Reasons for light beige stool in an adult. Why is there light-colored stool and what does it mean?

Yellow feces in adults are most often unusual. You need to start looking for explanations for the change in color of a person's stool from normal brown to pale yellow, yellowish or bright yellow.

What does a change in stool color indicate?

Normally, an adult's stool is brown in color. But if the body is not functioning correctly, the color of the stool may change to light, white-yellow, clay gray, earthy, yellow-green, green-gray, sandy, tan, orange, dark orange, red or black. Multi-colored feces are not the norm, but they are quite rare; the most common color of altered feces is yellow.

Yellow poop in adults appears due to insufficient intake of the enzyme stercobilin, which is responsible for coloring poop, into the intestines. What color the stool will come out depends on the stercobilin produced by the liver; the less of it, the lighter the stool, and the more, the darker.

Yellow feces may be a reason to consult a doctor if the problem really lies in the malfunction of the liver, gall bladder, or pancreas - the organs responsible for the production of enzymes for digestion.

It will be difficult for an inexperienced person to determine the disease by color, but a specialist will immediately outline a “circle of suspects.”

There is an option that an adult’s stool has changed to light-colored for natural reasons, which means there is nothing to worry about. But similar reasons for the appearance of yellow or yellow stool will be discussed below.

One of the main causes of constipation and diarrhea is use of various medications. To improve bowel function after taking medications, you need to do it every day. drink a simple remedy ...

Harmless reasons

The color of an adult’s stool largely depends on external factors. The color of feces changes to yellowish, yellow-green, orange when:

• Eating large amounts of milk and lactic acid products.
• Increased content of adult peas and other legumes in the diet.
• Eating yellow foods - pumpkin, orange, carrots, persimmons, dried apricots, melon, yellow apples and pears.
• The predominance of bakery products in the diet, since they contain difficult-to-digest carbohydrates.
• Taking choleretic drugs.
• Antibiotic therapy.
• Treatment with anti-tuberculosis, anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Taking laxatives.
• Using oral contraceptives (birth control pills for women).
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol, especially if you drink frequently.
• Rapid movement of feces through the intestines (for some people, this feature of the body - rapid peristalsis - is the norm).

If the color of a healthy adult's stool suddenly changes from brown to yellow, and there are no other symptoms, then there is no cause for concern.

You just need to think carefully and choose from the list above which reason was the reason for the change in the color of the stool in this case. The normal adult body always reacts to such changes in the environment by changing brown stool to yellow.

If these changes in the color of stool are one-time and with a different diet, giving up alcohol and drugs, they return to normal, then everything is fine and there is no need to think about whether this is normal.

If yellow poop appears in an adult for these reasons, no specific treatment will be prescribed. The person himself understands what to do - switch to a different diet, stop drinking alcohol, finish taking medications, or change the drug. But if none of the above reasons apply, then you should think about what it means and target more unpleasant factors.

Pathologies affecting the color of stool

With various diseases, human stool may become completely yellow, or be light in color with bile.

Certain pathological conditions and diseases will affect the color of stool:

• Cystic fibrosis, acute or chronic pancreatitis, and other diseases of the pancreas.
• Weak functioning of the pancreas, expressed in the production of insufficient amounts of enzymes necessary for digestion.
• Hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver.
• Fermentative dyspepsia.
• Compression of the bile duct (tumor of a neighboring organ or simply a pathological structure), causing stagnation of bile.
• Inflamed gallbladder.
• Biliary dyskinesia.
• Condition after removal of the gallbladder.
• Diabetes mellitus and other hormone-related diseases.
• Hormonal changes and temporary disruptions in the body during pregnancy, after childbirth or during menopause in women.
• Condition after surgery on any organs of the digestive tract.
• Chronic stomach disease - ulcers and gastritis.
• Crohn's disease causes total damage to the intestinal tract, due to which food is not fully absorbed and processed and the feces are discolored - clayey yellow.
• Nervous stress, especially with frequent mental fatigue.

Remembering what the normal color of an adult’s stool should be, you can immediately notice the slightest deviations and analyze what this change means. After all, changes in the color of feces depend on a lot, but if these are not harmless reasons (food, medications), then there is a possibility of developing a pathological process or even a disease from the list above.

