feces (stool)

Laboratory

Normal stool volume:

• < 200 mL (200 g)/day in USA
• 400 mL/day in rural Africa

Normal stool fat: < 7 grams/day

Normal stool protein: < 2.5 g/day (protein nitrogen)

Normal stool composition:

• 65-80% water
• Na+ 40 meq/L
• K+ 90 meq/L
• Cl- 15 meq/L
• HCO3- 30 meq/L

More general terms

• waste product

More specific terms

• meconium

Additional terms

• constipation; dyschezia
• culture of stool for enteric pathogens
• diarrhea
• fat in feces
• fecal incontinence; anal incontinence; bowel incontinence; includes: encopresis
• fecal leukocytes
• urobilinogen in feces