I imagine that the title of this post seems a little crude, or perhaps a little silly. It isn’t quite as silly as it sounds, though – we sell our bodies for a variety of reasons.
We sell our blood, our sperm, our plasma, and our eggs, so why not our poop?
As it turns out, there is medical value in poop, and you can profit from it thanks to an NPO called OpenBiome. Figures reported indicate you might be able to make up to $13,000 a year. Learn more here.
Does it sound hard to believe?
I bet it does!
Our culture has spent a lot of time saying that poop is gross and bad, but we’ve recently begun to understand the medical benefits of fecal transplants. It turns out that your gut’s microbiome (the billions of microscopic bacteria that work as part of your digestive system) is very important to your overall health.
It takes a very delicate cooperation between your cells and these bacteria to ensure a functional and healthy body!
When this microbiome is disrupted, a host of complications may occur (everything from obesity to ulcerative colitis has been suggested as consequences of a disrupted microbiome). The most dangerous thing that can occur in a disrupted microbiome is an overgrowth of the bacteria C. difficile – a bacteria that is healthy in normal amounts but causes serious issues when rampant.
Paid Stool Donation!
Update: OpenBiome’s stool donation program has ended. But another company, called GoodNature, has a paid stool donation program that pays up to $1,500 a month for participating in the GoodNature™ Program.
OpenBiome, based out of Massachusetts, worked to ship treatments to almost 200 hospitals for patients in need.
Unfortunately, you need to live within a certain distance of their offices in Cambridge, Somerville, or Boston, MA. If you do live in the area, then you can proceed to the application phase.
Getting into the program is difficult, requiring a pretty high level of fitness – per 1,000 applicants, only 40 people are accepted. But you never know if you’re the one they’re looking for, so don’t be daunted by those statistics.
How Much is My Poop Worth?
Compensation is given at a rate of $40 per donation.
However, if you can come in and donate 5 days a week, then you will be compensated with an additional $50 bonus (for a total of $250 a week).
Embarrassing as it sounds, they also offer a reward for the biggest donor every month. Who would have thought you could profit like that?
Even though the promise of payment is a strong draw, you also get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping people without the scary needles that something like blood donation would require. Just because you’re getting paid doesn’t mean you’re not doing something kind!
If you live within a reasonable drive of their offices, you should absolutely look into applying for this opportunity. The pay is great, and the results are something positive – why not get paid for something you were going to do anyway?
I actually tried donating stool samples once and found the whole process surprisingly straightforward and comfortable. It’s great to hear about compensation since it makes the effort feel more rewarding. It feels good knowing you’re helping others while getting something back, especially without the discomfort of needles!
Thanks for sharing your experience That’s awesome it was easy and comfortable I totally agree getting paid makes it feel even better And yeah no needles is a huge plus Appreciate you stopping by and commenting