The member who replied first said that the discussion starter and his/her partner are both eating too much tuna. Tuna, particularly canned, is 'notorious' for its heavy metal content, mercury being the most common.
How do you even know they are eating tuna?
The participant who replied next wasn't so sure about the tuna, so he pointed finger at the high-fat content in the diet. he recommended the discussion starter and his/her partner to visit their doctor and get their stool test done. He also asked if other symptoms were present such as constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, or irregular bowel movements.
Others also blamed the everyday diet and changes in eating habits.
Do you like to eat nettle or spinach? These vegetables contain a lot of iron in them so when people eat them often or just started to eat them, notice foul and strange metallic smell when they have their bowel movements.
Another food mentioned as the possible reason for the metallic smell was garlic. Several participants also mentioned that they had a metallic smell in their stool after taking vitamin supplements, as well as iron supplements.
The majority thought that the metallic smell in the stool is nothing to be worried about, especially because no other symptoms have been reported. May believed that this condition would pass in several days. The people who reported this problem have been suggested to watch their diet in the future, try to avoid foods that are high in iron, and stop taking iron supplements for several days or try to lower their dose.
Food wasn't the only cause mentioned in the discussion. One participant noted that the metallic smell problem has been happening to him the whole year consistently since he had a bad bacterial infection caused by handling the raw sausage with hands that haven't been washed properly. The infection lasted for a week, but ever since the stool had a metallic type smell. He claimed eating no fish or seafood. There was no blood in stool either. Only his stool was turned white.
If you had white chalk stool, that's the hallmark sign of hepatitis A.
As one participant indicated, a white or clay-like stool is caused by a lack of bile, which may indicate a serious underlying problem, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis. However, sometimes when you have a stomach bug or diarrhea food may be moving through the large intestine too quickly, so the bile doesn't have time to break down completely, resulting in a white-colored stool.
Certain medications can also cause the metallic smell of the stool, such as morphine and opiates. According to one participant, the metallic smell is a metabolic toxin/by-product of the drug.
The metallic, rusty smell can sometimes indicate internal bleeding due to hemorrhoids or some more serious condition, so anyone experiencing this problem should visit their doctor.
What do experts say?
A stool can say a lot about our health. The frequency, amount, color or smell can all indicate our general digestive health. Although most people don't pay too much attention to their poop, any change in bowel movements could tell that something is going on. While it's perfectly normal for poop to have an unpleasant odor, sometimes we might notice different smells. These changes in smell could occur due to a change in diet, but they could also mean the body is fighting an infection or dealing with a more serious condition.
The starter of this discussion noticed the metallic smell in his/her stool, as well as in stool of his/her partner. The metallic stool smell could indicate a number of possible reasons.
Diet and supplements
Since the discussion starter mentioned that both he/she and her/his partner noticed the same problem, the most likely cause for the metallic smell is nutrition. The foods we eat can play a big role in the smell of our stool. For example, greasy or fatty foods can produce a foul-smelling gas, but they can rarely cause a metallic smell. Supplements and diet pills are what generally leads to a metallic smell in the stool. Vitamin B, iron, and garlic supplements are three known compounds that can lead to this side effect. Some people, however, have reported a metallic smell after consuming iron-rich foods, such as spinach, chard or nettle.
Although foods don't cause the metallic smell, a combination of particular nutrients can. For example, in Paleo diet, we consume high levels of healthy fats while limiting carbohydrates. As our body adjusts to this diet, it starts to produce more ketone bodies as a by-product of our metabolism. Ketone bodies can create a metallic smell in our stool, as well when we are passing gas.
Excess iron in the stool
Another cause of the metallic smell could be excess iron in the stool. This could usually happen if we consume too many iron-rich foods or too much iron supplements. However, the reason for this could be more serious, such as internal bleeding, likely from your intestines. The blood has that distinctive metallic or coppery smell. Internal bleeding from intestines can occur due to various reasons, from hemorrhoids to colorectal cancer. It is important to pay attention to how your stool looks, particularly its color. If you noticed that your stool is darker in color than typical, or with traces of blood, it is vital for you to make your way to a doctor to check your stool.
Medications
Certain medications can also lead to the metallic smell in the stool. Commonly prescribed antibiotics such as metronidazole have been reported to have the metallic stool smell and black-colored stool as some of its side effects. This change is harmless and it's only temporary, meaning it would clear once the therapy with the medication is over.
Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions can cause a foul-smelling stool, although that smell is rarely metallic unless it causes intestinal bleeding.
Nutrient malabsorption very often causes a foul-smelling gas and stool. Malabsorption occurs when nutrients aren't being absorbed from the gut as they should be. The common causes of malabsorption include:
- gluten intolerance,
- food allergies,
- lactose intolerance,
- IBS,
- Crohn's disease,
- ulcerative colitis
Infection with E. coli, viruses, or parasites is another possible reason. These infections can cause the intestines to become inflamed and infected resulting in very foul-smelling stools.
It is very important for anyone who noticed any changes in their stool to visit their doctor to rule out serious conditions that can be life-threatening. Once these have been ruled out, metallic smelling stools will usually self-resolve on its own in most cases.
Links:
- https://www.steadyhealth.com/medical-answers/4-reasons-your-stool-has-a-metallic-smell
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4336293/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1774131/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4513829/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3510892/
Discussion highlights
What signs & symptoms have been described?
- :$ My Partner and I both have strong metallic smelling stools every day.
- But ever since my stool has a metallic type smell.
- I dont see any blood in the stool either.
- I have metallic smells coming from front and back.
- Now i know why my stool, urine, and hands smell like metallic/fishy.
Was there any diagnosis made?
- I suffer with IBS too.
- I am also typically suffering from anemia but I have not been taking iron pills for over 6 months.
- About a year and a half ago I was told that I was borderline anemic.
- I'm having the same issue and my dr said it's bc I'm anemic.
- Was told 2 yrs.
In conclusion
The metallic smell in the stool is an uncommon problem that could be caused by a number of reasons, from diet to internal bleeding. However, since the discussion starter said that both he/she and her/his partner noticed the same smell in their stool, a medical condition is not likely a reason, but rather a diet or dietary supplements they consumed.