Quick answer: On any bowel movement color chart, healthy adult poop is some shade of brown. Green, yellow, orange or reddish poop is usually from food or food dye and should return to brown within a few days. Black, tarry stool, red or maroon blood, and pale, white or clay-colored stool are different: they can signal bleeding or a bile, liver or pancreas problem and need prompt medical advice. Black, tarry stool with dizziness, or heavy bleeding, is an emergency.
Seek care today if: your stool is black and tarry (especially if it smells unusually strong or you feel dizzy or weak), you see red or maroon blood, or your stool is pale or clay-colored and your skin or eyes look yellow. Go to the ER for heavy bleeding, large clots, vomiting blood or coffee-ground vomit, or fainting. Full urgency guide ↓
Most color surprises in the toilet come from something you ate. A few colors are among the most important signals your body can give you. This adult bowel movement color chart separates the two and tells you how urgent each one is.
Key takeaways
- Brown, in any shade, is the ideal adult stool color [1].
- Most green, yellow, orange and red tints come from food or dye and fade once the food has passed [1].
- Black and tarry can mean bleeding in the upper digestive tract [2][3]. Red or maroon can mean bleeding lower down [4].
- Pale, white or clay-colored stool lasting more than a few days can point to a bile duct, liver, gallbladder or pancreas problem [5][6].
- Iron, bismuth (Pepto-Bismol) and activated charcoal can turn stool black without bleeding [2]. Mention them to your doctor anyway.
What color should poop be?
Brown is the ideal poop color for adults, and the shade can vary from light to dark [1]. The brown comes from bile: your liver makes bile, which contains bilirubin, and that's what gives poop its brown color [5].
Occasional off-color stools don't mean you're unhealthy. Cleveland Clinic notes that "if your poop stays a color that's not brown, it could be a sign that something is going on" [1]. The key word is stays.
Bowel movement color chart: what each color means
This chart covers adults. Baby and infant stool colors follow different rules, so ask your pediatrician about those.
| Color | Common food or medicine causes | Possible health causes | How urgent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown (any shade) | — | Normal [1] | Normal |
| Green | Leafy greens, green/blue/purple dyes, blueberries, matcha [7] | Fast transit (diarrhea), antibiotics, infections, IBS [1][7] | Usually fine; see a doctor if it lasts or comes with diarrhea, fever or pain |
| Yellow | Carrots, sweet potatoes, very fatty foods [1] | Excess fat in stool, pancreatitis, celiac disease, bile duct issues [1][8] | Call a doctor if it's greasy, foul-smelling or persistent |
| Orange | Beta-carotene-rich foods such as carrots and sweet potatoes [1] | Occasionally fat malabsorption [9] | Usually food; check if greasy and persistent |
| Red | Beets, tomato juice, cranberries, red dyes [1] | Bleeding from hemorrhoids, fissures, ulcers or IBD; lower GI bleeding [1][4] | See a doctor if there's no food explanation |
| Maroon / dark red | — | Bleeding higher in the colon or small intestine [4] | Seek care the same day [10] |
| Black | Iron supplements, bismuth (Pepto-Bismol), activated charcoal, black licorice, blueberries, blood sausage [2][3] | Upper GI bleeding (melena), often from peptic ulcers [2][3] | Black and tarry: same-day care; ER if dizzy or weak |
| Pale, white, gray, clay | Anti-diarrheal medicines; rarely dairy [1] | Liver, bile duct, gallbladder or pancreas problems [5][6] | See a doctor if it lasts more than a few days; right away with yellow skin/eyes or dark urine [5] |
Want the detail on one color? See our guides to green poop and bright yellow, loose stools. For color alongside stool shape, see the Bristol stool chart.
Which poop colors need a doctor?
Three color groups need prompt attention: black/tarry, red/maroon, and pale/clay.
Black, tarry stool. Melena is the medical term for black, tarry stool caused by bleeding in the upper GI tract, usually the stomach or the first part of the small intestine [2]. The blood turns black as it's digested on the way down [3]. Classic melena is jet black, tarry and sticky, with a particularly strong, offensive smell. Stool stained black by iron or bismuth usually doesn't have that smell [2]. Peptic ulcers are the most common cause of acute upper GI bleeding [3]. Blood thinners and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen raise the risk of GI bleeding [3].
- Go to urgent care or an ER if black stool comes with vomiting blood or coffee-ground vomit, dizziness, weakness or lightheadedness, palpitations or shortness of breath, or several days of melena [2].
Red or maroon. Bright red blood usually means bleeding lower down, in the colon, rectum or anus. Dark red or maroon can mean bleeding higher in the colon or small intestine [4]. Hemorrhoids are the most common cause of blood in stool [4], but inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular bleeding, polyps and colorectal cancer can also cause it [4]. Always tell a doctor about blood in your stool, even if you suspect hemorrhoids.
- The NHS advises an urgent appointment if your poo is black or dark red, or you have bloody diarrhea. It advises emergency care for non-stop bleeding or large clots [10].
