What's a normal number of bowel movements for a person to have in a day? I'm in my 50s and have lots of loose bowel movements. I work hard, am physically fit, have a reasonable diet including roughage, flax oil and psyllium, so is it an issue? - J.V.
Although it's easy for some people to obsess over the shape, colour and quantity of their stools, most of the time they needn't. Three bowel movements a day can be normal, and so can three bowel movements a week.
Medical definitions of "normal" vary when it comes to bowel movements; what probably matters more is your own personal range of normal.
It's a red flag if someone with formed stools develops persistent diarrhoea, or if a person with normally loose stools suddenly has trouble defecating. But within those extremes, there's room for a lot of variation.
Far more important than frequency is whether you also have dehydration, weight loss, rectal bleeding, abdominal tenderness or fever. Without these other features, diarrhoea or constipation is something that generally sorts itself out. With a modicum of physical activity, fibre and hydration, many colon problems will come right.
In short, if your frequency is not an issue to you, its probably not a problem at all. But I should mention that it is possible to overdo it when it comes to fibre. Most guidelines recommend 25-30g daily, which is the amount of fibre found in seven apples or 15 slices of wheat bread.
Most of us probably get far less than the recommended amounts. But what happens if you get too much fibre from things like whole-grain cereals, fruits, vegetables, or fibre supplements? You'll get a lot of bloating and flatulence. And surprisingly, if you don't drink enough water to go along with all that fibre, you'll actually get constipated. Counter-intuitive, but true.
Gary Payinda MD is an emergency medicine consultant in Whangarei.
Have a science, health topic or question you'd like addressed? Email: drpayinda@gmail.com
(This column provides general information and is not a substitute for the medical advice of your personal doctor.)