Green stool and abdominal pain. What to do if an adult has greenish diarrhea? If green stool is observed in an adult

In a healthy person, the stool has a brown tint, but green stool in an adult is not always a sign of a serious illness. The fact is that the brown color of feces is given by the substance stercobilin, which is formed as a result of pigment metabolism. But this process itself is influenced by both medications and food taken. And often after giving up certain foods or pills, everything returns to normal.

When should color changes not be a concern?

If color changes are one-time in nature, then they are due to the characteristics of the diet. People who prefer meat to vegetables may have dark brown stools. Those who eat more plant foods may have lighter-colored feces, often with a yellowish tint. This also applies to dairy products if there are a lot of them in the diet. Blueberries and blackcurrants give stool a black-brown color, while beets and raspberries can turn stool reddish-burgundy. Stool with a greenish tint appears after excessive consumption of sorrel and spinach. If you exclude them from the diet for some time, then everything will return to normal.

The abundance of grains in the diet also gives the stool a green tint. The fact is that most cereals have a double protective shell. To break it down, the body needs to produce more bile. And as a result of this, the color of the stool changes. A green tint can appear when a person’s diet contains a lot of red meat or legumes. Then the stool takes on a black-green hue due to the large amount of iron contained in the listed products. Sometimes a green tint to stool indicates that a person eats a lot of sweets like jelly or marmalade, for which food dyes of the appropriate color are used.

In all these cases, changes in the color of the stool occur without diarrhea. After giving up the listed products, the color will normalize, but it still takes 3-5 days for this to happen; this does not happen right away.

A greenish-black color of feces is also observed after taking certain medications, mainly those containing iron. Interestingly, after studies for which the patient takes a radiocontrast agent, the stool becomes grayish. Moreover, this situation continues for several days, and then everything goes away without human intervention. But if such studies have not been carried out, and the stool has a gray-white tint, this is already an alarming sign, since it may indicate blockage of the bile ducts and impaired liver function.

Green stool is a sign of disease

Changes in stool color can also occur due to the development of certain gastrointestinal diseases.

It can be:

1. Dysbacteriosis. Although this is not so much a disease as a condition associated with a lack of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. With it, processes of rotting and fermentation of undigested residues occur in the gastrointestinal tract, since there are no bacteria that would participate in the digestion process.
2. Dysentery. An intestinal infection, which also causes other symptoms - pain in the abdomen, attacks of vomiting and nausea, high fever, weakness.
3. Malignant tumors of the intestinal gastrointestinal tract and complications of peptic ulcer. In such cases, the stool becomes green due to the fact that iron, which is part of the red blood cells, is oxidized.
4. Salmonellosis, which belongs to the group of infectious intestinal diseases. It develops due to eating contaminated dairy products, meat, eggs and even some vegetables that have not been cooked. This disease is characterized by high fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea. Loose stools can lead to diarrhea over a short period of time.
5. Diseases of the circulatory system. The change in stool color in this case is due to the fact that due to the breakdown of red blood cells, the body converts hemoglobin into bilirubin in increased quantities. When this compound enters the intestines, it gives the stool its corresponding color.

Six-month-old children also have green stools, since bilirubin enters the intestines of a baby of this age in an unchanged state. If there is no abdominal pain, fever or other alarming symptoms, this situation does not require treatment, since the problem will resolve on its own. But in adults, such a situation should be a reason to consult a doctor.

In addition to those listed, there are other diseases, the symptom of which is green stool.

This:

1. Food poisoning and allergic reactions, due to which bile moves through the intestines very quickly and does not have time to change its color. As a result, the stool turns green.
2. Celiac disease, that is, intolerance to gluten contained in white bread and pastries. If the reason lies in this, the stool will not necessarily be liquid. With the disease, constipation is also possible.
3. Lactose intolerance, in which the human body lacks the enzyme necessary to digest dairy products. Therefore, when consuming even a small amount of milk, loose stools of a characteristic color appear.
4. Disorders of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis).
5. Other intestinal pathologies. Sometimes gastrointestinal bleeding can cause discoloration. Many believe that in this case the stool becomes black, but the color may also be dark green due to the reaction of hemoglobin and gastric juice. In such a situation, blood pressure decreases, weakness appears, and the pulse quickens.

It is important to determine the reason why the stool has changed its color, since the treatment strategy depends on this.

Features of treatment for dysentery

When green stool appears, accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting and fever, experts suspect an intestinal infection. Treatment depends on what kind of infection caused the disease. And for this it is important to diagnose it correctly. For example, dysentery has characteristic symptoms that can be used to make a diagnosis, although additional tests are usually prescribed anyway.

So, this disease is characterized by loose stools, which only initially have a fecal character. Then the amount of mucus in it increases, in which, over time, streaks of blood or admixtures of pus may appear. Doctors often use the term “rectal spit” in relation to such stool. The frequency of bowel movements reaches 10 times a day. This process is always accompanied by nagging pain, quite strong and painful.

