Sticky poop is often the result of a high-fat diet, but sometimes, a health condition can be the cause. Being aware of the consistency of your stool is an important step in maintaining healthy digestion. This awareness can help you spot problems early and get help from a healthcare provider, especially because sticky poop may sometimes stem from a serious underlying issue.
Sticky poop, which is sometimes described as having oil, mucus, or a dark color, can have several causes.
Diet
Sticky poop may happen if you have trouble with fat digestion or fat absorption, which leads to steatorrhea, or excessive fat in your stool. Diets that are high in fat may lead you to excrete fat through feces.
Bile Duct Issues
A blocked bile duct may also lead to sticky poop by interfering with fat absoroption. Bile is a digestive enzyme. When the bile duct is blocked, you may notice bowel movements that float, have a foul smell, and are paler in color.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Sticky poop also can be a symptom of gastrointestinal issues, including:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Intestinal infections
- Food sensitivities
These conditions may sometimes cause mucus in your stool, which can make your stool sticky. This may look like blobs of mucus in the toilet or jelly-like strands of mucus on the stool. Although mucus is produced naturally to help your bowel movements move smoothly through your gastrointestinal tract, it usually is not visible.
Internal Bleeding
Stool may also be dark, sticky, and tar-like when there’s blood in it. This phenomenon is sometimes called melena. Potential causes of this blood in your stool may include:
- Peptic ulcers (stomach ulcers)
- Gastritis (inflammation and damage to the stomach lining)
- Cancer of your esophagus, stomach, or colon
Eating dark foods or taking iron supplements can also make stool look darker, but usually this condition is ongoing and causes the blood to turn black because it is digested.
Your symptoms may vary depending on the underlying cause that’s affecting your stool’s consistency. Common symptoms that may be associated with sticky poop include:
- Greasy or shiny stool that sticks to the toilet or toilet paper
- Bulky, pale, and foul-smelling stools
- Fatty stools that tend to float in the toilet
- Black or tarry stools
- Jelly-like strands of mucus on the stool
These strategies may help ensure that your poop is no longer sticky:
- Address your diet: If your sticky poop is caused by a high-fat diet, food sensitivities, or another digestive issue, try to improve your eating plan. You can work with a healthcare provider to include more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats.
- Eat more fiber: Most Americans do not eat enough fiber, which can sometimes make sticky poop an even greater issue. Make sure you eat plenty of fiber, which supports digestive health.
- Drink plenty of water: Water plays an important role in the consistency of your stool and helps to move waste through the digestive tract. It also combines with fiber to ensure stools have a normal consistency and are easy to pass.
- Prioritize physical activity and exercise: Staying active can help promote healthy digestion. It can help reduce inflammation, improve bile function, reduce abdominal pain, and improve how waste moves through the intestines.
- Manage stress and anxiety: Research suggests that stress can lead to bowel issues. Stress management may help improve your symptoms. Mindfulness, deep breathing, and yoga may all help.
Having sticky poop from time to time may not be something to worry about. But if this type of poop becomes a pattern, or if you experience other symptoms like bleeding, cramping, and pain, it’s important to see a healthcare provider.
Signs you need to see a healthcare provider right away include:
- Consistent abdominal pain
- Lower back pain
- Bleeding from your rectum or in your stool
- Noticeable mucus in your stool
- Inability to pass gas
- Nausea or vomiting
- Unexplained weight loss
- Prolonged constipation or diarrhea
- Feeling a need to have a bowel movement after having one
Sticky poop can affect people who eat high-fat diets and those with conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Cancer, intestinal infections, and stomach ulcers can also cause sticky poop.
If you have frequent sticky poops that do not resolve with changes in your diet and exercise, a healthcare provider may be able to help. See a healthcare provider right away if you notice blood or mucus in your stool, have consistent abdominal pain, can’t pass gas, or are losing weight unintentionally.
