Feces normally have an unpleasant odor. Foul-smelling stools have an unusually strong, rank odor. In many cases, foul-smelling stools happen due to the foods people eat and the bacteria present in their colon. Nevertheless, foul-smelling stools can likewise suggest a major illness. Diarrhea, bloating, or flatulence may accompany foul-smelling stools. These stools are typically soft or runny.
What Causes Human Poop Smells Like Skunk?
Changes in diet are a common cause of poop smells like skunk. Extra causes consist of the following:
Malabsorption
Malabsorption is likewise a common reason for foul-smelling stool. Malabsorption happens when your body is not able to absorb the proper amount of nutrients from the food you eat. This usually takes place when there’s an infection or disease that avoids your intestines from soaking up nutrients from your food.
Typical causes of malabsorption consist of:
- celiac disease, which is a response to gluten that harms the lining of the small intestine and prevents appropriate
- absorption of nutrients
- inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- carb intolerance, which is an inability to procedure sugars and starches totally
- dairy protein intolerance
- food allergic reactions
If you have IBD, eating certain foods will cause your intestines to end up being irritated. People with IBD typically experience foul-smelling diarrhea or constipation. People with IBD likewise have flatulence after consuming specific foods. This flatulence might have a nasty odor.
Infection
Infections that impact the intestines may likewise cause foul-smelling stools. Gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestinal tracts, can happen after eating food contaminated with:
- bacteria, such as Escherichia coli or Salmonella
- viruses
- parasites
Soon after establishing the infection, you might experience abdominal cramps and then have skunk-smelling, runny stools.
Medications and supplements
Specific medications might cause intestinal discomfort and diarrhea. Taking some non-prescription multivitamins might likewise cause poop smells like skunk if you’re allergic to the supplements’ ingredients. After a course of antibiotics, you might have foul-smelling stools until your normal bacterial plants is restored.
Foul-smelling diarrhea can be a side effect of taking more than the suggested everyday allowance of a multivitamin or any single vitamin or mineral. Diarrhea associated with a multivitamin or medication overdose is the sign of a medical emergency situation. Getting too much of any of these vitamins can have lethal side effects:
- vitamin A.
- vitamin D.
- vitamin E.
- vitamin K.
Other conditions
Other conditions that can cause foul-smelling stools consist of chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and short bowel syndrome.
Prevention
Make dietary modifications
Making dietary modifications may help prevent stool smells like skunk. For instance, you must prevent drinking raw, or unpasteurized, milk. If you have a disease that impacts the way you take in food or the way your body responds to eating particular foods, your doctor can devise a diet plan that’s right for you. Following this diet plan can help in reducing symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, and foul-smelling stools.
Handle food properly
Prevent bacterial infections from food by managing your food properly. Cook raw foods such as the following thoroughly prior to eating:
- beef.
- poultry.
- eggs.
Cooking thoroughly indicates examining your food’s internal temperature with a thermometer before eating. Consult your local health department for the minimum internal temperature each kind of food must reach prior to you eat it.
Don’t prepare meat and veggies on the exact same chopping board. Preparing them on the same board can spread Salmonella or other bacteria. You ought to also wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meats or using the restroom.