In severe cases of the disease, therapy is carried out in a hospital setting. But sometimes treatment at home is also possible - subject to strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations. There is no need to refuse food. But you need to follow a special therapeutic diet - table No. 4 according to M. Pevzner. This diet involves the consumption of low-fat soups, dietary meats and fish. Bread is excluded from the diet, but you can eat wheat crackers. Steam omelette is prepared from eggs.

Pureed porridges cooked in water are recommended. You can eat vegetables, but not raw, but boiled. You can drink green and black tea, rosehip decoction. Almost all dairy products, pasta, pearl barley and millet are excluded from the diet.

For dysentery, antibacterial drugs are not always prescribed (for the gastroenteric form of the disease there is no need for this). But sometimes the doctor still prescribes ampicillin or tetracycline antibiotics. In this case, after completing the course of their use, you need to take drugs that normalize the microflora, otherwise dysbacteriosis will develop. And this in itself causes changes in the color of the stool.

When treating dysentery, antispasmodics are used to relieve pain, immunomodulators, synthetic enzyme complexes and drugs like Festal and Mezim-Forte.

Treatment of other diseases that cause changes in stool color

Dysbacteriosis is a fairly common disease, but this does not mean that you can cope with it on your own. To begin with, you should remember that many of its symptoms are nonspecific; they are also characteristic of other gastrointestinal diseases, which are much more dangerous. Therefore, if you simply take medications on your own to normalize the microflora, without first consulting a doctor and without knowing the diagnosis, you can seriously harm the body.

It should be remembered that probiotics will not be enough, because you first need to eliminate the cause of this disease. And it consists of both bacterial and fungal infections. Dysbacteriosis can be a complication of other pathologies, so additional examinations are necessary. If the cause of this disease is bacterial, you should take antibiotics to destroy pathogenic microflora. If dysbacteriosis has revealed the presence of pathogenic microflora of a fungal nature, the doctor prescribes antifungal drugs. And after completing the course of taking them, you can drink probiotics to populate the intestines with normal microflora.

If a person is suspected of having salmonellosis, they should definitely consult a doctor. This disease is dangerous because dehydration occurs very quickly. Therefore, you need to take some measures even before the doctor arrives. A person should be given plain water to drink. Some people advise giving mineral water, but it is not recommended for everyone.

At the same time, the patient is given drugs from the group of sorbents. This is not only activated carbon, but also a more effective modern medicine - Enterosgel.

If you suspect gastrointestinal bleeding, you should immediately call an ambulance. Before her arrival, the person must be provided with peace. It is advisable for the patient to lie on the bed, it is recommended to put a pillow under his head, and cold on his stomach - in the epigastric region (you can take a bag of frozen vegetables from the refrigerator, wrap it in a thin towel and hold it like that for some time). Cold causes a slight constriction of blood vessels, and this will help slightly reduce the amount of blood loss.

Problem during pregnancy

Expectant mothers often suffer from exacerbations of chronic diseases. But green stool during pregnancy is often associated with more harmless reasons. Many women try to provide their body (and fetus) with folic acid and eat a lot of leafy vegetables, leaning on spinach and broccoli. But these foods contain a lot of chlorophyll, which turns feces green.

Another common cause is prenatal vitamins. Such complexes usually contain a lot of iron and calcium. Excess iron is not absorbed by the body, but is excreted along with feces. Sometimes the color change is caused by activated carbon, which is prescribed to expectant mothers for increased gas formation. There is nothing dangerous in this, this drug is not absorbed into the blood, and it cannot harm the child.

Many expectant mothers are afraid of internal bleeding. But during pregnancy, in this case, the stool always takes on a tar-black hue.

There is another reason why pregnant women's stool turns green. This is dysbacteriosis, which often occurs during pregnancy. In this case, based on the test results, the doctor may prescribe medications that will remove toxins that have accumulated as a result of digestive disorders. This is Smecta or Imodium. You will need to follow a certain diet, eat whole grain porridge cooked in water, and more low-fat fermented milk products. Green tea and rosehip infusion are usually recommended for drinks, but herbal infusions should be used with caution - they are not as harmless as they might seem.

Many believe that the healing mineral water of Essentuki, which is used in the treatment of diseases of the biliary tract, will be useful in this case. But doctors do not have a consensus on whether it can be drunk during pregnancy. You need to consult a specialist before deciding whether to drink such water or not.

Green stool in an adult can be a sign of poor nutrition, infectious diseases, or taking a number of medications.

If the color of the feces changes once, most likely the cause is the use of provoking foods. When a change in shade is observed for a long period, accompanied by diarrhea, mucus or the release of drops of blood during bowel movements, you should consult a specialist to make an accurate diagnosis.

The main factors that provoke changes in the color of stool

The norm is to have a bowel movement every 1-2 days, and the color of the feces should be brown. What could cause a slight deviation from accepted standards?

There are a number of physiological and pathological factors:

Eating food that affects various processes in the body or contains a large amount of coloring substances.

