What's in the Toilet? Orange Poop!

Chances are, it's happened to you - after some time in the bathroom, you glance down, and find something frightening staring back at you! We joke and laugh about bathroom incidents such as these, and most of the time they're entirely laughable matters. Sometimes, though, the causes can be more serious, and of course any lasting changes to one's waste should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Foods, and the associated digestive processes, are the most common factors of the color of one's poop. Orange stool is usually associated with foods high in vitamin A or beta-carotene. If you find yourself taking antacids, check their contents. Those that contain aluminum hydroxide could be the reason for orange poop. Any orange or yellow artificial colorings could be a factor, as they are frequently quite concentrated and difficult for the body to process completely. Carrots squash, and sweet potatoes are obvious culprits. Even foods that are green but contain high concentrations of vitamin A could be the cause: spinach, turnip or collard greens, kale, cilantro, even fresh thyme.

Sometimes it's not necessarily something you ate, but a temporary or chronic health issue that's the cause. Orange poop could be caused by insufficient exposure to bile salt. If one's stool passes through the digestive tract too quickly, there is not enough time for the exposure of bile and bacteria, and it comes out orange. Common causes of this include diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and short bowel syndrome. Diarrhea can be be due to changes in diet, stress, food poisoning and bacterial infections, viruses, among many other factors. Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by discomfort, bloating, changes in bowel habits, and chronic abdominal pain. Short bowel syndrome is a disorder that usually follows after a significant portion of the small intestine has been removed surgically. As the physical length has been shortened, stool has a quicker delivery time, and thus may have insufficient exposure to bile salts, coming out orange.

Another serious cause of orange poop could be a diseased or obstructed liver. Normally, bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Some liver ailments reduce bile production, resulting in orange stool. In some cases, bile glands can become blocked partially or severely, affecting the digestive process.

Orange poop is not a cause for immediate alarm, though nevertheless, should be monitored and reported to a healthcare professional if it becomes a common issue. Talk to your doctor, eat healthy, and live happily!