What is the Normal Range of a Stool Test? Understanding Your Stool Test Reports

Ever wondered what your stool can reveal about your health?

A stool test is a simple, non-invasive test that helps detect infections, digestive disorders, bleeding in the gut, and other hidden health issues. It is a laboratory analysis of a sample of your bowel movement and certain health issues may not cause symptoms right away, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment. 

Types of Stool Tests

There are three different types of stool tests. Your doctor will recommend the best test based on your symptoms: 

• Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT): This test looks for hidden blood in your poop that you can't see. It's often used to check for bleeding in your stomach or intestines, which could be from conditions such as ulcers, polyps, or even colorectal cancer.
• FIT-DNA Test: The stool DNA test, also known as the FIT-DNA test, looks for both hidden blood (using a FIT test) and abnormal cells in your stool. These cells might come from colorectal cancer or polyps that could turn into cancer.
• Test for Infection: A stool test can look for harmful microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, or parasites that may be causing diarrhea, stomach pain, or other digestive symptoms. 

The purpose of this blog is to help you understand stool test report normal range so that you can learn what they mean for your health and what steps you might need to take next. 

What is a Stool Test and What Does It Do?

A stool test is a laboratory examination that checks for pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites in your feces (poop) sample. Stool tests can help diagnose a range of conditions, including:

• Gastrointestinal infections- Caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. 
• Inflammatory bowel diseases- Such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. 
• Digestive issues: For instance celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or pancreatic insufficiency. 
• Blood in the stool: May indicate ulcers, hemorrhoids, or even colorectal cancer. 
• Other digestive system disorders or unexplained symptoms like chronic diarrhea, blood in stool, or abdominal pain. 
• Anemia: Caused by a lack of red blood cells (may be detected indirectly through occult blood testing). 
• Steatorrhea: Excess fat in your stool. 
• Stomach ulcers: Sores in the lining of the stomach.

Your healthcare professional might recommend a stool test, if you experience any of the following: 

• Blood in your stool
• Mucus
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Cramping
• Fever

What is the Stool Test Normal Range?

Unlike a blood test, there is no single stool test report normal range. The stool test results depend on what is being tested. 

The normal range of a stool test covers physical, chemical, and microscopic features: 

Color	It can vary with diet.
Consistency	Soft and formed
pH	Between 6.5 and 7.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
Weight	Less than 200 grams per day for adults.
Fat Content	Less than 2-7 grams over 24 hours.
Urobilinogen	40-280 mg/day.
Nitrogen	Less than 2 grams/day.
Pus Cells	0-4 per high-power field.
Epithelial Cells	0-2 per high-power field
Blood or Mucus	Absent
Pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites)	Absent

What do these levels mean for you?

Normal levels

If your levels fall within the stool test normal range, it simply means your digestive system is functioning normally.

How to maintain them?

To maintain normal stool levels, you should:

1. Eat enough fiber: Include fiber-rich foods in your diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. A well-balanced diet can help you consume 22-34 grams of fiber every day. 

2. Stay hydrated: Drink water, juice, and soups to help fiber work better on your body and keep stools soft. 

3. Exercise regularly: Doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day can help stimulate the intestines and bowel movements. 

4. Limit processed foods and excess dairy: Try to cut back on processed foods, fast foods, and foods low in fiber. Consuming too much dairy products can cause constipation. Be careful. 

5. Establish a routine: Try to go to the bathroom around the same time every day, especially after you eat. And, do not avoid your urge to pass stool.

6. Practice good bathroom posture: Sitting with your feet up on a little stool while you're sitting can help improve the angle of your colon, making bowel movements easier. 

7. Manage stress and get enough sleep: Stress and sleep deprivation can affect gut function and bowel regularity. 

8. Consider Probiotics: Including probiotic-rich foods like yogurt or supplements can help maintain a healthy gut bacteria balance, which supports normal stool patterns 

Abnormal Levels

If your stool test results exceed the stool test normal ranges, it could mean the presence of blood, excess fat, pathogens, or high pus cell count. It may possibly indicate infections, inflammation, or other gastrointestinal disorders. 