Imbalance of the body's bacterial environment, infectious disease, poisoning, allergic reactions, development of pathologies of internal organs, in particular those related to the digestive tract.
Taking certain medications.

Changes you shouldn't worry about

Fans of sweets, such as marmalade, jellies and other foods high in dyes, may periodically notice greenish stools.

In addition, other foods affect the color of stool:

In this case, a review of the diet will help normalize the situation. If, several days after eliminating trigger foods, the color of the feces has not changed, then other causes need to be considered.

Change in stool color when taking medications

Feces may turn green when consumed:

Iodine preparations.
Laxatives, in particular herbal medicines.
Sorbitol.
Glucose.
Chlorophyll.
Vitamin complexes.
Iron-containing preparations.
Medicines based on seaweed.

Usually, a possible change in the color of feces is mentioned in the annotation for the medicine. If such drugs are discontinued, within 5 days the stool acquires a characteristic dark brown tint. If you take a radiopaque substance, the stool may become gray, but after 2-3 days the condition will normalize on its own.

Antibiotics, when used for a long time, disrupt the intestinal microflora, causing dysbacteriosis, which entails a change in the normal color of stool to green.

Consequence of the development of a pathological environment

Feces in an adult can acquire a peculiar shade when gastrointestinal diseases appear.

Most often diagnosed:

Dysbacteriosis. Due to an imbalance of intestinal microorganisms, the process of food digestion is disrupted, food leftovers rot, which may be accompanied by a disturbance in the frequency and color of stool.
Dysentery. The condition is characterized by acute abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The patient becomes weak and the temperature rises sharply.
Salmonellosis. Once in the body, an intestinal infection causes a sharp rise in temperature, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Rotavirus infection. The stool has a liquid consistency mixed with mucus and an unpleasant odor. The patient exhibits signs of intoxication, weakness and a sharp rise in temperature.
Enteritis. The inflammatory process in the intestines is manifested by diarrhea, nausea, pain in the abdominal area, and weakness.
Tumors of various etiologies, internal bleeding or complications of an ulcer. The green color occurs due to the oxidation of iron in red blood cells.
Diseases of the circulatory system. When decaying red blood cells begin to produce insufficient amounts of bilirubin from hemoglobin, there is not enough pigment to color the feces, and they are excreted in a permanent green color. Liver problems, such as hepatitis, also lead to the same consequences.

With infectious lesions of the intestines, a bright green tint to the stool, a rise in temperature, weakness and an admixture of mucus in the stool are observed. In case of poisoning, these symptoms include vomiting and severe abdominal pain..

Allergies to foods can be manifested by a change in the color of the stool, along with the presence of mucus and undigested food debris. If you are gluten intolerant, you will experience runny stool with an unpleasant odor. And lactose indigestion is characterized by the onset of diarrhea with green stool immediately after consuming dairy products.

In babies under 6 months of age, green stool may indicate increased bilirubin. At this age, the condition can normalize on its own.

Often a change in shade is associated with a transition to a different mixture. This occurs due to the immaturity of the digestive system. The food of the breastfeeding mother also plays a role in many respects, since all substances from the products penetrate into the milk.

What color of stool indicates disease of the internal organs?

Many people do not know what diseases cause the color of feces to change. It should be noted that these are mainly pathologies of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, stomach and intestines.

Green feces may be a consequence of intestinal inflammation or the development of a tumor of this organ, intoxication of the body, or celiac disease.
Red-brown indicates the presence of minor internal bleeding in the lower digestive tract. Observations show that this means damage to the intestinal walls. When feces move through the intestines, the mucous membranes are injured and blood is released through small cracks and enters the feces.
Black may indicate bleeding in organs located in the upper digestive system.
Yellow-green indicates carbohydrate fermentation. This condition occurs with diseases of the pancreas, for example, diabetes.
Gray-green or white indicates a lack of bile entering the intestines. Pathology occurs when there is liver disease and when the gallbladder has stones or a tumor that blocks the excretory ducts.

Symptoms associated with green stool

If the color change occurs due to taking medications or triggering foods, then no other signs of the disease occur. When the problem is caused by the ingress of pathogenic microorganisms, the development of ailments of internal organs, hidden bleeding, the following symptoms occur simultaneously with green feces:

Abdominal pain. Usually its location indicates the location of the diseased organ.
Nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea.
Unpleasant smell of stool.
The presence of mucus or.
Fever.
General deterioration in health: headache, dizziness, weakness, fatigue.

Green stool in pregnant women

Expectant mothers try to monitor their diet, so they eat large amounts of plant foods. Spinach and broccoli contain chlorophyll, which can cause stool to change color.

In addition, to prevent anemia and bone destruction during pregnancy, vitamin complexes rich in iron and calcium are prescribed. Also, black feces can be a consequence of taking activated carbon during gas formation.

The color of feces, if it changes temporarily, does not affect the baby’s condition. But if, after discontinuation of provoking foods and medications, the condition does not change, this may indicate the presence of various diseases, and a tar-black hue may indicate internal bleeding.

