How Often Should You Poop?

You Should Know: Poop has gone more mainstream lately. Gut health-related content and products are everywhere — including a new “smart toilet” that analyzes the state of your bowel movements. (Seriously.) Since we also now track and count nearly everything health-related, let’s get to the bottom of a common question: “How much should I be pooping?” 

Going Deeper: There is no magic number of No. 2’s we “should” have each day. Healthy poop frequency ranges from once every three days to three times a day. The average frequency for adults is between three times a week and three times a day. Lots of factors affect how often you have a bowel movement (and what it looks like): diet, hydration, physical activity, and certain health conditions, like inflammatory bowel syndrome.

Takeaway: Healthy poops should be soft, easy to pass, and resemble a smooth or cracked sausage. Strain when trying to go, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and blood in the stool are all signs something is amiss and should get medical attention.

Bottom Line: Gastroenterologists say the shape of the poop and how easy it is for you to go matter more than frequency. If you don’t poop every day, don’t worry.