Understanding the color of your stool might not be the most glamorous aspect of health, but it can be immensely beneficial knowing the essential indicators of your overall well-being.
While minor changes are common, the hue of your bowel movements can provide significant insights into your digestive health. Pattern changes can reflect everything from minor dietary adjustments to more serious underlying health conditions. Knowing what is normal for your body and recognizing deviations can help you maintain a healthy digestive system. We break it down and walk you through what each color means, like your very own poop color chart guide.
Minor Changes Are Normal; Other Times Can Be Due to a Digestive Issue
It’s important to note that stool color can vary naturally from day to day. Often, these changes are harmless and can be attributed to your dietary habits, medications, and the presence of bile due to its pigmentation. However, if the change is significant, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, it could indicate a more serious issue. Each color of poop represents different potential health concerns (or foods) that may be causing your stool to change in color.
What the Different Colors of Poop Mean: The Poop Color Chart Breakdown
Brown (Healthy) Poop
Kimberly Flores, Nurse Practitioner and CEO of Sophrosyne Health, states, “[A] healthy stool is typically going to be brown due to the presence of bile, which is produced in the liver.” This hue is the result of bile, a fluid produced by the liver, which is released into the small intestine to aid in digestion and fat absorption. Initially, bile is yellowish-green, but as it travels through the digestive system, it undergoes chemical changes that transform it into the brown color we see in stools. This color change is a sign that your digestive system is functioning properly. “Variations in brown can occur, but other colors might indicate issues, she says.” Because multiple shades of brown can occur, not knowing what is healthy and what may be the cause of a potential issue can be confusing. Dehydration, for example, can have different levels of severity and, while still brown, can significantly affect the color. Flores explains, “When the body is dehydrated, it tries to conserve water, leading to a reduction in the amount of water available in the intestines. This causes the stool to become harder and drier. Dehydrated stools often appear darker brown than normal because as water is reabsorbed from the stool in the colon, it becomes more concentrated with waste materials like bile, which can darken the color. In severe cases, dehydration can lead to very dark brown or even black stools.”
Green Poop
Green stools can occur when food moves through the digestive tract too quickly, not allowing enough time for bile to break down entirely during digestion. It can also indicate a potential bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection in the gut. However, eating certain foods like leafy greens (spinach and kale), chlorophyll supplements, or foods with green food coloring can also result in green stool.
Yellow Poop
Yellow stools, especially if they have a greasy appearance and foul odor, can indicate a diet high in fatty foods (known as steatorrhea). Alternatively, it could also be due to malabsorption. Malabsorption occurs when your digestive system is unable to break down nutrients properly. This can be due to food intolerances (like lactose and gluten), illnesses, or conditions affecting the gut. In addition to consuming fatty foods, foods rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, can also turn your stool yellow.
Pale/Clay-Colored Poop
Pale or clay-colored stools may not be as common as some of the other colors, but they can still occur and are caused by certain medications, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) or barium, a liquid consumed before getting an X-ray of the GI tract. More seriously, they may indicate a lack of bile in the stool, which could be a sign of gallbladder, liver, or pancreas issues. Conditions like gallbladder disease, hepatitis, and pancreatitis can reduce bile production and lead to this color change.
Black Poop
Black stools can be alarming in certain situations. It might be something as simple as taking Pepto-Bismol, iron supplements, or charcoal. However, it can also be a sign of bleeding in the upper digestive tract, such as from stomach ulcers or esophageal bleeding due to acid reflux. If you notice black stools, especially with accompanying symptoms like bleeding, you should seek medical attention immediately. On the contrary, eating dark foods like blueberries and black licorice can also turn your stools black, but this is mostly harmless.
Red Poop
Red stools can be equally concerning. Blood in the stool can be caused by GI conditions like hemorrhoids, anal fissures, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colon cancer, or diverticular disease. The bleeding almost always originates from the lower digestive tract. There are also a number of red foods that like to leave their stain on everything- even bowel movements. Foods like beets, strawberries, red food coloring, and tomato-based products (i.e., soup and juice) can turn your stool red, so before you panic, think about your diet the past few days and go from there.
While the color of your bowel movements provides critical insights into your digestive health, it’s important to consider your stool’s size, shape, and consistency. Experts use the Bristol Stool Chart to help patients determine what type of stool they’re having. While Types 1 and 2 present hard, lumpy (constipated) stools, Types 5, 6, and 7 are the opposite: very soft, eventually turning liquid (diarrhea). The ideal type you want your stools to be at is right in the middle at Types 3 and 4, which are solid, formed, yet easy to pass.
How Long Should I Wait Before I Seek Treatment?
It entirely depends on your situation and the severity of your bowel movement. Flores says, “If the bowel movements which were normal and you notice that they are starting to change color like becoming red when you have not eaten any food that would cause red stools or you notice that your stools are becoming pale, you should not wait [to] schedule an appointment to see a medical provider.” She also recommends seeing a doctor for any changes in consistency. Having neither constipation nor diarrhea for more than a few days is healthy, and it can actually become dangerous if not treated. Some other signs you should seek medical attention include an overabundance of mucous in the stool, blood in the stool, or a thin and pencil-like stool.
The Takeaway on the Poop Color Chart
Awareness of your stool’s color, consistency, and shape is an important aspect of maintaining digestive health. While minor changes in stool color are often harmless and related to diet, persistent or significant changes can signal more serious health issues. Remember, your poop is a key indicator of your overall health—don’t ignore what it might be telling you.