Beet-colored stool. Change in stool color. When a change in color should alert you

Normally, the color of stool can range from dark brown to yellowish brown. This is determined by the presence in it of processed bile and undigested food particles that a person has consumed over the past two to three days. It is not typical for a healthy person to have feces that are very dark, black or dark green in color, unless this is associated with food intake, which can affect the change in color of feces, as well as taking certain medications. Let's consider what foods and medications contribute to the darkening of stool, and what diseases cause stool to become dark green or black.

Physiological causes of dark stool

Here is a list of foods whose consumption almost always causes darkening of stool:

• red beets;
• prunes;
• red grape varieties;
• pomegranate;
• blueberry;
• black currant;
• offal;
• blood sausage, etc.

When trying to determine what the dark color of stool indicates, you should pay attention not only to your diet in recent days, but also to other changes in the body. If no other warning symptoms are observed, and one of the above foods was present in the diet, there is nothing to worry about.

Also, dark coloring of stool can be caused by taking certain pharmaceuticals, namely:

• Activated carbon;
• bismuth preparations;
• vitamin and mineral complexes, etc.

As a rule, the possible changes in the color of stool when taking medications are warned in the instructions that come with them.

Pathological causes of dark stool

The appearance of dark-colored stool, which is not associated with taking foods or medications that can color the stool, should cause concern. If dark stool is associated with any pathologies, it may persist for several days or be observed periodically. In this case, other pathological signs are also often observed. In such cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor and conduct a diagnosis to find out why the stool has become dark in color and prescribe appropriate treatment. Let's consider what, in most cases, the dark color of stool means, associated with pathological conditions of the body.

In many cases, very dark and black stool color indicates bleeding. Most often this occurs with internal bleeding from the stomach, esophagus or intestines, which is provoked by:

• peptic ulcer;
• oncology;
• the presence of polyps;
• varicose veins of the esophagus.

Also, darkening of the stool can occur with other diseases accompanied by bleeding of the upper gastrointestinal tract:

• gastritis;
• esophagitis;
• histoplasmosis;
• intestinal diverticulum;
• hookworm disease, etc.

Other symptoms in such cases may include:

• pallor;
• dizziness;
• weakness, etc.

Taking certain medications that reduce blood clotting (Aspirin, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, etc.) can also provoke internal bleeding. Less commonly, dark stool can be associated with a large amount of swallowed blood during nosebleeds, oral bleeding, or injuries.

What do you think may determine the color of stool? It is quite possible that you will have a question: is poop colored? They seem to have only one color - brown. But is this really so? But no. Your feces can change color, and the palette is quite wide from green to red. And what could this be connected with? Perhaps you ate something the night before? Maybe you are right. Or maybe your body is trying to tell you something by changing the color of your poop? So let’s take this into account and try to figure out what the change in stool color means and what it’s connected with.

What color is normal poop?

Healthy stool should be brown or golden brown. The brown color of our feces is given by stercobilin, which is the coloring pigment of poop.

In simple words, stercobelin is a bile pigment that is obtained as a result of heme metabolism. And heme, in turn, is a group of proteins, the breakdown of which produces bilirubin in cells. Then, in the liver, intestines and kidneys, further decomposition of bilirubin into simpler components occurs, some of which are stercobilin and urobilin. These components are found in feces and urine, respectively, and give them their color.

Since several organs are involved in the process of forming the color of feces - the gallbladder, pancreas and liver, a clear change in the color of the poop may indicate a malfunction of one of these organs.

But at the same time, it is worth noting that food can also affect the color of stool. If the color of your stool suddenly turns red, it may shock you. At the same time, this does not mean that you have problems in your body. Dramatic changes in color can be caused by foods such as beets or tomatoes. Also, if your diet is dominated by vegetables such as spinach, parsley, green beans and some others that contain chlorophyll, the color of the poop may take on a greenish tint.

If the deviation of the color of stool from the norm is an isolated case and it may be associated with food, then there is no reason to worry. But if your shit has changed color, the smell has become more pungent and unpleasant, and this continues for some time, and you also begin to notice other changes in your body, then in such a situation it is better to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible. You should not guess and self-medicate, this will not lead to anything good.

What other colors of stool can there be?

Brown, reddish and greenish are not the entire color palette that your shit can take on. Therefore, it’s time to learn about the other shades, and we’ll also figure out what secrets this or that color of feces holds.

