Question: What is the significance, if any, of black bowel movements?

Answer: We suspect this is not the definitive answer you have been looking for, but there can be many causes to black bowel movements.

These causes can range from inconsequential to fairly serious. The following things may be causing you to be having black bowel movements of a non-serious nature:

• Result of eating certain types of foods
• Too much iron in the body
• Internal bleeding
• High Acid Content of the blood
• Aspirin
• Prescription or over the counter medications

Black stools can also be indicative of a few serious medical conditions such as:

• Colon Cancer
• internal Bleeding
• Digestive Disorders
• Ulcers
• Gastritis

So as you can see if you are passing black stools with any regularity you should consult with a physician for diagnosis and treatment options. In many cases a change in diet can return your stool to the rich brown color that indicates a healthy digestive system.

Go to a high fiber diet for a week or so and see if that is enough to change the color of your stool. It may be that simple to take care of this problem.

Thank you for your question regarding black bowel movements. If you have any other questions that we can be of assistance with please feel free to ask.