Does constipation increase buoyancy?

[Jafo19D]

I thought I successfully posted this yesterday, hopefully an admin didn’t take it down thinking I was trolling…..

I was way too buoyant this weekend and I’m wondering if being really constipated had something to do with it.

I’ve been diving with 8lbs forever at my current body weight and composition. I did recently suffer an injury that kept me out of the gym for months and I gained weight but lost it again thru diet so maybe I did lose a bit of muscle mass.

On my first dives I felt light with 8lbs which I thought was weird but then the DM said it might have been the Nitrox because the air and Nitrox tanks were made by different manufacturers and he also found himself a bit lighter with the Nitrox tanks. I therefore increased my weight by 2lbs. And all was well. But in one of the dives when I was using air again, which theoretically was a heavier tank, I couldn’t stay down once I got to anround 900 psi and my trim was awful.

For the trim part I think it was because I was using a weight belt. I had lost a weight pocket on the previous dive (not in the water) and so at the least minute switched from weights in pockets and trim pockets to a weight belt.

As far as equipment the only difference was my fins. I switched from Seawing Novas to Seawing Super Novas, but the new fins weigh a tiny bit more, not less.

So the only thing I can think of is that I was constipated, first time that has happened without eating MREs. Could that be the culprit?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I thought I successfully posted this yesterday, hopefully an admin didn’t take it down thinking I was trolling…..

I was way too buoyant this weekend and I’m wondering if being really constipated had something to do with it.

I’ve been diving with 8lbs forever at my current body weight and composition. I did recently suffer an injury that kept me out of the gym for months and I gained weight but lost it again thru diet so maybe I did lose a bit of muscle mass.

On my first dives I felt light with 8lbs which I thought was weird but then the DM said it might have been the Nitrox because the air and Nitrox tanks were made by different manufacturers and he also found himself a bit lighter with the Nitrox tanks. I therefore increased my weight by 2lbs. And all was well. But in one of the dives when I was using air again, which theoretically was a heavier tank, I couldn’t stay down once I got to anround 900 psi and my trim was awful.

For the trim part I think it was because I was using a weight belt. I had lost a weight pocket on the previous dive (not in the water) and so at the least minute switched from weights in pockets and trim pockets to a weight belt.

As far as equipment the only difference was my fins. I switched from Seawing Novas to Seawing Super Novas, but the new fins weigh a tiny bit more, not less.

So the only thing I can think of is that I was constipated, first time that has happened without eating MREs. Could that be the culprit?

I don't know that I've ever heard of that, but it's not outside the realm of possibility if you had a lot of gas in your GI system. It's also entirely possible that small changes in your configuration like switching tank types could have caused this.

Now be prepared for people to pile on and pack the thread full of poop references. Please try to exercise some restraint, y'all.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[b1gcountry]

Not enough to really matter.

Sea water is 3% heavier than fresh water. Constipation is mostly fresh water density. That's about 33lb of constipation to account for 1lb difference in weighting.

 

[AJ]

But in one of the dives when I was using air again, which theoretically was a heavier tank, I couldn’t stay down once I got to anround 900 psi and my trim was awful.

For the trim part I think it was because I was using a weight belt. I had lost a weight pocket on the previous dive (not in the water) and so at the least minute switched from weights in pockets and trim pockets to a weight belt.

I think this is the reason you felt too buoyant. Not being relaxed in the water makes you tighten your muscles and take deeper breaths. When you're relaxed and easy breathing it way easier to stay down.

 

[hammet]

S*^t you not (pun intended), but was diving in turks last week and this was on my mind as I hadn't gone in literally days but was afraid to take a laxative for fear of having to go while on the boat to and from the dive site or god forbid, during the dive. By the fifth day, I gave in to ducolax and was relieved (pun again intended) to be all cleared out just before that morning's excursion. Point being, I kept thinking I could probably take off some lead whilst diving with a full gut.

 

[lexvil]

While I don’t know for sure, if bloating comes with it you will be displacing more water…

sorry if that’s a crappy answer.

 

[boulderjohn]

First, the difference in tank weight is very possible. I once dived with an operation that reversed your experience, with the nitrox in the heavier tanks. Interestingly enough, when I asked about the tanks when I picked them up to take them to the boat and saw the tanks, I asked about it, and the tank people looked at me like I was crazy and said all of them were the same. I had my smartphone with me, pulled up the specs, and they were shocked. You can't count on the employees to know the difference.

As for me, if you are looking at things like constipation as a factor in buoyancy, you may be cutting things a little too fine. I am a frequent critic of our tendency to be overweighted, but I usually dive a few pounds over perfect buoyancy myself. It makes things like venting air on ascent easier. I don't have to worry about getting things perfect. I can descend faster.

 

[Jafo19D]

While I don’t know for sure, if bloating comes with it you will be displacing more water…

sorry if that’s a crappy answer.

I see what you did there

 

[Jafo19D]

S*^t you not (pun intended), but was diving in turks last week and this was on my mind as I hadn't gone in literally days but was afraid to take a laxative for fear of having to go while on the boat to and from the dive site or god forbid, during the dive. By the fifth day, I gave in to ducolax and was relieved (pun again intended) to be all cleared out just before that morning's excursion. Point being, I kept thinking I could probably take off some lead whilst diving with a full gut.

My soon to be wife was telling me to take a laxative but like you I was afraid to.

 

[Jcp2]

I understand. The Mercury astronauts followed a low residue diet prior to space flight.