Infants
Infants might have green stool as a result of:
- Not finishing nursing entirely on one side, thus missing some of the high-fat-content breast milk, which affects the digestion of the milk
- Protein hydrolysate formula (for babies with milk or soy allergy)
- Lack of normal intestinal bacteria in breast-fed infants
- Diarrhea
Children and adults
Causes of green stool include:
- Diarrhea
- Diet high in green vegetables such as spinach
- Food dyes
- Indomethacin – a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
- Iron supplements
- Medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera), a contraceptive drug
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Cunningham FG, et al. The newborn. In: Williams Obstetrics. 24th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2014. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed April 7, 2015.
- Lake AM. Food protein-induced proctitis/colitis and enteropathy of infancy. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 7, 2015.
- Schaner RJ, et al. Initiation of breastfeeding. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 7, 2015.
- Fischbach FT, et al. Stool studies. In: A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2014.