What is a floating stool?

While you may feel it is gross or even embarrassing to speak about your stool or bowel movements, it must be known that they are a huge indicator of how well your body is functioning and if there are any signs you need to look out for. As such, when we got to know about floating stools, we immediately reached out to experts to understand what they are, what they say about our bowels, and if they are a cause for concern.

Usually, stools sink in the toilet but sometimes they may change in structure and float, too — this is usually due to one’s diet and other factors. But, it is not something to be concerned about, as they will return to the original structure on their own, said Garima Goyal, a registered dietitian.

However, before jumping to conclusions, read on to find out what it indicates about your health.

Are floating stools normal?

Suggesting that faecal consistency reveals a lot about the health of an individual, Dr Neeraj Nagaich, senior consultant, gastroenterology, Fortis Escorts, Jaipur said that generally, floating stool is not due to any underlying disorder and is thought to be normal.

The floating or sinking propensity of stools depends upon differences in gas rather than fat content only. “From a nutritionist’s perspective, it indicates consumption of a high-fibre-rich diet, which can lead to increased production of gases and can lead to flatulence and floating stool, while from the perspective of a microbiologist, one can conveniently relate it to gut health and microbial dysbiosis, which could affect the absorption of nutrients from the food thus leading to malabsorption,” added Dr Nagaich.

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Floating stools indicate that the stools have excess gas or there is malabsorption of nutrients. Malabsorption means that the food passes through the intestines quickly, such as in case of diarrhoea, and the body does not get time to process and absorb the nutrients, elucidated Goyal.

According to Dr Nagaich, this malabsorption could either be carbohydrate malabsorption or fat malabsorption. “Thus, a stool which first floats and then slowly sinks is the indicator of good gut health and effective digestion, if not accompanied by flatulence. Naturally the air pockets are the major reason of floating stool. So, if the stool plummets directly to the bottom, it could also suggest nutrient malabsorption, but with a higher density,” said Dr Nagaich.

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Common causes of malabsorption that leads to floating stools are:

Gastrointestinal infections: One common reason for nutrient malabsorption is stomach infection caused by bacteria or viruses. These gastrointestinal infections usually go away on their own without treatment, but cause floating stools. Agreed Dr Nagaich and said that one of the major reasons for floating stools could be gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional dyspepsia. IBS is accompanied by variety of symptoms like abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhoea, and associated symptoms. Dyspepsia is a type of chronic indigestion and abdominal discomfort where one usually experiences a feeling of fullness and bloating after drinking or eating, and discomfort in the upper abdomen.

Lactose intolerance: Those who are lactose intolerant have a deficiency of lactase, an enzyme that is needed to digest the milk sugar – lactose. Deficiency of this enzyme causes trouble on consumption of dairy products. This causes gassy stools and diarrhea, thus causing nutrient malabsorption.

Pancreatic problems: Pancreas is involved in the synthesis of enzymes that help in the digestion of fat in the intestine. But if the pancreas are affected, fats remain in the intestine and the stool is fatty and greasy. Common pancreatic conditions that can cause floating stools are exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), blockage of pancreatic duct, early stage of pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis.

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Celiac disease: Those who have an autoimmune reaction on the ingestion of gluten are known to have celiac disease. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products that damages the small intestine lining on ingestion in affected individuals.

Are you eating a lot of junk? (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

What can be done to improve?

* Those with celiac disease should avoid consuming products with gluten such as wheat, rye, and barley.
* Those with lactose intolerance should avoid dairy products.
* If the symptoms are due to an underlying condition, your health practitioner will suggest a suitable treatment. But if its not related to any medical issue, no treatment is needed, only a few dietary modifications are suggested.
* Keep a food diary and see what you ate that caused floating stool. Next time, try to avoid that food and notice the change. Everyone has to individualise their trigger food that may lead to floating stools.

Also Read | The colour of your poop reveals a lot about health: Here’s what to know

What diet modifications can be made?

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– Certain foods cause more gassy stools, such as those with excess sugar, fibre, starch, or lactose. Examples include beans, milk, legumes, cabbage, apples, cola and soft drinks, sugar-free products such as candies, diet sodas etc. So if you experience floating stools, refrain from such foods in the diet.

– Those who are lactose intolerant should refrain from consuming dairy products such as milk as it may cause floating stools and gastrointestinal disturbances.

– Avoid consuming too much fibre in the diet such as fruits and vegetables in excess as fibre digestion releases more gas, thus air gets trapped in the stool causing floating stool.

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