Dysbacteriosis is a frequent companion of pregnant women. In this case, diarrhea begins and the stool is green.

When this diagnosis is made, the doctor prescribes Smecta or Imodium to remove toxins. It is recommended to include whole grain cereals, fermented milk products, and green tea in your diet.

In order to prevent serious complications during the period of bearing a baby, in case of any disturbances or changes in the color and consistency of the stool, you should consult a doctor.

First aid at home

If the color of stool changes, you should reconsider your diet, excluding sweets and foods rich in chlorophyll and containing dyes from the menu.

If you have diarrhea, you must take Smecta or Regidron. This will normalize water and electrolyte balance and avoid dehydration.

Atoxyl is an excellent sorbent that is used to remove toxins, especially during vomiting. But the drug should be taken after gastric lavage.

In cases of severe dysbiosis, it is useful to take probiotics. If improvements are not observed within several days or the condition is accompanied by a rise in temperature, bloody stools, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, you should consult a doctor.

After conducting a series of tests, the specialist will make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. These can be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial drugs, antispasmodics, vitamin complexes. In case of internal bleeding, urgent hospitalization followed by surgical intervention is indicated.

Tests to determine the cause of change in stool color

To make a correct diagnosis when green feces appear when they are not associated with food intake, you should undergo a series of examinations:

General blood test with determination of the leukocyte component.
Analysis of urine.
Blood test for biochemistry and electrolytes.
Analysis of stool for bacterial environment.
Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

If there are appropriate indications, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, CT or MRI of the abdominal cavity may be prescribed.

The green color of feces, like other uncharacteristic shades, can be the result of a number of pathologies. To determine the cause and exclude the presence of the disease, you should promptly consult a doctor and do the necessary tests. Self-medication can worsen the situation, lead to dehydration and damage to internal organs.

Nature has endowed the human body with an amazing feature - to independently control the functioning of all systems and organs, to clearly report any problems, manifested by skin rashes or through natural waste. It’s not in vain that for any disease, diagnosis begins with a study of urine and feces.

The color, consistency and smell of feces are one of the main indicators of pathological changes in the body.

A unique indicator reflecting the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and gall bladder is green feces in humans. It is inflammatory processes in the digestive system that are characterized by this manifestation.

Causes of green stool in adults

The main role in changing the normal color of feces is played by bilirubin fat-soluble compounds, which are part of the main structure of bile and penetrate into the gastrointestinal tract along with it.

Green stool in an adult

At the normal rate of movement of food through the intestinal tract, bilirubin is oxidized, it becomes pigmented and gives the feces a brown color.

If the digestion process is disrupted or processed food moves too quickly through the intestinal tract, bilirubin that has not had time to oxidize comes out in a natural, non-oxidized form, giving the feces a green color.

Several factors can cause the appearance of green stool in an adult. Among the main causes are iron-containing foods and medications containing inorganic iron compounds.

green vegetables, leaf salads, fruits and juices from them;
red varieties of fish and meat;
red bean varieties;
foods and drinks containing food colorings;
sweets based on licorice syrup;
iron-containing dietary supplements;
medicinal preparations based on seaweed;
multivitamin complexes;
drugs for iodine deficiency, sugar substitutes.

Pathogenic factors

In addition to foods and medications, the appearance of green stool in an adult is also affected by pathological disorders in the gastrointestinal tract caused by:

The development of inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract causes massive death of leukocytes, which give a green color to feces. This process is accompanied by:

sharp pain in the peritoneal area;
diarrhea;
green mucus in stool with purulent inclusions;

Green mucus in feces is caused by many factors, let’s pay attention to the main ones:

1) Various intestinal infections are in many cases accompanied by mucus with a green tint. Fermentative bacterial flora, feeding on carbohydrates, develops fermentation and putrefactive processes in the intestines. This disrupts the functions of the intestinal mucosa and causes increased secretion of intestinal mucus.

2) IBS – characterized by a symptom complex of functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Over the course of a month, mucus in the stool may be observed, among many pathological symptoms. Heat and fever cause changes in the color of feces.

3) In medicine, three types of hemorrhoids are noted with the formation of a unique green-tinged mucus that accumulates around the anus.

4) Tumors in the intestines of the first degree and accumulation can manifest as yellow or greenish discharge from the anus with clots of mucus.

5) Contribute to the formation of this pathology - congenital intestinal fermentopathy or hereditary pathologies in the structure of the upper inner lining of the jejunum.

6) Congenital intolerance to the protein components of gluten (celiac disease) and milk sugar.

7) Hernial protrusions of the intestinal walls, causing stagnation of food.

8) Gene mutation. Manifested by the development of atrophy of the glandular layer of the intestinal walls and the development of progressive fibrosis (cystic fibrosis). Due to the secretion of thick viscous mucus, greenish feces are formed, sometimes gray-green feces.

