What Bowel Movements Reveal About Your Health

Posted by James Martin on September 26th, 2017

Your bowel movements are determined by the functionality of the gastro-intestinal tract, your genetics, any medications you may be taking, health problems you are experiencing, dietary habits and your hydration levels. Each of these can change the consistency, color and shape of your stool. Additionally, bowel movement frequency can vary from person to person. However, there are certain things that can alert you to a gastrointestinal problem. Let's take a look at the issues that should concern you and how you can ensure that you have a healthy digestive tract.

Bowel changes
In order to ensure there are no issues arising, you must be aware of your normal bowel routines. If you notice a change like changes in stool consistency, shape, color or frequency, it can be a sign of an undiagnosed medical condition. For example, an overactive thyroid condition or hyperthyroidism, can increase metabolism and heart rate, cause changes in your bowel movements and can makeyou sweat more profusely. 

Six issues to watch out for
Your body will alert you when it is experiencing any type of trouble. Let's take a look at six different issues that should never be ignored. 

1. Blood – Blood in your stool can be quite alarming. You may notice bright red blood on your toilet paper or black, tarry stools. Blood in your stool can be something as simple as haemorrhoids or over the counter medications; however, it can also be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease, stomach ulcers or colon cancer. Although there are many reasons that you could have blood in your stool, it is important to contact your doctor if you notice it. 

2. Changes in the color of your stools – The liver produces bile that is used to help you digest food. Bile gives your stool its brown color. In addition to the normal brown color of stool, your stool can change colors based on what you eat; however, if you notice your stools are black or clay, it can be a sign of trouble. Black stool can be an indication that you have internal bleeding. Conversely, clay colored stools are caused by issues in the biliary system. When the liver is not functioning properly, bile production can diminish and cause your stools to become clay colored.

3. Constipation – If you have been regular and begin to experience new onset constipation, it can be a sign of dehydration, medication side effects or irritable bowel syndrome. If you have not added a new medication, try increasing your fluid consumption to see if it relieves your constipation. Another issue that can cause constipation is irritable bowel syndrome. This condition causes constipation with bouts of diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating and gas. If you are experiencing these symptoms and you have not made any significant changes to your diet, it is time to contact your physician.

4. Diarrhea – Diarrhea is a sign that something is going on within the digestive tract. It can be caused by an infection or a food intolerance. In addition to this, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome can cause episodes of diarrhea. Additionally, medications can also cause it. You can try to relieve your diarrhea by taking a probiotic supplement, or by increasing the amount of fiber you are consuming. If these methods do not help, contact your physician for an appointment.

5. Shape – There are several things that can change the shape of your bowel movements. One digestive disorder that can cause pellet like bowel movements that are difficult to pass is diverticulosis. It is a condition that creates crates in the intestinal tract and narrows the diameter of your colon. Another issue like endometriosis, tumors or colon cancer compress the diameter of the colon and can lead to pencil thin bowel movements.

6. Smell – Inspecting your bowel movements can reveal a lot about your digestive health as well as your overall health. In addition to the shape, color and consistency of your stool, you should be aware of the smell of your bowel movements. Any change to the smell of your bowel movements can be indicative of bacterial infections, pancreatitis, intestinal parasites or pancreatic disorders.

Your digestive tract is a complex system that breaks down the foods you eat into usable nutrients and houses most of your immune system. Your bowel movements can reveal a number of health issues. Knowing the issues to be aware of can help you protect your health by alerting your health professional when bowel changes occur.