Why is stool green?
Normally, human beings have brown stool. This is because the food that we eat still undergoes a process of digestion and secretion. Once we eat, the food flows to the stomach and the fluid will be circulated with the blood to be needed by the body. Those that are not digested well will turn to stool and pass through the intestines. In the small intestines is a fluid which is responsible to absorb fat soluble vitamins. This is called bile.The bile turns the stool brown.
But then, there may come a time that human’s bowel turns green. There are explanations for this. First, it means that the food had passed through the intestines very fast that the bile could not change the stool’s color from green to brown. One good example of this happens during loose bowel movement or diarrhea. There is a decrease in the bowel transit time so the passing out of the stool becomes faster than normal.
Second, green stool would indicate the kind of food or substance we take. If we are under medication, there is a possibility that the stool turns green. Antibiotics and iron supplements also cause our stool to become green. Eating green food can also contribute to the abnormal color of the stool. Green leafy vegetables can act as a coloring because of its substance, the chlorophyll. Foods that contain artificial green coloring may also cause the greening syndrome. If you have taken these foods, there is nothing to be alarmed of if what you excreted has a green hue color.
Green stool may also signify that something is wrong with our body. We may suffer from diseases such as ulcer, Celiac disease, diarrhea, or cancer. This what makes the green stool alarming. If the stool does not look brownish for a longer period, then it’s time to consult a doctor.
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