According to surveys, about 60% of Americans own at least one wearable tracking device. Watches count steps and calories. Rings track sleep. Other wearables monitor heart rate, blood glucose, and recovery. Apps log workouts, track blood biomarkers, and count macros. At the same time, interest in gut health is high. People spend billions of dollars each year on probiotics, supplements, and gut-friendly foods. Yet most people have little objective information about their own digestive patterns. Data exists for almost every part of life, but not for the bathroom.
Kohler Health has released a device called Dekoda to address this. It is a tracking tool that fits on the toilet. It passively captures information on bathroom habits. The goal is to help users track patterns in hydration and digestive health.
Why digestive health matters
Research over the last two decades shows that the digestive system affects the whole body. The gut microbiome contains trillions of microorganisms that help with digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and metabolic health. Scientists have found communication pathways between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis. A large part of the immune system is in the gut. The gut also plays a central role in nutrient absorption and blood sugar regulation. Digestive health is considered a foundation for other body systems.
The challenge of measuring gut health
Healthcare providers often ask about bowel habits and digestive symptoms during checkups. These patterns can give clues about what is happening in the body. The problem is that most people do not have enough objective information to answer those questions accurately. People rely on memory and subjective observations, which are often inconsistent. Many people do not know if their hydration levels fluctuate, if their bowel movements look the same day to day, or what their normal baseline is.
Obvious symptoms like bloating, constipation, or discomfort do not always tell the full story. Changes may be happening before discomfort becomes noticeable. That is why healthcare providers look at patterns over time instead of isolated symptoms. Most people do not pay close enough attention to notice when those shifts happen.
Finding your baseline
What is normal for one person may be different for another. Understanding your own patterns is more useful than comparing yourself to others. Healthcare providers focus on trends rather than single events. One day does not provide much insight. Weeks or months of information can reveal meaningful patterns. Establishing a personal baseline makes it easier to recognize when something changes. This can help determine if lifestyle factors, stress, hydration, diet, or something else is affecting digestive health.
What bathroom habits can reveal
Kohler Health tracks several key metrics. For hydration, the device learns what is normal for the user and flags subtle shifts. Hydration affects energy levels and digestion. For gut health, the device reads markers like consistency, color, and volume. It uses algorithms trained on the Bristol Stool Chart, a clinical standard for classification. The device also flags the presence of blood, which is an important signal that should not be ignored. It keeps a daily record for users to bring to their healthcare provider.
How the device works
The Dekoda attaches to the toilet and works in the background. It captures biometric signals related to hydration, gut health, and the presence of blood. Information is sent to the Kohler Health App. Users can monitor trends and establish personal baselines without extra work. The company says all data is delivered securely. Over time, the device builds a picture of bathroom habits. It can show how stress, diet, travel, sleep, or activity affect regularity. It can also flag shifts that might otherwise be missed.