Causes of dark green stool and symptoms of diseases

Such a symptom is a harbinger of problems in the body, a true indication of infectious processes in the intestines. Often a symptom of the initial form of dysentery.

It manifests itself as loose stools, abdominal pain, fever and impaired thermoregulation (temperature), followed by the addition of clinical infectious symptoms.

The darkening of green stools is preceded by small, chronic bleeding, provoked by malignant formations in the gastrointestinal tract or ulcerative pathologies. They contribute to the incomplete oxidation of iron compounds in the intestines, which gives the feces a dark green color.

Dark green stools of normal structure can appear due to the development of various pathological changes in the liver that reduce its functionality (fibrosis, hepatosis, etc.). This is due to the lack of formation of red blood cells due to the breakdown of their main component - iron-containing proteins (hemoglobin).

If the liver fails to timely utilize broken down proteins, it throws them into the duodenum, where iron compounds can be oxidized completely or partially, forming dark green feces.

This pathology is also observed when bleeding processes in the upper gastrointestinal tract are combined with an acute form of dysbiosis, which provokes an incomplete volume of food processing, accompanied by its fermentation and purulent decay of food elements in the intestinal sections.

Yellow-green feces: formation processes

The failure of the processes regulating the absorption and digestion of carbohydrates from fibers and the connective tissue membrane of plant foods leads to functional disorders in the jejunum and pancreas.

Their enzymes fail to cope with their duties, as a result of which fermentative dyspepsia syndrome develops with the formation of yellow-green feces.

This coloration of feces in breastfed children is considered normal. In older children, feces become yellow-green in color when the child's diet does not correspond to his age.

Or when eating too much food, which the still incompetent gastrointestinal tract system is unable to cope with, the structure of the stool changes, it becomes watery, foamy or mushy, covered with mucus.

Green feces in a child

Green feces in a child have their own characteristics of manifestation. In many cases it is not considered a sign of pathology. In infants of the first, adaptation, month of life, feces of this color are a physiological norm due to the baby’s addiction to breast milk.

In another case, when the child is artificial, disturbances in the color scheme of children's feces can be caused by milk formulas. At the same time, the consistency and smell of stool changes.

During the complementary feeding period, careful monitoring is necessary of what the child eats, in what quantity, and what medications are prescribed to him.

A greenish tint to the stool is very common when a baby begins to teethe.

During this period, intense salivation causes a large release of bile into the stomach in response, affecting the shade and color of stool. May be accompanied by colic and painful cramps in the baby's tummy. As the child grows, the number of provoking factors that cause the green color of feces increases.

For the most part, they are similar to the reasons characteristic of adults. Green stool and a sharp deterioration in the child’s condition require immediate diagnosis to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

The body's reaction in children can manifest itself as a serious problem - dehydration, since such changes are almost always accompanied by frequent diarrhea. It could be anything:

salmonellosis or dysentery;
Escherichiasis, lactase deficiency;
or intestinal dysbiosis.

Such pathologies can be suspected when mucous formations are detected in the stool. Special attention must be paid to this in order to detect the disease in time.

What to do if green stool appears?

With such a symptom, the first thing to do is to identify the cause. If you feel normal and there are no negative changes in the body, you should adjust your diet and exclude possible provocative medications.

If this concerns infants, the mother should reconsider the diet. Over time, the stool should improve.

If you have any symptoms that cause discomfort and deterioration in general well-being, manifested by: severe pain, weakness, fever and fever, gas accumulations in the intestines or mucus in the stool, an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary.

Only after a thorough diagnosis will the doctor be able to determine the cause of the disease and create an effective treatment plan.

If your stool color suddenly changes, don’t panic right away - the reason may not be serious at all. Concern will be appropriate if there is a constant unusual color of bowel movements. Let's talk today about the causes of green stool in adults.

The green tint of feces may be the result of frequent and large quantities of grains. Even if you change your diet to other foods, the stool will be green for several days. This is explained by the presence of a reinforced protective shell in the cultures, which forces the digestive tract to secrete more bile for processing. And as a result, feces are painted this color.

There are also foods that cause green stool, for example, those that contain a lot of iron, as well as:

leaf crops;
caramel, marmalade and jelly with a high content of dyes;
red meats, sea fish and legumes (red).

All of the above usually goes away without diarrhea or abdominal pain. 3-5 days after the last meal containing the above foods, the color of the stool will become normal.

Another reason for green stool in an adult that does not indicate a serious illness is diarrhea. This happens due to the low speed of microorganisms in the intestines to affect feces with such a problem.

If the movement of digested food in the form of a coma through the large intestine is disrupted, the feces also acquire a green tint.

For information, before being released, the contents remain in this part of the intestine for some time.

Now we move on to more serious reasons for the appearance of green feces in an adult.

Causes of green stool in adults

The appearance of pathology in the body, including a change in the color of feces, will be accompanied by additional symptoms.