Black feces

A change in the color of poop to black may indicate several scenarios at once. Such changes can be caused by the consumption of foods rich in iron, as well as activated carbon. Blueberries, olives, beets, black grapes, red wine - all of these foods can turn your poop black. It is worth noting that black poop does not have a foul odor.

There is a second option - bleeding of the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. As a result of the digestion of blood, the stool becomes black in color, all this is accompanied by a fetid and nauseating odor.

The third option for the appearance of black stool is constipation. Poop takes on this color due to its longer stay in the intestines.

Gray stool

Gray stool may be caused by the predominance of light grains, rice or potatoes in your diet. But at the same time, this indicates a lack of coloring pigment. Its deficiency indicates insufficient flow of bile into the intestines, which indicates problems with the gallbladder or liver. One of the signs of blocked bile flow is a change in the color of urine to dark yellow or brown, as well as yellowing of the eyes, skin, itching and periodic pain.

Causes of green stool

There are many factors that can cause a poop to change color to green. As mentioned above, one of the reasons may be the consumption of large quantities of vegetables containing a lot of chlorophyll - a green pigment. At the same time, this coloration can also be caused by various kinds problems in your body. If this is caused by any diseases, then in this case the poop will acquire not only a strange color, but also an unpleasant odor. Of course all poop smells bad, but you will notice a distinct odor deviation.

Now let's look at the main reasons why green stool may appear:

• If a change in the color of shit is accompanied by a putrid odor, then it is quite possible that this may be a sign of damage to the small intestine, including dysbiosis.
• If there is mucus and pus in your stool, then the change in color of the poop to green could be caused by dead white blood cells, which are a sign of acute intestinal inflammation.
• The presence of bleeding in the distal intestine can cause green stool.
• Peptic ulcer disease or its complication can manifest itself in a change in the color of feces, as a rule, this is accompanied by signs of anemia.
• If the stool has changed color and also contains streaks of blood, then this is one of the clearest examples of signs of dysentery and intestinal infections. In some cases, there may be pus and mucus present.
• Liver problems can also cause green shit. In this case, biliverdin, a precursor of bilirubin, stains the stool. This is caused by massive breakdown of red blood cells in the liver. Due to the large amount of these substances, they do not have time to go through the full metabolic process before the final breakdown into simpler components such as stercobilin and color the feces.
• Green stool can also be caused by taking antibiotics.

Orange color of stool

A change in the color of poop to orange primarily indicates the consumption of large quantities of foods that are rich in beta-carotene. The main ones are sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, apricots, mangoes and many others. Drugs based on rifampicin can also cause an orange coloration.

Yellow poop

If your stool turns yellow, this indicates the presence of fat in it. This can be caused by pancreatic disease and insufficient absorption and breakdown of fats. The change in color of stool to yellow is accompanied by a strong and unpleasant odor.

Red color of stool

One of the main signs of red feces is the presence of bleeding in the lower intestines. If your stool has streaks of bright red blood that surround it without mixing with it, then this indicates damage to the anal area. This is also confirmed by the presence of blood on toilet paper. These symptoms cause: hemorrhoids, anal fissures, including a possible malignant tumor in the intestine. If the bleeding is at the level of the large intestine, then the blood takes on a dark tint and mixes with the feces. Polyps, cancer, diverticula and inflammatory vascular diseases can cause this reaction.

Now you know that poop comes in many colors and shades. Sometimes this is due to foods or additives that color the stool. But at the same time, this can be a bell that tells us that something wrong is going on in the body. The material in this article is presented for informational purposes only, and we recommend that you do not self-medicate or diagnose yourself based on data obtained from the Internet. If you notice changes in your body and this is accompanied by a change in the color of the stool, we strongly recommend that you consult a doctor. Doctors know better what to do and even they conduct a number of studies to identify the causes of color changes. Our body is a single whole - it is a system in which all organs are interconnected. And if a symptom may indicate a disease of a specific organ, this does not mean that the problem lies there. Perhaps something else is affecting its unstable operation. In any case, they will identify the true cause and refer you to the right specialist for treatment.

This concludes our broadcast. We wish you good health, good healthy stool and competent doctors. Relief!

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Light-colored stool in an adult can be a cause for concern, since people already know that normal stool is brown and everything else is pathological, but is this really so?

What does light-colored stool mean?

The brown color of stool is given by the enzyme bilirubin, secreted by the liver. The coloring of feces is also affected by the gallbladder and pancreas. These three organs must work harmoniously and then an adult will have the usual brown feces.

If an adult’s stool becomes discolored and the stool becomes yellow, sandy, light green, beige, or white, then it is necessary to find out why such changes occurred.

