What does it mean when your bowel movement is green?

A green bowel movement (BM) is usually the result of one of the following two scenarios:

(1) A person consumes green colored foods. In one case, a child's parents became alarmed at the sight of her apparently bright green BMs and brought her into the office. Her history revealed that she was consuming large amounts of American-cheese slices with blue Popsicles!

(2) The digestive process happens a bit too fast. In this case, the BM may appear green from unconverted bile, which is bright green when it is released from the liver. Diarrhea is a common context for this occurrence because it is associated with increased gastrointestinal (GI) motility (fast movement of digested materials through the GI tract). There simply isn't enough time for the bile to interact with digestive materials. Bile's color changes from green to yellow to brown as it mixes with intestinal salts and bacteria along the GI tract. A brownish color suggests that most of the liver's bile has undergone its proper conversion.

A normal stool is usually light to medium brown. People who suffer irritable-bowel syndrome (IBS) may report loose, greenish, diarrhea-like stools. It is important to note that a green BM by itself is NOT a direct indicator of any disease. Actually, the softening effect of bile helps to prevent constipation and helps the body to properly absorb dietary fats and certain critical vitamins.

In summary, a green BM can be perfectly normal, provided that it happens infrequently. However, if it occurs frequently or if your BMs are often diarrhea-like (regardless of their color), it is important to see your doctor. Remember to drink plenty of water in the meantime. The cliche is true: it's better to be safe than sorry!