Your healthcare professional will interpret the results along with your symptoms and medical history to decide whether further tests or treatment are needed. 

Possible reasons behind abnormal stool test results:

1. Presence of blood: Bleeding in the digestive tract might be due to hemorrhoids, ulcers, polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, or even colorectal cancer. 
2. Detected Pathogens: If the doctor recommends the test to find bacteria, viruses, or parasites, this points to an infection that may need specific medications. 
3. High inflammatory markers: These are associated with conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or less frequently, cancer. 
4. Excess fat or undigested food: This points to problems with digestion or absorption, such as celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, or other malabsorption syndromes. 

In short, an abnormal routine stool test result is an important warning sign. They may signal infection, inflammation, malabsorption, or cancer. Always review your report with your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and timely management. 

What to do if your levels are not in the normal range?

Steps to take when your stool test levels are outside the normal range: 

• Consult your doctor: Always discuss your report with your healthcare provider to interpret your results in context of your symptoms and medical history. 
• Follow recommended tests or treatments: Your doctor may order further tests such as blood tests, imaging, or a colonoscopy for an accurate diagnosis. 
• Take prescribed medications as directed: Complete your full course of treatment if an infection or inflammation is detected. Do not miss your medication and take it as directed. 
• Monitor symptoms: Maintain a symptom diary and note down any new or worsening symptoms and inform your doctor immediately. 

When to Contact A Doctor?

You should reach out to a doctor if you notice:

• Persistent diarrhea or constipation lasting more than a few days. 
• Bloody or tarry stools
• Large amounts of mucus in the stool
• Severe stomach pain
• Unexpected weight loss
• Fever
• Ongoing nausea or vomiting

General Lifestyle Tips

Below are general lifestyle tips for a healthy digestive system:

• Eat a balanced diet
• Stay hydrated
• Regular physical activity
• Limit processed and fatty foods 
• Manage stress
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Get enough sleep
• Avoid excessive alcohol and smoking

Note: These tips can help your digestion in general, but make sure a doctor looks at your stool test results. A stool sample normal range indicates that there are no signs of infection, bleeding, or digestive disorders in your test results. However, if your stool test results are abnormal, they'll give you the right diagnosis and treatment. 

FAQs

1. What is a normal stool sample level?

A stool test normal range means your stool color is brown, has a soft consistency, and a neutral to slightly alkaline pH (6.5-7.5). Besides, it should not have blood or mucus, and there should be no harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites. 

2. What is the normal range for a stool test?

A stool test normal range includes a pH of 6.5-7.5, brown color, soft and formed consistency, pus cells between (0-4) per high power field, and normal levels of fat and nitrogen within healthy limits. 

3. How to read stool sample results?

To read your stool sample results, compare each parameter to the stool sample normal range provided in your lab report. Check indicators such as normal pH, absence of pathogens, and no hidden blood. Always discuss the findings with a healthcare professional for accurate interpretation.

4. What is a good stool report?

A good stool report matches the stool routine test normal range, meaning all tested parameters are within the limits, with no signs of infection, inflammation, bleeding, or malabsorption. 

5. What is a normal stool count?

When examining stool samples under a microscope, a normal count typically includes 0-4 pus cells and 0-2 epithelial cells in each high-power field. These numbers fall within the usual range for a standard stool test.

6. Are 2-3 pus cells in stool normal?

Yes, having 2-3 pus cells per high-power field in stool is generally within the stool routine test normal range. 

Conclusion

Understanding your stool test report normal range can help you stay on top of your digestive health. If your results are normal, that's usually a good sign your gut is working as it should. However, if results are outside the normal range, it could indicate an infection, inflammation, or another gut issue that requires attention. 

Remember that a stool test is just one part of your overall health picture. Always discuss your results with a doctor and do what they suggest to keep yourself in good shape. 

Just got tested? Enter your stool test levels below in the test value evaluator to understand what your values mean.