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What Causes Green Stool After Taking Herbalife Weight Control Powder?
Posted on
Wed, 24 May 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 24 May 2017
Answered on
Tue, 13 Jun 2017
Last reviewed on
Question : My stools have become green. I am taking herbalife weight control powder. Is this the cause?
Brief Answer:
Usually from green leafy foods or food coloring.
Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr. Stevens,
Some stool colors are concerning such as maroon color (which can indicate bleeding in the lower GI tract) or black and tarry (which can indicate bleeding in the stomach), but green color usually does not indicate a problem.
Most often it is caused by foods or supplements that have green leafy vegetables in them. Another cause is if there is added coloring, either natural food coloring or artificial food coloring.
Stool can also be green if the transit time through the intestines is sped up such as with diarrhea. Then the bile pigments from the liver don't get broken down in time and give a green color to the stool. But if you aren't having this kind of problem, then the most likely cause is from either the food you are eating (green leafy such as kale) or, if the herbalife has coloring added or contains green vegetables, it is probably the cause.
You can try to go without it for 3 days and see if the green color resolves in that time. Although if it started around the same time as the Herbalife, then it is likely the cause.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Usually from green leafy foods or food coloring.
Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr. Stevens,
Some stool colors are concerning such as maroon color (which can indicate bleeding in the lower GI tract) or black and tarry (which can indicate bleeding in the stomach), but green color usually does not indicate a problem.
Most often it is caused by foods or supplements that have green leafy vegetables in them. Another cause is if there is added coloring, either natural food coloring or artificial food coloring.
Stool can also be green if the transit time through the intestines is sped up such as with diarrhea. Then the bile pigments from the liver don't get broken down in time and give a green color to the stool. But if you aren't having this kind of problem, then the most likely cause is from either the food you are eating (green leafy such as kale) or, if the herbalife has coloring added or contains green vegetables, it is probably the cause.
You can try to go without it for 3 days and see if the green color resolves in that time. Although if it started around the same time as the Herbalife, then it is likely the cause.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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