There are some habits that it’s just not socially acceptable to ask your friends about, one being what their bowel movements are like. Asking your friend casually over coffee how often they poop might get a little awkward. But since no one’s talking about it, it can be tricky to know if your bathroom habits are normal. How are you supposed to know if you’re pooping as much as everyone else?
Especially if you struggle with constipation, which becomes more common with age, you may be wondering how long is too long to go without pooping. If a couple of days go by and you haven’t had a bowel movement, you may start to feel uncomfortable. It would be helpful to know how to safely move things along, and it’s also important to know when you should see a doctor because too much time has passed since you have had a bowel movement.
While it may be a little strange to talk to your friends about your bathroom habits, one space it’s completely safe to talk about is a gastroenterologist’s office. You should never feel embarrassed about talking about your bowel movements with a gastroenterologist; it’s literally their job. Here, three G.I. docs explain how often it’s considered normal to poop, how long is too long to go without pooping and when you should see a doctor.
🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊
How Often Should You Poop?
Parade talked to three gastroenterologists, and all three say that there isn’t one specific set amount of time when it comes to poop frequency; it varies from person to person. “Normal bowel frequency spans a wide range, roughly three times a day to three times a week. In the largest US sample of adults reporting normal bowel habits, 95.9% had between 3 and 21 bowel movements per week, supporting the common ‘three and three rule,’ three a day to three a week,” says Dr. Zarema Singson, MD, a gastroenterologist and a member-at-large at GI Alliance.
There are several reasons why some people poop more frequently than others. Dr. Cuckoo Choudhary, MD, FACP, AGAF, a gastroenterologist with Jefferson Health, says diet (including fiber and hydration), physical activity, age, medications, hormones, stress, one’s gut microbiome and, importantly, how quickly an individual’s colon naturally moves stool, all impact bowel habits.
“Eating stimulates the colon through what we call the gastrocolic reflex, which is why many people need to have a bowel movement after breakfast or another large meal. Some people simply have a stronger gastrocolic response or faster intestinal transit than others,” Dr. Choudhary says. She adds that changes in routine can impact bowel habits too, including travel, changes in diet, reduced physical activity, illness and repeatedly ignoring the urge to poop.
Related: Get Constipation Relief Naturally With These 31 Home Remedies That Work Quickly
Instead of focusing so much on bowel movement frequency, Dr. Michael Curley, MD, FRCPC, a gastroenterologist and the director of Dartmouth’s GI Motility Program, suggests thinking more about how you’re feeling. Are you bloated and uncomfortable? Are you experiencing abdominal pain? When you do have a bowel movement, do you have to strain or does it hurt? These questions, he says, are important clues about your gastrointestinal health to consider.
How Long Is Too Long To Go Without Pooping?
Even though there is a range for what’s considered normal when it comes to bowel movement frequency, there is a point when it’s too long to go without pooping. According to Dr. Choudhary, going fewer than three times a week is one criterion doctors use when evaluating for constipation, especially if it’s accompanied by hard stools, straining, difficulty evacuating or a feeling of incomplete emptying.
Constipation isn’t just uncomfortable; it can impact your health.
“Constipation can lead to abdominal discomfort, bloating, excessive straining and hemorrhoids. In more significant cases, a large amount of hard stool can become lodged in the rectum or colon, resulting in fecal impaction,” Dr. Choudhary says.
She adds that the longer stool remains in the colon, the more water the colon absorbs from it. This, she notes, can make the stool progressively harder and more difficult to pass.
“Severe constipation can also cause nausea, loss of appetite and significant abdominal distention. Serious complications are uncommon in otherwise healthy people, but persistent or severe constipation should not simply be ignored,” Dr. Choudhary says.
Related: The Surprising Reason You’re Constipated That No One’s Talking About
How To Speed Things Along
If you want to poop more frequently than you are currently—perhaps it’s even what led you to this article—there are a few actions you can take. All three doctors say that an important one is upping your fiber intake. Dr. Singson recommends aiming for between 20 to 25 grams a day, and to increase the amount of water you drink too.
If you’re taking any prescriptions or supplements, Dr. Singson says it’s worth it to talk to your doctor about whether any of them could be making you feel constipated. The solution to being less constipated could be as simple as stopping a supplement or switching to a different medication.
In some cases, Dr. Curley says that taking a laxative or an over-the-counter fiber supplement may be used to treat constipation. For best practices, it’s best to talk to your doctor before treating constipation this way.
“It’s also important not to repeatedly ignore the body’s urge to have a bowel movement,” Dr. Choudhary says. “Taking advantage of the gastrocolic reflex—particularly by allowing yourself unhurried bathroom time after breakfast—can be helpful.” In other words, if you feel like you have to poop, don’t fight the urge.
If your bathroom habits have drastically changed recently or you’re struggling with constipation frequently, these are both times when it’s important to see your doctor, the experts say. If you notice blood in your stool, seek emergency care.
Remember, there’s a range of what’s considered normal when it comes to poop frequency. If it’s been more than three days since your last bowel movement, that’s a sign of constipation. But it’s also important to consider how you feel. If gastrointestinal issues of any type are interfering with your daily life, it’s worth seeing a gastroenterologist. Don’t let bathroom anxiety rule your life.
Up Next:
Related: A Cleveland Clinic Gastroenterologist Says This Habit Has ‘The Biggest Impact on Digestion’ (Hint: It’s Not Fiber)
Sources
- Schuster, B. G., Kosar, L. and Kamrul, R. (2015). Constipation in older adults. Canadian Family Physician. 61(2):152-158.
- Mitsuhashi, S., Ballou, S., Jiang, Z. G., et al. (2018). Characterizing Normal Bowel Frequency and Consistency in a Representative Sample of Adults in the United States. (NHANES). American Journal of Gastroenterology. 113(1):116-123.
- Dr. Zarema Singson, MD, gastroenterologist and a member-at-large at GI Alliance.
- Dr. Cuckoo Choudhary, MD, FACP, AGAF, gastroenterologist with Jefferson Health.
- Dr. Michael Curley, MD, FRCPC, gastroenterologist and the director of Dartmouth’s GI Motility Program.