If you're part of the 43% of the UK living with bowel problems, you're probably concerned about how digestive issues could reduce your gut's ability to absorb nutrients from your diet. A 'leaky' gut can have a huge impact on your overall wellbeing, causing deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, particularly B12, vitamin D, calcium, and iron. And symptoms like fatigue, weight loss, and brain fog. But how do you find out if your bowel issues are causing poor absorption? There are a whole host of tests available online and via your GP, but one of the simplest (and totally free!) ways is to take a look when you go to the toilet and check your poo against the Bristol Stool Chart.
What is the Bristol Stool chart?
A chart featuring different types of poo does tend to stick in the mind somewhat, but for the uninitiated, the Bristol Stool Chart is a visual guide that categorises your poo into seven distinct types, looking at different textures; ranging from hard lumps to entirely liquid.
Looking at your stools might seem a bit strange, but it shouldn’t be embarrassing or gross you out, in fact, there’s a lot to be learned about both your gut and general health. This chart helps you to assess stool consistency, which can indicate various digestive conditions or absorption issues. By understanding the different types of faeces on the Bristol Stool Chart, you can gain super valuable insights into your digestive health and identify potential absorption issues.
Plus- you can look at ways to improve your gut function so you feel your best and don’t dread trips to the bathroom.
How the Bristol Stool Chart can reveal what’s going on in your gut:
Compare your poo to the Bristol Stool Chart each day for a couple of weeks and see what the most common bowel movement for you is:
Types 1 and 2: Separate hard lumps (like rabbit droppings) and sausage-shaped but lumpy (difficult to pass).
If your poo looks like this, you're probably constipated, which can occur when the digestive tract absorbs too much water or stool moves too slowly. Constipation also means you might find yourself straining during a bowel movement, or find it painful to go.
Simple ways to avoid constipation include drinking enough water, and ensuring your diet contains plenty of soluble fibre to bulk up your stool, and insoluble fibre to help it pass smoothly through the digestive tract. Great sources of soluble fibre include apples, oats, and beans, and you can boost your insoluble fibre intake with brown rice, nuts, seeds and seeded fruit like kiwi or raspberries. Light exercise and a morning coffee can also help to stimulate your gut and get things moving.
Experts recommend never ignoring ‘the call to stool’, because if you don’t respond to your gastro colonic reflex, things can become backed up, triggering constipation. So now you know…
Types 3 and 4: Like a sausage but with cracks on the surface or like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft.
If your BMs look like these numbers on the Bristol Stool Chart you’ve got a normal, healthy stool and your gut health should be pretty good – Bravo!
Types 5, 6, and 7: Soft blobs with clear-cut edges (passed easily), Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy consistency, Watery, no solid pieces (entirely liquid).
If any of these types of poo on the Bristol Stool Chart look familiar, you probably regularly have diarrhea or loose stools, which usually means food is moving too quickly through your digestive system.
If your bowel movements are like this frequently, it’s worth seeking help from your GP. This kind of poo can signify everything from Coeliac disease, to IBS, or issues with your liver. Or it could just be a temporary side effect from medication like antibiotics, but it’s best to have it checked out.
We’d also suggest trying a probiotic supplement that can help to balance your gut bacteria (see our blog on this here) and introducing fermented foods like kefir yoghurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi into your routine. If these stomach symptoms are accompanied by cramps or bloating you could also try taking some peppermint oil – a natural anti-spasmodic that can help to relieve stomach pain and reduce nausea too – bonus.
Frequent diarrhea or loose stools can also lead to poor absorption of nutrients, as your intestines may not have enough time to absorb them. Often have this type of stool? It's likely you do have absorption issues, but don't panic! There are plenty of ways to top up what you're missing out on.
What's the easiest way to safeguard yourself against deficiencies if you do have absorption issues?
Supplements! In particular, our patches, because they deliver the nutrients transdermally, via your skin, completely bypassing your gut. So you can rest easy that you're getting everything you need to stay fit and well, regardless of what the Bristol Stool Chart suggests is going on with your tummy. If you're worried about malabsorption, the Multivitamin Plus patch is a great catch-all to start with to keep all your nutrient must-haves topped up. Or you can browse the full range here if there's a specific vitamin or mineral you'd like to boost.