And depending on this, it will be possible to talk about the development of certain ailments:

Infections in the intestines lead to fever, nausea and vomiting, including pain in the abdominal area.
With dysbacteriosis, the number of pathogenic bacteria increases, causing rotting and fermentation of food. As a result, bloating, pain and discoloration of stool appear.
Exacerbation of a stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal cancer leads, among other things, to a change in the color of feces to green. This is due to the incomplete process of iron oxidation.
The massive decomposition of red blood cells contributes to the development of liver pathologies - hepatitis. The diseased organ lacks hemoglobin, a derivative of bilirubin. As a result, the stool turns green instead of brown.
Due to the body's intolerance to any foods, an allergic reaction occurs, leading to inflammatory processes and digestive disorders. As a result, the stool turns green.

This is interesting:

A malfunction of the gallbladder and other internal organs can also cause the appearance of stool of a different color.

Important: the presence of mucus in feces in addition to a change in color gives reason to contact a specialist.

The green color can also be different - from a dark to a light shade, and this will also indicate different health problems.

Black and green.

Such bowel movements indicate infectious diseases in the intestinal area. But if you are a vegetarian, then you don’t have to worry - the reason for this color of stool is in your diet.

Green liquid stool.

This is an alarming and unpleasant phenomenon caused by poor-quality food or taking any medications. If this happened once and did not in any way affect the overall well-being, then the body will cope on its own.

If the problem recurs, and even lasts for several days with the addition of fever and pain, you will need to consult a doctor. After all, these can be symptoms of serious diseases - dysbiosis, enteritis, internal bleeding or blood diseases.

Light green stool.

Due to taking a course of antibacterial agents, light green stool appears. The addition of increased body temperature, nausea and vomiting will be a reason to contact a medical facility, and urgently.

Feces without diarrhea or pain.

Asymptomatic green coloration of feces is a reason to simply analyze your diet.

Diseases that cause green stool

Let us list the main diseases that can cause changes in the shades of stool, summing up some of the above:

salmonellosis or Crohn's disease;
ulcerative colitis or gastroesophageal reflux disease;
diabetes mellitus in various forms or inflammation of the small intestine;
food poisoning or allergy to lactose and (or) fructose.

Impaired functioning of the thyroid gland can also cause a similar problem. And for proper treatment, you will definitely need to visit a doctor to make a diagnosis, which is not advisable to do on your own.

What to do if you have green stools

If you notice that your poop has changed color from brown to green, don't panic. The first thing you need to do is remember your entire diet in the past 3 days.

If this is not the reason, then do the following:

Go to the pharmacy and buy your choice of probiotics, such as Bificola or Lactobacterin in any form. They help restore intestinal microflora, in particular after taking antibacterial agents.
If you suspect food poisoning, take activated charcoal in the proportion of 1 tablet/10 kg of weight.
If nausea and vomiting occur in addition to a change in the color of the stool, it is recommended to drink Regidron. Often this is enough to normalize digestion.

Doctors use certain methods to make a diagnosis and prescribe laboratory and hardware tests:

The presence of microscopic particles in feces can be detected by the Coprogram, which studies the chemical composition;
general blood and urine analysis. If the presence of worms is suspected, a microscopic examination is performed;
tank culture identifies the causative agent of infection, determines the state of the intestinal microflora and the presence of bacteria;
Ultrasound of internal organs and ECG;
colonoscopy and gastroscopy;
MRI or CT scan of the abdomen.

Depending on the doctor’s suspicions, this list may be smaller or larger, and you should not refuse appointments, no matter how unpleasant they may be.

Treatment will depend on the diagnosis, and in most cases hospitalization is necessary. Salmonellosis gives reason to refer to the infectious diseases department, gastrointestinal bleeding and colitis - to surgery. In serious condition, patients are hospitalized in the intensive care unit for prompt action to restore health.

Pregnancy and green stool

The main reason women develop green poop during pregnancy is nutrition. Indeed, during this period of life, pregnant women try to eat a lot of greens - broccoli, spinach, parsley, dill and other foods rich in chlorophyll.

Additional intake of vitamin preparations also contributes to a change in the color of stool, which occurs due to iron not being absorbed by the intestines. Retention of food in the thick section is another reason for green stool in pregnant women.

The rapid transit of products through this organ leads to the coloring of stool in an unusual color due to the fact that the bacteria in the organ do not have time to process all the bilirubin after processing the food with bile.

It is not uncommon for feces to turn green after taking antibiotics. To recover, you need to stop drinking them or reduce the dose.

There are also ailments in pregnant women that cause a similar problem:

Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
Dysbacteriosis or dysentery, which will cause weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain and elevated body temperature.
Diseases of the blood and liver.

All these pathologies with additional symptoms will require immediate consultation with a doctor.

Light-colored stool.

Light green stool during pregnancy can “speak” of the presence of infectious diseases - hepatitis, pancreatitis and others. Such feces also indicate the presence of stones and neoplasms.

Impurities of blood in stool.

Blood in the feces occurs when internal bleeding is localized near the anus. And there are several reasons for this - hemorrhoids, anal fissures or malignant tumors in the rectum.

