By the time food reaches the colon, it’s already through most of the digestion process. The colon’s main role is to absorb water, vitamins, and electrolytes from partially digested food after it goes through the small intestine. Then, your colon prepares your body to get rid of the waste by passing stool (poop).
Taking the mystery out of your colon will help you better identify signs of common colon problems and help you feel more comfortable talking about this hard-working body part with your healthcare provider.
The following facts will help re-acquaint you with your colon. You’ll learn where your colon is, how long your intestines are, the function of the large intestine, and even how much poop is in your body.
Cecum Ascending colon Transverse colon Descending colon Sigmoid colon Rectum Anal canal
The large intestine is about five feet long and forms an inverted U-shape around your abdomen. Your colon is three inches wide at its widest point, the cecum. It’s just under an inch wide at its narrowest point, the sigmoid colon.
This length of time is known as transit time and can be measured with a colonic transit time test.
Average transit times vary depending on the person. Factors that affect transit time include:
RaceSexTypical dietAmount of physical activity
Transit time longer than 72 hours can be a sign of a bowel disorder.
The identification of the role of the microbiota led to the popularity of using probiotics as supplements and food additives to enhance digestive health and immune function.
Stool is made up of:
BacteriaLiquidUndigested foodDietary fiberFatMineralsProtein
Your internal and external sphincter muscles contain the stool within the rectum. Once you decide to have a bowel movement, voluntary and involuntary muscles work together to expel the stool.
When a person experiences diarrhea, they are passing stool that has not been in the colon long enough to have had enough liquid absorbed to firm up the stool.
The opposite occurs when a person experiences constipation. In that case, the stool has been in the colon too long and becomes dried out, hard, and difficult to pass.
Large meals and fatty meals appear to cause a greater gastrocolic reflex and may prompt the need to poop. This information is useful for those who are prone to either constipation or diarrhea.
For the person with constipation, healthy fats (e.g., certain oils and polyunsaturated fats) are known to aid with constipation. However, foods high in saturated fat, such as hard cheeses, can be constipating. The person prone to diarrhea should stick to small, low-fat meals.
Some health conditions, like colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, may make it necessary to remove a person’s colon. In some of these cases, a procedure called a colostomy is done. During the procedure, an opening is made in the abdomen so that fecal material can be collected outside of the body in a colostomy bag.
Another option is the use of a J-Pouch, in which the last part of the small intestine is used to hold stool internally.
