Foul-smelling stools have an unusually strong, putrid smell. In many cases, foul-smelling stools occur due to the foods people eat and the bacteria present in their colon. However, foul-smelling stools can also indicate a serious health problem. Diarrhea, bloating, or flatulence may occur with foul-smelling stools.
Giardia infection (giardiasis) can cause a variety of intestinal symptoms, which include: Diarrhea. Gas. Foul-smelling, greasy poop that can float.
Foul-smelling stools may also be a sign of an intestinal viral, bacterial (like E. coli or Salmonella), or parasitic infection. These infections can occur after eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water (which can also happen when swimming).
New research has shown that the malaria parasite is able to alter our smell, making us more attractive to mosquitoes.
Even if you don't have any symptoms, you may find signs of worms in your stool. Worms in human poop can take a number of appearances. For roundworms, you may find pieces of worms or large, live worms in your feces. For pinworms, you may see thin, white worms that appear like pieces of thread.
Most of the time, a foul scent alone isn't indicative of anything worrisome. But if there is a change in the smell of your number two that coincides with other potentially concerning symptoms like diarrhea, fever, chills, or unexplained weight loss, it could signal something more serious, Dr. Lee says.
Eat more raw garlic, pumpkin seeds, pomegranates, beets, and carrots, all of which have been used traditionally to kill parasites. In one study, researchers found that a mixture of honey and papaya seeds cleared stools of parasites in 23 out of 30 subjects. Drink a lot of water to help flush out your system.
You're Eating a Lot of Foods With Sulfur
Sulfur-containing foods include cruciferous veggies (examples are broccoli, cauliflower, and kale), dairy, eggs, and meat. But similar to how drinking alcohol or taking supplements with sulfates can make your stool smell, so can sulfur-rich foods.
Foods that are high in sulfate content such as veggies, dairy, eggs, and meat can cause poop that smells like rotten eggs. “Sulfur is a necessary component in our diet, and certain foods high in sulfates increase sulfur gas as the byproduct of foods being broken down,” he says.
Even foul-smelling stools can be due to changes in your diet. However, atypically foul-smelling stools may be a symptom of a health condition. Examples include celiac disease, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and intestinal infections.
Stools normally have an unpleasant odor. Most of the time, the odor is familiar. Stools that have an extremely bad, abnormal odor may be due to certain medical conditions. Foul-smelling stools also have normal causes, such as diet changes.
In rare cases, stool smell—along with other indicating signs—can clue you in on some underlying conditions or health issues. “Sometimes if the stool smells very tar-y or very foul smelling, that could be a sign of an infection or it could be a sign of some gastrointestinal bleeding going on,” Dr.
Gastrointestinal distress — since parasites take up residence in the intestines, this is where the most damage occurs. Diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, and nausea are all common symptoms of parasites. Weight loss — parasites can cause nausea and poor nutritional absorption, which can lead to weight loss.
Some types of intestinal worms, such as tapeworms, may disappear on their own if you have a strong immune system and healthy diet and lifestyle. However, depending on the type of intestinal worm infection, you may require treatment with an antiparasitic medication.
In some cases, parasites clear up on their own, especially in a person with a healthy immune system. If the parasite causes concerning symptoms or may cause complications, doctors will likely order an antiparasitic medication that kills the parasite. Some people choose natural methods to clear their body of a parasite.
Poop gets its odor from bacteria, your diet, and skatole — a compound in your digestive tract. Antibiotics, sulfur-rich foods, and difficulty absorbing nutrients can make your poop smell worse. Get urgent medical attention if you also have stomach pain, diarrhea, or blood in your stool.
Skatole, or 3-methylindole, is a foul-smelling constituent of mammalian feces; it is produced by the decomposition of tryptophan in the digestive tract. It has a floral aroma at low concentrations, contributing to the pleasant smell of flowers such as jasmine and orange blossoms.
Clogs from kinks can result in the buildup of bacteria in the digestive tract. This bacteria is often the culprit of nasty odors in your waste. Using a specially designed toilet stool, helps undo the kink in your digestive system without any extra effort on your end, so you can take healthier smelling poops.
Healthy Poop Should Sink in the Toilet
Floating stools are often an indication of high fat content, which can be a sign of malabsorption, a condition in which you can't absorb enough fat and other nutrients from the food you're ingesting, reports Mount Sinai.
Rotten, digested, iron/metallic blood.