Causes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Infants

Infants might have green stool as a result of:

  1. Not finishing breast-feeding entirely on one side, thus missing some of the high-fat-content breast milk, which affects the digestion of the milk
  2. Protein hydrolysate formula, which is used for babies with milk or soy allergy
  3. Lack of normal intestinal bacteria in breast-fed infants
  4. Diarrhea

Children and adults

Causes of green stool include:

  1. Diet high in green vegetables, such as spinach
  2. Food dyes
  3. Diarrhea
  4. Iron supplements

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

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July 17, 2020