Stool with mucus.

Mucus in the feces appears during a sedentary lifestyle, as well as during acute inflammatory processes in the form of colitis, enteritis, proctitis and other diseases.

Always carefully monitor your health and changes in your body. After all, any unusual symptoms may indicate serious pathologies that require immediate medical intervention.

But basically, if you do not take into account possible diseases, if there is a change in the color of the stool, there is no reason to worry and visit a doctor. You will need to contact a gastroenterologist if the problem persists after childbirth.

If you realize that the coloring of the stool is not due to your diet, but for other reasons that are unclear to you, plus there are other unpleasant symptoms, then do not delay your visit to a medical facility. This will protect you from serious consequences and speed up recovery. Health to you and your loved ones!

Changes in the color of stool do not only occur in children. Green stool in adults is often a cause for concern; the reason for the change in color of stool depends on many factors.

Healthy stool has a well-formed appearance and medium consistency. Normal feces are brown, brownish-yellowish, or light brown in color. Feces do not emit the smell of rot, decomposition or fermentation.

Reasons for the formation of green stool in adults

Green or marshy stool appears in adults for various reasons. These are physiological reasons when feces are colored by natural green dyes, chemical compounds found in vitamins and medications, food additives, foods, and food coloring. Pathological causes include diseases.

Products that change the color of stool

Many foods influence the composition of fecal excretions of adults and adolescents. After their consumption, green feces are formed; the reason for this coloring of excrement is chlorophyll. This group includes:

green onion feather;
parsley;
wild garlic;
green peas;
green beans;
dill;
broccoli;
spinach;
blueberry, serviceberry, blueberry;
sea kale.

Why don’t “green poop” appear in all healthy people who eat fresh vegetables, berries and seasonings? The reason lies in the different course of metabolic processes in the body. The amount eaten is also of great importance.

The more food rich in chlorophyll and bright green pigments, the more green appears in the stool. The stool may be green (or swamp-colored) after eating red fish, beef, horse meat, and beans.

Greenish, gray-green, dark green fecal discharge often appears in people on strict vegetable diets. The meal kits of strict vegetarians and people who eat only raw fruits and vegetables are also loaded with greens, causing the color of the feces to change. This is often observed among lovers of carbonated drinks and confectionery products colored with food pigments.

Food colorings

Natural food colors are made from natural plant pigments and obtained by synthesis. There are several dyes that give creams, pasta, candies, jellies, drinks, marmalades, ice cream and other products a greenish tint (color).

Consumption of foods colored with pigments and special nutrition for athletes is one of the reasons for the formation of greenish-colored stool. Fecal discharge, colored with pigments, may acquire a greenish-yellow tint; it may be yellow in color. Due to the synthetic pigment, which is poorly decomposed in the liver, the color of poop can be similar to the color of kiwi.

HELP: High-quality products and food dyes, which cause excrement with a greenish tint, do not change its consistency. There is no putrefactive or other fetid or unpleasant odor during bowel movements. The stool is moderately hard, thick, and formed.

Vitamins, dietary supplements and medicines

Manufacturers of medicines and supplements indicate in the instructions information about possible changes in the color of fecal matter when taking the drug. The list of drugs that cause greenish and green-black feces includes:

drugs to combat iron deficiency anemia;
vitamin complex products containing iron;
medications to relieve constipation;
iodine-containing drugs;
biologically active food supplements containing iron, chlorophyll concentrate and iodine;
seaweed food supplements;
medications for the treatment of hyperacid gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers (Vikair, De-nol);
antibiotics.

Vikair

Diseases that cause green stool

If an adult does not eat food or dyes, and the stool turns greenish, this means that pathological processes are occurring in the body.

As a rule, other symptoms also manifest themselves with diseases. This means that the sick person requires treatment. The list of pathologies includes:

Intestinal infectious diseases.
Dysbacteriosis.
Poisoning (including the toxic effects of alcohol).
Recovery period after poisoning.
Lactose or fructose intolerance.
Stomach ulcer.
Colitis.
Intestinal neoplasms (benign and malignant).
Enteritis.
Celiac disease.
Inflammatory process in the intestines.
Diseases of the thyroid and pancreas, gall bladder.
Hepatitis.
Diabetes.
Individual reaction to the product.

For different diseases, stool has a different consistency, smell, color, and inclusions. The frequency of bowel movements will vary. The development of the disease is indicated by the increasing severity of the condition and the worsening of symptoms, and the rapidity of development of the disease. By the coloring of the discharge, one can first suspect the presence of a particular disease.

Green stool with liquid consistency

Liquid, green-colored feces occur with intestinal infections - salmonellosis and dysentery. These infectious diseases are accompanied by a number of painful symptoms. They begin quickly, from two to three hours to three days after bacteria enter the stomach, and lead to loss of water by the patient’s body.

Salmonellosis is often severe. Typical signs of the disease:

diarrhea up to ten times a day;
abdominal pain (in the navel area);
high temperature (up to 38-40 degrees);
nausea and vomiting.

