If you’re pooing more often than usual, something’s changed in your health or lifestyle. Sometimes, it’s a good thing. Often, it’s harmless. Occasionally, it’s related to a medical condition.
Having frequent bowel movements means that you’re pooping more often than you usually do. If you notice a sudden difference in how often you’re pooping, you might wonder what’s changed inside your bowels. It’s not necessarily cause for concern. Frequent bowel movements aren’t the same thing as diarrhea (loose stools). Healthcare providers may use the terms “pseudodiarrhea” or “hyperdefecation.”
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Officially, there’s no “normal” number of bowel movements that everyone should be having. Research indicates that a typical, “healthy” frequency of bowel movements might range from three times a day to three times a week. But your normal pattern might be different. What’s more frequent for you depends on what your normal pattern is. If your pooping frequency has increased, something’s changed for you.
Many things can affect the speed at which food waste travels through your bowels. Contributing factors include your bowel health, activity levels, eating habits, stress, medications, over-the-counter (OTC) supplements, recent antibiotic use and underlying health conditions, just to name a few. Temporary conditions may cause temporary changes. But if they continue, you might want to consult your provider.
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Some of the more benign possible causes might be:
If your frequent bowel movements come with other symptoms, like abdominal pain or anal pain, they might be related to an underlying medical condition. Some of these possible causes include:
If you feel you’re pooping more often than you’d like, or your bowel movements are too sudden and urgent for your comfort, consider what might have changed in your routine to cause it. Maybe you’ve been hitting the coffee, artificial sweeteners or dairy products a little harder lately. Maybe you’ve been under extra stress, or maybe you’ve been taking magnesium supplements at night to help you sleep.
If you find that your frequent bowel movements are related to recent lifestyle changes, you can usually make the necessary adjustments to reduce them. This might mean reducing certain foods, drinks or dietary supplements, or consulting your healthcare provider about your current medications. If you’re not sure what’s causing your condition, though, you might need to ask your provider for advice.
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Frequent bowel movements alone aren’t generally considered a health problem. In some cases, they might be an improvement to your health. But if you have other complaints along with more frequent bowel movements, you might have an underlying medical condition. Your healthcare provider will ask you about your symptoms, lifestyle, medications and health history to look for possible causes.
They might investigate further with medical tests, including:
They’ll treat your symptoms by treating the underlying cause.
Consult your healthcare provider if you think you might have chronic diarrhea, if your bowel movements cause you discomfort or if they’re accompanied by other symptoms of possible illness, such as:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
If you’ve noticed you’re pooping more often than you used to, you’re probably right. A lot of things can affect the frequency of your bowel movements. Paying attention to changes in your poop habits is a good way to keep tabs on your bowel health. If you feel they’ve changed for the worse, you can often make adjustments to change them back. If you need more insight, a healthcare provider can help.
Last reviewed on 06/02/2024.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy