Key TakeawaysBowel movements happen at different frequencies for everyone; the average range is anywhere from three times per day to three times per week.Factors like diet, age, lifestyle, health conditions, and medications can influence how often you poop.If you are struggling to poop regularly, experts recommend increasing your fiber intake, drinking more water, and trying over-the-counter laxatives or stool softeners, depending on your needs.

Key Takeaways

Bowel movements happen at different frequencies for everyone; the average range is anywhere from three times per day to three times per week.Factors like diet, age, lifestyle, health conditions, and medications can influence how often you poop.If you are struggling to poop regularly, experts recommend increasing your fiber intake, drinking more water, and trying over-the-counter laxatives or stool softeners, depending on your needs.

Everybody poops. After all, bowel movements are a critical part of digestion and getting rid of waste.

Pooping every day, however, is something that not everyone does. Some people go multiple times per day, while others may only go a few times each week.

Is a daily bowel movement the ideal? Whether you’re someone who poops daily or not, here’s what experts have to say about how frequency impacts your health.

How Often Should You Be Pooping?

There is no universally recommended frequency or cadence for bowel movements,Babak Firoozi, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, told Verywell.

Generally speaking, most people without significant medical issues or health conditions typically experience bowel movements between three times a day to three times a week. This is based on a 2010 study published in theScandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, which reported that 98% of participants in the general adult population fell within the same frequency for bowel movements.

However, if you don’t poop at the same frequency mentioned in the study, there’s no need to panic, Firoozi said. It’s standard for people to have their own routine and individual differences in bowel habits are perfectly normal. What matters is following what is most typical for you, he added.

“Some people go at least three times a week and on the other end of the spectrum, some people go more than once a day,” said Firoozi. “As long as that’s their normal pattern, that’s OK.”

Could Not Pooping Daily Be Cause for Concern?

If you are someone who does not poop daily, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong,Andrew DuPont, MD, a gastroenterologist with UTHealth Houston, told Verywell. It’s totally normal to have different frequencies of bowel movements, and not pooping daily does not automatically signal any issues or cause for concern.

“Some people just have slower motility or contract less and therefore they may go less frequently,” DuPont said.

Others may not go daily because they may have medical conditions that can affect their bowel health, including functional constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), abdominal discomfort, gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”), or inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease.

Firoozi added that the most important thing is to understand your own regular pattern and ensure that you’re not experiencing any discomfort, pain, or other digestive issues.

“I think people get it in their minds that they have to go every day otherwise it’s not good for their health. But that’s not the case, as long as you’re regular,” Firoozi said. “You should be consistent and you should not have any discomfort. Don’t worry if you don’t go on a given day.”

If you have concerns about your bowel habits or notice sudden changes, such as persistent constipation or an unexpected increase in the frequency of your bowel movements, Firoozi recommends contacting your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

According to DuPont and Firoozi, many factors can impact how often you poop, including lifestyle changes, medical conditions, and biological factors.

If you are struggling to poop consistently, there are natural remedies, habits, and over-the-counter medicines you can turn to before seeking a prescription, Firoozi said. These include:

If you continue to struggle with constipation or fail to have regular bowel movements even after trying the methods listed above, reach out to your healthcare provider, Firoozi said. You should also connect with a qualified provider if you have a family history of colon cancer or notice any rapid change in bowel movements, bleeding, or weight loss.

What This Means For YouMost people have bowel movements between three times per week to three times per day, but if you don’t poop at this frequency, there’s no need to stress out. What’s more important is understanding your own regular pattern and ensuring that you’re not experiencing any discomfort, pain, or constipation.

What This Means For You

Most people have bowel movements between three times per week to three times per day, but if you don’t poop at this frequency, there’s no need to stress out. What’s more important is understanding your own regular pattern and ensuring that you’re not experiencing any discomfort, pain, or constipation.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.5 things your poop can tell you about your health.Walter SA, Kjellström L, Nyhlin H, Talley NJ, Agréus L.Assessment of normal bowel habits in the general adult population: the Popcol study.Scand J Gastroenterol. 2010;45(5):556-566. doi:10.3109/00365520903551332Heitmann PT, Vollebregt PF, Knowles CH, Lunniss PJ, Dinning PG, Scott SM.Understanding the physiology of human defaecation and disorders of continence and evacuation.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;18(11):751-769. doi:10.1038/s41575-021-00487-5Johns Hopkins Medicine.Medicines and the digestive system.MedlinePlus.Drug-induced diarrhea.MedlinePlus.Daily bowel care program.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.5 things your poop can tell you about your health.Walter SA, Kjellström L, Nyhlin H, Talley NJ, Agréus L.Assessment of normal bowel habits in the general adult population: the Popcol study.Scand J Gastroenterol. 2010;45(5):556-566. doi:10.3109/00365520903551332Heitmann PT, Vollebregt PF, Knowles CH, Lunniss PJ, Dinning PG, Scott SM.Understanding the physiology of human defaecation and disorders of continence and evacuation.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;18(11):751-769. doi:10.1038/s41575-021-00487-5Johns Hopkins Medicine.Medicines and the digestive system.MedlinePlus.Drug-induced diarrhea.MedlinePlus.Daily bowel care program.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.5 things your poop can tell you about your health.Walter SA, Kjellström L, Nyhlin H, Talley NJ, Agréus L.Assessment of normal bowel habits in the general adult population: the Popcol study.Scand J Gastroenterol. 2010;45(5):556-566. doi:10.3109/00365520903551332Heitmann PT, Vollebregt PF, Knowles CH, Lunniss PJ, Dinning PG, Scott SM.Understanding the physiology of human defaecation and disorders of continence and evacuation.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;18(11):751-769. doi:10.1038/s41575-021-00487-5Johns Hopkins Medicine.Medicines and the digestive system.MedlinePlus.Drug-induced diarrhea.MedlinePlus.Daily bowel care program.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.5 things your poop can tell you about your health.

Walter SA, Kjellström L, Nyhlin H, Talley NJ, Agréus L.Assessment of normal bowel habits in the general adult population: the Popcol study.Scand J Gastroenterol. 2010;45(5):556-566. doi:10.3109/00365520903551332

Heitmann PT, Vollebregt PF, Knowles CH, Lunniss PJ, Dinning PG, Scott SM.Understanding the physiology of human defaecation and disorders of continence and evacuation.Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;18(11):751-769. doi:10.1038/s41575-021-00487-5

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Medicines and the digestive system.

MedlinePlus.Drug-induced diarrhea.

MedlinePlus.Daily bowel care program.

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