Ideal poop should be soft, firm, and shaped like a long sausage. That is what perfection looks like when it comes to poop, because it doesn’t get better than that. The Bristol Stool Chart described the different types of stool, and what ‘normal’ poop should look like. There are different types of poop, and each type is an indicator of your overall health. Therefore, you shouldn’t dismiss the type, size, and consistency of your poop, because it just may save your life.
If you are excreting watery poop, it clearly indicates that your stool has a lot of water, which is not normal. An average poop should only have around 70% water, but if your poop is more fluid and less solid, that indicates that the water content in the poop is higher than normal. Everyone has different bowel movements, but a person with good gut health, should at least 3 times a week, but not more than 3 times during a day.
Excessive pooping is a sign of diarrhea, but it is important to note that watery poop isn’t a form of diarrhea. The only way it can be classed as diarrhea is it meets the following criteria:
- You’re pooping more than 3 times a day
- Your total poop volume is more than 200 grams
Most people confuse watery poop with diarrhea, but that isn’t the case. We are going to discuss what makes poop watery, and whether you should be concerned about it below.
Why is my poop watery?
Everything you put into your mouth travels down to the gut, and ends up in the bowels, where it is passed out through the colon, in the form of poop. All water and vital nutrients are absorbed or extracted during the digestive process, and only bacteria, waste substances, mucus, digestive enzymes, bile, water, and undigested food are passed out as poop. A normal stool should be firm but soft, but if you’re passing out watery poop, it could be signaling a health problem.
When the fluid leaves your small intestine, it enters the large intestine, and from there the water is absorbed, and transformed from a liquid state into solid poop. All this takes place in the colon and is finally pushed out in a firm but soft state. The re-absorption of water allows your body to preserve fluids, which is important in the digestive process.
If there is excessive water in the small intestine, or if the large intestine fails to absorb all water properly, then the poop will be watery. Disturbances in the large and small intestine are generally a sign of disease or diarrheal illnesses.
Dangers of watery poop
The only danger that you may face if you are consistently pooping out watery stool is that you will lose vital electrolytes and water. This can cause dehydration, and the severity will vary from person to person. You may also experience mild diarrhea, but you can manage your health by increasing your fluid intake and maintaining a healthy diet and routine.
