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To understand what causes loose stools, it's important to get some basic clarification out of the way.
A loose stool is a bowel movement that does not retain a fixed shape and appears 'mushy.' Loose stool may be foul smelling (more so than normal feces) and its frequency can also vary between individuals, with some experiencing loose stools right after eating, others having loose stools only in the morning, and others sometimes seeing loose stools for an entire week or more.
Regardless of how you experience a loose stool, it's important to understand the cause. Without knowing the source of your problem, a treatment for loose stools is going to be much harder to obtain.
In this article:
Regarding Diarrhea
Although the two overlap, a loose stool does not necessarily indicate diarrhea. Diarrhea is characterized by repeated, watery bowel movements while a stool's 'looseness' relates to fecal consistency. It's possible to have loose stool even if the frequency isn't enough to indicate diarrhea. In other words, although diarrhea almost always involves loose stool, the reverse is not automatically true.
That said, loose stool and diarrhea do share some of the same causes and treatments as well as other associated symptoms. The main takeaway is that, when talking to your doctor, it's important to mention the frequency with which you are passing stool in addition to the consistency of the stool itself.
What Causes Loose Stools?
The short answer is 'quite a lot.' The long answer is below.
1. Malabsorption
Stool consistency is determined largely by water but also by fat, bile, protein, and starch content (or lack thereof). Certain conditions that interfere with how nutrients are broken down and absorbed can result in loose stools.
This happens usually because the malabsorption results in too much of certain substances (like undigested fats) getting left in the stool or because it's interfering with the function of the liver or pancreas.
Crohn's disease and Celiac disease are two of the more notable malabsorption disorders, but there are others. Additionally, radiation treatment to the abdominal area can temporarily cause malabsorption and the ensuing loose stools and/or diarrhea.
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
In addition to causing bouts of diarrhea and other gastrointestinal distress, IBS is a possible candidate for what causes loose stools in the morning or throughout the day.
IBS takes several forms, and in the diarrhea-predominant form, the contractions of the intestinal tract are too strong and last longer than normal. This passes along food and water too quickly, resulting in loose stools.
3. Food Poisoning
Whether bacterial, viral, or parasitic, foodborne illness can often result in loose stools. This is often the result of gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. The inflammation tends to result in loose stools and stomach cramps and provokes your body into expelling waste faster than normal.
This prevents water from being properly reabsorbed by the colon and results in loose, diarrheic stools. If the condition is bacterial, a loose, foul smelling stool may also be present. As unpleasant as it can be, diarrhea, in this case, serves a similar purpose to a cough in the sense that your body is trying to expel something that shouldn't be there.
Since food poisoning is one of the few causes of loose stools that is normally time-limited, it's often what causes loose stools for a week or any similarly modest time frame.
4. Dumping Syndrome
The blunt, but appropriately named dumping syndrome (also called 'rapid gastric emptying') is when food gets 'dumped' into the small intestine at an unnaturally fast rate. Those who experience dumping syndrome may find themselves having a bowel movement within half an hour of a meal.
Since this doesn't allow for proper bulking or water absorption, the dumping syndrome is one possible explanation for what causes loose stools right after eating. Dumping syndrome's loose stools and diarrhea can be accompanied by stomach cramps, but not to the same severity as those seen in food poisoning.
The syndrome is a known complication that can arise after certain stomach or esophageal surgeries both for medical and weight-loss purposes and is most commonly linked to gastric bypass operations.
5. Hyperthyroidism
Also known as an overactive thyroid, hyperthyroidism is when the overproduction of the hormone thyroxine kicks your metabolism into high gear. This results in loose stools and diarrhea since your body is now trying to process food faster than it is actually capable.
Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include rapid heartbeat, unexpected weight loss, anxiety and irritability, hand and finger tremors, sleep disruptions, brittle hair, thinning skin, and sleep disruptions.
6. Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is capable of causing loose stools if it isn't broken down by the time it reaches the colon. For most people, this isn't an issue since their body has enough of the lactase enzyme to perform the task.
