Dark-colored feces: causes in adults and children. Why does black loose stool occur in an adult?

From the stomach, food masses enter the duodenum, where they are mixed with bile produced by the liver and digestive enzymes of the pancreas. During the digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, a suspension is formed that moves through the small intestine. The small intestine absorbs nutrients into the blood, and the remaining liquid waste enters the large intestine. In the large intestine, the remaining water is absorbed and feces are formed, which are excreted into the environment through the distal part of the digestive tract - the rectum.

Normal stool consists of water, remains of animal food, undigested plant fibers, bacteria (up to 1/3 of the dry weight of stool), bile, and dead cells of the mucous membrane lining the digestive tract. The composition, consistency, quantity and color of feces depend on many factors and are one of the indicators of the health of the body in general and the gastrointestinal tract in particular.

Normal stool color

Stools are usually brown in color, and significant changes in color may be a cause for health concern. The color of stool is determined by the presence of bilirubin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin) and other bile pigments. Changes in the amount of bilirubin in the bile can change the color of the stool from light yellow to dark brown.

In most cases, changes in the color of stool are associated with dietary habits and are not a symptom of any health abnormalities. However, in some cases, for example, if the color of the stool has changed radically, and these changes persist for a long time, this can be an important diagnostic sign of dangerous diseases and serious life-threatening conditions.

When should a change in color alert you?

A cause for concern should be those cases when a change in stool color is accompanied by other symptoms:

• Green and foul-smelling stools are accompanied by diarrhea, abdominal pain, high fever, nausea and vomiting - possible symptoms of some infectious diseases, such as salmonellosis.
• Discolored feces are accompanied by pain in the abdomen, back, yellowness of the sclera and skin, darkening of the urine - signs of problems with the liver and biliary tract.
• Stool staining black is accompanied by abdominal pain, weakness, pale skin, increased heart rate, cold sweat - symptoms of bleeding in the stomach or duodenum.
• Red stool is accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting - these may be signs of intestinal bleeding.

Green stool is a sign of what?

As already mentioned, the brown color of stool is due to the presence of bilirubin in it. Bilirubin enters the lumen of the duodenum with bile, the color of which, depending on the concentration of this substance, can vary from greenish-yellow to dark brown. As it passes through the intestines, the chemical composition of bile changes and it darkens. If the movement of feces through the intestinal lumen becomes too fast, the bile retains its original color and the stool becomes green. This can happen with diarrhea caused by food poisoning, salmonellosis, rotavirus infection, giardiasis, Crohn's disease, autoimmune and endocrine diseases.

Green stool may occur if you eat a lot of green vegetables.

Green feces in an adult may be due to intestinal dysbiosis. In this case, a detailed scatological examination for dysbiosis will help establish the diagnosis.

Green stools, accompanied by cutting pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, and an admixture of mucus and pus in the stool are signs of acute infectious enterocolitis. Treatment in this case is prescribed by an infectious disease doctor based on the results of a bacteriological examination of stool and establishing the sensitivity of pathogenic microflora to a particular group of antibacterial drugs. In addition to antibacterial treatment, enterocolitis requires replenishment of fluid losses, including parenteral administration of electrolyte solutions.

Green stool may also have a completely normal explanation that is not related to illness, for example, after eating a large amount of green leafy vegetables (especially spinach), foods with appropriate food colorings, or some dietary supplements. Sometimes a change in color is provoked by taking iron supplements, but most often the stool in this case does not turn green, but turns black.

Green stool in children can be caused by the same diseases as in adults. In newborns in the first days of life, green stool is a normal variant called meconium.

What does black stool mean?

Feces can turn black in a completely healthy person in the following cases:

• When eating blueberries, prunes, pomegranates, black currants, bird cherry, red wine, red beets.
• After eating dishes and products based on or containing blood, for example, rare meat, blood sausage, etc.
• While taking iron supplements for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia, bismuth supplements, multivitamins, activated carbon.

In these cases, the help of doctors is not required, and the color of the stool returns to normal within a few days after changing the menu and stopping treatment.

Black stool is a symptom of dangerous bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract

The sudden and inexplicable appearance of black stool (melena) is one of the serious symptoms of internal bleeding into the cavity of the stomach or duodenum. The black color is due to the interaction of hemoglobin in the blood with hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice, resulting in the formation of black hemin. can be caused by peptic ulcer, tumor, injury, bleeding disorder, varicose veins of the esophagus due to liver diseases, infectious process and other reasons.

