West Valley Medical Center - March 11, 2016

Is Your Poop Color Signaling A Health Issue?

Is your poop color, frequency, or texture a sign of a health issue? Here are 7 questions to test your knowledge.

Diarrhea - gross. Enough said, right? Not quite. Which of these is NOT usually a reason for episodes of frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements?

  • Infection - either bacterial (like E. Coli) or virla (like the herpes simplex virus)
  • Insufficient water intake - also known as dehydration
  • Intolerance or sensitivity to foods - like lactose intolerance
  • Illness or disease - like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome

Answer: Diarrhea can cause dehydration, explains the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. But the opposite usually isn't true.

True or False: Constipation is on the opposite end of the pooping spectrum from diarrhea. Constipation means not pooping at all.

Answer: False. If you're constipated, you might still poop a few times a week - but it might be hard and dry, and possibly even painful, says the US Nastional Library of Medicine (NLM).

True or False: You should poop every day.

Answer: False. Contrary to popular belief, pooping every day is not necessary, says NLM. Pooping less than 3 times a week is considered constipation. And going more than 3 times a day might be diarrhea. Somewhere in between should be fine.

True or False: You might have noticed that poop usually sinks. But sometimes it floats. One reason why poop floats is because your body is too gassy.

Answer: True. Gas and poor nutrient absorption are 2 main reasons behind floating stools, according to the NLM. But if there are no other symptoms, floaters are usually not cause for worry.

We usually think of poop as being brown, but sometimes it's not. If your poop is black, which of these is probably NOT to blame?

  • Eating dark-colored foods, such as licorice or blueberries
  • Having a stomach ulcer
  • Eating too much dark chocolate ice cream
  • Experiencing inflamation in the lining of your stomach

Answer: While it might not be healthy to scarf down a pint of ice cream in a record 5 minutes, it's probably not the cause of dark black poop. Certain foods and digestive issues, on the other hand, could be to blame, according to NLM. You should let your doctor know right away if the color of your stool has changed - even if you think hemorrhoids are to blame.

What about poop that is closer to a pale gray or yellow clay or putty color? Which body parts might be behind those colors?

  • Your livier - Normally, bile salts released from this organ give poop it's brown color
  • Your stomach - food that isn't mixed together properly during digestion might not come out brown
  • Your heart - because it's not receiving enough blood to provide your poop with that righ brown color
  • Your skin - if you aren't spending enough time outside, you might not be absorbing enough sunlight through your skin to have good digestion

Answer: Pale, clay, or putty-colored poop could be caused by liver issues, says the NLM. You'll want to let your doctor know if your poop is not the normal brown color.

You probably already know that maroon, red, or bloody poop might not be a good sign. But which of these is probably NOT the cause?

  • Sitting on the toilet too long before pooping
  • Beets or Tomatoes in your diet
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Cancer in your colon or small intestine

Answer: Sometimes, red foods are the source of maroon or reddish poop, explains the NLM. Other times, there's a health issue to blame. But the amount of time you spend on the toilet probably isn't the culprit.