It is impossible to start treatment without preliminary diagnosis. You should immediately consult a doctor if a problem with stool color bothers an adult for a long time.

What to do?

Having noticed a change in the color of feces, an adult should not ignore this fact.

Definitely worth it:

1. Analyze the possible causes of changes in the color of feces.
2. Look and think about whether there were other oddities in the body’s functioning (nausea, reluctance to eat, vomiting, fever, etc.).
3. Change your diet if this may be the likely cause of the change in stool color.
4. If possible, stop taking medications. And if not, consult with the current specialist who prescribed them about the appearance of yellow stool, it could just be a side effect.
5. If no visible causes are found, it is worth getting diagnosed at the hospital.
6. Submit feces for coprogram and bacterial culture.
7. Do an ultrasound of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
8. Donate clinical blood and biochemical blood.

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After diagnosis, if the results leave much to be desired, you should contact a specialized specialist - a gastroenterologist. Next, he will prescribe treatment based on the established diagnosis.

Starting treatment on your own is contraindicated. The only thing an adult can do is balance the diet, give up bad habits and take unnecessary, non-vital medications (laxatives, sorbents, etc.).

Yellow feces do not always immediately bother an adult, but this is until other symptoms of the pathology appear. And then it becomes impossible not to react to a strange sign.

You should definitely visit a doctor if:

• Abdominal pain of any nature appeared.
• The abdomen is abnormally soft or hard.
• Yellow feces are pinkish in some places, that is, they contain blood.
• There is a light state of feces and at the same time dark urine.
• The feces are loose, sandy, and eventually cease to be formed at all.
• Nausea appears, sometimes even to the point of vomiting.
• Vomiting appeared like a fountain, especially richly yellow in color.
• The temperature began to rise, slightly, but did not fall for a long time.
• Weakness occurs.
• No desire to eat food.

Seeing a doctor with such symptoms is simply a mandatory step, otherwise you can bring the disease to its peak and your health condition to critical. An experienced specialist will help you understand the reasons for the appearance of yellow stool in an adult and tell you what to do in each specific case.

1. In most cases, it is completely normal for the stool to change color.
2. Sometimes yellow stool can be a result of liver disease, dietary changes, or stress.
3. If yellow stool persists for several days, or is accompanied by other symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

An adult's feces are 75 percent water. Other ingredients include:

• Bilirubin;
• Protein;
• Undigested food;
• Mineral salts;
• Bacteria;
• Mucus of the digestive system;

What gives stool its normal color?

Bilirubin and bile give normal stool a brown color. Bilirubin is a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells. It is produced in the liver and then passes to the gallbladder, where it mixes with bile. Most of the bilirubin from here passes into the intestines, where it is processed by bacteria and excreted in feces or urine.

Why is the stool light yellow?

It is normal for stool to change color sometimes. The color of stool depends on the food you eat, and eating certain foods may change the color of your stool. But yellow stool, or a lighter color, may also indicate some health problems.

Liver and gallbladder diseases

Liver cirrhosis and hepatitis reduce the production of bile salts, which help the body digest food and absorb nutrients. Gallstones or sludge reduce the amount of bile that would reach the intestines. This not only causes pain, but can also turn the stool light yellow.

Pancreas problems

Chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, a blocked pancreatic duct, or cystic fibrosis can also cause yellow stool. These conditions prevent the pancreas from producing enough enzymes for the intestines to digest food. Undigested fat can make stool yellow and greasy, causing it to float. Sometimes the stool may appear foamy.

Celiac disease

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley grains. If a patient with celiac disease enters the intestinal tract of foods containing gluten, the body's immune system will react by attacking the tissues of the small intestine, which leads to their damage. In such cases, the intestines are unable to absorb the nutrients that the body needs.

Doctors list more than 300 symptoms associated with celiac disease. This is why it is so difficult to diagnose this disease. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Diarrhea and/or constipation;
• nausea;
• flatulence;
• fatigue;
• headache;
• skin rash;
• loss of bone density;
• depression.

