Loose Stools: What’s your Body Telling You?

Hi Tracy,

I have a problem that’s a little embarrassing to talk about, but I am really hoping you can help me with some answers.  I am 32, and for most of my life, I have struggled with having loose bowels.  Not diarrhea really – just loose and I end up going #2 about 5-6 times a day.  I feel fine and don’t really have any other issues, so most of the time, I just ignore it.  But I worry sometimes that something more dangerous might be happening.  Are there common reasons for this kind of thing?  What do you think?

Thanks so much,

Too Loose for Comfort 

I am delighted you asked this question because diarrhea or loose stools can indeed be a symptom of something severe.  However, in your case, it is of note to me that this dynamic has been going on most of your life (vs. shorter duration which might indicate a more alarming inflammatory trigger).  It is also key that you otherwise feel well and energetic.  I don’t encourage you to keep ignoring it, however, because ongoing loose stools contribute to dehydration, electrolyte depletion, and poor nutrient absorption in the gut.  My best guess is that you are lactose-intolerant.  Despite media propaganda encouraging everyone to drink lots of milk, approximately three-quarters of the world’s population is lactose-intolerant.  Yes, 3/4 of us!   This simply means that your body does not produce (or does not produce enough of) a specific digestive enzyme called lactase which is needed to digest specific sugars (lactose) present in dairy foods.  This can be a hereditary condition, and it need not cause any problems as long as those with lactose-intolerance omit dairy foods from their diet in order to retain normal bowel movement.  You also don’t want to have poorly-digested food moving through your bowels often, as it can promote bacterial overgrowth/imbalance which absolutely might cause other problems (e.g. IBS, allergic symptoms, achy points, chronic headache).  You can easily tell if lactose-intolerance is your issue by simply eliminating dairy foods (100%, cold-turkey) for a period of two weeks.  Your stools should become firmer in that time.  If it is indeed the case, I want to affirm that I am not a fan of “fake milk” products like lactose-free milk because they are highly-processed.  You will, however, be fine specifically with cultured butter (ideally choose organic) or ghee.  Keep in mind that (again, despite all the US propaganda otherwise) there are entire nations of people who never consume dairy products in their entire lives.  Yes, it’s true!  And as I like to say, “They still have Olympic teams!  And can walk.  And in many cases, are much healthier than we are.”  There are many other excellent sources of calcium in a healthy diet such as nuts and dark leafy greens.

Another common cause of loose stools is an imbalance in the beneficial microbes that should be present in a healthy small intestines.  If your two-week experiment in dairy elimination doesn’t yield any change, I recommend taking a daily full-spectrum probiotic that features a variety of species (at least 8) including a higher percentage of Lactobacillus species than Bifidobacter species.  It will also help you to find one that features either L. Plantarum or L. Rhamnosus as they can be particularly helpful in regulating loose stools naturally.

There may be many other drivers at play in your situation; a full health history and diet review would unearth many potential ideas for you to consider.  But these two are the most common that I see.  I hope some relief is in your short-term future!  Be well.