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What Causes Greenish Stool?

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Posted on Tue, 12 Jul 2016
Question: why is sometime my stool bowel movement green colored
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Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
This is ok.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

It's upsetting when stool has abnormal colors to it, but green is usually not a concerning color.

When stool is green it is usually due to green in food or drinks, such as from having eaten green leafy vegetables like XXXXXXX or spinach, or from eating/drinking things that have green food coloring in them.

If the transit time through the intestines is increased as can happen with diarrhea, the bile pigments, which are yellow-green, don't have time to break down, and so this can be another cause of green stool.

We do get concerned when stool has XXXXXXX bright red blood in it, or is black and tarry appearing (which can indicate bleeding from the stomach). Another concern is if stool is clay or khaki colored as this can mean that there is an obstruction in the exit from the liver/gall bladder such as from gall stones. Really bad smelling oily stool that keeps happening (not just one time) can be a sign of malabsorption such as from gluten or dairy intolerance.

So, green poop is usually ok unless you have other signs of illness.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.

Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3133 Questions

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What Causes Greenish Stool?

Brief Answer: This is ok. Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, It's upsetting when stool has abnormal colors to it, but green is usually not a concerning color. When stool is green it is usually due to green in food or drinks, such as from having eaten green leafy vegetables like XXXXXXX or spinach, or from eating/drinking things that have green food coloring in them. If the transit time through the intestines is increased as can happen with diarrhea, the bile pigments, which are yellow-green, don't have time to break down, and so this can be another cause of green stool. We do get concerned when stool has XXXXXXX bright red blood in it, or is black and tarry appearing (which can indicate bleeding from the stomach). Another concern is if stool is clay or khaki colored as this can mean that there is an obstruction in the exit from the liver/gall bladder such as from gall stones. Really bad smelling oily stool that keeps happening (not just one time) can be a sign of malabsorption such as from gluten or dairy intolerance. So, green poop is usually ok unless you have other signs of illness. I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.