The color of a person's stool always indicates their state of health, but a change in stool to light colors is not always a cause for concern.

But acholic (completely discolored) feces in adults indicates serious problems in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and the reasons for this should be sought immediately. These are often serious illnesses and it is very important to identify them at an early stage.

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 ...

Causes of stool lightening

When an adult’s stool suddenly turns light, questions arise. There are fairly harmless reasons for stool becoming discolored:

• Eating cottage cheese, sour cream, milk and other fermented milk products (fecal matter will be yellow, light yellow or white).
• If the stool is yellow, this may be a consequence of eating melons, bananas, pears and apples, pumpkins and other yellow-orange foods.
• The stool may be light yellow due to the use of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• If a woman’s stool turns lighter, this is due to taking oral contraceptives.
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause stool to become light, pale, or completely white.
• The rapid speed at which feces move through the intestinal tract means that the feces do not have time to color properly, and then light-colored poop comes out of the adult’s body.

Any of the above reasons for lightening the stool of an adult is not a big cause for concern, especially if such a sign as light or colorless stool is a one-time occurrence. You will only need to worry if pale yellow, sandy, or light green stool bothers an adult for more than a week in a row, and there are additional symptoms of improper functioning of the digestive tract.

What diseases affect the color of stool?

Lightening of stool in an adult can begin when certain organs of the body are not functioning correctly. This happens in the presence of diseases. An adult’s stool may become lighter in color if:

These diseases are dangerous for strong adults, and for an elderly person they can even become fatal. Therefore, if the stool changes to light-colored and other symptoms of pathology begin to appear, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

If you carry out diagnosis and treatment on your own, you can worsen your situation, so it is better not to do anything at random, but to find out how to treat the disease from an experienced doctor.

Associated signs of the disease

No doctor can say for sure what disease caused the stool to become lighter in color in an adult without the presence of additional symptoms and diagnostic procedures.

In diseases of the digestive system, the following may additionally be observed:

• Nausea and subsequent vomiting.
• After diarrhea there may be constipation or vice versa.
• Dehydration.
• Loose stools.
• Increased gas formation.
• Belching.
• Feeling sour in the mouth.
• Malaise.
• Temperature increase.
• Chills.
• Complete lack of appetite.
• Stomach ache.

Such symptoms, together with light-colored feces, require mandatory diagnosis and identification of the causes, as they may indicate the presence of serious diseases. There is no point in delaying a visit to the doctor, because the disease progresses every day.

The relationship between stool color and cause

The concept of “light feces” is very vague, because there are several options for light.

The color of stool in an adult can indicate possible diseases, pathologies or other causes.

Depending on the color of stool, the following reasons are distinguished:

1. Light brown – unbalanced diet, rapid peristalsis, love of lactic acid products.
2. – predominance of fruits in the diet.
3. Beige - narrowing of the bile ducts, insufficient production of bilirubin by the liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis.
4. – hepatitis, tumor of the liver or intestines, less often of the gallbladder, fermentative dyspepsia.
5. Pale – diabetes and other pancreatic diseases.
6. – dysbacteriosis, food toxic infections, acute enterocolitis.

Stool color and consistency- important diagnostic signs, so you should not remain silent at a doctor’s appointment, considering this an uncomfortable topic of conversation. It is better to immediately report all disturbing symptoms in order to quickly receive the necessary help in treatment.

How to fix the problem?

If light-colored feces bother an adult for several days, then you need to find out what is causing this. First of all, you need to change your diet, introduce protein foods, vegetables and give up alcohol. If such actions helped, then you just need to stick to this diet.

If the methods described above for eliminating the unpleasant symptom are not suitable, then you should go to the hospital to diagnose the functioning of the digestive organs, since only pathological conditions remain.

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After establishing the cause, the doctor will prescribe a course of treatment, including maintenance therapy (enzymes, painkillers, antibacterial agents) and etiotropic treatment that helps normalize the body’s functioning.

Which doctor will help?

If there is light-colored stool, an adult can seek advice from a therapist, but it is better to immediately go to a gastroenterologist, since in 80% of cases the problem lies in improper functioning of the digestive tract.

It may not be superfluous to consult an endocrinologist if the problem lies in the pancreas, but you will need to contact him after a diagnosis carried out by a gastroenterologist.

In the worst case scenario, the patient will be referred to an oncologist if a tumor is detected during the examination.