Although there is currently no cure for celiac disease, it can be effectively controlled by eliminating gluten from the diet.

Gilbert's syndrome

Gilbert's syndrome is a genetic liver disease characterized by periods when bilirubin levels are too high. Symptoms of the disease, primarily mild jaundice, are so weak that many people do not suspect the presence of the disease. Gilbert's syndrome is not usually treated.

Giardiasis

You can become infected with giardiasis by ingesting Giardia cysts, which usually enter the body with food or water.

Symptoms of giardiasis may include:

• Foul-smelling diarrhea, liquid and yellow stool;
• Vomit;
• Nausea;
• headache;
• Skin rash;
• Weight loss.

Giardiasis is diagnosed in laboratories by examining stool. In most cases it is treated with antibiotics. Giardiasis often lasts several weeks but can sometimes become chronic, although this is rare.

Giardiasis is considered the most common disease of the gastrointestinal tract.

Stress

Often the body's response to stress and anxiety can be to speed up the digestion process. This limits the amount of nutrients that can be digested by the body, causing diarrhea and yellow stools.

Nutrition

Your stool may be yellow due to foods you recently ate. These may include sweets, drinks and other products with a high content of artificial coloring. But also natural products, such as carrots, some varieties of sweet potatoes or spices - turmeric, saffron, will color the stool yellow. Gluten-containing foods and a high-fat diet can also cause a yellow toilet.

Yellow stool in babies

Mothers often encounter yellow color in their baby's stool on their diapers, is it dangerous?

In general, yellow stool indicates a shorter transit time for food through the gastrointestinal tract. Darkening may indicate that transit time is slow. The baby's stool often changes color. But if you notice blood or your baby has diarrhea, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this may indicate serious health problems.

Yellow feces in older people - what does it mean?

Yellow stool in older adults may be a sign of certain health problems, such as:

• Diarrhea;
• gastroesophageal reflux disease;
• cholestasis;
• disorders of the pancreas, liver, or gallbladder disease;
• tumor in the abdominal cavity;

Other causes of yellow stool in adults

Sometimes yellow stools are a consequence of low red blood cell counts, dehydration, poor nutrition, growth problems in children, and the risk of spreading cancer or infections.

Sometimes yellow feces are accompanied by the following digestive tract problems:

• diarrhea;
• nausea and vomiting;
• indigestion and increased gas formation;
• strong unpleasant odor of feces;
• swelling and bloating;
• abdominal cramps.

Other symptoms that may accompany yellow stools include jaundice, fever and fatigue, itchy skin, bone or joint pain.

When to see a doctor

Most often, yellow stool is a consequence of changes in diet. But if the color does not return to normal within a few days, or other symptoms are observed, you should consult a doctor.

You should contact your doctor if yellow stools are accompanied by any of the following symptoms:

• Fainting;
• confusion or mental changes;
• fever;
• vomit;
• stomach ache;
• breathing problems;
• purulent stool;
• problems with urination.

Blood, feces and urine are the main components of the initial diagnosis of any disease. It is their indicators that indicate the direction of the diagnostic search. The “root” of pathological processes is determined.

Other diagnostic methods - bacterial analysis, morphological studies, instrumental methods, etc., are aimed at determining the genesis of the disease, its localization and severity, helping the doctor select an effective treatment plan.

What, for example, does light-colored feces in adults and children indicate, what changes in the body does it indicate?

Processes of changing the color scheme of human feces always indicate intestinal problems. Examination of feces gives specialists the opportunity to identify any pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

Light-colored feces in an adult can occur due to dietary habits and excessive consumption of:

• potato and rice dishes;
• sweets, juices and confectionery products based on starch and juice of the tropical fruit tapioca;
• dairy and fermented milk products;
• dairy cream, full fat sour cream and butter
• alcoholic drinks of dubious quality.

Lightening of feces can be caused by:

• medicinal calcium containing medications;
• drugs for acid-dependent diseases (antacids);
• means that relieve diarrhea;
• X-ray contrast agent – ​​barium sulfate;
• antibiotics and drugs used in the treatment of heterogeneous diseases.