Lactose intolerance is an inability to process lactose due to a lactase deficiency and sufferers can experience loose stools following the consumption of milk or dairy products.
3. Food Poisoning
Whether bacterial, viral, or parasitic, foodborne illness can often result in loose stools. This is often the result of gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. The inflammation tends to result in loose stools and stomach cramps and provokes your body into expelling waste faster than normal.
This prevents water from being properly reabsorbed by the colon and results in loose, diarrheic stools. If the condition is bacterial, a loose, foul smelling stool may also be present. As unpleasant as it can be, diarrhea, in this case, serves a similar purpose to a cough in the sense that your body is trying to expel something that shouldn't be there.
Since food poisoning is one of the few causes of loose stools that is normally time-limited, it's often what causes loose stools for a week or any similarly modest time frame.
4. Dumping Syndrome
The blunt, but appropriately named dumping syndrome (also called 'rapid gastric emptying') is when food gets 'dumped' into the small intestine at an unnaturally fast rate. Those who experience dumping syndrome may find themselves having a bowel movement within half an hour of a meal.
Since this doesn't allow for proper bulking or water absorption, the dumping syndrome is one possible explanation for what causes loose stools right after eating. Dumping syndrome's loose stools and diarrhea can be accompanied by stomach cramps, but not to the same severity as those seen in food poisoning.
The syndrome is a known complication that can arise after certain stomach or esophageal surgeries both for medical and weight-loss purposes and is most commonly linked to gastric bypass operations.
5. Hyperthyroidism
Also known as an overactive thyroid, hyperthyroidism is when the overproduction of the hormone thyroxine kicks your metabolism into high gear. This results in loose stools and diarrhea since your body is now trying to process food faster than it is actually capable.
Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include rapid heartbeat, unexpected weight loss, anxiety and irritability, hand and finger tremors, sleep disruptions, brittle hair, thinning skin, and sleep disruptions.
6. Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is capable of causing loose stools if it isn't broken down by the time it reaches the colon. For most people, this isn't an issue since their body has enough of the lactase enzyme to perform the task.
Lactose intolerance is an inability to process lactose due to a lactase deficiency and sufferers can experience loose stools following the consumption of milk or dairy products.
7. Medication
Various drugs are capable of causing diarrhea or loose stools as a side effect. Some can also cause constipation and indirectly result in a loose stool if you try to use a laxative to compensate.
If you begin to experience loose stools when you begin taking a medication, talk to your doctor about your concerns but do not stop taking the medicine without their approval.
8. Herbal Products
Various herbal products can also cause loose stools or diarrhea if they contain ingredients such as senna leaf. Any herbal product taken to promote weight loss should be considered to have a higher risk of this happening, even if the ingredient list says otherwise.
Are there any casino apps that pay real money. The FDA has limited (or no) power to regulate herbal products, and many contain ingredients not listed on the label. When it comes to herbal products that are marketed for weight loss, laxatives are a common adulterant.
9. Obstruction or Constipation
Any obstruction in the bowel, whether from a foreign object, a tumor, or a fecal impaction can result in loose stool. As hard feces builds up against the blockage, softer, a liquid stool is able to seep around and get passed.
Bowel obstructions usually come with a firmness or pain in the lower abdomen and sometimes with a 'quivering' sensation.
Treating Loose Stools Naturally
Whether you are looking for how to treat loose stools in adults or children, the only proven natural remedy is a dietary adjustment, which can be broken down into a few approaches.
Unfortunately, there is no natural answer for how to cure loose stools that apply to every possible cause. Although there are some dietary treatment options for loose stools (described below), they do not work as well on long-term disorders like hyperthyroidism. Still, most people who experience loose stools do so from causes that a dietary approach can help.
1. Fiber!
Fiber is your friend. Fiber is good for diarrhea and loose stool in general, but how well it works and which type of fiber you should lean toward will depend on your specific problem. Insoluble fiber cannot be dissolved in water and so passes through your system whole to the bowel where it adds bulk and solidity to your stool.
