Passing green diarrhea or green stool is often nothing to be concerned about.
There are several reasons why green stool can fall within the range of normal bowel movements.
Foods like leafy vegetables, supplements, and medications are usually the cause.
Verywell / Joshua Seong
In some cases, a combination of factors may be involved.
For instance, certain foods can add a greenish hue to a stool.
Additionally, some foods can have a laxative effect that speeds up digestion,resulting in diarrhea.
Under normal circumstances, bile turns dark brown as it passes through the digestive tract.
In cases like this, the stool will more likely be watery.
Even if the food wasn’t actually green, it could still be the cause.
The color should go back to normal in a day or two.
They can contribute to green stools, especially if you eat a lot.
Green diarrhea from laxative foods is often dark green.
Medical Conditions That Cause Green Diarrhea
Several medical conditions can cause green diarrhea.
Food Poisoning
Green stool may be a sign of food poisoning.
Green, watery stool, along with bloating, nausea, and abdominal cramping, is a possible symptom.
Allergens react with IgE, releasing chemicals that cause various symptoms throughout the body.
Other causes of intolerance involve various immune cells without the influence of IgE.
Both are serious inflammatory conditions that damage the digestive system.
Diarrhea is a common symptom of both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
The diarrhea color can vary from brown, red (due to intestinal bleeding), or green.
IBS doesn’t always cause diarrhea.
Some cases are characterized byconstipationand are referred to asconstipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C).
Others are characterized by diarrhea and are referred to as diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).
Other cases still are mixed (IBS-M).
In some cases, the stool may be greenish or take on more of apale, chalky appearance.
In certain conditions, the gallbladder may need to be removed in a surgical procedure known ascholecystectomy.
Indigestion, flatulence, and constipation can also occur.
Sometimes, individuals wonder if liver issues can cause green diarrhea since the liver is involved in bile production.
However, gallbladder issues are much more likely to cause green diarrhea than liver issues.
Instead, those with liver damage are much more likely to experience blood in their stool than green stools.
Examples of these cancers include certain leukemias, multiple myeloma, and lymphomas.
While bone marrow transplants are part of a successful treatment plan for many patients, sometimes there are complications.
Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and diarrhea.
The most common period is around day 25.
Several additional GI symptoms, including diarrhea, may also develop.
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Various cancers can cause diarrhea as a symptom.
If you experience any changes in your bowel habits, such as diarrhea, contact your healthcare provider.
They may want to run various tests to rule out any complications.
For formula-fed babies, green stool may persist for several months.
This is likely due to the iron content of some formulas.
Green stool may also be due to eating non-food items, such as crayons, in older children.
Treatment of Green Diarrhea
The treatment of green diarrhea varies by the underlying cause.
This is especially true if there are other symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain, or vomiting.
As uncomfortable as it can be, food poisoning doesn’t always require medical treatment.
The key is to drink plenty offluids with electrolytesso you don’t get dehydrated.
Depending on the cause, over-the-counter (OTC)anti-diarrhea medicationscan also help.
For more severe cases, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics to treat the underlying infection.
In cases of severe dehydration, you may needintravenous (IV) fluids.
Common treatments include:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Diarrhea-predominant IBS is mainly treated with dietary and lifestyle changes.
Medications may also be prescribed in severe cases.
Acute GVHD may be treated with only a topical steroid.
Sometimes, additional immunosuppressive drugs are needed.
Treatment for diarrhea related to gastrointestinal cancers depends on the cause.
If the diarrhea is due to a newly diagnosed cancer, treating the cancer may eventually handle the diarrhea.
If diarrhea is due to cancer treatment, let your healthcare team know.
Depending on the severity, they may adjust your treatment schedule.
Or there may be medications you’ve got the option to take to help.
Diarrhea is also a symptom of an infection or GVHD.
If you have an infection, you may need antibiotics.
Additionally, for GVHD, your provider may prescribe steroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.
Black stools could be a sign of an ulcer or a more serious concern likecolon cancer.
Early diagnosis of these conditions almost invariably leads to better outcomes.
Persistent diarrhea, whether colored or not, should never be considered normal.
The most common cause of green stool is diet.
Eating green, blue, or purple foods is often the culpritespecially when they contain food dyes.
Several medical conditions can cause green diarrhea.
Many of them involve rapid digestion, which makes bile retain its green color instead of turning brown.
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