In a healthy adult, the color of stool is brown, with variations in shades. The color is due to the presence of stercoblin pigment; depending on its concentration, the color can be darker or lighter.

This indicator is greatly influenced by diet, as well as taking certain medications, especially those that contain iron. Unnatural greenish-black, red, gray and other shades are signs of the presence of ulcers, pancreatitis, hepatitis and other diseases.

If you detect dark stool, you need to carefully analyze your diet over the past few days. Black stool resulting from the use of medications and foods does not cause any harm to health and does not require treatment.

Within a few days, the color of the stool should normalize, provided that provoking foods are excluded from the diet. In this article we will determine whether black feces are a sign of something dangerous in an adult or not.

Why black stool occurs: dangerous reasons

What does it mean? Black stool is a characteristic symptom of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Hemoglobin is exposed to acids and bacteria, which turns the stool black. If you have a diagnosed gastrointestinal disease or there are no other reasons for your stool turning black, call an ambulance immediately.

What causes black stool in adults?

In a healthy person, black feces may appear due to the fact that he has eaten large quantities of foods that contain a coloring fat-soluble substance. These include:

• black pudding;
• liver;
• red beets;
• meat products containing an admixture of animal blood;
• tomatoes;
• black currant;
• prunes.

In adults, this phenomenon can also be observed after consuming:

• chokeberry;
• blueberries;
• red grapes;
• grenade;
• red wine with added dyes.

Effect of medications

You should not think that in this case the feces must contain blood: in the digestive tract, blood is processed by enzymes and bacteria along with food, coagulates and changes color from red to black.

Typically, this cause of black stool is not accompanied by this symptom alone. ABOUT internal problems may also indicate one of the accompanying conditions of a person:

• temperature;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• pale skin;
• cold profuse sweat;
• enlarged and painful liver;
• stomach pain.

Also, internal bleeding may be indicated by the detection of occult blood during a stool test. If any of these symptoms occur in combination with the appearance of black stools, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Black stool during pregnancy, why?

As for pregnant women, all multivitamin complexes for pregnant women contain iron, which colors the stool. This is considered normal and does not require additional measures.

At the same time, doctors assure that this is how excess iron leaves the body, so you should not stop taking vitamins. The body simply absorbs the amount that mother and child need, and sends the excess to waste. In the following article you will learn why incontinence occurs. Therefore, if no other symptoms are observed, then there is no need to worry, and in order to calm yourself down, you just need to stop taking vitamins for a couple of days and make sure that your stool returns to normal.

It’s another matter if black feces during pregnancy are not associated with vitamins. In this case, you need to urgently consult a doctor to get all the necessary tests.

What to do with such a problem?

Of course, before starting any therapeutic measures, you should find out why the stool turned black.

If the dark color of the stool is associated with the nature of the diet or taking medications, then there is no need for therapeutic measures. Also, you should not stop treatment with medications and exclude coloring products, because a change in stool color in this situation does not lead to any negative effect on the body.

Black stool itself is not dangerous. But it can signal serious problems in the body, even conditions that can lead to death in the absence of timely help.

On the other hand, everything is often explained by the banal consumption of certain foods, which color the feces in an unusual color. In any case, you shouldn’t “disdain” studying the state of your own stool, and even more so you shouldn’t ignore its changes.

Nature is wise - she has provided a whole system of signals and markers that should make a person think about whether everything is okay with him.

What does black-green stool mean?

Black-green feces always indicate trouble in the human body. Thus, liquid black-green stool (diarrhea) most often indicates an intestinal infection or other infectious disease. Very often, dysentery begins with black-green diarrhea.

Such black-green diarrhea at the very beginning of the development of the disease may not be combined with a rise in temperature, abdominal pain, nausea and other symptoms of infection. But gradually, the listed clinical symptoms of infection will join the liquid stool, colored black and green.

Therefore, as soon as a person notices the discharge of black-green liquid stool, it is necessary to urgently seek medical help and not wait for the temperature to appear, since the condition will worsen in the future, and the infectious disease will still require treatment.

What do black dots in stool mean?

Black dots in stool look like inclusions, grains, thin threads, grains or grains of sand. All these options are usually called black dots. Such clear black inclusions in stool are almost always partially digested or completely undigested solid particles of food or medications.

Thus, kiwi, raspberry, currant seeds, pieces of grape seeds, particles of seed husks, poppy seeds, etc. can appear as black dots in feces.

The following foods most often lead to the appearance of black spots in the stool of children and adults:

• persimmon;
• banana;
• apple;
• kiwi.

For example, when eating bananas, small black threads that look like worms may appear in the stool; this is especially common in children.

