And while that's probably very unpleasant, it doesn't actually pose much risk for transmitting disease. There are a lot of different reasons why stool might smell particularly foul, and it doesn't always mean the pooper is sick.
The smell comes from bacteria in the colon that break down food during digestion. Poop may smell different because of changes in your diet. But very foul-smelling feces can be a sign of a serious medical condition, such as: Celiac disease.
Occasional foul-smelling stool may not require any treatment. But if it continues or you also have other symptoms, like runny stool, more frequent bowel movements, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain—see your doctor.
Key points about giardiasis
Giardiasis is an infection caused by a parasite called Giardia. It causes diarrhea. Symptoms include explosive, watery, greasy, foul-smelling stools, bloating, nausea, pain, gas, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Several medicines are available that cure the infection.
Even after thoroughly washing your hands, you may still notice a bad smell. This is because the potent odors from feces can be absorbed into the oils of the skin. The smell can last a while, so it's best to use an odor eliminator as soon as possible.
"Sodium in baking soda is what gives the compound its ability to absorb musty and other terrible odors," says Dr. Coster. Making a batch of 'toilet bombs' or purchasing a pack like this can do wonders for absorbing unpleasant odors.
If you smell like poop…
…you could be extremely constipated. When your digestion is severely impaired, smelly chemicals are produced in the gut that eventually cause stinky bowel movements when you do finally go; these same compounds can also seep out in your sweat, making you smell a bit like a septic tank.
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.
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).
If you have phantosmia, the odors can vary from smells that almost make you sick to really pleasant scents. But most people with phantosmia tend to detect bad smells. The odors have been described as “burned," "foul," "rotten," "sewage," or "chemical." You may be smelling it from one or both of your nostrils.
Do you ever begin sweating and feeling like you are going to pass out while pooping, or do you feel like you will pass out at the sight of blood? It's possible that your vagus nerve is causing this sensation and triggering your body's vasovagal reflex, or vasovagal response.
Symptoms of giardiasis
tummy pain or cramps. farting (flatulence) smelly burps – they may smell like eggs.
People with diabetes may experience frequent diarrhea — loose, watery stools that happen at least three times a day. You may have fecal incontinence as well, especially at night.
Eating sugary, fatty and processed foods can make your poop smell bad. This happens as some people lack the enzyme that can fully break down fat, which delays the digestion process. And the longer the food sits around, the more digestive gasses your body will produce. This will make your poop even smellier.
Foul smelling yellow stools may be a sign that the digestive system is not absorbing nutrients as it should. Malabsorption can happen due to Crohn's disease. Learn more about the symptoms of malabsorption here.
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.
It's normal and healthy to have a bowel movement anywhere between three times a week to three times a day. If you're producing soft, well-formed logs that aren't hard to push out, your bowels are probably in good shape.
Chlorophyllin has been used in alternative medicine as an aid to reduce the odor of urine or feces (bowel movements). Chlorophyllin is intended to improve the quality of life in people who have fecal incontinence due to spinal cord injury, bowel cancer, psychotic disorder, terminal illness, or other disorders.
Breath that smells like feces can occur with prolonged vomiting, especially when there is a bowel obstruction. It may also occur temporarily if a person has a tube placed through the nose or mouth to drain their stomach.
Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is an uncommon condition that causes an unpleasant, fishy smell. It's also called "fish odour syndrome". Sometimes it's caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this isn't always the case. There's currently no cure, but there are things that can help.
Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.