What causes different poop colors. How can diet affect stool appearance. When should you be concerned about changes in stool color. What do green, yellow, white, black, or red stools indicate.

The Spectrum of Stool Colors: What’s Normal and What’s Not

The color of your stool can provide valuable insights into your digestive health and overall well-being. While variations in stool color are often harmless and related to diet, certain hues may signal underlying health issues that require attention. Understanding the meaning behind different stool colors can help you monitor your health and know when to seek medical advice.

Normal Stool Color

Healthy stools are typically brown in color. This characteristic shade results from the interaction between bile, a yellowish-green fluid produced by the liver to aid in fat digestion, and the contents of your digestive tract. As bile pigments travel through your system, they undergo chemical changes that ultimately produce the familiar brown hue of normal stool.

Green Stools: Causes and Implications

Green stools are relatively common and often not a cause for concern. In many cases, dietary factors are responsible for this color change. However, there are instances where green stools may indicate other issues.

Dietary Causes of Green Stools

• Consumption of green vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale)
• Ingestion of foods containing green food coloring
• Iron supplements

Can green stools indicate a health problem? In some cases, yes. Green diarrhea may suggest that food is moving through your digestive system too quickly, preventing bile from completing its color-changing process. This rapid transit time can be associated with various digestive disorders or infections.

Yellow Stools: When to Be Concerned

Yellow stools are generally normal, especially in breastfed infants. However, adults experiencing persistent yellow stools should be aware of potential underlying issues.

Are yellow stools always a sign of a problem? Not necessarily, but if your yellow stools are greasy, have a strong odor, and persist, it may indicate malabsorption or fat digestion issues. This could be related to conditions such as celiac disease, where the body cannot properly process gluten.

Celiac Disease and Yellow Stools

If you have celiac disease and consume gluten-containing foods, your intestines may not function properly, potentially resulting in yellow, fatty stools. If you suspect celiac disease might be the cause of your yellow stools, consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and guidance.

White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Stools: Potential Causes

Stools that appear white, pale, or clay-colored can be concerning and may indicate more serious health issues. While some medications can cause this color change, it’s essential to be aware of other potential causes.

Medications That Can Cause Pale Stools

• Antidiarrheal medications containing bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol)
• Barium, used in certain diagnostic imaging procedures

What does it mean if your stool is consistently pale or clay-colored? This could indicate a lack of bile in your stool, which may be due to liver disease, bile duct obstruction, or other conditions affecting bile production or flow. Some potential causes include:

• Hepatitis or other liver diseases
• Gallstones
• Tumors obstructing bile ducts
• Biliary atresia (a congenital condition)

If you experience persistent pale or clay-colored stools, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for proper evaluation and diagnosis.

Black Stools: When to Seek Medical Attention

Black stools can be alarming, but they’re not always a cause for concern. In some cases, dietary factors or medications can lead to black stools. However, in other instances, black stools may indicate a serious health issue that requires immediate medical attention.

Dietary and Medication Causes of Black Stools

• Consumption of black licorice
• Eating large quantities of blueberries
• Iron supplements
• Medications containing bismuth subsalicylate

When should you be concerned about black stools? If your stools are black and tarry in appearance and you haven’t consumed any of the above items, it could indicate bleeding in the upper digestive tract. This may be due to various conditions, including:

• Stomach ulcers
• Esophageal bleeding from acid reflux
• Noncancerous tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract
• Certain types of cancer

If you experience black, tarry stools without an apparent dietary or medication-related cause, seek medical attention promptly.

Red or Reddish Stools: Distinguishing Between Benign and Serious Causes

The sight of red or reddish stools can be alarming, but it’s essential to consider potential dietary causes before assuming the worst. In many cases, certain foods can temporarily alter stool color to appear red or pinkish.

Foods That Can Cause Red or Reddish Stools

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Red-colored gelatin desserts
• Red drinks or food coloring

How can you tell if red stools are caused by food or something more serious? If you haven’t consumed any of the above foods and notice persistent red or reddish stools, it could indicate the presence of blood in your stool. This may be due to various conditions, including:

• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Colon polyps or colorectal cancer

If you experience persistent red or reddish stools without an apparent dietary cause, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for proper evaluation and diagnosis.

