In today’s edition of ‘wow, we really don’t know anything about how our bodies work’, we’ve got some bad news about your poo.
If you’ve noticed that your stools tend to float in the toilet, this could be a sign of something going on in your gut – and no, it’s not a good thing.
Dr Sara Mesilhy, gastroenterologist at the Royal College of Physicians UK and part of the medical team at Probiotic Review Girl, has weighed in on the subject and it turns out you should take floating poos as a health warning sign.
Dr Mesilhy explains: “If your poo floats, it could indicate that your body is not digesting and absorbing fats properly. When your body is not able to absorb fats, they remain in your digestive tract and can cause your poo to become fluffy-looking and float.
“Floating poos are often a result of factors such as increased gas in the poo, caused by eating gas-producing foods, or changes in the balance of bacteria in the gut from recent antibiotic usage for example.”
So what can we do? According to Dr Mesilhy, the best place to start is by reducing your intake of high-fat foods such as fried foods, fatty meats, and full-fat dairy products (boo, hiss).
It’s also worth increasing your intake of soluble fibre foods (these can help to absorb excess water) to make your poo more solid.
However, Dr Mesilhy warns that floating poos can actually be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition.
She explains: “In rare cases, floating poos can be a sign of pancreatic disorders, gallbladder disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or celiac. It’s always a good idea, in my opinion, to regularly check your poo for any changes.”
If you consistently have floating poos – even after changing your diet – or if you experience other symptoms such as abdominal pain, blood in your poo, diarrhoea, or weight loss, Dr Meshily advises consulting with a healthcare professional for further evaluation and treatment as soon as possible.