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November 01, 2018 09:55:32
If you've ever thought that your poop is only a group of dead cells, think again. Most of it is alive and full of billions of microbes.
These are the studies of healthy adults who make up our poop.
Water
Our feces are largely (75%) composed of water, although it differs from one person to the other.
Vegetarians have a higher water content in their stools. Those who consume less fiber and more protein have a lower water content. The fiber has a high water transport capacity and makes our stools more bulky, increases the frequency of stools and facilitates the stool pbadage process.
The remaining 25% of feces consists of solids, which are mainly organic matter (relative to living matter). A small proportion of solids consists of inorganic materials such as calcium phosphate and iron, as well as dry constituents of digestive juices.
About 25-54% of the organic matter consists of microbes (dead and alive), such as bacteria and viruses.
Our poo is full of microbes, most of them alive.
The microbes
Bacteria present in feces have been the subject of many studies. It is estimated that there are nearly 100 billion bacteria per gram of wet stool.
A study that examined a collection of fresh stools in oxygen – free conditions (oxygen could damage certain types of bacteria) revealed that nearly 50% of the bacteria were alive.
The different types of bacteria present in feces can affect the quality of hard or soft stool samples. For example, Prevotella bacteria, which can be found in the mouth, bad and intestines, are more common in people with loose stools. In fact, a high fiber diet is strongly badociated with these bacteria.
Ruminococcaceae bacteria, which are common intestinal microbes that break down complex carbohydrates, promote harder stools.
Viruses have been less studied than bacteria as components of the gut microbiota – the population of bacteria and viruses that live in our intestines. It is estimated that there are between 100 million and 1 billion viruses per gram of wet faeces in most of us.
This number can dramatically change when people contract viral gastroenteritis, such as during norovirus infections, where levels greater than one trillion viruses per gram of stool can be detected.
Some types of viruses that infect bacteria, called bacteriophages, have been linked to intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Archaea are bacteria-like microbes that can inhabit some of the world's most extreme environments, such as hot springs, high-seas aeration sources, or extremely acidic waters. Archaea that produce methane live in the human gut and account for about 10% of non-oxygen-dependent microbes.
Such archaea producing methane as Methanobrevibacter are badociated with harder stools and constipation because methane can slow bowel movements. It is estimated that there are about 100 million aracels per gram of wet feces.
Unicellular fungi (yeasts) are present in the intestines of about 70% of healthy adults. They are present at estimated concentrations of up to one million microorganisms per gram of wet faeces, but account for only a small proportion (0.03%) of all microbes.
Other organic matter
Some of the organic matter includes carbohydrates or other undigested vegetable matter, undigested proteins and fats. Feces do not contain large amounts of carbohydrates because most of what we eat is absorbed. However, undigested amounts remain in the form of dietary fiber.
Our faeces do not contain a large proportion of carbohydrates, as most are absorbed by the body.
About 2-25% of the organic matter in the feces is nitrogen-containing substances, such as undigested food proteins and proteins from bacteria and cells that line the colon and have been eliminated.
Fats contribute 2-15% of the organic matter in our feces. The amount of fat excreted in our stools depends heavily on the food intake.
Even without fat intake, however, we get a certain amount of fat in our feces. Fats in feces can come from bacteria in the form of short-chain fatty acids during food fermentation, in addition to undigested dietary fats.
Plastic particles
A recent study has revealed that microscopic plastic particles can appear in our feces when we drink in plastic bottles or when we eat plastic-wrapped food.
This small study of eight participants exposed to plastics in their foods and drinks identified up to nine different types of plastics in their stool.
But we need larger studies and additional badytical research to understand the clinical significance of this.
Poo is different in the disease
Everyone's poop will not be the same. Diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease can alter the type of bacteria in the intestine and lead to an increase in inflammatory proteins that can be detected in the stool.
The presence of blood in the stool could signal bowel cancer, although this is not always the case. Fortunately, there is a good screening test that can detect the presence of blood in the stool and lead to new investigations, such as colonoscopy.
Vincent Ho is one sLecturer and University Clinical Gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University. This article originally appeared in The Conversation.
Topics:
Medical sciences,
health,
science,
Australia
First posted
November 01, 2018 08:57:24
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