The Bristol Stool Scale

The Bristol Royal Infirmary developed the Bristol Stool Scale in 1997, to classify stool into seven different types.

Types 1 and 2 indicate constipation.

Types 3 and 4 are ideal stools. Easy to defecate and not contain excess liquid.

Type 5 is an tendency towards diarrhoea.

Type 6 and 7 are diarrhoea.

Do take time to read through this information and understand what your body is trying to tell you.

Image recognition By Cabot Health, Bristol Stool Chart –

Constipation can be a real pain, but so many people accept it as normal or say things like constipation just runs in the family. Constipation like IBS can be a very generalised term used to cover a multitude of symptoms.

It is important to know what your poop looks like as it’s the end result of what foods and water you put into your body. If you are having issues with your diet or having sensitivity with your gut, keeping an eye of your stools can give you really useful information.

The normal transit time, that’s table to toilet, is 18 to 24 hours. The average in the UK & Ireland is 60-70 hours.

So many people had been constipated for so long they accepted the sluggishness, lack of energy, skin problems, irritability as normal. The most common issue my clients complain of is constipation.

So just to recap a normal stool is typically medium brown colour, 1 to 1 and a half inches in diameter, many 4-5 inches long, well formed, almost odourless, is passed without straining and separates easily in the water and sinks slowly.

A constipated stool will be rock hard, dehydrated, very difficult to pass and either sinks like a rock or floats because of putrefaction and gas. This is typical of diets low in roughage and water.

Greasy stools that won’t flush show a liver imbalance. This is typical of high fat diets.

Foul smelling stools are a sign of poor digestion and food stagnating in your large intestine due to increased transit times. This means you are toxic and your gut is overly acidic.

Skid mark stools happen when there is too much mucus, so they slide and stick to the edge of the toilet. You are lacking good quality fibre in your diet.

Pellets are a sign your liver is congested and needs help.

Light coloured stools show you have difficulty digesting fatty foods. You are likely deficient in essential fatty acids, the good fats.

Thin, shreddy stools indicates spasm, that your bowel is struggling. You need to take steps to improve this.

Undigested food indicates improper chewing, incomplete digestion or allergic sensitivities to some foods.

If you have questions that haven't been answered above, Contact The Wellbeing Clinic Here 

If you wish to read more about the Bristol Stool Chart reference https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_stool_scale