Stool usually does have an unpleasant smell. The odor of the feces is caused by food eaten and bacteria in the intestines. However, Smelly Bowel Movements can also be characterized by serious health problems.
What causes Smelly Bowel Movements?
Dietary changes are a common cause of Smelly Bowel Movements. Some other causes include:
Malabsorption
Malabsorption is also a common cause of foul-smelling feces. Malabsorption occurs when your body cannot absorb the proper amount of nutrients from the foods you eat. This usually occurs when there are infections or illnesses that prevent your intestines from absorbing nutrients from food.
Common causes of malabsorption include:
- Celiac disease, which is a reaction to gluten that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents absorption of nutrients.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
- Carbohydrate intolerance, which is an inability to process sugar and starch completely.
- Lactose intolerance (milk protein).
- Food allergies.
If you have an IBD, eating certain foods will cause your intestines to inflamed. People with IBD often complain of a foul-smelling diarrhea or constipation. People with IBD also complain of the stomach bloating after eating certain foods.
Eating Fatty Foods
Feces that are foul-smelling and look oily or fatty indicates gastrointestinal upset, especially in the digestive process of fats. Yes, if you consume a variety of fatty meats, dining, and cakes that contain a lot of butter, then do not be surprised if your stool smells bad.
Gastrointestinal infections
In addition to the consumption of unhealthy foods, digestive disorders can also cause your stool to smell bad. Celiac disease that interferes with the digestive tract, so as to not absorb nutrients well especially protein derived from gluten.
Infections that affect the intestines can cause foul-smelling feces. Gastroenteritis and ulcers of the stomach and intestines can occur after eating foods contaminated with bacteria such as Eschericia coli or salmonella, viruses, and parasites. Once you are infected, you may feel symptoms like stomach cramps and foul-smelling stool.
Eating Too Much
When you consume too much sulfur, such as meat, milk to garlic, the intestines will work overtime to digest the food.
So, the process that occurs in a vulnerable period of time will result in a gas that makes your dirt more smelly.
Even though there has been a very normal digestive process, the dirt that comes out will be very smelly because of the effect of the food.
Eating Too Much Junk Food
According to Gina Sam, M. D, director of Gastrointestinal motility at Mount Sinai Hospital, consuming junk food can make your dirt smell.
The more you convert these foods, the more digestive gases they produce. This Gas that will make the dirt still in the intestines can produce odor many times over.
Taking certain medications or supplements
Some medications and supplements could interfere with the smell of the pup. Such as antibiotics and hormonal medications can interfere with intestinal bacteria, accelerate or slow the movement of the feces through the intestines. It can even cause malabsorption of certain nutrients resulting in smelling diarrhea.
Some supplements like Glucosamine, chondroitin and garlic are high in sulfur levels, so the bacteria in the intestines turn into sulfur gases.
Lactose Intolerance
People with lactose intolerance who consumes dairy products will usually react to causing diarrhea and is usually very smelly.
If you are lactose intolerant, lactose can pass through the intestines, causing foul-smelling diarrhea.
Other conditions
Other conditions that may cause a very smelly feces are chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and short bowel syndrome.
Symptoms of Smelly Bowel Movements
Symptoms that can occur along with very smelling feces include:
- Watery bowel movements or diarrhea.
- Soft feces
- Frequent bowel movements.
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach Gas
- Bloating.
A very smelling feces can be a sign of a serious medical condition. Consult a doctor immediately if you feel the following symptoms:
- Blood in the feces
- Black bowel movements.
- Pale-colored feces
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Unwanted weight Loss
- Chills
Thank you very much for reading Smelly Bowel Movements: Causes and Symptoms, hopefully useful.
