What does it mean if the stool is green? what are the signs of disease?

Have you ever seen the color of your own stool after defecating? In fact, knowing the color of your own stool turns out to be important. The reason is, the color of the bowel movements can be a sign of certain health conditions. So, what if the stool is green?

The cause of green stool

Most people may find their bowel movements brown more often. Finally, when the stool is green, not a few of you feel worried because the color is not like usual.

In fact, green stools generally still indicate a normal health condition. Basically, the color of stool or stool during bowel movements is influenced by what you eat and the amount of bile. Bile is a yellow-green liquid that is responsible for digesting fat.

When the bile pigments travel through the digestive tract, these pigments are chemically converted by enzymes, from green to brown. This is what makes most people have brown bowel movements.

So, there are several conditions that make your bowel color turn green. Here are some things that can cause the color of your stool to change.

1. Leftovers

One of the causes of green stool is dietary habits or changes. Foods that can change the color of your stool to green include:

green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage, and broccoli,
green food coloring, such as popsicles and soft drinks, and
iron supplements.

The chlorophyll content in dark green vegetables can leave a colorful residue in the stool. That is why many people find their bowel movements green after consuming vegetables, especially in large quantities.

2. Pigment bile

Apart from food color, bile pigments can also be one of the causes of your green stool.

Bile is a fluid that is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. This liquid has a natural yellowish green color and will mix with the food in the stomach.

This aims to make it easier for the body to digest the fat in these foods. When mixed with food, bile may not dissolve in food.

As a result, they will still be deep enough to turn your stool green.

3. Effect of certain antibiotics and drugs

The function of antibiotics is to stop the development of bacteria. In fact, this applies not only to bad bacteria, but also to good bacteria in the intestines. That is why, the population of bacteria that gives the intestines a brown color is reduced.

Apart from antibiotics, there are other drugs and supplements that can cause damage to the pigments that cause green stools, including:

indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to reduce pain,
iron supplements, and
medroxyprogesterone, a drug for contraception.

If you take certain drugs and are worried about the color of your bowel movements, consult your doctor.

4. Digestive problems

Green stool can sometimes be a sign that you are experiencing digestive problems. Here are some digestive disorders that can cause green bowel movements.

Diarrhea

One of the digestive disorders that is often characterized by green bowel movements is diarrhea.

The color of the stool can be different from normal because the digestive system does not have enough time to process incoming food. This can happen if you have diarrhea.

You see, the intestines can push food too quickly, so that it just passes through the digestive tract. Because it is so fast, bacteria do not have time to add a distinctive color to the stool

In addition, excessive use of laxatives also sometimes makes the stool turn green.

Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. If you have Crohn's disease, the bile can move through your intestines too quickly, making your stool green.

Celiac disease

If you have Celiac disease, which is intolerance to gluten, the symptoms you experience are usually related to indigestion. For example, flatulence, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

People with Celiac disease who are accompanied by diarrhea usually have green stools.

5. Parasites, viruses, and bacteria

If you find that your stool is green, it is possible that your body is infected with parasites, viruses, or bacteria. The reason is, certain microbes or pathogens can actually accelerate the work of the intestines which have an impact on the color of bowel movements.

The types of microbes that can cause the intestines to work faster include:

Salmonella bacteria,
the parasite Giardia lamblia, and
norovirus.

What if green stools occur in babies?

Green stool does not only occur in adults, but also in babies. Green stool in babies is often found, especially in babies who are breastfed. This condition is also referred to as meconium.

There are many factors that trigger the change in color of stool in babies to turn green, including:

breastfeeding only in one part,
protein hydrolyzate formulas used in infants with milk allergies,
lack of normal gut bacteria, and
diarrhea.

If your baby or child passes green stools for days, you should see a doctor. If you have further questions, consult your doctor for the right solution.