Orange Stools: Causes and Implications

Orange stools, while less common than other colors, can occur due to various factors. In most cases, orange stools are not a cause for significant concern, but understanding their potential causes can help you determine whether further investigation is necessary.

Dietary Causes of Orange Stools

• Consuming large quantities of orange-colored foods (e.g., carrots, sweet potatoes)
• Beta carotene supplements
• Foods with artificial orange coloring

Can orange stools indicate a health problem? In some cases, yes. Orange stools may be a sign of bile duct obstruction or certain digestive disorders that affect fat absorption. If you experience persistent orange stools without an apparent dietary cause, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider for further evaluation.

When to Seek Medical Help for Stool Color Changes

While many stool color changes are harmless and related to diet, there are instances where medical attention is warranted. It’s important to be aware of the signs that indicate a potentially serious issue.

When should you consult a doctor about changes in stool color? Consider seeking medical help if you experience:

• Persistent changes in stool color that cannot be attributed to diet or medications
• Black, tarry stools not caused by iron supplements or bismuth-containing medications
• Bright red blood in your stool or on toilet paper
• Pale or clay-colored stools that persist for more than a day or two
• Any stool color changes accompanied by other symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, or unexplained weight loss

Remember, your stool color can provide valuable insights into your digestive health. While occasional variations are normal, persistent changes or concerning colors should prompt a conversation with your healthcare provider.

The Role of Diet in Stool Color Variations

Diet plays a significant role in determining stool color. Understanding how different foods can affect the appearance of your stools can help alleviate unnecessary concerns and promote better awareness of your digestive health.

Common Foods That Affect Stool Color

• Green vegetables: Can cause green stools
• Beets: May result in red or reddish stools
• Blueberries: Can lead to dark or black stools
• Foods with artificial coloring: May cause various color changes depending on the dye used

How long does it take for food to affect stool color? Generally, you may notice changes in stool color within 24 to 72 hours after consuming color-altering foods. The exact time can vary depending on your digestive transit time and the quantity of food consumed.

Stool Consistency and Its Relationship to Color

While color is an important aspect of stool appearance, consistency also plays a crucial role in assessing digestive health. The Bristol Stool Chart is a useful tool for categorizing stool consistency and can provide insights into potential digestive issues.

The Bristol Stool Chart

The Bristol Stool Chart classifies stools into seven types:

1. Type 1: Separate hard lumps (severe constipation)
2. Type 2: Lumpy and sausage-like (mild constipation)
3. Type 3: Sausage-shaped with cracks on the surface (normal)
4. Type 4: Smooth, soft sausage (ideal stool)
5. Type 5: Soft blobs with clear-cut edges (lacking fiber)
6. Type 6: Mushy consistency with ragged edges (mild diarrhea)
7. Type 7: Liquid consistency with no solid pieces (severe diarrhea)

How does stool consistency relate to color? Changes in stool consistency can sometimes coincide with color changes. For example, diarrhea may result in greener stools due to rapid transit time, while constipation might lead to darker stools as waste remains in the colon longer.

The Impact of Medications on Stool Color

Various medications can affect stool color, either directly through their ingredients or indirectly by altering digestive processes. Being aware of these potential effects can help you better interpret changes in stool appearance.

Common Medications That Affect Stool Color

• Iron supplements: Can cause dark green or black stools
• Bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol): May lead to black or dark stools
• Antibiotics: Can alter gut bacteria and potentially affect stool color
• Antacids containing aluminum hydroxide: May cause light-colored stools

Should you stop taking medications if they change your stool color? Generally, no. If you notice stool color changes after starting a new medication, consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your regimen. In most cases, medication-induced color changes are harmless and resolve once the medication is discontinued.

Digestive Disorders and Their Effects on Stool Color

Various digestive disorders can impact stool color, often providing valuable clues about underlying health issues. Understanding these connections can help in the early detection and management of digestive problems.

