Is my poop color normal?

Often, yes—poop color can vary and still be normal. A typical normal range is light brown to dark brown, and it can shift with foods, supplements, hydration, and how fast stool moves through your gut.

Seek medical advice promptly if your stool is:

• Black and tarry, especially with dizziness, weakness, or stomach pain
• Bright red or maroon, unless you’re sure it’s from something like beets or food dye
• Pale, gray, or clay-colored, especially with yellow skin/eyes, dark urine, or itching
• Persistent green, yellow, or very light stool with diarrhea, fever, weight loss, or pain

If it was a one-time unusual color and you feel well, think about recent foods, iron supplements, bismuth medicines, antibiotics, or new vitamins, and watch whether it returns to brown over the next couple of bowel movements.