Why Does My Poop Smells Like Chemicals?

When you eat, tiny bacteria in your gut help breakdown food and produce chemicals as a byproduct. These chemicals give your poop its normal smell. Sometimes, if your food is not digested normally due to an imbalance of harmful versus beneficial gut bacteria or if you have a condition like inflammatory bowel disease, the types or amounts of these chemicals can change. This change can make your poop smell different, like it has a chemical odor. Foods you eat, or even certain medicines, can also affect the chemicals your body makes in the gut causing a strong or unusual smell. If you notice a change in smell along with other symptoms like abdominal pain or diarrhea, you want to discuss with your healthcare provider.