Why Is Poop Green? An Answer To One Of Life's Big Questions, And What It Means For Your Health
Quick. What is the most commonly Googled question around the world (in English)? Why do men have nipples? How many stars are in the sky? What is twerking? Nope! Apparently, most people run to Google to ask: Why is my poop green? First of all, don’t worry if your occasional bowel movement is green. It most likely means your poop is moving too fast through your digestive tract. However, if it becomes a regular thing there may be something wrong and you should definitely see a doctor.
Stool is usually brown due to bilirubin, a substance made from hemoglobin that is produced when the liver processes dead, used-up red blood cells and gets them ready for secretion. Bilirubin starts off as yellow before it is secreted from the liver as bile, which is yellow/green. When bile makes its way through the small intestine, it digest fats by breaking down lipid molecules into fatty acids. So while all of this waste product is making its way down the digestive tract, still yellowish green, bilirubin is broken down by gut bacteria, which turns it colorless, before reacting with oxygen to turn it brown. If this process happens too fast, your poop will remain that yellow/green color.
Your stool can actually come out in a variety of colors. For example, black poop may indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, most likely the stomach. It could be caused by iron supplements, Pepto-Bismol, or (oddly enough) black licorice. Light-colored, white, or clay-colored poop usually means a lack of bile in your stool or bile duct obstruction. Possible dietary causes include certain medications like anti-diarrheal drugs. Red poop (hint: there may be something wrong) could mean bleeding in the lower intestinal tract, most likely the large intestine or rectum, and often points to hemorrhoids.