| Stool Change | Possible Cause |
| Black or red color | Diet, GI bleeding, drug side effect, intestinal polyps, colon cancer, PUD |
| Bulky stool | Diet, constipation, malabsorption, drug side effect |
| Floating or greasy | Malabsorption, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis |
| Loose stool | Diet, infection, allergy, inflammation, or malabsorption |
| Pale, clay or yellow color | Liver, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis |
| Small, thin or stringy | Diet, inflammation, ischemic colitis, colon cancer |
| Green stool | Usually related to diet, vitamins, or supplements |
| White stool | Usually related to diet, liver disease, or gallstones |
Dietary causes for red stool include:
- Large amounts of beets
- Tomato juice
- Tomato soup
- Red Kool-Aid
- Red gelatin
- Large amounts of red popsicles
Other causes for
black stools include:
