Stool Color Changes and IBS

It's normal to become concerned if the shape, color, size, or consistency of your stool changes. This is particularly true if the change is sudden or dramatic. The cause may be simple and otherwise harmless, or it may be a sign of something serious.

People living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are likely to pay attention to poop color, as the condition is characterized by changes in bowel movements and in the appearance of stools. Many other disorders also involve bowel changes, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and celiac disease.

This article explains which stool colors are normal and which are signs of a possible medical issue. It also offers insights and tips specific to people with IBS, including how to describe and track abnormal changes in your stool.

Normal and Abnormal Colors

A "normal" stool can be a variety of different colors. With that said, the most common colors range from dark brown to light brown.

Different changes in stool color:

• Green stools are usually of no concern and can be the result of foods in your diet or food coloring, or from bile if you are having green diarrhea and your intestines don’t have time to break it down.
• Yellow stools may be a sign of excess fat in stools due to celiac disease or problems with your pancreas. It can also be due to a parasitic infection called giardiasis.
• Orange stools may be due to medications or diet, but may also be caused by a lack of bile or the malabsorption of bile due to IBS.
• Clay-colored or pale stools may be a sign of problems with the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, or the duct that secretes bile.
  
• Bright red stools may be a sign of bleeding in the lower intestinal tract.
• Dark red or black stools (melena) may be a sign of upper intestinal tract bleeding.

A bloody bowel movement may be the sign of a hemorrhoid or superficial tear near the anus, but it could be the first indication of something serious such as a tumor, infectious colitis, or inflammatory bowel disease. If you're not sure of the cause, you should see your healthcare provider.

If you have a fever, abdominal pain, or yellowing of the skin, seek emergency medical treatment. 

IBS and Stool Changes

By definition, irritable bowel syndrome involves a change in stool appearance. IBS stools can vary in appearance based on whether you have constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C), diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D), or mixed-type IBS (IBS-M).

IBS stools can be:

• Hard, lumpy, and difficult to pass
• Soft, loose, and watery
• Filled with mucus
• Thin and pencil-like
  

The type of IBS you have can make a difference in what your stool looks like. Doctors often describe these changes using the Bristol Stool Scale, which categorizes stools on a scale of 1 to 7:

• Type 1: Hard, separate pellets (severe IBS-C)
• Type 2: Lumpy and sausage-like (mild IBS-C)
• Type 3: Sausage-shaped with cracks (normal)
• Type 4: Smooth, soft, and sausage-like (normal)
• Type 5: Soft blobs with clear-cut edges (mild IBS-D)
• Type 6: Mushy with ragged edges (moderate IBS-D)
• Type 7: Watery with no solid pieces (severe IBS-D)

Monitoring Changes in Stools

If you have been diagnosed with IBS, you should check your stools weekly. That way, you can be confident that you are monitoring your health while avoiding unnecessary stress and anxiety. If you check your stools too often, you may see changes in color, shape, or consistency that are not necessarily reflective of what is really going on with your health.

Minor changes may be due to drinking too much or too little fluid that day. Stools can also change based on your diet, physical activity, temperature, and other factors.

Checking too often can make you hypersensitive to things that may or may not matter, in some cases placing you in a constant state of anxiety. And anxiety can lead to poor gut function and a potential worsening of IBS symptoms.

Summary

Changes in the color or consistency of stools may mean nothing at all or be a sign of something serious. For people living with IBS, stool changes are often a fact of life, making it harder to discern when you should worry or not worry.

As a general rule, you should speak to your doctor if your stools are clay-colored, yellow, orange, green, bright red, dark red, or black. These may be a sign of a serious medical condition that requires attention.

If you have IBS, the appearance of stools can vary based on whether you have IBS-D, IBS-C, or IBS-M. Although it is important to report any changes to your doctor, checking each and every bowel movement rarely provides a clear picture of your condition and may cause unnecessary stress. Checking your stools once weekly is usually enough.