Common Digestive Disorders Affecting Stool Color

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): May cause bloody or tarry stools
• Celiac Disease: Can lead to pale, fatty stools
• Liver Disease: Often results in pale or clay-colored stools
• Pancreatic Disorders: May cause light-colored, greasy stools

How can stool color help diagnose digestive disorders? While stool color alone is not diagnostic, it can provide important clues that guide further investigation. Healthcare providers often consider stool color in conjunction with other symptoms and diagnostic tests to reach an accurate diagnosis.

The Importance of Regular Stool Monitoring

Regularly monitoring your stool color and consistency can provide valuable insights into your digestive health and overall well-being. By being aware of what’s normal for you, you’ll be better equipped to identify potentially concerning changes.

Tips for Effective Stool Monitoring

• Pay attention to your stool color and consistency regularly
• Keep a log of any persistent changes or abnormalities
• Note any dietary changes or new medications that coincide with stool changes
• Don’t hesitate to discuss concerns with your healthcare provider

How often should you check your stool? While there’s no need to scrutinize every bowel movement, it’s a good idea to be generally aware of your stool appearance. If you notice persistent changes or have specific health concerns, you may want to monitor more closely for a period of time.

Promoting Healthy Digestion and Normal Stool Color

Maintaining good digestive health can help ensure normal stool color and consistency. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits and dietary practices, you can support optimal digestive function and potentially reduce the occurrence of concerning stool changes.

Tips for Promoting Digestive Health

• Eat a balanced diet rich in fiber
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• Exercise regularly to promote healthy bowel movements
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques or mindfulness practices
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption and smoking

Can probiotics help maintain normal stool color? While probiotics are generally beneficial for digestive health, their direct impact on stool color is limited. However, by promoting a healthy gut microbiome, probiotics may indirectly contribute to more consistent and normal stool appearance.

In conclusion, understanding the various factors that influence stool color can provide valuable insights into your digestive health. While many color changes are benign and related to diet or medications, persistent or concerning changes should prompt a discussion with your healthcare provider. By staying informed and attentive to your body’s signals, you can take a proactive approach to maintaining your digestive well-being.

What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?

Written by Hope Cristol

• What Do Different Stool Colors Mean?
• Normal Poop Color
• Green Poop
• Yellow Poop
• White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Poop
• Black Poop
• Red or Reddish Poop
• Orange Poop
• When to Get Help for Poop Color Changes
• More

Different stool colors can mean different things, mostly depending on what you’ve eaten.

You’d probably notice if your poop is a different hue than normal. But what does it mean if it’s green? What about red, yellow, white, or black? Or orange?

Most of the time, minor changes in the color of your waste are due to diet. After all, we don’t eat the same thing at every meal, every day. But sometimes a color change can signal a minor health issue. In rare cases, it means something serious is wrong in your digestive system.

If the color you see before you flush worries you, call your doctor.

Poop is normally brown. The color is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool.

Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green color. But as the pigments that give bile its color travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Your poop can sometimes have a slightly greenish hue, or even be a more vivid green. Most of the time, green or greenish poop is normal.

Is your diet causing green poop?

Think back on what you’ve been eating. These foods and supplements can cause your poop to be green:

• Green veggies, like spinach or kale
• Green food coloring, such as in drink mixes or ice pops
• Iron supplements

Other causes of green poop

If you have green diarrhea, the color of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat-digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown.

There may be times when your poop looks more yellow than brown.

This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Is your diet causing yellow poop?

Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop. If you have celiac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have the condition and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should. So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.

Other causes of yellow poop

There may be other causes of yellow poop that’s greasy and smelly. If it happens to you often, tell your doctor.

Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all.

Is your diet causing pale poop?

If your poop is pale, it’s not likely directly due to a food. But medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can sometimes cause pale or clay-colored poop. So can barium, a chalky liquid you drink before you get X-rays of the upper part of your digestive tract.

Other causes of pale poop

A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. (Remember, bile gives poop its brown color.) Your body makes bile in the liver, stores it in the gallbladder, and releases it into your small intestine to help digest your food. If there’s not enough of it to give your poop its typical brown color, it could be a sign of a problem along the way.