Soluble fiber dissolves into a sort of gel that slows down the small intestine, allowing more time for nutrient absorption. Soluble fiber also adds more water to your bowel movements, which eases in their passage.
Fiber-containing foods usually have both varieties but lean towards one form more than the other:
- Soluble fiber is more prominent in apples, beans, oatmeal, and nuts.
- Insoluble fiber can be found more predominantly in things like whole wheat, brown rice, and seeds.
2. Stay Hydrated
Keeping up your fluid intake is very important if your loose stools come with diarrhea or vomiting, the latter of which can happen in food poisoning.
Diarrhea and vomiting can dehydrate you quickly and will wildly throw off your electrolyte balance, among other consequences. If you are in a position where you cannot keep liquids down (such as the aforementioned food poisoning), sucking on ice chips can help provide hydration at a slow, manageable rate.
3. Honey
Honey has one of the more established anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties among food options and can be added to your diet as a way to help soothe an aggravated intestinal tract. Obviously, this won't have a chance of working unless your loose stools are the result of an inflamed intestine, especially one caused by a bacterial infection.
4. Stop Taking Herbs
If you are taking herbal product or supplement, stop for a week or two and see if that helps. You may have been unknowingly giving yourself a laxative.
Preventing Loose Stools
In addition to steps you can take to try to stop loose stools once they start happening, there are a few proactive measures you can use to prevent reoccurrence or to avoid dealing with them in the first place.
With regards to how to prevent loose stools in the morning or throughout the day, it's important to remember that the timing of your bowel movements has to do more with personal metabolism and when you eat, even if you have an underlying disorder.
Therefore, while these prevention methods may help keep your stool nice and firm, they may not change what time you actually go to the bathroom.
1. Medication adjustment
If you are on medication that causes loose stools as a side effect, talk to your doctor about possible alternatives or dose adjustments. As mentioned, it's very important that you do not reduce the dose or stop taking your medicine without your doctor's approval—you were prescribed it for a reason, after all.
2. Probiotics
Healthy intestinal flora does not automatically protect you against loose stools, but it does make it harder for bacterial ailments to establish themselves. Probiotic foods such as yogurt can be a good way to replenish your gut bacteria if you have recently taken an antibiotic or gotten over an illness.
3. Avoiding triggers
Incidences of dumping syndrome can be mitigated or avoided by making certain adjustments following your surgery. Smaller meals and limiting sugar intake reduces the likelihood of food getting dumped without proper processing.
If you are lactose intolerant, avoiding dairy is highly advisable. The same applies to someone with Celiac disease and gluten.
When to See a Doctor
When dealing with bowel movements, there are certain warning signs that could suggest a more serious problem is going on. Speak with your doctor if your loose stools are accompanied by any of the following:
- Bloody diarrhea
- Black, tar-like stools (diarrhea or not)
- Fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit that lasts more than a day
- Diarrhea lasting two days or more
- Nausea or vomiting that prevents you from drinking fluids
- Severe rectal or abdominal pain
- Stool issues began after returning from overseas
Read Next:
Sources for Today's Article:
St. John, T., 'What Causes Loose Stools in Adults?' Livestrong web site, last updated November 2, 2013; http://www.livestrong.com/article/149664-what-causes-loose-stools-in-adults/, last accessed April 7, 2016.
'What Causes Loose Stools?.' Med-Health web site, last updated April 7, 2016; http://www.med-health.net/What-Causes-Loose-Stools.html, last accessed April 7, 2016.
'Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms,' Mayo Clinic web site, October 28, 2015; http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperthyroidism/basics/symptoms/con-20020986, last accessed April 7, 2016.
'Dumping Syndrome: Definition,' Mayo Clinic web site, June 10, 2015; http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dumping-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20028034, last accessed April 7, 2016.
Dog owners have to have a high tolerance for being grossed out. We're expected to clean up after our pups, and not many of them are trained to use a toilet.
