So What Can We Learn from Stool Color?
Brown is the standard color for bowel movements, but it’s not the only possible hue. If your stool appears in a different color, it might be worth investigating. While it’s probably harmless, it’s wise to be cautious. Unlike a machine, where you can peek under the hood to check its operation, your body reveals its health status through what you excrete. Let’s explore what some common “alternative” stool colors can indicate.
Green Stool
Green stool is generally not a cause for alarm; it’s often related to something you ate. Foods rich in chlorophyll, like kale and spinach, can give your stool a green tint. Certain supplements or types of algae can also result in green stool.
If you’re confident that food isn’t the cause, consider potential digestive issues. The liver produces green bile to break down fats. As stool moves from the small intestine to the colon, it should change color from green to yellow to brown. Green stool could mean that food is moving through your digestive system too quickly, preventing the color change from completing.
It’s also important to note that infants have faster bowel transit times than adults. Green stool is common in breastfeeding infants and usually isn’t a concern.
White Stool
Mucus is the most common reason for white stool, and it’s not unusual. Mucus helps trap bacteria and aids waste passage through the colon. If the white stool disintegrates in water, it’s likely just mucus. It can also indicate a rapid bowel transit time. However, serious concerns like kidney issues or problems in the biliary system can also cause white stool.
Yellow Stool
Yellow stool, like green stool, is common and benign in newborns and will usually pass without issue. However, yellow stool is not normal for adults unless you have consumed a significant amount of yellow food coloring recently. In adults, yellow stool may indicate problems with organs such as the stomach, liver, large intestine, or small intestine. It’s advisable to consult a health professional promptly.
Red Stool
A reddish stool can signal several things, the most important being the presence of blood. The shade of red can provide clues about its source. Bright red stool may be due to hemorrhoids or an anal fissure. Other reasons for red stool include the consumption of foods like beets and blueberries or excessive iron intake.
Other Stool Colors
Dark black stool can indicate bleeding in the upper digestive tract and requires immediate medical attention. Dark brown stool may result from consuming red wine, excessive salt, or insufficient vegetable intake.
