'See doctor urgently' if your poo looks like this

It's not easy to talk about your poo. But it can be a very important indicator of you health, with different colours and consistencies potentially a sign that something is wrong. In some cases, it can point towards a very serious medical health emergency.

Of course, poo can be different colours and consistencies for many different reasons, including perfectly normal ones, and the first thing to do if you are concerned is not to panic, but to seek medical advice from a doctor, who can either provide reassurance or perform further investigations if needed. Sometimes, it can be a case of waiting a week or two to see it things get back to normal.

However, it's good to be aware of what your poo might be telling you. But remember not to leap to the worst case scenario. For example, red poo could be because there is blood in your poo, but it could also be caused by red dye in your food and drink or even by beetroot. Black poo can be a sign of a serious medical condition, but it can also happen if you are taking iron tablets or even if you've eaten a lot of liquorice!

Here is a guide to the different colours you might find in your poo — and what could be causing it.

Black poo

Poo can be black if you are taking iron tablets or even if you have eaten a lot of liquorice, and this is not a problem. However, it can also mean bleeding higher up in the digestive system, potentially the stomach, says the charity Guts UK, who caution: "You should see your doctor if your poo turns black for an unknown reason. Contact the NHS urgently if it is black, tarry and smells bad, especially if you have tummy pain."

Serious possible causes for black poo include:

• Liver disease

• Stomach cancer, bowel cancer, oesophageal cancer

• Stomach or small bowel ulcers.

Bleeding may not be because of a cancer for most people, but seeing your doctor can help you to find out the cause and get it treated.

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Red poo

The likeliest explanation for red poo for many people will be the food and drink they have consumed. Red dye and beetroot are prime candidates. However, red poo could also indicate bleeding in the bowel. This is likely to be further down the digestive system, unlike black poo (above). Two common causes of red blood in poo are piles (haemorrhoids) or anal fissures (a cut). Other possible reasons are:

• Ulcerative colitis

• Crohn’s disease

• Diverticular disease

• Bowel cancer

• Food poisoning or gastroenteritis

Guts UK advises that red poo where the cause is not food related should always be discussed with your doctor.

Green poo

This can be caused by eating lots of green vegetables, green food colouring or antibiotics. It could also be down to a gut infection like food poisoning or gastroenteritis, which would also likely be accompanied by symptoms like diarrhoea, cramping pain, a temperature. and a general feeling of being unwell.

The green colour in someone with a gut infection is usually caused by the bacteria salmonella, a parasite called giardia, or a virus called norovirus. Most gut infections improve in five to ten days with self-care. But if your symptoms don't get better, your pains get worse, or if the poo changes colour again, for example, to red, contact a doctor. One more serious cause of green poo can be bile acid malabsorption, which can occur if you have liver or gall bladder disease.

Silver poo

Guts UK says this is "a very rare colour of poo and is not a good sign". It says: "The silver colouration is produced by combining black tarry stools and grey stools containing fat, due to malabsorption. This colour of stool should be discussed with your doctor urgently as it may be a symptom of cancer."

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Grey poo

Poo can sometimes be turned grey by medicine taken to treat diarrhoea. However, very pale or grey poo can mean that your pancreas or liver is not working properly. Guts UK says: "If your poo turns grey and it is not caused by medicine, food or iron tablets you should contact your doctor. Do not stop taking your medicines if you suspect a medicine is the cause, without advice from your doctor."

This colour of poo might be caused by the following:

• A blockage of the tubes from the pancreas or gallbladder caused by gallstones

• Inflammation caused by acute pancreatitis

• Chronic pancreatitis

• Pancreatic cancer

• Jaundice

Orange or yellow poo

Orange poo can happen if someone has eaten a very large amount of food containing beta-carotene which you'll find in (you guessed it) carrots. It can also be caused by bile acid diarrhoea, where bile stays in the stools without being reabsorbed, and can occur if you have liver or gall bladder disease or if you have had bowel surgery or disorders of the small intestine.

Bile acid diarrhoea can also occur if you have Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome or after some surgery. Occasionally it can occur with other malabsorption conditions like coeliac disease, chronic pancreatitis, pelvic radiation disease or bowel cancer.

Bile acid diarrhoea can also cause yellow poo, which can also be caused by too much fat inside the poo (steatorrhoea). IBS or coeliac disease can also cause yellow poo.

Brown poo

This is, of course, the normal and healthy colour of poo, although the different shades and consistencies can vary and it is always a good idea to know what is normal for you.