It can cause real panic in an unprepared person. The first thing that comes to mind is the thought of poisoning, or even a tumor in the intestines or stomach. What actually causes the change in the color of excrement?

Possible reasons

Colors are a reason to think about your health. Doctors say that feces serve as a kind of indicator of the condition of the body. Of course, the reason may be quite harmless. Everyone knows that the basis of feces is the food we eat - it is this that largely determines their color. You've probably noticed more than once that beets turn the contents of the toilet bowl dark red. As for the green color, you may have eaten a product that contained an excess of green dye. By the way, dark green feces are often observed in vegetarians: the culprit is fresh greens, which form the basis of their diet.

Baby feces

I have a small cold, or teething, or a tummy ache. Therefore, any changes in the color and consistency of feces in babies cause fair concern among parents. Often the first impulse is to grab the child in his arms and run to the doctor. However, you shouldn't do this. Do not forget that the little man’s body is still developing. Dark green stool in a baby can be caused by artificial feeding - this means that the milk formula you give him is not suitable in composition. Try replacing it with a similar product from another manufacturer. Another fairly common reason is dysbiosis. This disease is a real scourge among infants. It is caused by and is almost always accompanied by intestinal problems. It is natural that this affects the condition of feces.

Dark green stool in an adult

This phenomenon is observed not only in infants, but also in adults. It is not difficult to guess that it is - one way or another - connected with the state of the digestive system. Perhaps the person has impaired absorption of iron into the intestines. You accept. Then there is no doubt - this is the reason. In addition, a strange color of stool may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process or infection. In this case, it is caused by the accumulation of dead leukocytes removed from the body naturally. Also, green impurities are characteristic of gastric bleeding. If this symptom does not go away over a long period of time, you should be examined for stomach ulcers and gastritis. Finally, patients taking antibiotics often complain of green stool. By the way, this often becomes a predisposing factor to the occurrence of dysbacteriosis.

Solving the problem

If you are seriously concerned about your health, follow the advice of experts: pay attention to the accompanying signs. Are you suffering from bloating or gas? Do you feel pain after every meal? It would be advisable to test feces for dysbacteriosis. Do you feel nauseous, weak, or have a fever? You are clearly suffering from an infection. The doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis only after you pass all the necessary tests.

Normally, an adult's intestines empty their bowels once a day. The concentration of liquid in feces is 60-70%. If its content reaches 90%, this leads to persistent diarrhea, which can persist for a fairly long period of time. The color of stool often indicates which organs are working in an unusual mode and are undergoing an inflammatory or infectious process. We'll talk about the causes and consequences of green stools below.

Reasons

Green stool in the vast majority of cases indicates an increase in bilirubin in the stool. This disorder, in turn, is caused by secretory diarrhea, in which the gallbladder ceases its normal functioning.

But there may be other, more serious reasons for this.

Please keep in mind that diagnosing yourself, much less selecting treatment with medications, is extremely life-threatening!

The most commonplace, physiologically based reason for the appearance of green loose stools lies in overeating food sources enriched with natural dyes. If the day before you had a heavy lunch of broccoli, spinach or unripe pears, this phenomenon is usually assessed as a relative norm. If at the same time you are bothered by other alarming symptoms, this process can no longer be considered normal.

Green color can have a variety of shades, which are also important to consider:

Another common reason for “greening” stool is taking certain medications. This is especially true for self-medication and long-term antibiotic therapy. Regardless of whether the medications were selected by a doctor or on your own, you should contact a specialist to adjust the regimen and frequency of dosing.

Green stool as a symptom of disease

If the listed factors do not apply to your case, the real reason probably lies in diseases of the digestive tract. Some of them can leave a significant impact on the future health and functioning of the body. Therefore, you should be extremely attentive to all your symptoms, and if necessary, consult a doctor.

Green stool may be associated with the following diseases.

• Enteritis

This is an inflammatory process in the intestines, which is classified according to the location of the outbreak:

1. Duodenitis – the duodenum is affected;
2. Jeunit – the small intestine is affected;
3. Ileitis – the ileum is affected;
4. Colitis (enterocolitis) – the entire area of ​​the intestine is affected.

The disease is traditionally accompanied by persistent diarrhea, with stool having a heterogeneous consistency and a greenish tint. The reasons for its appearance lie in acute infections, in particular the already mentioned dysentery.

• Internal bleeding

They appear mainly against the background of an advanced stomach ulcer or an oncological process in the digestive tract. At the same time, iron concentrated in the blood cannot be oxidized normally, which is why the feces “color” green. This can be a symptom of an ongoing disease, so the sooner you see a doctor, the higher the likelihood of a favorable treatment outcome.

