What do different poop colors indicate. How can diet affect stool color. When should you be concerned about changes in stool color. What medical conditions can cause abnormal stool colors.

The Rainbow of Stool Colors: Understanding What’s Normal and What’s Not

The color of your stool can provide valuable insights into your digestive health and overall wellbeing. While variations in poop color are often harmless and related to diet, certain hues may signal underlying health issues that require medical attention. This comprehensive guide explores the spectrum of stool colors, their potential causes, and when you should consult a healthcare professional.

Brown: The Benchmark of Healthy Stools

Brown is the typical and healthy color for stools. This familiar hue results from the interaction between bile and the foods you consume as they pass through your digestive system. Bile, a yellowish-green fluid produced by the liver, plays a crucial role in fat digestion and undergoes chemical changes during the digestive process, ultimately turning brown.

What causes brown stools? The brown color is primarily due to the presence of bilirubin, a breakdown product of red blood cells, combined with bacterial action in the intestines. A consistent brown color generally indicates a well-functioning digestive system.

Green Stools: From Diet to Digestive Speed

Green stools, while sometimes alarming, are often benign and can be attributed to various factors. In many cases, green poop is simply a result of consuming green-colored foods or supplements.

Dietary Causes of Green Stools

• Leafy green vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale)
• Green food coloring in beverages or desserts
• Iron supplements

Is green poop always related to diet? Not necessarily. Sometimes, green stools can indicate that food is moving through the digestive tract too quickly. In these cases, bile doesn’t have sufficient time to break down completely, resulting in a greenish hue.

Other Factors Contributing to Green Stools

1. Certain medications
2. Bacterial infections
3. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
4. Celiac disease

When should you be concerned about green stools? If green stools persist for more than a few days without an apparent dietary cause, or if they’re accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal pain or fever, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider.

Yellow Stools: Potential Signs of Malabsorption

Yellow stools can range from normal to concerning, depending on their consistency and accompanying symptoms. While some yellow hues are harmless, others may indicate digestive issues.

What causes yellow stools? Yellow stools can result from various factors, including:

• Excess fat in the diet
• Celiac disease
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Giardiasis (a parasitic infection)

How can you distinguish between normal and problematic yellow stools? Pay attention to the consistency and odor. If your yellow stools are greasy, have a strong, foul smell, and float in the toilet bowl, it may indicate malabsorption or excess fat in the stool. These characteristics suggest that your body isn’t properly digesting and absorbing nutrients from food.

Celiac Disease and Yellow Stools

Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten consumption, can lead to yellow, fatty stools. If you suspect celiac disease, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and management.

White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Stools: Potential Liver and Biliary Issues

Stools that appear white, pale, or clay-colored can be a cause for concern, as they may indicate problems with bile production or flow. Bile, produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, is essential for proper digestion and gives stool its characteristic brown color.

What medical conditions can cause pale or clay-colored stools? Several conditions can lead to this unusual stool color:

• Hepatitis
• Gallstones
• Biliary cirrhosis
• Pancreatic cancer
• Sclerosing cholangitis

Are there non-medical causes of pale stools? Yes, certain medications can temporarily cause light-colored stools. These include:

1. Antidiarrheal medications containing bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate)
2. Barium sulfate, used in some diagnostic imaging procedures

When should you seek medical attention for pale stools? If pale or clay-colored stools persist for more than a day or two and are not related to medication use, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider promptly. This unusual stool color can be a sign of serious liver or biliary tract issues that require medical evaluation.

Black Stools: Distinguishing Between Benign and Serious Causes

Black stools can range from harmless to potentially life-threatening, depending on their cause. It’s essential to identify the source of black stools to determine whether medical intervention is necessary.

Benign Causes of Black Stools

What dietary factors can lead to black stools? Several foods and supplements can cause harmless black stools:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements
• Bismuth subsalicylate-containing medications (e.g., Pepto-Bismol)

Serious Causes of Black Stools

When should black stools be a cause for concern? Black, tarry stools (medically known as melena) can indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Potential causes include:

1. Gastric ulcers
2. Esophageal varices
3. Gastritis
4. Esophageal cancer
5. Stomach cancer

How can you distinguish between harmless black stools and melena? Melena typically has a distinct, foul odor and a sticky, tar-like consistency. If you experience black stools that aren’t attributable to diet or supplements, especially if accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal pain or fatigue, seek immediate medical attention.

Red or Reddish Stools: From Benign Beets to Bleeding Concerns

Red or reddish stools can be alarming, but they’re not always a sign of a serious problem. The key is to determine whether the red color is due to dietary factors or potential bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Dietary Causes of Red Stools

What foods can cause red stools? Several foods and beverages can lead to harmless red or reddish stools:

• Beets
• Red-colored gelatin desserts
• Tomato-based foods and sauces
• Red food dyes
• Cranberries

Medical Causes of Red Stools

When should red stools be a cause for concern? If red stools aren’t attributable to diet, they may indicate bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract. Potential causes include:

1. Hemorrhoids
2. Anal fissures
3. Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
4. Diverticular disease
5. Colorectal cancer

How can you distinguish between dietary-induced red stools and those caused by bleeding? Blood in the stool typically appears as bright red streaks or clots. If you notice this type of red coloration, especially if accompanied by pain, changes in bowel habits, or other concerning symptoms, seek medical attention promptly.

Orange Stools: Decoding the Unusual Hue

Orange stools, while less common than other colors, can occur due to various factors. Understanding the potential causes can help determine whether medical attention is necessary.

Dietary Causes of Orange Stools

What foods can lead to orange stools? Several dietary factors can contribute to orange-colored stools:

• Beta-carotene-rich foods (e.g., carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin)
• Artificial food colorings
• Certain medications (e.g., rifampin, sulfasalazine)

Medical Causes of Orange Stools

Can orange stools indicate a health problem? In some cases, orange stools may be a sign of underlying health issues:

1. Bile duct obstruction
2. Liver problems
3. Celiac disease
4. Short bowel syndrome

When should you be concerned about orange stools? If orange stools persist for more than a few days, are accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal pain or weight loss, or cannot be attributed to dietary factors, 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 temporary, certain situations warrant medical attention. Understanding when to consult a healthcare provider can help ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment of potential underlying health issues.

Red Flags for Stool Color Changes

What stool color changes require immediate medical attention? Seek help if you experience:

• Black, tarry stools not caused by medications or dietary factors
• Bright red blood in the stool
• Persistent white or clay-colored stools
• Persistent changes in stool color accompanied by other symptoms (e.g., abdominal pain, weight loss, fever)

Diagnostic Approaches for Abnormal Stool Colors

How do healthcare providers investigate unusual stool colors? Diagnostic approaches may include:

1. Detailed medical history and physical examination
2. Stool tests (e.g., fecal occult blood test, stool culture)
3. Blood tests to assess liver function and check for anemia
4. Imaging studies (e.g., CT scan, MRI)
5. Endoscopic procedures (e.g., colonoscopy, upper endoscopy)

Remember, while stool color can provide valuable insights into your health, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Always consult with a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and diagnosis of any persistent or concerning changes in your bowel movements.

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.