Let me ask you: do you LOOK at your poop? 👀
Have you ever questioned the frequency and quality of your bowel movements? If you’re new to this, probably not… Constipation is a common concern for many individuals, yet the true extent of the issue often goes unnoticed. Surprisingly, even those who experience daily bowel movements may have underlying digestive inefficiencies that compromise the clearance of waste and toxins.

Understanding Bowel Transit Time

You are not what you eat, you are what you absorb.
Bowel transit time is the duration required for food to traverse the entire digestive system and exit as waste, and it holds the key to optimal digestive function. Too quick and you might not be absorbing your nutrients. Too slow, and you might be recirculating toxins and feeding bacterial overgrowth instead of feeding yourself!

Maintaining a healthy transit time facilitates efficient nutrient absorption while preventing the accumulation of toxins and waste. An imbalance in transit time can manifest as constipation, diarrhea, and other discomforts, emphasizing the importance of assessment and intervention.

Why Bowel Transit Tests Are Essential

Personalised Evaluation

Each individual's digestive system is unique, influenced by factors such as diet, lifestyle, and genetics. Bowel transit tests offer personalised insights into digestive health, guiding tailored interventions to address specific needs.

Early Detection of Issues

Monitoring transit time enables the early identification of potential digestive issues, such as gut microbiome imbalances or inadequate fibre intake. Detecting and addressing these issues promptly can mitigate the risk of more severe health complications.

Optimizing Nutrient Absorption

Efficient nutrient absorption is crucial for overall wellbeing. Balancing transit time ensures optimal nutrient assimilation, preventing deficiencies and supporting overall health.

A Holistic Approach to Gut Health

Bowel transit tests align with a holistic approach to gut health, focusing on identifying root causes rather than merely alleviating symptoms. By addressing underlying imbalances through dietary adjustments, lifestyle modifications, and targeted supplements, comprehensive treatment plans can be formulated.

How to Complete a Bowel Transit Test

This is one of the ways I like to do it, as it is cost-efficient, natural and very easy.

Get regular sesame seeds from your local store. Do not consume any for the week before your test.
Add 2 tablespoons to a glass of water and consume immediately, refraining from chewing the seeds.
Note the date and time of consumption.
Monitor your bowel movements (aka LOOK at your poops), recording the appearance of sesame seeds in your stool and the corresponding time elapsed.
Analyse your results or consult with a healthcare provider to interpret your transit time.

Here are a few points to consider:

Men typically exhibit faster transit times compared to women, even when their diets are identical.

Certain foods may naturally pass through the digestive system at varying speeds, influenced by their fiber and water content, as well as other factors like concurrent consumption of liquids such as water, caffeine, or alcohol.

Due to the numerous variables influencing transit time, it's advisable to conduct the transit time test on three separate occasions and at different times of the day. This approach provides a more accurate average measurement for assessment.

Interpreting Your Results

An optimal healthy transit time typically falls within the range of 14-30 hours, although some sources narrow that range down to 24 hours, while others indicate that up to 48 hours is still considered “normal.” I tend to aim in the middle, at about 28h-30h as the upper limit. Deviations from this range may indicate underlying issues that warrant attention.

Slow Transit Time (≥ 30 hours): Food is moving too slow. You most likely are constipated.The body starts to reabsorb waste products (including hormones such as estrogen leading to estrogen dominance), as well as reabsorbing water, resulting in harder stools and over fermentation resulting in bloating.
Consider incorporating ground flaxseeds or psyllium husk supplementation to promote bowel motility. This is just a general guideline and you might night to consult with a practitioner to find tools that work for you if you suffer chronic constipation.
I can help.
Fast Transit Time (≤ 14 hours): Food is moving through your system too quickly to be properly absorbed and for your body to get the required nutrients.
Increase soluble fibre intake to regulate stool consistency and slow transit speed. Again, psyllium husk supplementation is a great tool here as it can also absorb excess fluid in the digestive tract.

Embark on Your Journey to Gut Health

Well, congratulations on taking the first step towards understanding your digestive health through the Bowel Transit Test. This is just one way of assessing your poop, and you will find that you can tell a lot by just looking in the toilet everytime you have a bowel movement. Don’t be shy, everyone is (or should be) doing it!

By optimizing your bowel transit time, you can enhance nutrient absorption, alleviate digestive discomfort, and bolster overall well-being. For personalised guidance on resolving gut issues and achieving optimal health, schedule a FREE Discovery Call today.

Motility: How to Test Your Transit Time