Usually, the effect of such provocative factors does not cause significant concerns or changes in well-being. After 5-6 days, having adjusted the diet and eliminated provoking factors, the stool returns to normal and acquires its usual color.

What should attract attention?

If the feces become light and dark urine appears along with it, signs of intoxication, fever or elevated temperature, the stomach swells from the accumulation of gases and there is a sharp weight loss - this cannot be ignored, since these symptoms indicate serious problems in the digestive organs.

In particular, the development of pathological processes in the liver, infectious intestinal lesions or functional disorders of the gallbladder.

Diseases that cause the appearance of light-colored stool

A number of diseases cause pathological disorders in the gastrointestinal tract as a result of which discoloration of feces occurs. These include:

1. Diffuse inflammatory diseases of the liver, due to infection with specific viruses of various hepatitis genotypes.
2. Bacterial and viral damage to the gallbladder (cholecystitis), causing impaired bile secretion.
3. Obstruction of the openings of the pancreatic ducts during pancreatitis, which can completely disrupt intrasecretory functions.
4. Enzymopathy is a violation or complete absence of the production of enzymes by the pancreas.
5. Inflammatory processes of the entire digestive tract (Crohn's disease) and intestinal flu, disrupting normal digestion.
6. Malignant formations in the gastrointestinal tract.

All this is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms:

• Formation of suppurative foci and fistulas in the intestines;
• Violation of body thermoregulation;
• Nausea and dizziness.

Sometimes bile stagnation causes abdominal pain and light-colored stools.

1) Very light color of stool can appear both due to completely harmless reasons (excess dairy and plant foods), and during various pathological processes. Usually these are problems of the liver and gallbladder.

The pathology is caused by a lack of bile secretion and its insufficient separation due to the formation of stones in the intestines. Promote its formation - dysfunction of the digestive system and disruption of the processes of natural bowel cleansing.

Very light-colored stool accompanied by unpleasant odors is evidence of a functional disorder caused by the inability of the gastrointestinal tract to completely digest fats and absorb them against the background of obstruction of the pancreatic ducts, malignant formations in the gallbladder or pancreas.

Caution should be shown when the problem is periodic or permanent. A single manifestation is most likely related to diet.

2) Light green stool In addition to a green vegetable diet or vegetarian diet, congestion in the small intestine caused by neoplasms or ulcerative lesions in its cavity contributes.

Acute inflammatory processes in the intestines lead to massive death and accumulation of white blood cells in its lumen, which acquire a light green color and smell of rot.

Feces acquire a pathological light green color due to a microbial imbalance in the large intestine or with general infectious intoxication of the gastrointestinal tract (dysbacteriosis and dysentery).

The frequent occurrence of such symptoms requires a serious examination to avoid further complications.

3) Light yellow stool. The cause of the pathology lies in pathological functional disorders in the pancreas. This is expressed in a lack of secretion of digestive enzymes, designed to ensure uninterrupted absorption and digestion of fats.

The general processes of digestion are disrupted, leading to a change in the color of normal light brown stool to a light yellow color.

Pathologies of the gallbladder and liver diseases also lead to a change in the color of feces. Failures in the processes of bile secretion are caused by bilirubin entering the gastrointestinal tract in its natural, non-oxidized form, which gives the stool a light yellow color.

This is accompanied by a more saturated color of urine and severe gas formation in the intestines caused by fermentation of its contents.

One of the reasons for the change in normal color is excess milk intake. This phenomenon can occur in children fed breast milk. Light yellow feces in a child after a year often appear after eating milk porridges and dry milk formulas.

This is not a pathology, but a normal physiological manifestation of a still incompetent pediatric gastrointestinal system.

Gray feces - when is a disease possible?

With normal light brown stool, its color is due to processed bile pigment, but its strong discoloration to a light gray color indicates a lack of bile in the intestines.

Violation of its entry into the organ is evidence of the presence of pathological changes caused by:

1. Inflammatory narrowing of the bile ducts.
2. Blockage of ducts by tumor formations.
3. Inflammatory processes in the gallbladder (with cholecystitis).
4. Inflammatory foci in the pancreas (mainly with pancreatitis).
5. Inflammatory processes affecting the entire gastrointestinal tract (Crohn's disease).
6. Tumors in the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.

