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What Are The Explanations Behind Having Green Stool And Is It Normal To Have It?

Are you surprised because, in the bathroom, you noticed you have green stool? Don’t go into panic mode yet, as there may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for that. Occasionally noting greenish feces once in a while is normal, and should not cause alarm on your part. Read on to find out a few factors what could be causing that sudden change in your stool’s coloration.

Before anything else, it’s important to learn about bile – what it is and what it does. It’s because this liquid substance is also responsible for giving feces its characteristic brown coloring. Bile is important in fat digestion and processing of vitamins that are fat soluble. It’s produced in the liver, and secreted into the intestines to mix with the food you eat. But turns from green, to yellow, to brown as it passes along the intestinal tract. That’s why stools are usually brown.

If you’re having diarrhea or LBM, it’s probable that you notice greenish stools. That’s because food is moving through the digestive tract quicker than normal. And the bile that’s mixed with food in your intestines won’t have sufficient time to change from green to brown. This quicker movement of the intestinal contents is called “rapid transit” or “decreased colonic transit time”.

Another one of the probable causes could be eating dark green leafy vegetables. Spinach, broccoli, kale and the like contain chlorophyll, which is of the same color. Food items containing green coloring may also yield the same result. Some examples are instant juices, gelatins, candies, popsicles, etc. Sometimes, even those other artificial colorings, such as purple, can lead to greenish feces. Do take note of what goes into your mouth for you to rule out other causative factors.

There are also certain medications or food supplements known to cause stools to turn green. Before panicking, think about what pill you recently popped. For example, iron food supplement can give this distinctive tinge to your feces. Even multivitamins containing the substance may yield the same result.

The causes of such coloration of stools are wide ranging. Laxative use is one, which causes rapid movement of food through the intestines, as earlier discussed. Food poisoning and bacterial overgrowth in the digestive tract are another. There are also many diseases involving the abdominal area and digestive tract that could cause this distinct coloration. They include celiac disease, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and others.

It’s not just the green color that stools may take on at times. Again, food items which use artificial colorants may directly affect the stools’ color, especially if you consume lots of such item. But there are certain instances when you should become very suspicious. Red or black feces may be an indicator of the presence of blood. It’s essential that you’re able to point out right away whether or not it’s just because of the food items you consume.

If other symptoms accompany your having green stool, consult your doctor immediately. For example, if you’re having diarrhea and weakness begins to set in, then it can be due to dehydration. In addition, noticeable changes in toilet habits may indicate some serious health problems. Diseases like cancer often can be diagnosed with noticeable changes bowel movement.

If you have been surprised by finding green stool after a bowel movement, don’t panic, it may be something harmless. Green poop typically has a logical and simple explanation.