If the appearance of melena is accompanied by weakness, cold sweat, increased breathing and pulse, and pale skin, then you should immediately call an ambulance, since massive blood loss poses a serious threat to life.

Stool may turn black when blood is ingested during severe nosebleeds, after tooth extraction, or after oral trauma.

Black feces during pregnancy can be a consequence of all of the above conditions, but most often it is caused by a woman taking multivitamins and supplements containing iron.

Red stool – is it a reason to worry?

Red stool appears when there is bleeding into the intestinal cavity.

There is no reason to worry if the day before you ate beetroot dishes or consumed drinks and confectionery products colored with red food coloring.

Among pathological conditions, the most common cause of red stool is bleeding from hemorrhoids. More dangerous causes of bleeding into the intestinal cavity and redness of the stool are Crohn's disease, nonspecific, intestinal diverticulosis, malignant tumors, arteriovenous malformations.

Severe bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract can also cause red stool. In this case, hemoglobin does not have time to react with hydrochloric acid, so the blood in the stool does not turn black, but remains red.

Is it dangerous when stool is white?

White feces are one of the characteristic symptoms of liver and biliary tract diseases. Discoloration of the stool is explained by the lack of bilirubin in it, which ceases to be supplied with bile as a result of impaired liver function or obstruction of the bile ducts. But there is a lot of it in the blood, and this can be seen with the naked eye, since it turns the skin and eyes yellow - this condition is called jaundice. In addition, bilirubin begins to be excreted intensively by the kidneys, as a result the urine becomes dark, as doctors say, the color of beer. Undoubtedly, this is a dangerous condition that requires immediate specialist intervention and proper treatment.

Yellow or white stool is a sign of liver and pancreas disease

Light and loose stools with an unpleasant odor are a sign of impaired pancreatic function. The deficiency or absence of a number of enzymes makes it impossible to digest fats, resulting in light-colored stools. Lightening of the stool after eating fatty foods may indicate chronic celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, compression of the bile ducts or blockage due to gallstone disease. The consequences of these diseases can be very serious, so you should not delay visiting a doctor.

White feces can also appear normally, for example, with errors in nutrition, in particular, with the abuse of fatty foods: lard, butter, fatty sour cream, etc.

Another variant of the norm is stool discoloration while taking certain medications: antibiotics, antifungals, gout medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives. A few days after completing the course of treatment with such drugs, the color of the stool returns to normal. To avoid unnecessary worries, before taking medications, you should carefully read the instructions for the drug, especially the section on side effects and symptoms of overdose.

What if the stool turns yellow?

Yellow stool is one of the variants of light-colored stool, so the reasons for its appearance may be the same: biliary tract, pancreatic disease, conditions accompanied by blockage or compression of the bile ducts, excessive consumption of fatty foods, treatment with certain medications.

What should you do if your stool color changes?

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Many reasons can affect the color of stool. This includes not only the features of the diet, but also the features of the digestive tract. In addition, the use of any medications can easily change the color of stool.

Fact! The normal color of stool is considered brown; this is the color that is formed during the normal secretion of bile in the body. Brown feces are also an indication that the digestive tract in the human body is working normally.

The shade of stool can vary from lighter to darker, depending on the amount of bilirubin and stercobilin that enter the digestive tract along with bile. In addition, some diseases can change the color of stool.

The appearance of light brown feces frightens many if the color becomes too light. There can be quite a few reasons for this phenomenon. Firstly, these are some nutritional features. The patient may have eaten too much fatty food the day before, especially foods such as butter or sour cream. In addition, if you eat large quantities of rice or potatoes without the use of additional additives and other foods, you will also experience light brown stool.

Also, sometimes the color of stool becomes lighter if, after a long period of eating predominantly meat foods, you suddenly eat a lot of plant foods. That is why, if you find feces of a different color, you need to remember what was eaten the day before; perhaps there is simply no reason to worry.

In addition, the reasons for the change in stool color to a lighter color may be the use of a number of medications:

• Antibacterial drugs;
• anti-inflammatory drugs;
• drugs aimed at reducing fever and temperature, for example, ibuprofen, aspirin, paracetamol;
• preparations for eliminating fungi;
• medications used in therapy for tuberculosis;
• gout remedies;
• drugs for epilepsy.

Feces can also become light-colored as a result of taking barium sulfate. Basically, this need arises when conducting a number of examinations. However, in this case you should not worry, because after 2-3 days the substance will leave the body, and the stool will return to its previous color.

