4 Reasons Your Poop Looks Like Pellets

Pellet poop is stool that’s shaped like small, hard pellets or pebbles. It's generally a sign of constipation, which is when you have fewer than three bowel movements per week and strain to go to the bathroom.

You can develop constipation and its related pellet poop for a variety of lifestyle causes or underlying health conditions. If you do have pellet poop, there are treatment options you can try to help get your poop regular again.

Symptoms of Pellet Poop

Pellet poop can look like small, hard, dark pebbles.

On the Bristol Stool Chart—a visual tool that helps categorize poop as normal or abnormal based on its appearance and consistency—pellet poop is categorized under Type 1. Type 1 is considered to be an abnormal poop category, defined as separate hard lumps of stool that usually serve as a sign of constipation.

In addition to small, pebble-like stool, you may also notice other signs of constipation like:

• Having bowel movements three times a week or less
• Experiencing difficult or painful bowel movements
• Feeling like not all of the stool has passed
• Seeing a small amount of blood in your poop

What Causes Poop to Look Like Pellets?

When your poop looks like pellets, it's generally a sign of constipation. This means that you're having fewer bowel movements than normal. Constipation occurs when stool passes through the digestive system too slowly. Constipation can happen for a variety of reasons.

1. Low Fiber Intake

Fiber is key for a healthy digestive system. The nutrient adds bulk to your stool, making it easier for you to have a bowel movement. If you're not getting enough fiber in your diet, you'll likely find that your stool is hard, pellet-like, dark, and hard to pass.

2. Dehydration

Your stool can change when you're dehydrated. You can become dehydrated when you don't take in enough liquid, like water, to make up for the fluid your body loses. Water works with fiber as the nutrient is absorbed in the digestive tract, helping to soften your stools. Without enough water, your stools can't soften as much. Hard, small, pellet-like poop can be a result of not getting enough water in your diet.

3. Health Conditions

Several gastrointestinal disorders—which are conditions that affect the digestive system—can have constipation as a symptom. This includes irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, and colon cancer. When these conditions cause constipation, you may see your stool is small, hard, and dry.

Other underlying health conditions that aren't directly tied to the digestive system can also impact the way stool moves through the digestive system. Examples of common conditions that can cause constipation and, in turn, your poop to look like pellets include:

• Diabetes or other conditions that affect your metabolism
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or other conditions that affect your hormones
• Parkinson's disease or other conditions that affect your brain or spine
  

4. Medication Side Effects

Several types of medications have constipation as a side effect because of how the drugs may impact the digestion process.

You may experience pellet poop if you take any of the following types of medications:

• Antacids, used to treat heartburn
• Certain types of antidepressants
• Calcium channel blockers, a blood pressure-lowering medication
• Diuretics, commonly known as water pills
• Iron supplements
• Narcotic pain medications
• Parkinson's disease medications
  

Treatment

If your poop looks like pellets and you want relief from the constipation causing it, there are some home remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) options, and medical treatments that may help.

To try to get your poop looking normal and you feeling better on your own, try the following:

• Avoid processed and fatty foods like white breads, pastries, sausage, fast food, chips, and fries
• Don't skip meals or hold your stool in, as this could back up your digestive system even more
• Try an OTC stool softener or laxative to help pellet poop pass more easily
• Consider taking probiotics, which are supplements that increase the good bacteria in the digestive system

Along with at-home remedies, a healthcare provider may suggest the following treatments:

• Prescription medications to increase water in the digestive tract or help keep stool moving
• Under medical supervision, a change in medications or supplements that may be contributing to pellet poop
• Biofeedback training, a technique that teaches the body and mind to work together, to formally retrain the muscles in the bowel
• In rare cases, surgery to help fix a complication

How To Prevent It

Certain lifestyle changes can help maintain regular bowel movements and prevent pellet poop.

First, start by trying to fit more fiber into your diet by adding fruits and grains—or a fiber supplement, if needed. Increase your fiber intake gradually to help prevent unwanted side effects, like bloating and gas, as your digestive system adjusts to the new fiber levels.

Hydration is also important. Drinking more water—and eating foods that are high in water content—helps keep your digestive system running smoothly before pellet poop has a chance to form.

Exercising regularly can also potentially prevent pellet poop. Engaging in physical movement like walking, swimming, or jogging at least three times a week may be a helpful habit for your digestive—and overall—health.

You might also consider bowel training to make your bowel movements more regular. This generally means trying to go to the bathroom at the same time every day, like after a meal, so your body remembers when and how to have a healthy bowel movement.

Complications

Pellet poop isn't just a minor inconvenience. If left untreated, the constipation causing your pellet poop can lead to a variety of complications. For example, you might eventually experience hemorrhoids (swollen veins around the anus) or anal fissures (small tears in the lining of the anus):

• Hemorrhoids can develop from straining while you are making a bowel movement or from sitting on the toilet too long—two things that can happen if you are constipated and finding it hard to poop.
• Anal fissures can develop if a hard lump of poo, like those that form when you are constipated, tears your anal lining.
• In severe cases, constipation can cause serious issues like rectal prolapse (where part of the colon slips outside of the anus) or fecal impaction (where a lump of hard, dry stool is stuck in the colon) could occur.
  

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Having occasional pellet-like poop generally isn’t a cause for alarm. But if you find that at-home remedies aren't helping—or if your bowel habits have suddenly changed—you may want to check with a healthcare provider, especially if you're over the age of 50

Here are some other signs you should seek medical attention:

• Not having a bowel movement for three days
• Severe stomach pain or bloating
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Bloody stool (even a small amount of blood)
• Weight loss

A healthcare provider will likely ask questions about your symptoms and medical history before performing a physical exam, like feeling your stomach. From there, diagnostic tests may include stool or blood tests, a colonoscopy, abdominal X-ray, or rectal exam.

A Quick Review

Pellet poop is typically a result of constipation, which means you're not having bowel movements as often as you should. Health conditions, certain medications, and dietary factors can all contribute to constipation. If at-home and OTC remedies don't seem to be helping after several days, check with a healthcare provider for other treatment options.