--- title: Scientists Say the Squatty Potty Really Does Help You Poop Better description: A new study says defecation posture modification devices, like the Squatty Potty, result in faster and healthier bowel movements. canonical: https://time.com/5498225/squatty-potty-study/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-01-10T15:45:41.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T22:27:27.206Z article:section: Health og:title: Scientists Say This Bathroom Accessory Really Does Help You Poop Better og:description: There’s a new No. 1 way to go No. 2 og:url: https://time.com/5498225/squatty-potty-study/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53973687086c426b/698943078fd2ee37be35d8d3/toilet-paper-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2001 og:image:height: 1126 og:image:alt: toilet paper og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Scientists Say This Bathroom Accessory Really Does Help You Poop Better twitter:description: There’s a new No. 1 way to go No. 2 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53973687086c426b/698943078fd2ee37be35d8d3/toilet-paper-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Scientists Say This Popular Bathroom Accessory Really Does Help You Poop Better > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=9cb757cf-6476-437c-985a-cfa5088b114f&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=9cb757cf-6476-437c-985a-cfa5088b114f&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=9cb757cf-6476-437c-985a-cfa5088b114f&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Jan 10, 2019 3:45 PM UTC  Getty Images  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Jan 10, 2019 3:45 PM UTC Using a bathroom stool could help your stool, according to [a new study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30346317) published in the _Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology._ Products like the [Squatty Potty](https://www.squattypotty.com) (which are known scientifically as “defecation postural modification devices,” or DPMDs) have in recent years gained a cult following for purportedly helping people relieve themselves in the most natural position: squatting. People can mimic a squat by simply placing their feet on a stool while using the toilet, raising their knees above their hips. Given their commercial success, curious scientists set out to see if DPMDs are actually good for you. “As a gastroenterologist, when you’re at a party or you’re with your family, people bring this up,” says study co-author Dr. Peter Stanich, an assistant professor of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine. To give them a satisfying answer, he and his colleagues decided to conduct the first study on Squatty Potties. The researchers had 52 medical residents at Ohio State and their partners (average age: 29) take an initial survey about their bowel movements and bathroom habits, and provide a detailed log of every bowel movement they had for two weeks. Even though all of the people in the study were fairly healthy, the results showed that significant numbers had issues including straining, blood in their stool and “incomplete emptying,”—a feeling that often goes along with constipation. Next, the researchers equipped everyone with a Squatty Potty. (The company supplied products for research, but did not fund or design the study.) People tracked their bowel movements for another two weeks, then completed a survey about their experience. After sorting through descriptions of more than 1,000 bowel movements, the researchers found that 90% of people who used a Squatty Potty strained less, and 71% had faster bowel movements. Fewer users also reported feeling like they still had to go after using the bathroom. The improvements were particularly pronounced among men and anyone who said they had toilet-related issues at the study’s outset. About two-thirds of the study group said they planned to continue using the device in the future. The findings seem to confirm the idea that squatting is the ideal way to go, Stanich says. “From the rectum into the anus, there’s kind of a bend,” he says, and squatting helps to straighten it out — unlike Western toilets, which position the body at a 90-degree angle. The Squatty Potty “gets us closer to how we’re ‘supposed’ to have bowel movements,” he says. Stanich says these kinds of devices may be worthwhile for healthy people, as well as those with persistent issues like chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome; they could also reduce the risk of straining-related problems like hemorrhoids. Still, more research is required to see how much of an impact they have on chronic conditions, and Stanich stresses that people with gastrointestinal issues should also consult a doctor to rule out serious medical problems. “Even within this normal population, the toilet stool benefitted their bowel movements,” Stanich says. “This is something that’s not a medication, something basically anyone can use. If it helps reduce bowel symptoms, then it’s really a win-win situation.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5498225/squatty-potty-study/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5498225/squatty-potty-study/"},"headline":"Scientists Say This Popular Bathroom Accessory Really Does Help You Poop Better","datePublished":"2019-01-10T15:45:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T22:27:27.206Z","description":"There’s a new No. 1 way to go No. 2","url":"https://time.com/5498225/squatty-potty-study/","keywords":["Research","healthytime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53973687086c426b/698943078fd2ee37be35d8d3/toilet-paper-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53973687086c426b/698943078fd2ee37be35d8d3/toilet-paper-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"toilet paper","caption":"toilet paper","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5498225/squatty-potty-study/","name":"Scientists Say This Popular Bathroom Accessory Really Does Help You Poop Better"}}]}] ```