Diseases that can cause light-colored stool

Light-colored stool in an adult may indicate the presence of a number of diseases or the beginning of their development. In this case we are talking about pathologies of the gallbladder and liver. In this case, light brown or even lighter stool is an important diagnostic sign. In rare cases, the cause may be neoplasms in the digestive tract or inflammation.

Light brown stools in themselves are not a cause for concern. You should consult a doctor if there are no objective reasons for the color change, and in addition, the following symptoms appear:

An increase in body temperature that persists for a long time;

• loose stools;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pain in the abdomen or under the ribs on the left side;
• yellowness on the skin and sclera of the eyes;
• weight loss;
• darkening of urine;
• bloating, increase in size;
• mucus in the stool of an adult.

If at least two signs from the list presented complement light-colored stool, it makes sense to undergo a full medical examination. This is the only way to determine the presence of a disease and take measures to eliminate it.

What does darkened stool mean?

The appearance of dark brown stool may also be a normal change due to a change in diet, or it may indicate the development of a serious pathology in the patient’s body. Black stool can be caused by certain foods that contain coloring pigments. Changes to a dark brown color of stool are influenced by dark-colored foods, for example, blueberries, red beets, chokeberries, as well as hematogen, which contains a lot of iron. For example, if you eat a lot of hematogen, the iron contained in it, after entering the stomach and interacting with oxygen, will color the stool a darker color. In some cases, due to the use of iron, the stool may turn out to be completely black.

However, if none of the above was eaten the day before, the cause of darkened stool may be internal bleeding concentrated in the upper part of the digestive tract.

Be careful! When blood enters the intestines, it becomes dark and stains the stool completely, as a result of which they acquire a brown color. Brown mucus may also appear in the stool, causing the stool to become sticky.

What does red-tinged stool mean?

The appearance of red-brown feces is an alarming sign and, as a rule, indicates the presence of pathologies in the body. However, it is still worth first finding out why the feces acquired such a shade. In this case, you also need to take into account the foods that were eaten the day before. For example, foods such as beets, tomatoes, and some fruit juices can turn stool red. Foods containing dyes and eaten in large quantities can also have an effect. Often, a child’s stool has a red tint after eating vegetables, since the intestines are just adapting to digest them.

If there was nothing like this in your diet, you should think about the presence of diseases in the intestines. As a rule, inclusions of blood in the stool indicate hemorrhoids, anal fissure or bleeding in the rectum.

Many patients wonder why poop is brown, and are very surprised if it suddenly changes color. In general, the color of the stool primarily depends on the secretion of bile, so special attention should be paid to this factor. Why the poop is brown, but at the same time too light or dark - this is already a matter of changes in the body. It is important to understand here that the color of stool does not simply change, and if there are other symptoms that cause concern, you should consult a specialist and undergo a full examination, which will help determine the cause and prescribe treatment.

A person who monitors the condition of his body often pays attention to the color of urine and feces. It is these secretions that can become indicators of changes occurring in it. For example, sometimes the question may arise: what does dark-colored stool mean? Let's try to find the answer to it.

Cal. Normal color

Changes in the color of stool can occur for various reasons. In humans, stool that is considered normal is yellowish-brown to dark brown in color. One of the most common causes of darkening is certain foods, as well as bile levels. For example, as a result of a violation of the outflow of bile, stool becomes light in color.

Why does stool turn black?

The appearance of black feces, as a rule, causes a person to worry and want to find out why such changes occurred. There are a number of reasons why the color of stool may change.

• Eating “colored” foods that cause coloration of stool (and such changes can be observed within 3 days). These products include:

prunes

red grapes

blood sausage.

If you consumed any of the above before the appearance of black feces, you need to exclude them from your diet for 4-5 days. If after this the stool remains black, then the reason lies elsewhere.

• This kind of change can occur while taking certain medications. These are iron-containing products (Sorbifer, Ferrum Lek, Aktiferrin, Maltofer and others), taking activated black carbon and bismuth preparations.

If a change in the color of stool occurs while taking these drugs, then this is not a contraindication. Consultation with your doctor will help dispel all doubts.

• The appearance of dark stool may be a sign of bleeding of the esophagus, stomach ulcers, stomach cancer, etc. Black stool is called melena.

It is important to know that the presence of serious internal pathologies can be indicated not only by the dark color of the stool, but also by the appearance of pain in the epigastric region, weakness, nausea, and vomiting.