Liver disease, such as hepatitis, can keep bile from getting into your body waste. So can a blockage in the tubes (called ducts) that carry bile. This can happen because of:

• Gallstones
• A tumor
• A condition you’re born with called biliary atresia

Babies’ poop is black for the first few days after they’re born. Otherwise, it may be because you ate something very dark-colored or took a medicine or supplement that causes black poop. But this color can be a sign of a more serious problem: bleeding in the upper part of your digestive tract.

Is your diet causing black poop?

Foods and supplements that turn poop black include:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements

Medicines that have bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can also cause very dark stools.

Other causes of black poop

Poop that looks like tar is often a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Some causes include:

• Bleeding from stomach ulcers
• Bleeding sores in your esophagus from acid reflux
• Bleeding from noncancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If you don’t think black poop came from what you ate, you need to talk to your doctor.

If you see red or reddish poop in the toilet, don’t be alarmed right away. First ask yourself if you’ve had red foods lately.

Is your diet causing red or reddish poop?

Several foods can change the color of your stool to a pink or reddish color:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Gelatin dessert
• Red drinks

Other causes of red or reddish poop

If you don’t think your diet is the cause, the red you see may be blood. And if it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. Common causes include:

• Noncancerous tumors
• Cancer
• Inflammation in the colon, called colitis
• Growths called polyps in your colon
• Conditions caused by small sacs in the wall of the colon, called diverticular disease
• Hemorrhoids

Call your doctor if you see red that’s probably not from food you ate.

Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Is your diet causing orange poop?

Foods that have beta-carotene can turn your poop orange, such as:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes

Foods with orange coloring, such as sodas, candy, or gelatin dessert, can also give your poop an orange color.

Also, antibiotics and antacids that have aluminum hydroxide in them can make your stool orange.

Other causes of orange poop

Rarely, poop can be orange if you have a problem with your liver that causes it to make less bile than normal, or a blockage that keeps bile from leaving the liver and entering your system. But usually, if this is the case, your poop will be pale or clay-colored.

Most of the time, poop that’s a different color from what you’re used to isn’t something to worry about. It’s rare for it to be a sign of a serious condition in your digestive system. But if it’s white, bright red, or black, and you don’t think it’s from something you ate, call your doctor.

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What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?

Written by Hope Cristol

• What Do Different Stool Colors Mean?
• Normal Poop Color
• Green Poop
• Yellow Poop
• White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Poop
• Black Poop
• Red or Reddish Poop
• Orange Poop
• When to Get Help for Poop Color Changes
• More

Different stool colors can mean different things, mostly depending on what you’ve eaten.

You’d probably notice if your poop is a different hue than normal. But what does it mean if it’s green? What about red, yellow, white, or black? Or orange?

Most of the time, minor changes in the color of your waste are due to diet. After all, we don’t eat the same thing at every meal, every day. But sometimes a color change can signal a minor health issue. In rare cases, it means something serious is wrong in your digestive system.

If the color you see before you flush worries you, call your doctor.

Poop is normally brown. The color is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool.

Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green color. But as the pigments that give bile its color travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Your poop can sometimes have a slightly greenish hue, or even be a more vivid green. Most of the time, green or greenish poop is normal.

Is your diet causing green poop?

Think back on what you’ve been eating. These foods and supplements can cause your poop to be green:

• Green veggies, like spinach or kale
• Green food coloring, such as in drink mixes or ice pops
• Iron supplements

Other causes of green poop

If you have green diarrhea, the color of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat-digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown.

There may be times when your poop looks more yellow than brown.

This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Is your diet causing yellow poop?

Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop. If you have celiac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have the condition and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should. So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.

Other causes of yellow poop

There may be other causes of yellow poop that’s greasy and smelly. If it happens to you often, tell your doctor.

Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all.

Is your diet causing pale poop?

If your poop is pale, it’s not likely directly due to a food. But medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can sometimes cause pale or clay-colored poop. So can barium, a chalky liquid you drink before you get X-rays of the upper part of your digestive tract.