An adult should look for the cause of the appearance of light-colored stool immediately, and not wait until other symptoms begin to appear. Any treatment should be started at an early stage of the disease, then the effect occurs faster and fewer drugs need to be taken. You should always worry about your health and pay attention to even such minor changes as the lightening of stool.

Feces are waste products of the body that are removed from the lower parts of the colon during the act of defecation. Feces act as a kind of indicator of human health. A change in the shape, color, or consistency of stool may be normal or indicate the development of diseases, primarily of the digestive tract.

What type of stool should a healthy person have?

The place where feces come from is the intestinal tract, its lower sections. Feces are the final product of food processing, the formation of which occurs under the influence of biochemical processes.

Feces appear in the large intestine from chyme, as the liquid or semi-liquid contents of the digestive tract are called, which includes food debris, gastric and intestinal juices, gland secretions, desquamated epithelial cells and microflora. As a result of the absorption of water, the lump that enters the distal sections changes its structure and turns into feces. From 400 grams of chyme, 150-200 grams of feces are formed.

The photo shows what human feces consists of.

The correct stool structure of a healthy body includes 70-75% water, mucus, and fat.

Feces contain approximately 1/3 of food residues, the same parts of the secretions of the digestive organs and microbes. Microorganisms are dead in 95% of cases.

Why feces do not sink in water is due to their structure. They are characterized by a porous structure and gas enrichment. This creates their buoyancy in the toilet. However, when the pores are filled with water, the excrement will drown after a while. Excessive buoyancy indicates an excessive concentration of fats and gases in the stool. If, on the contrary, the feces immediately sink, this indicates that they are saturated with “bad” cholesterol and toxins.

Normal feces are a sausage 10-20 centimeters long, uniform in color, composition and soft consistency. It does not contain any impurities of blood, foam, or pus. Mucus in small quantities is acceptable. Brown stool is more common.

However, the nature of stool in different people may differ from the standard, which is not necessarily a sign of pathology. Its shape, color, smell, length, diameter, thickness depend on a person’s eating habits, the amount of food and water consumed, the structural features of the intestines, diseases, and so on.

How much does feces weigh?

The weight of bowel movements in a particular person depends on the volume and quality of food and water. The latter directly affects the indicator: with constipation, the concentration of fluid in the stool is low, with diarrhea it is high, which causes weight changes. It ranges from 200 to 900 grams. The norm is calculated using the formula: 28.35 grams of feces per 5.443 kilograms of body weight. That is, the standard volume of feces for men and women weighing 72.6 kg is 454 grams.

An increase in the mass of feces (scientifically called “polyfecal matter”) occurs in pathologies associated with impaired digestion of food. Often, copious feces (weighing 1 kilogram) are released when the pancreas is damaged.

A decrease in the mass of intestinal discharge is associated with constipation or consumption of rapidly processed foods.

How many times a day should you have stool?

Bowel movements are normally carried out 1, 2 or 3 times a day, depending on the characteristics of digestion. However, there are individual standards here too. A variant of the human norm may be the act of defecation once every 3 days. Reduces the frequency of eating food of animal origin, increases - of plant origin.

The process of excreting feces in a healthy person occurs without pain (short-term spastic sensations are possible) and strong pushing, lasting 2 minutes.

The standard common frequency of stool passing is 1 time per day in the morning. If a person walks very irregularly for a long time, unstable stools (either constipation or diarrhea) are constantly observed - this is a reason to consult a doctor.

Along with the formation of feces, gas formation occurs in the intestines. Normally, 0.2-0.5 liters of gases are excreted from the body per day. When consuming certain foods (fiber, yeast, carbohydrates, etc.), overeating, or swallowing air, their quantity increases, which is accompanied by increased flatulence (the norm is up to 12 times a day).

Color

The color of stool, which occurs in a healthy person, changes depending on the food consumed. Normally, there are various shades of brown.

Plant products color feces: beets and watermelon are characterized by burgundy and bright red colors, respectively; black currants, blueberries, coffee, cocoa are dark, and Santal oil is reddish-violet.

Medications can change the color of feces. For example, medications containing bismuth cause black stools. After taking iron supplements, stool has a dark greenish tint.

Multi-colored stool is normal when eating food that stains. If two-colored stools are often present, as if divided in half by shades, this means a violation of the “mixing” of the masses that occurs in the lower third of the intestine, which requires analysis from each half.

In medicine, characterizing the color of stool is a way to determine the disease.

White

Acholic feces (light in color) are formed as a result of taking certain medications (antibiotics, antifungals and contraceptives, barium before instrumental examination of the digestive tract).