One more nuance should be noted. The cause of bleeding in people suffering from duodenal or gastric ulcers may be antiplatelet agents (aspirin, cardiomagnyl) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The medications themselves do not turn the stool black, but they can cause bleeding that turns the stool black.

If dark stools appear for several days (the reason for taking colored foods must be ruled out), you should consult a doctor and get tested.

The color of a healthy person's stool can range from light brown to dark brown. This color is caused by the presence in the feces of a product that is produced as a result of pigment metabolism processes.

Causes of changes in stool color

The color or shade of stool may change due to:

• taking certain medications, for example, hematogen, bismuth salts, calomel. In such cases, the stool may be black or green;
• consumed certain foods. For example, after eating asparagus, lettuce and sorrel, the feces acquire a greenish tint. And after eating black currants, cherries and blueberries, it can turn black;
• the predominance of certain nutrients in products. For example, when consuming a large amount of milk, the color of stool may become golden-yellow, when consuming meat and sausage products - black-brown, and when consuming plant foods - light brown.

However, a change in the color and shade of feces may also indicate the development of certain pathological processes in the body and be one of the symptoms of the following diseases:

• cirrhosis of the liver;
• stomach ulcer;
• development of malignant and benign neoplasms;
• hepatitis;
• gastric erosion;
• bleeding from hemorrhoids:
• bleeding from the rectum.

If the color of stool changes for no reason, that is, it was not preceded by taking certain medications and foods, you should immediately seek medical help. After all, a timely diagnosis will help eliminate the problem in the early stages of its development, which will lead to a successful and rapid cure of the disease. In such situations, it is recommended to contact specialists in the field:

• hepatology;
• gastroenterology;
• oncology.

Light-colored stool

Faeces that have a pale tint (white, gray) in most cases indicate that the person ate a large amount the day before:

• potatoes
• tapioca;
• rice

If a person has had a barium sulfate x-ray, they will also experience discolored stool for several days.
Taking certain medications meant to relieve diarrhea can also cause gray stools. The fact is that these drugs contain additives such as calcium and antacids.

If we consider the issue of the occurrence of pale stool from the other side, it becomes clear that the bile secreted by the gallbladder does not enter the intestines for some reason. This may signal the development of certain diseases, including those associated with the closure of the bile ducts, namely:

• pancreatitis;
• tumors of the bile ducts;
• hepatitis A;
• stones in the gall bladder and bile ducts;
• cancer or cirrhosis of the liver.

Thus, we can conclude that if a person has white stool, it means that he has problems with the gallbladder. Perhaps he suffers from cholecystitis.

Red stool

Red or red-brown color of stool should alert you. After all, it is a harbinger of the development of certain pathological processes in the body. Although in most cases, red feces indicate that you ate a fairly large amount of the following foods the day before:

• beets;
• red gelatin;
• tomatoes;
• fruit punches.

Also, red stool may indicate that a person took certain antibiotics, which contributed to the formation of ulcers in the intestines. And this already caused bleeding. After taking potassium tablets and some other medications, you may also experience blood in your stool.

If you notice the appearance of bloody stools and did not eat red foods the day before, this may indicate the presence of fissures in the anus, as well as hemorrhoids. These problems could arise for the following reasons:

• after childbirth;
• after sexual intercourse;
• presence of foreign objects in the rectum;
• with frequent constipation.

Also, red stool can be a consequence of a disease such as intestinal inflammation. This disease, in addition to bloody stool, is characterized by the presence of diarrhea and severe cramps.

In addition to the problems listed above, red feces can be a harbinger of some other diseases of the digestive system. So, if the stool is bright red, the problem is most likely in the lower intestines. It is very likely that there are malfunctions of the large intestine, for example, diverticulitis, when small areas of the rectum become inflamed due to the presence of infection. This condition is characterized by the presence of acute pain in the lower abdomen.

As for stool that is dark red in color, the problem is most likely located in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, namely:

• in the small intestine;
• in the stomach;
• in the esophagus.

Bloody stool is sometimes the only symptomatic manifestation of colon cancer, as well as the presence of polyps. These polyps can be either malignant or benign.

However, in these cases, along with bloody stools, the presence of:

• attacks of nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• spasms;
• general weakness;
• significant weight loss.

Yellow stool

Light yellow (golden) feces can be observed with the development of a pathology such as fermentative dyspepsia, in other words, a disturbance in the digestion of carbohydrates. This pathology may cause disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs in terms of insufficient digestion of the connective tissue membranes of plant fibers. Thus, the carbohydrates present in plant foods become inaccessible to the enzymes of the pancreas and small intestine.