The formation of light gray feces can be caused by:

• addiction to foods high in fat;
• use of barium X-ray contrast agents;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics;
• anticoagulants and antimycotics
• some oral contraceptives.

In pregnant women, this color of stool may be the result of allergic reactions.

In most cases, the appearance of discolored feces in children is due to a not fully formed digestive system. This fact is considered a physiological property of the child’s body and should not cause concern.

In other cases, the following may serve as a provocative factor:

• improper diet of the child - fatty milk and fermented milk foods;
• excess sweets;
• long-term treatment with antibiotics, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Quite often, color changes occur during the eruption of the first teeth.

Having eliminated all causative factors, the child’s bowel movements return to normal. The little man is unable to explain to his parents what is bothering him and where it hurts.

It is necessary to closely monitor the child's natural waste and pay attention to possible changes in the color of the urine. With internal problems, the urine usually becomes dark.

In children one year of age and older, light-colored stool may appear due to:

1) Rotavirus gastroenteritis. A change in the color of feces is accompanied by diarrhea, a general deterioration in health, symptoms of intoxication and fever.

In subsequent days, the color of the stool takes on a light yellow color, and on days 2-3 it becomes pale gray. Respiratory symptoms, signs of polyarthritis and enlarged lymph nodes appear.

2) Dysbacteriosis. The provoking factor is antibiotics, which cause a bacterial imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract towards an increase in pathogenic microorganisms.

A child's stool is manifested by a series of diarrhea and constipation, with the inclusion of mucus and undigested food fragments. Possible symptoms include apathy towards food, poor sleep, weight loss.

3) Focal inflammation of the liver(hepatitis). The disease can be suspected by the color of the urine; it resembles a dark beer. Symptoms include:

• light-colored stool, abdominal pain (in the upper part) and bloating;
• yellowing of the skin and outer membrane of the eye;
• apathy towards food and high temperatures;
• signs of intoxication.

The clinical picture can manifest itself in a mild form, when severe fatigue and pain in the hypochondrium are the only symptoms.

If not detected in a timely manner, the disease becomes chronic, increasing the risk of developing cirrhosis.

4) Gastrointestinal pathologies- dyskinesia of the bile ducts, bending and inflammatory pathologies of the gallbladder and pancreas. They appear as a consequence of ENT infections, scarlet fever and influenza, gastritis, as a reaction to helminthic infestation or as a consequence of an improper diet.

As a complication of the inflammatory processes of cholecystitis, a deformation of the gallbladder (kink) is formed, causing accumulation and stagnation of bile, contributing to the disruption of metabolic processes. It is complicated by the development of diabetes, decreased vascular and muscle tone, and decreased visual function.

At the slightest suspicion of internal problems, you should immediately contact a specialist. It is important to eliminate the cause in time and prevent the development of pathology.

What to do when to go to the doctor?

If there is a prolonged change in feces to a light color and there are obvious symptoms of poor health, it is imperative to go to the doctor for a consultation. As prescribed by your doctor, take the appropriate tests and undergo the necessary diagnostic examination.

Monitor the dynamics of the development of pathological processes - if the manifestation of light-colored stool in adults and children for a long time is accompanied by signs of internal diseases - the need for urgent treatment is obvious.

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!

The digestive system processes food into the smallest compounds, providing the body with the necessary energy. Any malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract themselves lead to disorders, and if not treated in a timely manner, serious illnesses are possible.

It is not always possible to detect pathology in the early stages, but if a person’s stool is red and there is a deterioration in health, this is a compelling argument for contacting a doctor.

Feces, forming in the intestines, become brown in color. This is caused by bile, which is a yellow-green liquid. It is synthesized in the liver and plays the role of a digestive enzyme.

Passing through the intestines, bile turns brown, and any deviations from this color give rise to doctors for a more detailed examination.

What is red stool a sign of?

Often, changes in the color of stool to red or orange stool appear only because a person has eaten too much food of the corresponding color. And although some people become overly worried about this, the worry is usually unnecessary.

