What does your poo colour say about your health?
Poo. It’s not exactly a glamorous topic of conversation, but it’s an essential aspect of our health. Believe it or not, the appearance, texture, and even smell of stool can reveal a lot about what’s going on inside our bodies. So, let’s dive into the different colours of poo to find out when we need to pay attention.
eternalbeing’s Poo Palette
Research shows that a third of Brits (33%) feel embarrassed about their digestive health symptoms, and nearly two-thirds (64%) would like more guidance in understanding their gut health.
“Our poo colour palette aims to raise awareness of what the colour of your poo may be saying about your gut health and to educate on what poo colours might be the most concerning,” says our very own Michelle Geraghty-Corns.
So what colour is your poo?
Brown Poo
The most common colour is, of course, brown, which is a sign that you are healthy in the absence of other symptoms. The brown colour is caused by a substance called bilirubin, which is produced in the liver by breaking down old red blood cells at a normal speed.
Green Poo
Green leafy vegetables, foods with green colouring substances, or iron supplements and antibiotics may be the innocent reason behind your poo looking green. However, green poo appears usually when we have diarrhoea and can be a sign of bacterial infection or a digestive disorder.
Yellow Poo
Are you a fan of turmeric? Or perhaps cereals? Then the reason why your poo is yellow and greasy is due to adding them to your meal. Yet, another reason why your poo might be yellow is the presence of excessive fat in stool, commonly associated with malabsorption disorders like celiac disease. In this case, it’s advisable to seek medical evaluation.
Black Poo
Iron supplements, activated charcoal supplements, and foods such as dark green vegetables or liquorice can turn poo black. But black poo with a foul smell can be a sign of a serious problem in the upper digestive tract. The most common cause is bleeding in the stomach, small intestine, or colon, which can be due to colon cancer and requires medical attention.
Red Poo
Beets, tomato juice or foods containing red colouring could be the reason behind red poo. Yet, this colour can also be a sign of bleeding in the lower intestinal tract, often from haemorrhoids. Yet, persistent feeling of extreme fatigue accompanied by continuous vomiting makes red poo a red flag as it can be an indicator of bowel cancer.
White Poo
Antacids and barium enemas can also turn poop white. A pale-coloured or white poop, however, can be a sign of a lack of bile in your stool. If there has been no change to your medications, this could indicate an underlying medical condition like liver or gallbladder disease.
Silver Poo
Due to malabsorption, grey stools containing fat are combined with black, tarry stools, thereby producing this very rare colour. This is another colour that should be discussed with a healthcare expert as it may be a symptom of cancer.
So what is your body trying to tell you?
Our poo is influenced by what we eat and drink, so to determine the cause of any unusual poop colours, remember what you ate or drank within the last 24 hours before you start panicking. If your poo colour has nothing to do with your meals, you should consult a healthcare provider.
We should talk about poo
Poo should not be a taboo. Open discussions about poo and its colours can help raise awareness about potential health issues and seek medical advice when needed, ultimately promoting our overall well-being.
If you want to learn more about your gut health, contact us today to talk with our healthcare expert. If you are interested in learning more about gut health, there are plenty of resources on our blog page. Click here to read now.