Often yellow stool in adults occurs due to poor digestion of food in the large intestine, as well as due to pancreatic insufficiency.

It is worth noting that in children who are breastfed, the color of stool can vary from pale yellow or even green-yellow to rich yellow with a golden tint.

Green stool

The green color of stool may indicate the development of certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, about the course of pathological processes in the small intestine, as well as about the development of dysbiosis, which provokes the processes of fermentation and rotting of consumed food.

The stool may turn green due to certain antibiotics. This color is due to the fact that the intestines contain a large number of dead leukocytes, which accumulate in it against the background of emerging foci of inflammation.

Green feces are also characteristic of a disease such as dysentery, which is an intestinal infection. Along with such stool, a person usually experiences:

• significant increase in body temperature:
• abdominal pain;
• attacks of nausea and profuse vomiting;
• aches and weakness throughout the body.

Also, feces may acquire a green tint due to the oxidation of iron, which is present in red blood cells. This occurs due to the development of complications of ulcers or malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract.

Another cause of green stool is diseases of the hematopoietic organs. The fact is that due to the breakdown of red blood cells, hemoglobin is converted into a large amount of bilirubin. As a result, this substance, when entering the intestines, gives the stool a greenish tint.

In children aged 6-8 months, the color of the stool may also be green. This occurs due to the fact that unchanged bilirubin enters the child’s intestines. And if no other symptoms are observed (fever, abdominal pain, blood in the stool), there is no need to worry.

Dark-colored stool

In most cases, stool that is black in color produces a more shocking and even ominous impression on a person than bloody stool.

However, not everything is as sad as it might seem at first glance. After all, a common reason for stool turning black is:

• taking activated carbon;
• taking various nutritional supplements that contain iron;
• taking medications that contain bismuth;
• consumption of black licorice;
• eating blueberries.

But if you find dark stool (almost black), which will have a viscous consistency (tarry), rush to consult a competent doctor. After all, this may signal the presence of blood in the stool, which, in the process of entering from the esophagus into the lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract, undergoes changes - it becomes thick, viscous, and also acquires a dark color.

A common cause of black stool is alcohol abuse, as well as taking certain medications and drugs that contribute to the development of esophageal bleeding. Such medications include:

• ibuprofen:
• acetaminophen;
• aspirin;
• other non-steroidal drugs, the action of which is aimed at relieving inflammatory processes.

As for diseases that may have black stool as a symptom, these include:

• gastritis;
• colon cancer;
• duodenal ulcer (in the small intestine area);
• stomach ulcer;
• tumor neoplasms in the upper gastrointestinal tract;
• inflammation of the inner walls of the stomach.

In conclusion, it is necessary to recall once again that if changes in the color of stool are detected, it is recommended to immediately seek medical help. A qualified specialist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe competent treatment. Be healthy!

Stool color- an indicator that can depend on many factors. Among these are the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the composition of microflora, nutrition and human lifestyle. The appearance of an incomprehensible shade of stool usually occurs for physiological reasons, but may also indicate the development of gastrointestinal pathology.

Dark green, gray-green or olive color indicates colitis, irritable bowel syndrome. Feces turn yellow or yellow-brown if there is a malabsorption of fats in the body, or pancreatic cancer. A sandy tint is a common occurrence for vegetarians. If the feces are red, this most often indicates the presence of hemorrhoids and anal fissures. The color of stool in colorectal cancer varies from bright red to beet red. In this case, the patient experiences constipation and severe pain during bowel movements. Scarlet, heterogeneous bowel movements may indicate the presence of diverticulitis, intestinal infection, or inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. If you experience such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo a full medical examination. Orange coloring of feces is an indicator of biliary tract diseases.

Causes of changes in the color of feces

Despite the fact that the normal color of stool in children and adults is considered brown, temporary changes in shade should not be a concern if there are no symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders. The reasons for changes in the color of stool in men, women and children can be varied, from harmless to dangerous to health:

• insufficient secretory activity of the pancreas;
• cholelithiasis, inflammation of the bile ducts;
• oncology, HIV, diabetes;
• dysbacteriosis;
• pancreatitis, chronic cholecystitis, gastritis;
• cholera, rotavirus infection;
• appendicitis;
• allergies, poisoning with toxic substances;
• biliary dyskinesia;
• jaundice.