Other causes of pale poop

A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. (Remember, bile gives poop its brown color.) Your body makes bile in the liver, stores it in the gallbladder, and releases it into your small intestine to help digest your food. If there’s not enough of it to give your poop its typical brown color, it could be a sign of a problem along the way.

Liver disease, such as hepatitis, can keep bile from getting into your body waste. So can a blockage in the tubes (called ducts) that carry bile. This can happen because of:

• Gallstones
• A tumor
• A condition you’re born with called biliary atresia

Babies’ poop is black for the first few days after they’re born. Otherwise, it may be because you ate something very dark-colored or took a medicine or supplement that causes black poop. But this color can be a sign of a more serious problem: bleeding in the upper part of your digestive tract.

Is your diet causing black poop?

Foods and supplements that turn poop black include:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements

Medicines that have bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can also cause very dark stools.

Other causes of black poop

Poop that looks like tar is often a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Some causes include:

• Bleeding from stomach ulcers
• Bleeding sores in your esophagus from acid reflux
• Bleeding from noncancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If you don’t think black poop came from what you ate, you need to talk to your doctor.

If you see red or reddish poop in the toilet, don’t be alarmed right away. First ask yourself if you’ve had red foods lately.

Is your diet causing red or reddish poop?

Several foods can change the color of your stool to a pink or reddish color:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Gelatin dessert
• Red drinks

Other causes of red or reddish poop

If you don’t think your diet is the cause, the red you see may be blood. And if it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. Common causes include:

• Noncancerous tumors
• Cancer
• Inflammation in the colon, called colitis
• Growths called polyps in your colon
• Conditions caused by small sacs in the wall of the colon, called diverticular disease
• Hemorrhoids

Call your doctor if you see red that’s probably not from food you ate.

Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Is your diet causing orange poop?

Foods that have beta-carotene can turn your poop orange, such as:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes

Foods with orange coloring, such as sodas, candy, or gelatin dessert, can also give your poop an orange color.

Also, antibiotics and antacids that have aluminum hydroxide in them can make your stool orange.

Other causes of orange poop

Rarely, poop can be orange if you have a problem with your liver that causes it to make less bile than normal, or a blockage that keeps bile from leaving the liver and entering your system. But usually, if this is the case, your poop will be pale or clay-colored.

Most of the time, poop that’s a different color from what you’re used to isn’t something to worry about. It’s rare for it to be a sign of a serious condition in your digestive system. But if it’s white, bright red, or black, and you don’t think it’s from something you ate, call your doctor.

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What does dark stool mean?

• Main page

• beauty

• Health

Contents

• Cal. normal color
• Why does feces turn black?

A person who monitors the state of his body often pays attention to the color of urine and feces. It is these secretions that can become indicators of the changes taking place in it. For example, sometimes the question may arise: what does dark-colored feces mean? Let’s try to find an answer to it.

Cal. Normal color

Discoloration of stool can occur for various reasons. In humans, feces that are yellowish-brown to dark brown are considered normal. One of the most common reasons for its darkening is certain foods, as well as the level of bile content. For example, as a result of a violation of the outflow of bile, stool becomes light in color.

Why does stool turn black?

The appearance of black stool, as a rule, causes anxiety in a person and a desire to know the reason for such changes. There are a number of reasons why stool color may change.

• Eating “colored” foods that cause staining of feces (and such changes can be observed within 3 days). These products include:

prunes

beets

red grapes

black pudding.

If you have consumed any of the above on the eve of the appearance of black feces, you must exclude them from the diet for 4-5 days. If after that the feces remain black, then the reason lies elsewhere.

• This type of change may occur with certain medications. These are iron-containing agents (Sorbifer, Ferrum Lek, Aktiferrin, Maltofer and others), taking activated black carbon and bismuth preparations.

If a change in the color of the feces occurs while taking these drugs, then this is not a contraindication. Consultation with your doctor will help dispel all doubts.

• The appearance of dark stools may be a sign of bleeding in the esophagus, stomach ulcers, stomach cancer, etc. Black feces are called “melena”.

