This article was co-authored by Muhammad Khan, MD, MPH and by How.com.vn staff writer, Eric McClure. Dr. Muhammad Khan is a Gastroenterologist, with over 10 years of experience. Dr. Khan specializes in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and has a special focus in Therapeutic Endoscopy. He received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate of Medicine degrees from The University of Utah. Dr. Khan completed his residency training at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where he was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He then completed his fellowship training at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University. He is a Fellow of both the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN).
There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 34,417 times.
Your bowel movements tell you a lot about what’s going on in your body, so you’re probably alarmed if your stool has suddenly developed a metallic odor. Breathe easy, though—in most cases a slightly metallic or rust-like odor isn’t a particularly big deal. But still, it’s probably worth investigating. In this article, we’ll help you figure out why your stool is smelling strangely. We’ll also cover the other common stool odors you might run into based on your diet and gut bacteria.
Things You Should Know
- Stool typically smells like metal because of excess iron, which is used to create the hemoglobin in your red blood cells.
- If you see bright red blood along with the metal smell, don’t worry. It’s probably a minor issue (like hemorrhoids), although you should see a doctor soon to be safe.
- Dark red or black blood is serious, since it indicates you’re bleeding further up in your digestive tract. See a doctor ASAP, especially if you have stomach pain.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about the digestive system, check out our in-depth interview with Muhammad Khan, MD, MPH.
References
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/gastrointestinal-bleeding-or-blood-in-the-stool
- ↑ https://www.steadyhealth.com/medical-answers/4-reasons-your-stool-has-a-metallic-smell
- ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/foods-high-in-iron
- ↑ https://www.steadyhealth.com/medical-answers/4-reasons-your-stool-has-a-metallic-smell
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/14612-rectal-bleeding
- ↑ https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/stools-foul-smelling
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2198910/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7503525/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8153313/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348
- ↑ https://www.insider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/why-does-my-poop-smell-so-bad
- ↑ https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthychild/healthybaby/kits/scoop_on_poop.pdf
- ↑ https://www.healthshare.com.au/questions/47636-what-could-cause-my-stool-to-smell-very-strongly-of-ammonia/
About This Article
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.