Did you notice you had green stool upon going to the toilet earlier today? There’s no need to panic yet because there may be a completely valid explanation for it. Feces that are greenish in color once in a while may be normal, and you’re not the only one. Continue reading to learn a few reasons behind that sudden shift in your stool’s color.
Before everything else, it’s important to learn what bile is, including its functions and actions. It’s because bile is also responsible for giving stools their color. This green substance is produced in the liver. It’s released into the intestines to help in emulsification of fats, as well as for efficient processing of fat-soluble vitamins. As it moves through the intestines with the food you eat, it changes color. From being green, it becomes yellow. Eventually it ends up brown – giving feces their characteristic color.
When you’re suffering from diarrhea, it’s not unlikely for you to note greenish coloration of feces. This is because food has moved through the intestines faster than normal. Because of this, the bile contents haven’t completely made that color transition from green to brown. Such fast movement of food in the intestinal area is referred to as “rapid transit” or “decreased bowel 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.
Some medicines or dietary supplements may also cause your feces to take on a greenish shade. So before going into panic mode, mull over on what pill you just popped. One example is taking iron supplements. Such will definitely give a greenish tinge to stools. It’s also likely to get the same result when taking multivitamins with iron.
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.
Feces can take on other colors as well, aside from its characteristic brown shade. One of the reasons behind such is, again, consuming items with food coloring. However, there are certain stool colors that you should be wary of. For instance, black or red feces may indicate presence of blood. It’s important to investigate right away if it’s just brought about by food coloring.
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 frightened by finding green stool after a bowel movement, don’t panic, it may be something relatively minor. Green poop typically has a logical and simple explanation.
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