Stool Color
What Your Stool Color Could Mean to You!
While most people don't examine their stool after having a bowel movement, it may be one of the most important things that you can do for your digestive health. The color of your stool can tell you all sorts of things about the health of your digestive system-ranging from what you ate the previous night to having dangerous bleeding in your colon.
Let's take a look at all the different colors starting with...
Black, Maroon and Tarry Stools
Black, tarry and foul-smelling stools may be referred to as "Melena" by your doctor. The color may be because of blood in the stool. This could indicate an injury or disorder to your digestive tract. If the amount of blood is enough to actually change the appearance of your stool, your doctor may ask the exact color. This will determine the origin point of the blood. To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor may perform an endoscopy or special x-ray. If the amount of blood is enough to actually change the appearance of your stool, your doctor may ask the exact color. This will determine the origin point of the blood. To make an accurate diagnosis the doctor may perform an endoscopy or special x-ray. Black bowel movements generally mean the blood is coming from the upper section of the GI Tract. That means the esophagus, stomach or first section of the small intestine. The tar-like consistency in the stool means the blood has been exposed to digestive juices. Stomach ulcers caused by ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin are also common causes of upper GI bleeding. Other causes may include:
Certain foods and medicines can also contribute to a black or tarry-stool color. Black licorice, iron, lead, bismuth medicines (Pepto-Bismol) and blueberries can contribute to black stool color. Your doctor can test the stool for the presence of blood in this case.
Red or Maroon-Colored Stool
Red or maroon-colored stools can also mean the presence of blood in your stools; in the medical field this condition is called hematochezi. The difference between this color and the black or tarry color is the location of the bleeding. A red or maroon colored stool usually indicates a fresher blood and therefore lower G.I. bleeding.
If you think you are experiencing blood in your stool, it is important to consult your physician. One of the first things your physician will do is to try and determine from where the bleeding is coming. This can usually be determined by taking a history on the patient and examining the shade of red of the blood. Maroon colored stool may
Maroon colored stool may indicate bleeding from:
Bright red-colored stool may indicate bleeding from:
Not all red-colored stools are caused by bleeding as some foods can have the same effect. If you've recently consumed red-colored gelatin, popsicles, Kool-Aid, tomato juice, soup and/or beets, you may experience red stool.
Prevention and Treatment of Bloody Stools
Here are some do's and don'ts to help prevent the causes of all types of blood in your stool:
Never Hesitate
Never hesitate to call your health care practitioner, if you find blood in your stool. A proper diagnosis needs to be made. Do this even if you think hemorrhoids or anal fissures are causing the blood.
In children a small amount of blood in the stool usually is linked to constipation, milk and dairy allergies. However, it is still a reason to call your child's doctor, even if he or she does not recommend a full diagnosis at the time. The earlier colon cancer is detected, the greater the likelihood of successful treatment. The American Cancer Society recommends the following tests for adults over 50 for early and pre-cancer screening tests.
If you have a family history of colon cancer, screening should be started earlier and done more often. Be sure to discuss family history with your doctor.
Orange Stool
If your stool shows orange coloring, it can usually be attributed to foods or medications that you may be taking. Certain medications with beta-carotene (such as a form of vitamin A) can cause orange coloring of your stool. Antacids which contain aluminum hydroxide can also cause orange stool.
Foods that are high in beta-carotene can have the same orange effect on your stool. These include; carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, collard greens, cilantro and fresh thyme. Lastly any foods that have yellow or orange artificial colorings can also cause orange-colored stool. If you can't attribute your
Foods that are high in beta-carotene can have the same orange effect on your stool. These include; carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, collard greens, cilantro and fresh thyme. Lastly any foods that have yellow or orange artificial colorings can also cause orange-colored stool. If you can't attribute your orange stool with anything you ingested, then it may be caused by a lack of exposure to bile salt. Stool starts out as green then turns a yellow/orange in color before being exposed to bile and bacteria which turns the stool brown.
Low exposure to bile salt can be caused by a couple different factors. First, your transit time is so fast that your stool is being pushed through your digestive system too quickly. This quick movement of stool reduces the exposure to bile salt resulting in orange stool. Second, your liver may not be producing enough bile salt or you bile glands may be obstructed.
If you are experiencing orange-colored stool that can't be attributed to food or medications you are taking, then you should consult your physician.
Yellow Stool is rare
A pale or yellow-colored stool is rare and can be caused by a few different malfunctions of the digestive system.
The first is known as Gilbert's Syndrome, which mainly affects males in their teens. If you suffer from this syndrome, it means your liver doesn't process as many red blood cells. Broken down red bloods cells gives stool a lot of its color. When fewer cells are processed, the stool can appear a pale brown or yellow color. This is not a serious illness and doesn't harm the individual.
Another more serious illness is a parasite infection known as giardia. These are Protozoan parasites which invade the intestines, and the result is a severe yellow diarrhea. This type of parasitic infection is dangerous and contagious. You should notify your doctor immediately, if you think you are infected.
Lastly, if you suffer from malabsorption, your stool may appear to be yellow in color. When your body doesn't properly absorb fats from the food you eat, it passes through your colon into your stool. The excess fat can give the yellow coloring to your stool.
Whenever your stool is yellow in color, consult physician for proper diagnosis.
Green Stool
Like an orange stool, a green stool can usually be attributed to something you have ingested.
The most obvious is green foods that you have eaten, such as green leafy vegetables, or foods with a lot of dark purple or green food coloring like Kool-Aid or gelatin. Lastly, it can also be caused by any vitamins you are taking that contain chlorophyll. These may not appear green, but the chlorophyll in them will turn stool a green color.
Food and medicine are not the only reasons for green stool; a fast transit time can cause a stool to turn green. If your stool is passing too rapidly through your large intestine, it does not allow bile to break it down. Before being broken down by bile stool is green; bile turns the stool brown. When stool passes too quickly, bile is not allowed to break it down and it will appear green. If this continues for long periods of time or is combined with diarrhea, consult your doctor.
Clay Stool
A stool that appears clay in color is often seen in cases of malabsorption, hepatitis, or gallbladder disorders.
Hepatitis and gallbladder disorders often interrupt the flow of bile out of the liver. This disruption will cause the clay color of the stool. Malabsorption also disrupts the output of bile by increasing the amount of undigested fat in the stool.
Bile is responsible for breaking down stool and making it brown in color. When the production is lowered the stool will appear clay in color. If this is experienced for a long period of time or is accompanied with a foul smell or greasy stools, a doctor should be consulted.
.
