There’s something downright primal about dropping deuces. We know, we know, it’s not polite dinner conversation. But we can’t help it: we love talking sh*t. 

Not being able to poop is a total bum-mer, while bombing the bowl can feel straight-up blissful. Like, goosebumps-level good. Today, we’re talking all about the euphoric feeling you get from dropping a juicy load. That buzzy feeling you can get from a butt burrito is called poo-phoria, and we’re here to tell you all about it.

Why Do We Poop in the First Place?

As Newton said, what goes in must go out you b-hole.

You don’t have burgers in your lungs (probably), so the food you eat must be going somewhere! Where it goes is to your digestive system, which takes all the nutrients from the food you eat and absorbs them into your body. Anything leftover? Those undigested carbs, fibers, proteins and fats are bacterial biomass. They’ve gotta go out the backdoor. The backdoor in this analogy is your bum.

Your poo also contains water and bile, which both help along the digestive process. And, strangely, it includes cells from your gastrointestinal lining that shed themselves every couple days. Yes, your body is a disgusting miracle. 

Bottom line, pooping is the final step of a healthy digestive process. 

Why Does it Feel Good to Poop?

Ahhhhhh pooping :) 

Ya know that chilled out relaxed feeling you get from a perfect poop? A juicy load creates those feel-good sensations by stimulating your vagus nerve. Note: this is not to be confused with your Vegas nerve -- the Nevada-based conviction to dance on tables and drop a paycheck on bottle service at a Diplo show.

No, the vagus nerve is an actual nerve that starts in the brain and goes to your colon. It’s responsible for regulating a bunch of body functions, including blood pressure and heart rate. This is one of those occasions where getting on your nerves is a good thing! Stimulating the vagus nerve can cause chills, lower your heart rate and blood pressure. You may feel lightheaded and super-relaxed. Careful, this can also lead to verbal diarrhea, especially in toddlers!

What is Poophoria?

[*puts on lab coat*] Scientifically, what are we looking at with Poophoria? Let’s refer you to the work of our esteemed colleague Dr. Anish Sheth, a Princeton gastroenterologist who penned What’s Your Poo Telling You?

Says Dr. Sheth: "To some it may feel like a religious experience, to others like an orgasm, and to a lucky few like both.” Holy crap! 

The feel-good vibes from pooping are a vasovagal response, meaning they come from stimulating the vagus nerve. Each and every body is different, so these reactions vary -- from blurred vision to lightheadedness to sweating and chills. If it gets too intense, you may want to lay down for a few minutes to get your bearings. But if it’s working for you, ride the vibe :)

What Happens When You Hold in Your Poop?

Our bodies instinctively know when to go. As with all impulses, when we start ignoring them, we start losing our relationship to them. Like with foreign languages and your ability to do the splits: if you don’t use it, you lose it. 

You may be asking, “why does it feel good to hold in poop?” Well, you have a bunch of nerve endings in your rectum that get stimulated by feces. We’re getting a buzz just thinking about it. 

However, when you hold in a poo past the urge to poop, you are overstimulating the nerves in your rectum. These nerves can become damaged and respond inappropriately to stool in the rectum. Your brain can even stop responding to the urge, which isn’t good.

Meanwhile, your body starts reabsorbing water from the poo, which can make it too dry to be expelled. Yikes! In rare cases, holding in your poop can back up your intestines so badly that your body can’t even push out the blockage. This backed up tract will send you to the E.R. Um… no thanks!

Of course, there are occasions where you’re simply trying not to crap your pants. But holding in poops for the buzz is a dangerous game we do not recommend.

How Often Should You Be Pooping?

Three is a magic number. Think of the pyramids of Giza and the Holy Trinity (Nicki, Rihanna and Beyoncé). Just like these epic trios, pooping too obeys the rule of threes. If you are pooping up to three times a day or once every three days, you have nothing to worry about. 

It’s good to remember that your poos are an indicator of your overall health. Keeping your butt loads regular is the likeliest way to get those juicy BMs that give you poo-phoria. With this in mind, a nutritious diet and staying hydrated are kinda a no-brainer for the sake of your butt!

Poophoria with a Bidet Attachment

In terms of our favorite sensations, poophoria is up there. There are few feelings more satisfying than a full body buzz, whatever the stimulus. The only thing better than dropping a deuce that gives you goosebumps is treating your ass to the luxurious clean of a bidet. If you want your poo-phoria to end with a wash instead of a wipe, upgrade your vagal adventures with a TUSHY bidet attachment ;)

Achieve Poophoria With Probiotics & Fiber From Poophoria

While we all want to achieve poophoria, sometimes we need a little help. One of the best ways to get your poophoria on is through a daily supplement routine from poophoria (yes you read that right). Poophoria is a leading probiotic and fiber supplement brand. They designed their products, harmony and rhytm, for one purpose only: that ahhhh feeling everytime you go. The harmony probiotics keep your gut healthy and the rhythm fiber + magnesium helps while you're on the toilet. Subscribing to the bundle gets you more than 35% off every order!