When Ought to You Really Be Involved A couple of Bizarre-Wanting Poop?

Poop irregularities could also be extra “common” than you suppose.

In a brand new Well being survey of two,001 adults within the U.S., a 3rd of respondents reported poop abnormalities prior to now month, corresponding to seeing blood, mucus, or undigested meals of their stool.

Rachel Issaka, MD, MAS, a board-certified gastroenterologist on the Fred Hutchinson Most cancers Heart and College of Washington Medical Heart, advised Well being that these outcomes don’t shock her, given how widespread gastrointestinal (GI) signs are.

What she did discover regarding, nonetheless, is that many respondents reported hesitating to hunt medical therapy for signs that might be severe.

“It’s potential that a physician will present reassurance that the bowel modifications are regular for that particular person primarily based on their historical past,” Issaka stated. “But when there’s a extra severe trigger, like colorectal most cancers, sufferers do significantly better when they’re recognized as early as potential.”

Whereas 62% of Well being survey respondents stated they’ve regular bowel actions, a comparatively excessive quantity (34%) skilled no less than one abnormality within the final month, together with:

Blood of their stool or on bathroom paper (11%)Mucus (10%)Undigested meals (14%)Uncommon colour (11%)Uncommon form (14%)

There have been stark generational variations in these outcomes. About half of millennials (51%) and Gen Z (48%) had no less than one in every of these abnormalities, in contrast with 34% of Gen X and simply 15% of boomers.

Issaka stated this can be a matter of heightened consciousness. Bowel well being is more and more on youthful adults’ minds, she famous, as a number of youthful celebrities have been recognized with colorectal most cancers in the previous few years, corresponding to actors James Van Der Beek, recognized in 2023, and Chadwick Boseman, who handed from colon most cancers at 43 years previous.

“This, coupled with colorectal most cancers rising in younger individuals, has led to extra discussions about colorectal cancers and the indicators individuals ought to look out for,” Issaka stated. “I believe that the mix of those components has made millennials and Gen Zers pay nearer consideration to their stools than the generations earlier than them.”

The poop abnormalities have been additionally extra widespread amongst individuals already recognized with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a persistent GI dysfunction. This group was particularly more likely to see undigested meals (40%), uncommon form (38%), and blood of their stool (22%).

“IBS presents with a variety of signs,” Jennifer Christie, MD, FASGE, AGAF, division director of Gastroenterology and Hepatology on the College of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, advised Well being. Seeing uncommon shapes or undigested meals in stool will be typical for these with IBS, however blood will not be related to the situation, Christie famous.

Not each change in bowel habits is an indication of one thing sinister, however some signs are extra threatening than others, and protracted abnormalities are price taking note of.

Based on Issaka, two GI signs are probably the most regarding: blood in stool or on bathroom paper and modifications in poop caliber (thickness), particularly pencil-thin stools. These signs may point out colorectal most cancers.

Blood is also an indication of hemorrhoids or an anal fissure, which is a painful tear of the anal tissue, Christie stated. Unusually formed poops can even sign different digestive issues—mostly constipation (arduous, separate lumps) and diarrhea (free or watery stool).

A small quantity of mucus in stool is often nothing to fret about. Since mucus strains the GI tract, it might probably generally present up in regular stool. Nonetheless, giant quantities of mucus with diarrhea could point out an intestinal an infection, and mucus accompanied by blood might be an indication of inflammatory bowel illness (IBD) or colorectal most cancers.

Recognizing undigested meals in the bathroom bowl could merely imply you’ve been consuming too shortly. “One thing you ate that’s tough to digest (like corn, peppers, and a few legumes) may trigger these modifications,” Christie stated. In some instances, although, it may sign an issue with absorption or point out dumping syndrome, a situation related to surgical procedure on the digestive tract.

As for colour, there’s a variety of what’s regular. Shades of brown and inexperienced are largely thought-about common, and even crimson or blue poop can merely be the results of consuming meals with synthetic dyes or naturally brilliant colours, like beets.

But, light- or clay-colored stool can imply that one thing is mistaken along with your bile system, the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. Black stool is most frequently an indication of bleeding in your intestinal tract.

A few of these irregularities, like undigested meals and strange colours, are usually innocent. However Issaka stated if any of those signs persist or overlap with different considerations, like unintentional weight reduction or unexplained stomach ache, it’s time to seek the advice of a medical skilled.

Consultants additionally burdened that blood in stool all the time warrants a go to to the physician.

Don’t hesitate to talk up—21% of Well being survey respondents prevented in search of look after a digestive challenge, primarily on account of considering it was not necessary sufficient (9%) and embarrassment (8%).

“These frank conversations are essential to lift consciousness about regular bowel patterns and when medical skilled assist is required,” Issaka stated.

Well being.com surveyed 2,001 adults residing within the U.S. from June 11-19, 2025. The survey was fielded on-line through a self-administered questionnaire to an opt-in panel of respondents from a market analysis vendor. With a purpose to qualify, respondents should be over the age of 18 and residing within the U.S. Quotas have been applied in sampling utilizing benchmarks from American Group Survey (ACS) from the U.S. Census Bureau for age, race/ethnicity, and family earnings.