That Doo-Doo That You Do So Well

PETA claims vegans have super-poop that has healing powers

- Jessica Firger

MOST VEGANS ARE HAPPY TO reel off the reasons a plant based diet is superior to that of a carnivore. Going strictly animal-free can reduce one’s carbon footprint, cut the risk for cancer and chronic diseases, prevent animal cruelty and provide an excuse to make a really great dessert.

But one thing that’s probably not on your average vegan’s list is that this restrictive diet improves the quality of one’s poop—at least according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Last month, the animal rights organization issued a call for more healthy vegans to consider becoming stool super-donors (i.e., providing specimens on a regular basis) to serve a growing demand, since a fecal microbiota transplant is now considered the best way to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile infections and other potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal illnesses. In this experimental medical procedure, stool from a healthy person is transplanted to the gut of an ailing patient either in pill form or through a colonoscopy.

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that 81 percent of patients with C. difficile who underwent transplantation made a full recovery from their illness. Subsequent research has shown the cure rate after follow-up transplants may be even higher, as much as 90 percent.