This Podcast Will Kill You Ep 200 Poop Part 1: How the sausage gets made
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Feb 10, 2026 A deep dive into what makes poop and how digestion produces it. A walkthrough of the digestive tract, sphincters, transit time, and the microbiota that dominate stool. Surprising ecological angles from dung beetles to whale ambergris and uses of feces in fuel, paper, and research. A call to rethink disgust and see poop as an ecological resource.
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Embarrassing Fifth Grade Poop Story
- Erin Allmann‑Updyke shared a childhood story of accidentally defecating during a field trip and hiding it from friends.
- She described walking to a planetarium with poop in her jeans, showering afterward, and repeating a smaller accident the next day.
Use Fiber And Watch Medications To Regulate Transit
- Increase dietary fiber to speed transit and soften stool because fiber holds water and provides bulk for colon peristalsis.
- Be aware medications like GLP‑1 agonists and opioids alter transit times and can cause constipation or slowed emptying.
Poop Is Mostly Water And Bacteria
- Typical stool is ~75% water and ~25% solid biomass; up to 55% of that solid can be bacteria, with ~50% of those bacteria still alive.
- Poop includes undigested plant matter, proteins, fats, mucus, shed intestinal cells, and inorganic salts like iron and calcium.
