Poop Facts and Non FAQ

Even though everybody poops nobody really talks about it. Even though we all should know pooh facts we will keep this short and sweet. Well, weight loss surgery people talk about it all the time. On the pre op diet they wish they could quit going and on the weight loss diet they hope and pray they can just GO! Once they reach maintenance they pretty well have it figured out and know what works for them. For the most part, diseases aside, it is all diet related.

Down to Basics:

Healthy poop is about 75% water. The longer food is in your intestine the more water is absorbed from it. So if you are constipated more it will have less water, if you have diarrhea it will have more water.

Of the remaining 25% of poop 1/3 is dead bacteria, 1/3 is fiber, and 1/3 is a combo of fats such as cholesterol, inorganic salts, live bacteria, dead cells, mucus, and protein.

The reason poop stinks is due to the actions of the bacteria in your GI system. Same with gas.

Color:

Poop can come in a rainbow of colors.

Brown - from bile and bacteria.

Black and tarry looking - usually from taking iron supplements or GI bleeding.

Blue, green, blue-green, red - usually from food coloring.

White - usually from barium used in xray departments.

Yellow - usually from liver problems or giardia parasites (dangerous).

Green - usually from leafy green veggies or food dyes.

Smell:

Several things can cause stinky pooh such as eating meat, malabsorption, C-Diff, or drinking alcohol the night before.

If you take nothing else away from this page, take this. If you are a newbie post op weight loss surgery person, NEVER TRUST A FART! They are called sharts for a reason!

That Pesky Gas!

The gas in our intestines comes from several sources - air we swallow, gas seeping into our intestines from our blood, gas produced by chemical reactions in our guts, and gas produced by bacteria living in our guts.

Odor:

The odor of gas comes from small amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas and skatole in the mixture. These compounds contain sulfur. The more sulfur-rich your diet, the more sulfides and skatole will be produced by the bacteria in your guts, and the more your gas will stink. Foods such as cauliflower, eggs, corn, bell peppers, cauliflower, milk, raisens, and meat are notorious for producing smelly gas, yet beans produce large amounts of not particularly stinky gas.

Fun Fact:

The average person farts 14 times daily. I will bet you are glad to know that!