Do women 'poop more during periods'? Doctor reveals truth: ‘There are actually 3 reasons why’

Did you know period hormones make it harder for your body to absorb water? Hence, you may have more chances of diarrhoea.

In a June 2 Instagram video, UK-based Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS surgeon and content creator, reacted to a woman, who asked: “Why do I poop more on my period?” Responding to Nadya Okamoto, the content creator in the video, he explained how women often experience changes in bowel movements during their menstrual cycle, and yes, some may poop more during their periods.

According to him, there are three main reasons for this:

Harder for body to absorb water

Dr Rajan said in the video, “Very good question. There are actually 3 reasons why you get period poops. Well, the first reason is that period hormones make it harder for your body to absorb water. So, there is more chance that they will be runny and softer and have more chances of diarrhoea.”

Prostaglandins can affect the bowels

He added, “The second reason is because of prostaglandins. Now imagine a white, fluffy thing is your uterus. Prostaglandins, which are released, make the uterus twist and contract violently. Like it is doing a little headlock, and that causes pain. Now, the prostaglandins also do this same violent contraction to nearby organs as well like the intestines. So, if you are squeezing the intestines, you are going to get period poops.”

Changes in progesterone and estrogen

He concluded, “This is my favourite reason. A quick anatomy lesson: this is your poop and this is your large intestine or colon and this is your anus. When you have a menstrual cycle, you get fluctuating hormones throughout the cycle. Actually, the GI tract is very sensitive to those changes in progesterone and estrogen, and sometimes it can speed stuff up. Sometimes, it can slow stuff down, so you can alternate between diarrhoea and constipation, depending on where you are in your cycle.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.