed yourself with foods that fertilize and promote good bacteria growth,” Joseph Petrosino, chair of molecular virology and microbiology at the Baylor College of Medicine, told NBC News, regarding the new research.
How to poop more regularly, according to an expert
While the study has laid out a general “Goldilocks zone” for poops, it’s important not to stress yourself out if you’re not currently going one to two times a day, says Carmen Fong, MD, FACS, who is the author of the upcoming book Constipation Nation: What to Know When You Can’t Go.
Stress and anxiety can exacerbate bowel issues. Multiple factors, including body size, colon length, diet, hydration, and gut microbiome, all play roles in bowel movement frequency. For Fong, the ideal range is “one to three times a day, every one to three days.”
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To increase the amount you poop, Fong recommends slowly building up your fiber intake. “An optimal amount of fiber daily is 25 to 35 grams a day,” she says. “I usually counsel people who are fiber-naive to start slow, with 10 grams a day then add another five grams in the form of a supplement every week so that they don’t get bloated from not being used to digesting all that fiber and then rejecting fiber supplements entirely.” She also emphasizes the importance of both soluble and insoluble fibers, which are both found in plant-based whole foods.
“I love cooked vegetables because they’re easier to digest and you can actually consume larger amounts, stay fuller, get more fiber, and still be low-calorie. My favorites are broccoli, spinach, lentils, corn, and sweet potatoes.”
Taking a probiotic, exercising regularly, resting often, keeping your stress levels down, and staying hydrated will also help your poop habits. “Fiber without water turns into concrete in your colon, so you need a moderate amount of hydration to make everything in your gut move through,” she says.
Fong also stresses not to panic too much if your poop habits change occasionally. If you suddenly find yourself pooping more, for example, and it’s not liquid, it might simply be an indicator that you’ve been eating more. Consistent liquid poops, however, are cause for a doctor’s visit.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, if you have constipation or diarrhea that lasts longer than two weeks, it’s time to see a healthcare professional.
For more tips on how to increase your fiber, find our guide to plant-based fiber-rich foods here.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
