Before you get all kindergartener on me, hear me out; you really can make money from poop – serious extra money – every single year, but, only in a very specific circumstance.
I first read about a process called fecal transplants a few years ago in the New York Times. This is where poop from a healthy donor is refined and transferred to an individual in need. It is most commonly used to treat intestinal issues with an infection of Clostridium difficile which usually does not go away with antibiotics. I have a much younger cousin who suffers from Crohn’s disease, so, I read as much as I could about this treatment in the hopes that it could possibly help her.
While the information that I found did not indicate that the process could be used for treating Crohn’s, I was curious about the entire donation process, especially after hearing about how much donors are compensated.
Currently, the major company in this very fledgling industry is Massachusetts based Microbiome Health Research Institute. Because providers are so limited, you MUST be close to one of three locations in Massachusetts to qualify. Hop over to takeaseat.com and fill out the questionnaire to see if you qualify.
Requirements
- Must be 18 to 50 years old
- Must have a BMI of 30 or less
- Must not be a smoker
- Must have regular bowel movements
- Can not smoke or abuse alcohol
- Must not have a history of gastrointestinal disease
- Can not be pregnant
- Must not have recent travel to countries outside of the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
- Must be able to commit to donation three to four times each week for at least 60 days.
Donation centers are located at BU West T Stop (Boston), Central Square (Cambridge), and Sullivan Square (Somerville). Right now those locations appear to be the ONLY places where donations can occur.
Compensation
Alright, you want to talk about money. Right now payment is $75 for each stool donation. You can be paid up to $1,750 a month in compensation. If you’re really dedicated, some quick math shows that you can make $21,000 a year for your stool donation.
Now doesn’t that make you want to eat healthily and move to Massachusetts?!