How long do you spend going for a poo? Two minutes? Seven minutes? 20 minutes? Well, it turns out there is a line between spending too long in the bathroom and having a quick and healthy bowel movement.
Spending too much time pooping can lead to health problems and can even be a sign that there’s something larger going on in your gastrointestinal tract.
Here’s what gastrointestinal doctors want you to know.
It should take no more than 5 minutes to have a bowel movement – and maybe even a little less.
Spending more than several moments on the toilet when you poop is too long, doctors say. Exactly how long is too long depends, but around five minutes (or a little less) is a good goal.
Dr. Melissa Hershman, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Oregon Health and Sciences University, said “an appropriate time to spend on the toilet is no more than three minutes at a time”.
Leslie Waid, a nurse practi...
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