Pale, white or clay-colored. These colors usually mean not enough bile is reaching the gut, from a blockage (such as gallstones), liver disease, pancreatitis or, less often, tumors of the liver, bile ducts or pancreas [5][6]. One pale stool now and then isn't usually a worry [5].
- Contact a provider if stools are pale for more than a few days [5][6]. Contact them right away if you also have yellow skin or eyes (jaundice) and dark urine [5].
How can you tell if a color is from food?
Use a quick three-step check:
- Look back 1–2 days. Most food takes a day or more to pass through, so think about yesterday's meals, not just today's. Beets, berries, leafy greens, carrots, dyed drinks and candy are the usual suspects [1][7].
- Check how you feel. "If you feel perfectly fine and don't have diarrhea, a different color bowel movement is most likely linked to something you ate," says a Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologist [7].
- Wait and watch. Once the food is out of your system, your poop should return to brown [1]. If it doesn't within a few days, contact a provider [1].
Exception: don't use this "wait and see" approach for black-tarry, maroon or pale stools, or for any visible blood. Call a doctor instead.
A practical tip: look at the color in good light. Toilet water and bathroom lighting can make shades hard to judge. If you're unsure, describe what you saw ("very dark, sticky, strong smell") rather than guessing at a color name.
Which medicines change poop color?
Some medicines and supplements change stool color without anything being wrong. Tell your doctor about them anyway, because they can also mask or mimic a problem.
| Medicine / supplement | Color it can cause |
|---|---|
| Iron supplements | Black [1][2] |
| Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) | Black [1][2] |
| Activated charcoal | Black [2] |
| Antibiotics | Greenish [7] |
| Anti-diarrheal medicines | Pale or clay [1] |
How to track this in Get Regular
For ongoing records, explore the Get Regular poop tracker. Compare the current logging workflow and access with the details you want to keep. An app record does not identify the cause of a bowel change.
When to see a doctor
Beyond the color-specific advice above, see a doctor if you have [10]:
- Any blood in your stool, or bleeding from your bottom
- A change in your poo, such as softer stools, diarrhea or constipation that isn't usual for you, or going more or less often than usual
- Frequently feeling you need to poo even right after you've been
- Tummy pain, a lump in your tummy, or bloating that doesn't settle
- Unintended weight loss, or tiredness and breathlessness (possible signs of anemia)
- Any off-brown color that persists for more than a few days with no food explanation [1]
- New symptoms after age 50, or a family history of colorectal cancer, IBD or celiac disease
Pale, greasy, floating stools can be another sign of fat malabsorption; see why poop floats. For a full checklist, see when to see a doctor about bowel changes.
FAQ
What color poop is bad? The colors that most need attention are black and tarry, red or maroon (blood), and pale, white or clay-colored [1][2][5]. Red or black poop is often the most alarming because it can suggest bleeding, though not always [1].
What does yellow poop mean in adults? Often diet: carrots, sweet potatoes or a fatty meal [1]. Yellow, greasy, foul-smelling stool that clings to the bowl can mean excess fat in stool, from causes such as pancreatic problems or celiac disease [1][8]. See a doctor if it persists.
Can dehydration change poop color? Stool from slower transit tends to be darker and harder, but color changes alone are better explained by food, medicines or the causes above. If you're unsure, note the color and how you feel, and ask a provider.
Why is my poop dark brown, almost black? Dark brown is still within the normal range of brown [1]. If it's truly black, sticky or tarry, or smells unusually strong, treat it as possible melena and seek care [2].
How long after eating beets does red poop last? Usually until the beets have passed, typically within a day or two. If red stool continues after that, or you haven't eaten red foods, contact a doctor [1].
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. Stool (Poop) Color: Guide, What It Indicates, Healthy Color. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/stool-poop-color
- Cleveland Clinic. Melena (Black Stool): Causes & Treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/25058-melena
- MedlinePlus. Black or tarry stools. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003130.htm
- Cleveland Clinic. Blood in Stool (Rectal Bleeding): Causes & What It Looks Like. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/14612-rectal-bleeding
- Cleveland Clinic. Clay-Colored or Pale Stool: Causes & When To See a Doctor. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/clay-colored-or-pale-stool
- MedlinePlus. Stools - pale or clay-colored. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003129.htm
- Cleveland Clinic. Why Is My Poop Green? 5 Causes. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/green-poop
- Cleveland Clinic. Why Is My Poop Sticky? 4 Common Causes. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sticky-poop
- UnityPoint Health. Should My Poop Float or Sink? When to Worry About Stool Buoyancy. https://www.unitypoint.org/news-and-articles/should-my-poop-float-or-sink
- NHS. Symptoms of bowel cancer. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer/symptoms/
This article is for general education and isn't medical advice. Get Regular is a tracking app — it doesn't diagnose or treat any condition. If you have red-flag symptoms or ongoing changes in your digestion, talk to a doctor.