Self-treatment of these diseases can even result in death! The clinical picture in this case may be supplemented by syncope and rapidly progressing anemia. With blood diseases that negatively affect the viability of red blood cells and the production of hemoglobin, the stool also acquires a greenish tint.

• Dysbacteriosis

This is a violation of the healthy, natural intestinal microflora. It can be acute and chronic, with the transient form often becoming permanent. It is caused by long-term use of aggressive drugs, especially antibiotics. Qualified adequate treatment in such cases is literally necessary, and it is aimed at stabilizing the normal flora. For this purpose, specialized preparations based on lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and non-pathogenic E. coli are used.

The standard symptom of dysbacteriosis is prolonged diarrhea with green stool and a pungent putrid odor. This may be accompanied by acute abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

• Dysentery

An acute intestinal disease of infectious origin, in which green stools, nausea and intense vomiting are noted. This disorder requires correct treatment, which is often carried out in a hospital setting.

Changes in the color of stool can occur for various reasons, including poor diet and infectious diseases. In addition, eating certain foods can change the color of your stool. The green color can come from cereals or dyes.

It will not be a secret to anyone that it is through bowel movements that all harmful substances are released from the human body. With normal functioning of the body, an adult goes to the toilet no more than twice a day. Often, stool has a brownish tint, however, there are cases when green stool occurs. Undoubtedly, those who have encountered this want to know what it means if the stool is green.

Often the reasons for the appearance of green poop is an incorrect or inadequate diet. However, sometimes situations occur in which feces change color when there is a threat to human life and health. In such cases, it is simply vital to know all the causes and symptoms of greenish or black-green stool.

Sometimes there are situations when the stool is green in an adult for a reason, which can be difficult to identify. This may be due, first of all, to the fact that the color of stool is influenced by a large number of different factors. Factors affecting the color of stool:

If the feces become liquid, light-colored and at the same time there are solid particles in it, you should immediately contact a specialist in order to rule out more serious causes of green shit.

Pathological factors

When, after 5-6 days after the last consumption of food that could provoke changes in the color of stool, it has not acquired a normal color, you should definitely visit a specialist. Long-term changes in the shade of stool may indicate the development of pathological changes that have a detrimental effect on the entire human body. In turn, stool that has a brownish-green tint indicates that there are serious reasons that require immediate treatment. Diseases that may be the reason why the color of bowel movements has changed:

1. A disease called Crohn's disease occurs as a result of damage to the intestinal tract. To treat it, it will not be enough to take regular coal; often, this pathology requires surgical intervention.
2. Food poisoning - in this condition, not only does a change in feces occur, but also the body temperature rises, a gag reflex and diarrhea occur. To eliminate such symptoms, gastric lavage and a nutritious diet may be required.
3. Lesions - often with this disease, the appearance of mucus impurities in the stool is observed.
4. The appearance of green stool in an adult, which may be caused by bleeding, is a rather dangerous process - such pathologies often occur inside the body and provoke not only changes in the color of stool, but also damage to internal organs. With severe bleeding, the stool becomes black-green in color.
5. Peptic ulcer disease is an unpleasant and quite serious disease that requires immediate treatment.
6. Rotovirus infections - this disease is not difficult to identify, since in most cases it is accompanied by the appearance of green stool.

If green shit bothers you for a long period of time, you should visit a doctor who, after conducting the necessary examination, will be able to identify the cause and select the necessary treatment.

In addition, the green color of poop may have some shades: from light to dark. In turn, this also indicates the development of various pathologies.

Causes of black and green poop

This kind of bowel movement indicates infectious diseases, mainly in the intestinal area. However, if a person belongs to the category that does not eat meat, you can safely be sure that the reason for such feces lies in dietary habits. Light green-colored, runny poop is mainly caused by eating low-quality food. If such a phenomenon occurs once, there is no need to worry too much, however, when it repeats periodically, it is worth undergoing examinations so as not to miss the development of a serious disease. In addition, they may occur while taking medications of medical origin.

Diagnosis and treatment features

If a change in the color of feces occurs, experts recommend not to panic for three days and carefully monitor your diet. If after this time the stool has not changed color, you should seek help from a specialist. It is especially worth not delaying your trip to the doctor if the stool contains mucus or the changes are accompanied by an increase in body temperature. The main thing in proper treatment is to establish the cause of this condition. For diagnosis, a specialist may prescribe an examination:

• Analysis of feces for coprogram.
• General blood and urine tests.
• Tank cultures can be used to identify pathogens and determine the condition of the intestines.

Treatment is prescribed only after all diagnostic methods have been carried out and studied. Severe cases may require hospitalization for treatment. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, as it can lead to irreparable consequences for a person.