For example, it may appear after eating blood sausage or black currants, and the green color is caused by plant chlorophyll.

Orange-colored stool occurs due to eating carrots, apricots and other foods rich in beta-carotene.

Sometimes this color results from the use of drugs based on the anti-tuberculosis antibiotic Rifampicin or special supplements with vitamin A.

Red feces often appear due to the consumption of beets or tomatoes.

Many people are familiar with this change in stool after a meal, the main dishes of which were herring under a fur coat or borscht. But you also need to eat a lot of such foods for the red streaks in the stool to become pronounced.

If during a therapeutic conversation it turns out that the patient’s state of health is consistently good and has not changed, and the diet has recently been saturated with similar foods, doctors do not consider this a disorder, citing physiological processes.

However, red feces may also indicate intestinal pathology.

When should you be wary?

The human digestive system is most vulnerable to microorganisms. Of course, microbes can infect any organ, but it is in the gastrointestinal tract that there are all the necessary conditions for the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Insufficient functioning of the liver and pancreas cannot be ruled out. These organs are responsible for the synthesis of enzymes, without which digestion is simply impossible.

It often signals dysbacteriosis, which usually develops after taking antibiotics. These medications are necessary to combat harmful microorganisms, but the effect of chemical compounds also extends to beneficial microbes.

In addition, the inflammatory process in the intestines tends to neutralize protective cells - leukocytes. While doing their job, they also die and are excreted along with the feces, which turn green.

Yellow and orange stools can be caused by a high concentration of undigested fat. And this indicates a low amount of pancreatic juice.

If a person has black-red feces (plain or streaked), and the day before the appropriate food products were not consumed, then the reasons may be pathological:

• haemorrhoids;
• cracks in the rectum or other parts of the intestine;
• ulcers;
• inflammation;
• helminths;
• infection;
• tumor.

However, redness of the stool varies. It all depends on the location of the lesion.

Bright red stool indicates bleeding in the lower intestines, and dark stool indicates bleeding in the upper intestines.

In addition, a person often experiences diarrhea, nausea, pain and high body temperature - these additional symptoms are important diagnostic characteristics.

Unlike adults, children exhibit red stool quite often. And in most cases this is not a sign of pathology. In very small children (up to 1 year), redness of the stool occurs due to an ordinary banana, and it is not so important who ate it: either the child himself or the mother who is breastfeeding.

Older children are often addicted to a variety of candies and drinks with dyes, which also contributes to changes in the color of stool.

Liquid orange stool may indicate indigestion due to consumption of low-quality food. Gastric lavage () will come to the rescue in such a situation, as well as taking probiotics - special means for normalizing the microflora.

Children sometimes eat completely unwashed fruits picked from the garden, and this is fraught with the development of dysentery, the signs of which are an admixture of blood and pus in the stool. In this case, you should not delay contacting a pediatrician.

What to do if your stool is red?

First of all it is important to pay attention to your well-being, if it is good, remember the dishes eaten the day before. If there were no red foods in your diet, I recommend going to the hospital for examination - especially if there is a deterioration in your general condition, weakness or dizziness.

Red-brown feces have characteristic impurities that indicate a particular disease. Therefore, doctors will require a fecal analysis, and if there is severe discomfort, they may prescribe an internal examination using an endoscope.

Red, loose stools usually occur with ulcerative colitis. This disease is treated on an outpatient basis, be sure to prescribe a special diet high in thermally processed vegetables and fruits.

But in some cases surgery cannot be avoided. For example, if there is gastric bleeding, the patient is immediately sent to the surgical department.
Infectious diseases require the use of antibiotics.

And in the case of bleeding hemorrhoids, it is quite possible to perform their resection, although in the early stages medications are usually prescribed. Regardless of the cause of red stool, self-medication is not only undesirable, but also dangerous.

Digestive disorders can occur in anyone. And if orange feces do not confuse doctors, then red feces are perceived as a sign of pathology in the gastrointestinal tract.

It is better to contact a gastroenterologist, who, from the height of his experience, will give a sober assessment of the situation and prescribe the correct course of therapy.