Why does my poop smells like fish? Nobody likes their stool to smell bad. But if it frequently does, it could mean that your colon isn’t healthy.
If Your Poop Smells Like Fish, You May Have a Serious Health Problem
This can be caused by a number of factors, including inflammatory bowel disease or an imbalance in your gut microbiome. Alternatively, it may be a sign of malabsorption (where your intestines don’t absorb enough nutrition).
Why Does My Stool Smell Like Fish?
Foul-smelling stools are usually caused by malabsorption, which means your body isn’t absorbing the nutrients from foods you eat. A variety of health conditions can cause malabsorption, including inflammatory bowel disease and some medications.
Also read: “When is a Door Not a Door? The Amazing Answer.”
A fishy-smelling stool can also indicate a condition called trimethylaminuria, which is an inherited disorder that causes an excess of the amino acid trimethylamine in your body (TMA). This can cause your poop to smell like fish.
In addition, eating certain foods can make your stool smell like fish if they’re not being digested properly by your digestive system. These include dairy products, alcohol, and foods that are FODMAP (foods that can cause an upset stomach in people with irritable bowel syndrome or other intestinal disorders).
If you’re experiencing smelly poop, it’s important to see your doctor. They can help you figure out what’s causing it and suggest ways to fix the problem. For example, they may ask you to keep a food diary so they can track how your diet affects your poop consistency and odor.
How Do I Stop My Poop From Smelling Like Fish?
Poop doesn’t usually smell bad, but if yours does, there may be a cause. Having foul-smelling poop is not just embarrassing, it can also be an indicator of a more serious health problem.
A fishy smelling stool can indicate something as simple as a clogged bowel or even a more serious condition like Crohn’s disease. If your poop is accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, and fatigue, it is probably time to see the doctor for a checkup.
The best way to stop your poop from smelling like fish is to steer clear of foods that are known for their distinctive smells, including fish, onions, garlic, and cauliflower. This may sound like a hard task, but it isn’t as difficult as you might think. The key is to consume smaller portions of the odorous foods and mix them up in different meals instead of consuming them all in one sitting. The best part is that a well-balanced diet can help you avoid having to deal with this annoyance in the first place.
Why Does My Poop Have a Weird Smell?
While poop is a normal part of the digestive process, it can also have a pretty odd smell. It usually gets its stink from bacteria, your diet and skatole – a chemical that’s found in the intestines.
If you’re experiencing a weird-smelling stool, your doctor might recommend some dietary changes. But if the problem continues, there may be an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
One of the most common causes for stinky stools is malabsorption, which means you aren’t able to break down nutrients enough. This can happen for many reasons, including gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s and colitis.
Another culprit is sulfur-rich foods, which are harder to digest and release more gasses when you poop. These include meat, cheese, and cruciferous vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower), according to California-based functional medicine physician Yeral Patel, M.D. You can minimize this by eating smaller amounts of sulfur-rich foods or avoiding them altogether. Or, try eating more fiber and protein to reduce the amount of sulfur you’re consuming.
Why Does My Poop Have a Sweet Smell?
Everybody poops, and most of us have smelly stools from time to time. However, the actual odor of your poop doesn’t actually tell much about your health, says gastroenterologist and YouTuber Sameer Islam.
Smelly poop is most likely caused by something you’re eating, according to Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, founder of BZ Nutrition in New York City. “Smelly poop often happens when people have a hard time absorbing the nutrients from their food,” she says.
This condition is known as malabsorption and it’s common in people with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Smelly poop can also happen if you’re taking medications that break down to sulfur, such as mercaptopurine or sulfasalazine.