Feces with salmonellosis are liquid, foamy and watery, green lumps with mucus are visible in the discharge. The fecal matter resembles swamp mud. The smell of feces is pungent and unpleasant. On the 3rd day, diarrhea with blood in the form of streaks begins, causing the pain to intensify. In some forms of the disease, in severe condition, a rash may appear, a decrease in blood pressure, and tachycardia, from which the patient’s condition sharply worsens.

Dysentery occurs with similar symptoms. With this disease, stool is frequent, but not very abundant. The stool is yellow-brown mixed with green, or dark green. The fecal matter contains streaks of red blood, a lot of mucus, and possible pus. With this disease, frequent ineffective urges, vomiting, and headaches are observed.

Liquid greenish stool is formed due to dysbacteriosis and enteritis. Similar feces are formed in some blood diseases.

Green thick stool and constipation

In some adults, stool changes color due to constipation. During this period, fecal discharge is difficult to pass; it resembles pellets and balls of green or gray color with greenery.

If the poop of infants turns green when changing their diet or introducing inappropriate complementary foods (due to the imperfection of the child’s digestive system), then in adults it is not easy to identify the cause of such changes. The patient needs to visit a local physician and gastroenterologist.

Before treating constipation, you need to undergo tests prescribed by your doctor. The cause of the malaise may be dysbacteriosis, taking medications that destroy bacterial flora, or constantly eating food colored with green pigments. A medical examination should not be postponed if constipation is accompanied by bloating, pain, or blood is visible in the feces.

Light green fecal matter

The excrement is light green in color, brown feces “with greenery”, appears when taking certain antibacterial drugs. It is not dangerous, but you should consult your doctor. The consistency of fecal discharge is thick and shaped. Due to the fact that the microflora dies, the excrement is almost odorless.

An alarming sign in this case is vomiting. If the patient has a fever or stomach pain, you should visit a doctor immediately.

Black and green chair

Dark, fairly well-formed stool occurs after taking activated carbon. But often black, black-green, dark green feces appear when there is bleeding in the walls of the intestines or stomach. The blood has time to clot by the time of defecation, as evidenced by the dark, almost black color of the feces.

The cause of bleeding is a burst vessel or neoplasm, which requires an immediate trip to the doctor, or even calling an ambulance. Intestinal bleeding is treated in the hospital.

Yellow-green stool

With pancreatitis, the stool is yellow-green or gray, it can be whitish or light yellow. Feces are liquid, they emit a pungent, fetid, nauseating odor. After defecation, feces are poorly washed off, the surface of the discharge is smooth and shiny.

There is a lot of plant fiber in the feces, and fatty inclusions are observed. Fats in them appear due to a lack of lipase (a digestive enzyme) that breaks down these compounds. The amount of fat in feces increases if the patient eats a lot of fat-containing foods.

Video

Green stool - what to do

The coloring of feces in an unusual color should alert you. But this is no reason to panic. Perhaps the reason was menu errors. Remember your diet in the previous two to three days. If the discharge is of normal consistency and you are feeling well, there will be no need to worry. After a couple of days, the intestines will restore the normal brown color of the feces.

If the cause of the color change is food poisoning, but the person feels quite healthy, it is recommended to buy over-the-counter medications at the pharmacy: activated carbon, Enterosgel. They are taken after cleansing the stomach with two to three liters of water, according to the instructions.

Activated carbon

Enterosgel

In the future, it is indicated to suppress the gag reflex, normalize water-salt metabolism and restore intestinal function. Regidron. Probiotics will be needed to restore microflora (Lactobacterin, Colibacterin, Bifikol or other drugs).

Regidron

Lactobacterin

Colibacterin

A gentle diet will help restore the body. Fatty foods (animal oil, lard), sausages, smoked foods, soda, bread, pastries, herbs, foods colored with pigments, and milk are removed from the diet.

The menu during the recovery period includes pureed vegetable soups, mashed potatoes and porridge cooked in water, jelly, herbal tea and compotes, yogurt, kefir. You can eat low-fat protein foods - lean fish, meat (pay attention to the amount of kcal).

When medical attention is needed

What should be done if the usual color of the stool is not restored? Of course, visit your local doctor without waiting for the body to cope on its own. What to tell the doctor? You need to say it like it is: “I don’t go to the toilet the way I always do, green, and I’m worried about my health.”

A visit to the clinic should not be postponed if changes in the color of excrement are accompanied by changes in blood pressure, lethargy, poor sleep, indigestion, fever, vomiting, and pain.

An extremely dangerous situation is when black-green feces are combined with severe weakness, chills, sweating, and vomiting with black masses. These are symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding. The patient needs to call the ambulance service, as the pathology can lead to serious consequences and even death.

The appearance of unusually colored stool is not always a sign of illness. Green shit often only speaks of errors in the diet. But this is a reason to carefully monitor your body so as not to miss the development of a serious pathology.