What you need to know about sour-smelling stools
A strong stool odour can indicate an underlying condition. Normal stool has an odour caused by bacterial fermentation of nutrients and by dead gut bacteria. In principle, stool should not have a foul smell. When stool smells very unpleasant or different from usual and sticks to the toilet bowl, there is often a reason for this, such as an infection. In young children, stool can smell particularly strong when there is a parasitic infection or gluten intolerance. An acidic stool odour is most commonly associated with the digestion of proteins. The acidic smell can be caused by more than 230 components produced during protein digestion. When someone consumes a lot of protein, the numbers of the bacterial species Bacteroides and Atopostipes increase, and these can give the stool an acidic smell. In addition to sour-smelling stools, a person may also experience very foul-smelling wind. An acidic smell or the smell of rotten eggs suggests putrefactive processes and the presence of sulphur in intestinal gas. Sour-smelling stools are therefore often accompanied by a low stool pH and fermentation due to an excess of starch.
Tips for preventing foul-smelling stoolsProtein digestion in particular can cause an unpleasant smell. There are more than 230 components that contribute to the odour. With a high protein intake, the numbers of Bacteroides and Atopostipes bacteria increase. Acid-reducing medicines reduce protein digestion. The smell of rotten eggs points to putrefactive processes and sulphur-containing gases. Sour-smelling stools are often associated with a low stool pH and fermentation caused by an excess of starch.
There are several tips that may help prevent foul-smelling stools.
– Look for the cause of the symptoms
– Avoid foods to which you are sensitive
– Consume less protein
– Help prevent parasitic infections through good hygiene
– A probiotic (LGG) may be helpful
Tests for sour-smelling stools
If sour and foul-smelling stools persist, stool testing through Darmklachten.nl can help investigate the cause. View our recommended test packages and individual modules below.
- Sale
+Abdominal Pain & Flatulence package
Original price was: € 434,00.€ 347,00Current price is: € 347,00. meer informatie
Causes of sour-smelling stools
An acidic stool odour can have various causes. In most cases, the sour smell is associated with one of the following:
- Poor protein digestion
- Intestinal parasites
- Poor digestion and inadequate absorption of nutrients
- Increased starch in the intestine
- A food allergy
- Gluten intolerance
- An intestinal infection
- A lack of pancreatic enzymes
- Inflammation, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
- Acid-reducing medicines
- Overweight and increased gas formation
More information about the tests
- Digestive parameters: pH, fat, starch, colour and stool consistency – read more…
- Intestinal parasites – Testing for infections with intestinal parasites – read more…
- Bile acids – Fat digestion – read more…
- Antigliadin and anti-tTG transglutaminase – Markers for gluten intolerance – read more…
- Bacterial infection with Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, Yersinia and Clostridioides difficile – read more…
About Darmklachten.nl
Darmklachten.nl is an initiative of MGlab&Advies, a laboratory specialising in stool testing. …read more
