What Does Poop That Floats In The Toilet Say About Your Health?

The next time you go number two, you should take a peek in the toilet. (You should actually be doing this after every bowel movement, doctors say.)

While certain things such as blood in your poop and frequent diarrhea are known red flags, it turns out that whether your poop floats or sinks in the toilet bowl matters for your health.

Generally, stools that sink mean one thing while stools that float can mean a whole host of other things (and most of these things aren’t good).

Below, doctors share what to know about floating and sinking stool:

Simply put, stool is denser than water, so it should sink, said Dr. Supriya Rao, a gastroenterologist at Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants in Massachusetts.

Dr. Sophie M. Balzora, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health and president of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists, agreed — “generally, stools tend to sink like a brick in the toilet bowl.”

While stool should fall to the bottom of the toilet, it should also come out of your bottom in one piece and have a good, solid consistency, added Dr. Rucha Mehta Shah, a gastroenterologist in Arizona.

“This means that you have adequate fiber, adequate water and that your gut flora is digesting what you’re feeding it,” Shah said.

While sinking is ideal, an occasional floating poop isn’t cause for concern, experts say.

“There are so many factors that go into whether your stool is a sinker or a floater, so to speak,” Balzora said.

“Floating often means that the stool’s high in fat,” Rao explained. This can come down to your diet. If you’re eating a high-fat diet or have a few high-fat meals before you use the bathroom, it’s likely your stool will float.

If you notice a floating stool every so often after a high-fat meal, it likely isn’t a big deal, said Rao, but, if it happens consistently, you should let your doctor know.

“With floating stool that is very foul-smelling and has a sheen to it that resembles oil, this may signal something called steatorrhea, or fat in the stool that shouldn’t be there,” Balzora said.

This could mean you have fat malabsorption, Balzora noted. This can be caused by several different digestive disorders that should all be evaluated by your doctor, she added.

Disorders that cause fat malabsorption include celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, Shah added.

“Another cause that is less [serious] but still warrants testing may be excess gases in the stool produced by bacteria,” noted Balzora. In certain cases, high amounts of bacteria can cause flatulence, bloating and also floating stools, Balzora said.

Malabsorption issues and other gastrointestinal problems require medical attention and can’t be solely fixed with lifestyle changes, but for folks without underlying health issues, there are certain behaviors that can help create healthy stools.

First, you should understand what a healthy poop is, and experts recommend a specific resource for this. You can reference the Bristol stool scale, which is a visual scale of the six different types of stool, said Rao. A one on the scale is when you’re severely constipated and a six is severe diarrhea.

A three and four on the chart is considered normal.

“[It] can really help us understand what’s really going on,” Shah added. You can look at the chart and tell your doctor, “My stool looks like number four, is that OK?” ― as opposed to vaguely describing your stool consistency to a medical professional.

To get your stools to a healthy place, all three experts said fiber intake is key. This goes for both supplemental fiber (such as Metamucil and Benefiber) and dietary fiber (like beans, legumes and fruit), said Balzora.

“Fiber can help bulk up the stools and keep you regular,” noted Balzora.

It’s also important to hydrate and stay active. “Activity helps promote the movement of the muscles in our gut,” Rao said.

“I tell people always to look at their stool,” said Rao. You should know what is normal for you and what isn’t.

While there are times when it’s perfectly fine for your stool to float, such as after a fatty meal, “what we as gastroenterologists care about is if there’s a change,” Shah said.

If you normally have sinking stool, but all of a sudden have stools that float, you should let your doctor know, she said.

“Or [if] you feel like you’re wiping, wiping, wiping, and there’s been a change in your stool consistency, that’s when you should get evaluated,” Shah added.

“Everyone feels like it’s gross to talk about your poop, but actually it tells us a lot about your health, ” said Shah. Don’t shy away from talking to your doctor about your poop — they have certainly heard it before.

“It’s always a good idea to look at your stool before you flush — not only to see if it floats or sinks, but to look for other clues that may signal a chat with your health care professional,” Balzora said.

If it’s red, it could signal blood. If it’s jet-black and tarry, that could be a sign of digested blood. An oily sheen could signal malabsorption of fat, explained Balzora.

Unexplained weight loss and intense abdominal pain are also reasons to talk to your doctor, Shah said.

“If you’re concerned, confused, or not sure what is considered normal for you and your body, it’s always good to look to your health care professional for advice and guidance,” said Balzora.