Surf Wiki
Save to docs
general/stool-tests

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Fecal pH test

FieldValue
nameFecal pH test
synonymsfaecal pH test, stool acidity test
ICD10
LOINC

A faecal pH test is one where a specimen of faeces is tested for acidity in order to diagnose a medical condition.

The pH of human faeces is variable but the average is pH 6.6 (acidic) for normal faeces. A lower faecal pH (very acidic stool) can indicate a digestive problem such poor absorption of carbohydrates or fats, lactose intolerance, an infection such as E. coli or rotavirus, or overgrowth of acid-producing bacteria (such as lactic acid bacteria).

Test procedure

The test is fast and can be performed in a doctor's office. A patient must not be receiving antibiotics. At least half a milliliter of feces is collected, and a strip of nitrazine paper is dipped in the sample and compared against a color scale. A pH of less than 5.5 indicates an acidic sample.

Results

Unhealthy individuals with a higher or lower pH rate have been observed having a higher mortality rate. A high alkaline pH rating is associated with the body's inability to create enough acid along with undigested food.

References

References

  1. "010991: Stool pH".
  2. (December 2024). "Gut physiology and environment explain variations in human gut microbiome composition and metabolism". Nature Microbiology.
  3. Ben. (2019-02-09). "What is Stool PH? High and low values {{!}} Lab results explained".
  4. "Point-of-Care Testing, Fecal pH Measurement".
  5. (13 June 2023). "eMedicine - Gastroenteritis, Bacterial : Article by Jennifer Lynn Bonheur, MD".
  6. (July 2012). "Prognostic impact of fecal pH in critically ill patients". Critical Care.
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

stool-tests
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Fecal pH test — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report