Medically reviewed by Kumkum S. Patel, MD Noticing black stool can be alarming, but the cause isn’t always serious. Sometimes ...

Period poops are changes in your bowel movements or stool that happen just before or during menstruation. Known as period poops, the changes can come in the form of constipation or diarrhea.

A person’s poop may be black due to eating certain foods, such as licorice, taking iron supplements, or gastrointestinal bleeding. If people have blood in the stool, they may benefit from ...