How Often Should You Poop?

How many times a day should you poop? How often you should poop varies from person to person. Some people go three times per day, while others go three times per week. Many factors can affect how many times you poop per day, including your diet, exercise, and hormones.

How many poops a day is normal? There's no "normal" amount of bowel movements to have per day. You may have abnormal bowel habits, however, if you have constipation (fewer than three bowel movements per week). Read on to learn how often you are supposed to poop and what's normal.

What's Normal?

"Normal" bowel habits vary from person to person. Some people have three bowel movements per day, while others have three per week. Both are normal.

Bowel movements are usually painless and do not require you to strain. Healthy poop varies in color, firmness, and smell but is usually medium brown and soft to firm. Changes in these characteristics may signal a problem.

What's Abnormal? 

How often you poop is often related to stool consistency. You may have constipation if you pass fewer than three bowel movements in one week. Constipation causes stools that are hard, dry, or pebbly. Stool may also be difficult or painful to pass. You might feel bloated, have stomach pain, feel like you still need to poop after going.

Diarrhea, in contrast, may lead to more trips to the bathroom. You may have diarrhea if you pass more than three loose stools in one day.

Different types of diarrhea include:

• Acute diarrhea: Generally lasts one or two days
• Persistent diarrhea: Spans between two and four weeks
• Chronic diarrhea: Persists for at least four weeks, either continually or on and off

Your bowel patterns are unique to you. Note whether you use the bathroom more often, if stool consistency is harder or more liquid than usual, or if you have new pain or discomfort. Reach out to a healthcare provider if you are concerned.

Factors That Affect How Often You Poop

Many factors can affect bowel movement frequency. These include diet, hormones, exercise, medication, and certain illnesses and infections.

Diet

What you eat and drink can affect digestion. A lack of fiber, for example, can make stool more difficult. Low fiber intake may lead to constipation. Food allergies and intolerances can also impair digestion. Your body might have difficulty digesting a certain food, leading to diarrhea or constipation.

Common food allergies that may cause diarrhea include:

• Allergy to cow's milk, eggs, soy, seafood, or cereal grains 
• Fructose intolerance, which is a sensitivity to fructose (sugar in fruits, fruit juices, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup)
• Lactose intolerance, when your small intestine does not make enough of the digestive enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose (a sugar in dairy products)
• Sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol and sorbitol), which are often in sugar-free products

Not drinking enough water can contribute to constipation. Some beverages can also stimulate or slow digestion. Coffee, for example, can speed up bowel movements.

Alcohol can contribute to both diarrhea and constipation, depending on the type. Some evidence suggests that drinks with more than 15% alcohol slow digestion and may cause constipation. Drinks with less alcohol, such as wine and beer, tend to speed up digestion and lead to diarrhea.

Exercise

A lack of exercise can affect bowel regularity. Inactivity can slow digestion and reduce the number of bowel movements per day. You might be inactive if you are stuck in bed during a long illness, are recovering from surgery, or spend most of your day sitting.

Physical activity helps food move through the large intestine quickly. Research has found regular exercise can cause digestive symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Health Conditions

Some health conditions that affect the muscles and nerves may cause chronic constipation. Other health conditions that can change bowel movements include:

• Celiac disease: The immune system mistakenly targets and attacks healthy cells in the small intestine in response to gluten. This protein is found in barley, rye, and wheat.
• Colon polyps: These are excess tissue growth in the colon, which is part of the large intestine. Colon polyps are mostly benign (noncancerous), but some can become cancerous.
• Endocrine disorders: These include diabetes and hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland).
• Diverticulitis: This occurs when small pouches in your colon (diverticula) become inflamed.
• Gallstones: These are made up of hardened bile, or fluid that digests fat. Gallstones form in the gallbladder, which is an organ that stores bile.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): This digestive disorder affects the large intestine. You may develop bloating, changes in bowel movements, and stomach cramps.
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): This is excess bacteria growth in the small intestine, which causes chronic diarrhea.
  

Hormones

Bowel habits tend to vary throughout the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. A study published in 2014 found that 73% of healthy, premenopausal women had digestive symptoms before or during their period. Diarrhea and stomach pain were some of the most common symptoms.

Some evidence suggests that high levels of hormone-like compounds, prostaglandins, can cause looser stools during periods and pregnancy. Increased progesterone, a hormone, can contribute to constipation.

Stress hormones can also affect bowel movements. Your gut influences your brain, and your brain influences your gut. This is known as the gut-brain axis. Research has found that psychological factors like depression and anxiety can alter your bowel habits.

Infections

Bacterial and viral infections can temporarily change bowel habits. Traveler's diarrhea, for example, is often caused by bacteria in contaminated food and water. This infection affects about 30% to 60% of people who travel in resource-limited destinations, including sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia.

You can reduce your risk of diarrhea-causing infections when traveling by:

• Avoiding ice
• Drinking factory-sealed beverages
• Eating hot, cooked foods and avoiding buffets 
• Washing your hands often

You may also develop diarrhea as a result of food poisoning. Many foods can carry harmful germs like Salmonella and Listeria. These include raw eggs, meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and seafood.

Medication

Constipation is a common side effect of many medications, such as:

• Antacids
• Antidepressants
• Antihistamines
• Diuretics
• Iron supplements

Some medicines can have the opposite effect. Antibiotics, for example, may cause you to pass liquid stool.

Reach out to a healthcare provider if you notice changes in bowel movements and think it might be due to a medication. A pharmacist might be able to advise an alternative medication or an over-the-counter (OTC) remedy.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

It may be a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider if your diarrhea or constipation continues for more than one week. Seek out further care if you also have:

• Abdominal and lower back pain
• Bloody stool
• Painful bowel movements
• Unintended weight loss 
• Vomiting

Seek medical attention right away if you have black, tar-like, or thin stool. Severe pain and fever with constipation or diarrhea, as well as severe dehydration, are also red flags.

How To Stay Regular

Certain daily habits can promote healthy bowel movements. Here are a few tips for staying regular:

• Clean fruits and vegetables before eating them.
• Exercise regularly. 
• Include plenty of fiber-rich foods in your diet (e.g., fruits, vegetables, and whole grains).
• Practice stress-relieving techniques (e.g., meditation and yoga).
• Stay hydrated.
• Thoroughly cook meat, fish, and eggs.
• Wash your hands regularly.

A Quick Review

Everyone's bowel habits are different. Having occasional bouts of constipation or diarrhea is generally nothing to worry about. Adding more fiber to your diet and exercising regularly can support digestion. It may be a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider if you notice changes in your habits or usual stool appearance.