But picking up your dog's poop isn't just a courtesy or a matter of public health, it's a chance for you to find out what's going on inside your pup. Dog feces can tell you a lot about a dog's health and what may be wrong with their diet.
Just make sure you pick up some poop bags before your next walk! DogTime recommends these more earth-friendly poop bags to clean up after your pup.
If you see anything unusual about your dog's poop, then it's time for a call to your vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment! Here are a few things your dog's stool can indicate.
Normal Stool
(Picture Credit: Getty Images)
Normal, healthy dog poop tends to be firm and a little moist.
You should be familiar with your dog's normal stool so that you can monitor any changes. Dark matter symbol. The volume, color, and odor are important to note, too.
Dogs who get too much fiber tend to produce high volume with a strong odor. This happens with certain dry food diets, as your dog can't process all the nutrients and pushes them out. Raw food diets can result in smaller stool with a weaker smell.
Any of these can be normal depending on your dog's diet, so pay attention to what your pup's poop usually looks and smells like.
White, Chalky Stool
(Picture Credit: Getty Images)
Dogs who eat a raw food diet that's high in calcium or bone might pass stool that is chalky and white. This can be a sign that your dog is at risk for obstipation, which is an inability to evacuate their bowels without outside help.
This chronic constipation can lead to lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting. It requires help from a veterinarian, so save these stool samples and bring them in.
White Or Tan Specks
If you see white or tan specks in your dog's stool, you should save a sample and bring it to your vet right away.
Angels and demons game. These specks can indicate a parasite infestation, like roundworm or tapeworm.
Your vet should be able to detect these things before you see evidence in your dog's stool, which is why you should always go in for regular check-ups.
Black, Tarry, Green, Yellow, Or Red Stool
Poop that is black, tarry, green, yellow, or red usually indicates bleeding and can be a sign that there are problems in the intestinal or anal area.
It can mean anything from an injury to the GI tract to cancer.
This will require a trip to the vet to determine exactly what the problem is, so again, save your dog's stool sample so it can be tested.
Soft, Loose Stool
If your dog's poop seems soft and loose, it may just be an indication of a change in diet, or it may mean your dog has been eating things they shouldn't be eating.
If you've changed your dog's diet recently, monitor changes in poop. You may have to alter the diet if it doesn't improve.
A soft, loose stool can also indicate giardia or another intestinal parasite. Make a trip to the vet if the poop consistency doesn't return to normal.
Greasy, Gray Stool
(Picture Credit: Getty Images)
Poop that looks gray and greasy can indicate that there's too much fat in your dog's diet.
It may be time for a dietary change because too much fat can lead to inflammatory conditions like pancreatitis. These conditions can be mild or life-threatening, so take your dog's diet seriously.
Watery Diarrhea In High Volume
If your dog is having three to five bowel movements a day and producing a high volume of diarrhea every time, it's likely a problem in the small intestine.
There can be any number of causes from injury, to a viral infection, to bacteria, to food allergies.
Your vet will need to determine the cause, so bring in a sample of the stool for testing.
Watery Diarrhea In Low Volume
If your dog is having more than five bowel movements a day and producing a low volume of diarrhea each time, the problem is probably in the large intestine.
Again, there can be a range of causes, including worms, polyps, ulcers, or cancer.
Looser Than Loose
Your vet can determine the cause, so you should provide a sample of the stool for testing.
Soft Stool With Mucous
A soft stool with a coating of unusual mucous can be a sign that parvovirus or parasites are present. If you notice worms or eggs in soft or watery stool, this is also an indication of parasites.
If you see this type of stool, then–this shouldn't be a surprise at this point–get to your vet and provide them with your dog's stool sample.
Your vet should be able to catch many of these infestations before you see visible signs in your dog's stool, so make sure to keep up with regular check-ups.
Do you pay attention to your dog's poop? Has it helped you find out if something is going wrong? Let us know in the comments below!
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