What Your Stool Color Reveals About Your Health
What Your Stool Color Says About Your Digestive Health
Normal vs. Unusual Colors
Stool color and consistency offer clues about your digestive health.
Brown is standard, caused by bile breakdown.
Occasional changes are usually harmless, but persistent or extreme differences may signal issues.
Common Variations
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Green: Often from leafy greens, food coloring, or fast digestion; persistent green may suggest mild infection or stress-related digestion.
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Yellow: Greasy, foul-smelling stool may indicate fat malabsorption or bile problems, linked to the gallbladder or pancreas.
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Black: Can result from iron supplements, but tar-like black stool may indicate upper digestive tract bleeding.
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Red: Sometimes from foods like beets, but unexplained red stool may signal lower intestinal bleeding.
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Pale or clay-colored: Suggests low bile output or liver/gallbladder issues.
Other Signs & Care
White specks or excess mucus could indicate parasites or inflammation.
Maintaining hydration, a high-fiber diet, and monitoring changes helps protect digestive health.
Persistent changes should be evaluated by a physician.
