Colors of poop can indicate a number of illnesses, suggesting specific, possible problems that may need attention. Stop being puzzled by amorphous colors of bowel movements. By learning how to scan the specific color indicators, you can read the poop colors and might avoid minor issues. You can too learn when you should see your doctor about issues with your digestion.
As you probably know, the normal color of stool is brown. Them may vary slightly from time to time depending on what you eat, but a sudden color change for no obvious reason can be a warning sign. So let’s find out what’s what.
1. Poop is light in color
You probably need to go get your liver checked out, explains Watson.”Bile is produced in the liver and is what gives your poop the brown color that it should be. As your poop is light, the liver Is not producing enough bile, which means your body isn’t detoxifying well.” After consulting with a doctor, Watson says to try to work dandelion into your diet, since preliminary research has suggested the plant can help naturally detox the liver.
2. Poop is green
Green poop could mean that you are just eating lots of leafy green vegetables. But sometimes the deep green color signals that food is moving too quickly through your digestive system, says Austin. “Bile’s natural color has a green tint to it, so when it is coming out in your stool, that means the body did not have enough time to process them into the brown color that it should be.”
3. Poop is yellow
Seeing yellow poop in the toilet Is not pleasant. It is generally especially foul-smelling, and that’s because it is made up of excess fat, possibly due to a malabsorption disorder like celiac disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. To find out if gluten is causing your bowel issues, contact your doc: Since celiac affects 1 in 100 people worldwide, it’s incredibly common and would only require following a gluten-free diet.
4. Poop is black
The color could signal some sort of internal bleeding high in your GI tract, says Charles Austin, health educator, fitness coach, and author of The Toilet Book. According to Austin, the blood is darker than the usual red hue because it’s been processed and moved through the digestive system along with the rest of your food. Of course, dark poop could just be a harmless side effect of taking iron supplements (the mineral is naturally black in color), or prescribed medications, like anti-depressants, codeine, or oxycontin. It is best to call up the doc, if you are diffident.
5. Poop is Red
It could be a bunch of different things. You might’ve just “pushed too hard,” which can sometimes lead to a small tear in the lining of the anal canal (and is generally NBD, as long as the bleeding doesn’t persist). If there’s less than a half teaspoon of blood and it’s accompanied by some pain and discomfort down there, Watson says the bleeding is probably caused by internal hemorrhoids and needs to be checked out. Or, it could mean you have bleeding somewhere on your colon or lower digestive tract, so get it checked out either way, says Austin.
6. Poop is brown and banana shape
Good news. According to Watson, the ideal stool has about 75 percent water and 25 percent bacteria and fiber. So, if your poop is a rich brown color, approximately one foot long, and has a toothpaste consistency, you’re getting all the fiber you need in your diet and things are running smoothly in your digestive system, says Watson.
7. Poop floats
Does your poop always seem to float to the top of the bowl? There’s a reason for that. Floaters are typically due to a change in diet and being more gassy, says the Cleveland Clinic. But it could also mean your body Is not absorbing nutrients properly or you’ve a gastrointestinal infection. If your stools don’t return to normal, check with your doctor to be sure everything is working properly.
