

Some medications, like those containing barium, can cause pale stools. If what you’ve consumed isn’t the culprit, red stools may mean hemorrhoids, a polyp, diverticulitis or sometimes can indicate colon cancer. Some foods - such as beets, tomatoes and food colorings- can cause red stools. Before you panic about seeing red poop, think about what you’ve eaten or had to drink in the past 24 hours. It may also mean that food is moving too quickly through your large intestine and is common in people with conditions like colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Green stool can also be a sign of food poisoning. If you’ve been eating a lot of leafy green vegetables or foods with green food coloring, your stool may be greener than usual.

Black bowel movements also can be caused by high levels of iron intake. This bleeding could be related to ulcers in the stomach or duodenum, cancer in the stomach or small intestine and overuse of medications like high-dose aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium that can erode the intestine. If you haven’t taken Pepto Bismol (which can change your poop to black), a dark stool can indicate bleeding in your upper gastrointestinal tract that changes color as it moves through the intestines. This indicates a potential blockage in the bile duct obstructing the flow of bile into the lumen and mixing with stool so that it looks like clay, pale and colorless.īlack. The liver breaks down red blood cells in the body and produces bile, which contains bilirubin (a pigment compound) and is responsible for the coloration. Brown is the most normal poop color - ranging from light brown to fairly dark brown. Sometimes, the color of your stool can be a sign that something is wrong, with potential issues including:īrown. The color of your stool can vary daily, depending on what you’ve eaten and any medications you’ve taken. This may be a warning sign that signals something is amiss with your digestive health or diet. You should know what your normal is and take note of any changes in your stool color, consistency and frequency. Types 1 and 2 stools are considered constipation, while Types 6 and 7 are considered diarrhea.

