Okay, I know... gross. But I'm a gastroenterologist, so I have
to be prepared to answer even crappy questions (pun intended).
Poop is made up of the byproducts of digestion, bacteria, waste
products from the body, discarded cells, and bile products. What
is poop made of? Bacteria - About 20% of human poop consists of
bacteria. Thats about 1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) bacteria
per gram of poop! Believe it or not, these bacteria help us
digest our food and even help with the production of vitamin K,
needed for blood clotting. The great majority of poop bacteria
are found in the colon. The small intestines and stomach contain
a relatively small amount of bacteria. Antibiotics can kill
bacteria in the colon, however if too much of the "good"
bacteria is destroyed, bad bacteria can thrive and cause
diarrhea or a more serious illness. Unfortunately, bacterial
byproducts of digestion also contribute to the bad smell of poop
and can create an uncomfortable amount of gas (i.e., bloating
and well... gas!). Bile - Bil