It is important to know that the presence of serious internal pathologies can be indicated not only by the dark color of the stool, but also by the appearance of pain in the epigastric region, weakness, nausea, and vomiting.

One more nuance should be noted. The cause of bleeding in people suffering from duodenal ulcers or stomach ulcers may be antiplatelet agents (aspirin, cardiomagnyl) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The drugs themselves do not turn the stool black, but they can cause bleeding that will turn the stool black.

If you have dark stools for several days (it is necessary to exclude the reason for taking colored products), you should consult a doctor and take tests.

Tags:

• cal
• color

What color is menstrual flow in a healthy girl?

What color is menstruation?

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question of what color menstruation should be. The shade of menstrual blood can be very different. And it’s not just the individual characteristics of each organism. Often the color changes even during one menstruation. The discharge is usually red, brown, or dark brown. Their shade depends on hormonal fluctuations and other factors related to women’s health. Let’s take a closer look at what normal periods can be.

What is the color of the first period?

Many girls who have just entered puberty are interested in what color their period is and how to find out what it is. Menstruation usually begins for the first time between the ages of 9 and 15. ¹ The color of the first menses is normally reddish or brownish. Usually the discharge is not too intense, so you may only notice a few dark spots on your underwear.

What color is the discharge on the first and subsequent days of menstruation?

Normal periods usually last 3-5 days. During this time, the color of menstrual flow can change significantly. Don’t worry! In most cases, this is completely normal.

On the first day. At the onset of menstruation, many girls and adult women develop a characteristic dark, thick discharge in the form of smears. This is due to the fact that the discharge of an unfertilized egg during menstruation does not occur immediately, but gradually. As a rule, dark discharge lasts no more than a day.

In the middle of menses. Usually the color of blood during menstruation is red. The shade can vary from quite bright to dark. Often the color depends on the amount of blood lost. With scanty monthly discharge, it is often dark, with abundant – red or burgundy. They may contain mucus and small clots. Bright scarlet menstrual blood in the first 1-3 days (but not longer!) Is also considered normal.

In the last days of menstruation. By the fourth day of menstruation, the discharge should become darker and thicker. At the end of menstruation, within 3 days, you may notice the appearance of brown smears on the underwear. So the uterus is completely cleared of all “unnecessary”. During this period, you can use panty liners such as Carefree®.

Why does my menstrual flow change color?

The color changes because the discharge is a combination of menstrual blood, vaginal secretions and flaking uterine lining (those are the same clots that you might notice when changing hygiene products). On different days of menstruation, their composition and consistency are not the same. As you already know, on the very first and last days, the color of normal periods is dark, the rest of the time it is red or brownish. The reason for the change in the color of menstrual flow can be hormonal fluctuations, oral contraceptives, stress, hypothermia, pregnancy, various diseases.

When should a change in the color of your period alert you?

The color of menstrual blood should not change suddenly from cycle to cycle. For example, if you usually have enough red discharge, and now during your period they have become unexpectedly dark, almost black, this is an occasion to at least take a closer look at your well-being. You should be especially alert to a sudden change in the color or consistency of your menstrual flow that coincides with the onset of other symptoms, such as:

• increase or decrease in the duration of the menstrual cycle;
• the appearance of severe pain in the lower abdomen;
• frequent and/or uncomfortable urination;
• itching and burning in the perineum;
• the acquisition of secretions of an unpleasant putrid odor.

Any of the above signs may indicate inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive system, so they should not be ignored. In addition, you should be alerted to “unscheduled” discharge in the middle of the cycle, even if they are similar to your regular periods. It does not matter what color they are – brown or bright scarlet – in this case, you must definitely go to the doctor. ²

If you feel that the color of your menstrual blood has suddenly changed and you are worried about it, you should consult a gynecologist. The doctor will listen to your complaints, conduct an examination and, if necessary, prescribe an additional examination.

Literature

1. Nikitina I.L., Bairamov A.A., Khoduleva Yu.N. and others
   Kisspeptins in the physiology and pathology of sexual development – ​​new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities V.A. Almazov» of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg
   Reviews of clinical pharmacology and drug therapy.