A change in stool shape also could be cause for concern. Can thyroid problems cause phantom smells? Looking down into the toilet bowl and seeing poop that looks a bit different than usual can be a little stressful but it isnt always cause for alarm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRL9To4W1BQ, FDA Warns: Dont overdose on black licorice this halloween! Phosphine can smell like garlic or fish, but it can be in the air even if you dont smell it. New York, "It's very important that our bowels work well to absorb necessary nutrients but also keep out any foods, chemicals and germs that could do us harm.". The FDA has offered the following advice when eating black licorice: Keep reading to learn how much black licorice you can safely consume without putting yourself in any danger! So can swallowing blood from any injury to the mouth, nose, or throat. It does this by helping to produce more healthy mucus. In other words, a phantom smell, or a smell that isnt really there. You Won't Believe This Sugar is added to nearly everything we eat, back could this habit be the cause of your under-eye bags? That could be a sign your body isnt digesting food properly. Meseeha M, et al. This may be why they taste the bitterness. So while you shouldn't try to diagnose any medical condition based solely on the divinations of your poop and a guide you found on the Internet, keeping an eye on the color, quantity, consistency, and quality of your crap can help alert you to subtle changes in your health while acting as a barometer for your overall butt health. Speak with your doctor if you have not been eating licorice or other similarly colored foods to determine the cause of your problem. One of the main jobs of bile is to break down fats from the foods you eat. This is a yellow-colored substance in your blood. ", Continence Foundation of Australia: "Bristol stool chart. Licorice may be helpful for women who suffer from ovarian cysts. What Causes Dry Heaving and How Is It Treated? It has a pungent odor of onion or garlic that does not provide adequate warning of hazardous levels. Ferrous sulfate supplementation causes significant gastrointestinal side-effects in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. If you are experiencing nausea, stomach upset, dizziness, or abdominal pain along with black stools, contact your doctor quickly. Understanding the basics of digestion can help you determine if licorice is a factor in your unusual stool color. Phosphine has no color. Simply leave it on your scalp overnight! Blood exposed to gastric acids turns black and tarry (sticky). Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all. ; Michael Picco; August 2010. Learn what the sight, smell, size, color, and shape of your poop can tell you. All rights reserved. However, for the rest of us, licorice can be beneficial. This is due to the processes and chemical reactions that take place in your gut when your food is digested.