Nature’s call is hard to deny, especially regarding bathroom habits. Malls and gasoline stations have the best comfort rooms. Still, Carlo M. Cornejo, MD, Section Chief of Gastroenterology at Makati Medical Center, Philippines, says there’s no need to panic about your twice-a-day or more bathroom habit.

“First, there’s really no absolute standard for how often one should poop. Most experts agree healthy bowel movement frequency can range from three times a day to three times a week, depending on the person,” says Dr. Cornejo. “Any changes to this frequency can be caused by a number of dietary and lifestyle factors.”

Pooping more often might be a sign of a healthier body. One of the most common reasons for an increase in bowel movements is due to more fiber intake from vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and beets. Even exercising more causes frequent trips to the bathroom as it helps digestion and makes colon muscles contract more, which helps move stools regularly. 

“Eating more fiber and working out are actually things doctors recommend if a patient is constipated. In some cases, pooping more often should be welcomed,” adds Dr. Cornejo. 

Other causes for pooping more might just be simple lifestyle factors such as being stressed and frequently drinking coffee. “If you’re stressed out at work, then neurotransmitters send signals from the brain to the gut, which may cause the gut to alter your digestion,” explains Dr. Cornejo. “It doesn’t help that many people cope with stress by turning to coffee. One extra cup is enough to cause more movement and muscle contraction in the intestines.”

So, when is pooping more a sign of a severe problem? MakatiMed says to watch out for discomforts like abdominal cramps and pain, bloody stool, and mucus in poop. It would be best to stay vigilant for possible accompanying symptoms like weight and hair loss. These could be signs of more serious underlying conditions ranging from gastroenteritis to Crohn’s disease. 

“Pooping more frequently shouldn’t be anything more than a mild inconvenience at most. You should still be able to go through your daily life largely unaffected,” shares Dr. Cornejo. “As soon as there’s a sign of anything else going on, I highly recommend visiting your doctor before the problem gets worse.”

For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph. Follow @IamMakatiMed on Facebook and Twitter.