The color is also affected by the consumption of alcohol, medications and products containing dyes. Stress can also change the color of stool in a healthy adult at any age.

Physiological causes: food, medications

Taking vitamins or pills can change the color of feces to an unusual and uneven color. The most common drug that affects this indicator is activated carbon. Medicines that can color stool include iron preparations (Sorbifer, Creon).

Darkening of feces is also possible under the influence of bismuth derivatives. Blackening of stool also occurs after eating foods such as blueberries, cherries, carrot juice, coffee drinks, and in rare cases, tomatoes or tomato paste.

It is worth considering that staining of the stool or the presence of multi-colored inclusions in its composition should not be accompanied by pain, mucus, diarrhea, constipation, or fever.

If you have such symptoms, you should urgently consult a doctor who will prescribe tests and make a diagnosis.

Symptoms of diseases based on the color of stool

The reason for the discharge of feces, whose color resembles potassium permanganate, is most often due to blood streaks in their composition. This indicates hemorrhoids, anal sphincter fissures. Such injuries appear after difficult childbirth, sexual intercourse, or operations to remove hemorrhoids.

Black (hypercholic) stool may indicate bleeding. This is a sign of a stomach or duodenal ulcer. The most dangerous diagnosis in this case is colon cancer. With it, the patient experiences:

• blood in the stool;
• change in shape - the stool is as thin as a thread;
• feeling of unemptied bowels.

Hypocholic, i.e. pale feces appear after eating large amounts of rice and potatoes. The cause may also be tumors of the bile ducts. With pancreatitis, the shade of stool also becomes pale. Absolutely white stool (acholic) occurs when the bile ducts are blocked.

When the stool turns ocher, then the cause lies in pancreatic insufficiency. If the stool turns green, earthy, mustard, or clay in color, this indicates hepatitis.

If a change in the color of stool is accompanied by pain, it is important to seek medical help as soon as possible; based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will prescribe the optimal treatment. Taking medications such as Almagel, Bifidumbacterin, Omez, Pancreatin, Allohol, Nemozol and Papaverine, Enterofuril will help eliminate the symptoms.

Change in stool color during pregnancy

Deviations in the properties of feces from the norm in pregnant women, especially in the early stages, are not uncommon. Usually the cause is not a disease, but physiological factors. During pregnancy, women take a lot of iron-containing medications and multivitamins (for example, Elevit), so the usual color of stool may change to black or green. Sometimes this phenomenon is facilitated by the consumption of blueberries, currants, cranberries, buckwheat, and blood sausage. If a woman has not eaten such foods or taken vitamins, she should immediately undergo a stool test to determine hidden blood in it and undergo other diagnostic procedures as prescribed by the doctor.

The reason for the greenish tint of stool lies either in the consumption of large quantities of leafy vegetables, or in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, rotavirus, dysbacteriosis. In the case of pathology, additional symptoms such as persistent diarrhea appear. For treatment, the doctor prescribes medications such as Enterosgel, Mezim, Enterol, Smecta, Phosphalugel.

Normal stool in a child

In newborns, in the first two days of life, feces are black, dark green or green in color. With breastfeeding (breastfeeding), the stool has a golden, yellow hue, sometimes pearlescent. By 4–5 months this phenomenon disappears. If a baby is formula-fed, his stool becomes thicker, the smell is stronger, and the color becomes lighter.

If a nursing mother notices that the baby's feces have become watery and yellow (red or lemon), then there is no need to worry, because... this is affected by changes in the fat content of breast milk. When feeding with poorly diluted cow's milk, the feces begin to turn silver and air bubbles are observed. If a child is malnourished, the stool becomes dark and earthy. This is also observed in children under one year of age when complementary foods consisting of green fruits and vegetables are introduced. In this case, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician and adjust the child’s diet. For dysbacteriosis or other gastrointestinal problems, the doctor prescribes the drug Enterofuril or Essential Forte.

Diet and prevention of possible pathologies

If the stool begins to darken or lighten, a person must figure out what influenced this. To accurately determine the reasons, research and the help of qualified specialists will be required.

To prevent the development of pathologies, it is important to follow the principles of proper nutrition.

To do this, you need to avoid foods that are too fatty and spicy. Another contraindication is alcohol and fast food abuse. Vegetables and fruits must be washed well, and the milk must be boiled. In addition, it is important to take general tests every six months and conduct an ultrasound of the abdominal organs and genitourinary system. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is improved by constant physical activity, including performing various gymnastic exercises, running, and Nordic walking.