Discolored (white, sandy) feces are formed as a result of obstruction and stagnation of bile. They signal the development of hepatitis, cholelithiasis, dysbacteriosis, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, and oncology.

Red

If the color of stool and urine changes to red, this mainly indicates the consumption of typical foods: beets, watermelon, food coloring. This shade lasts 2-5 days.

If they were absent from the diet, a scarlet color may indicate bleeding in the lower intestines caused by hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, anal fissures, or a tumor. It is also provoked by the consumption of spicy food due to its irritating effect on the mucous membrane. Brick color indicates bleeding in the upper intestine, located under the small intestine.

Unprocessed pink or red pieces of plant products (tomatoes, blueberries, currants, cranberries) look like bloody inclusions.

Feces, like “raspberry jelly” (transparent, mucous-scarlet), are a symptom of amebiasis - a protozoal pathology, which is characterized by ulcerative lesions of the large intestine.

Yellow

This discoloration of stool occurs when there is an excess of fat, which indicates dysfunction of the liver and biliary system. This may cause a bitter taste in the mouth. Yellow stool may be the result of an infection in the digestive tract. Oily stools are a sign of chronic pancreatitis or celiac disease.

When characterizing stool with urolithiasis, a yellow color is also noted. At the same time, it persists for a long time.

Orange

If the stool turns orange, consider including foods containing carotene or unsaturated carbohydrates (persimmons, carrots, pumpkin, sea buckthorn oil, spinach, etc.) in the diet. Food coloring also causes a similar tint.

Some medications turn stool orange (multivitamins, Rifampicin, etc.).

This coloration of stool is characteristic of pathologies of the liver and biliary tract, pancreas, and kidneys. It is also found in cystitis, inflammatory diseases of the digestive system, escherichiosis, and hormonal disorders.

Grey

This color of stool indicates a violation of the flow of bile into the intestinal tract. Clay-gray, colorless or earthy feces in an adult are formed due to digestive dysfunction, and a strong unpleasant odor may be present.

The symptom is characteristic of cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, tumors of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. In this case, the stool is light gray. A dark earthy tint is present in ulcerative colitis and putrefactive dyspepsia.

Gray feces occur when taking barium preparations, antibiotics, antifungals, contraceptives and others, fatty foods or allergies.

Brown

Represents the normal coloration of stool that occurs in most cases. At the same time, the shades and color saturation change depending on the food consumed.

Dairy products cause a light brown or bright yellow coloration. After eating meat products it is characteristically dark brown.

Black

This color is often a consequence of taking groups of drugs: iron, bismuth, antacids, activated carbon, and so on. Eating large amounts of meat products and dark vegetables causes black stools. In such cases, nothing needs to be done, since this is not considered a pathology.

If the described factors were not present, black stool may be a symptom of bleeding from the upper digestive tract or a high concentration of iron.

Tarry stools (melena) deserve special attention - foul-smelling liquid or pasty discharge indicates massive bleeding from the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. In this case, the black color of the stool alternates with normal. This condition requires urgent medical attention.

Green

This shade of stool is present when eating food that contains iron and dyes: greens, juices, sea fish, red beans, cereals, caramel, and so on.

Medicines also cause changes in stool color. Iron supplements and antibiotics give it a dark green, marsh color.

Pathological causes of this coloration include Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome and its inflammation, lamblia, salmonellosis, poisoning, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes, celiac disease. The green color is due to the presence of bile, while feces, moving through the intestines, do not have time to acquire a brown color. Bacterial infections and overeating carbohydrate-containing foods enhance fermentation processes, causing a characteristic color in the stool.

Form

The consistency and density of feces depends on the time they remain in the intestinal tract, its work and structure: with increased peristalsis, water is not absorbed enough, with slow peristalsis, it is absorbed more. In the first case, the stool will be soft or liquid, in the second - tight and strong.

Based on its physical properties, the intestines secrete mucus, which improves the passage of feces. With inflammation, abundant exudate also makes the stool have a liquid consistency. If there is a high fat content in it, the form will become ointment-like (pasty).

Mushy

Unformed feces are considered a pathological sign; they contain an excessive amount of water (90-92%). In this case, mushy stool is often heterogeneous, in the form of flakes. If small parts are mixed with abundantly secreted mucus, this means the presence of an inflammatory process.

Semi-liquid, loose stools are a consequence of increased contraction of the walls of the colon and excessive production of juice. This consistency is possible with high liquid consumption.

Thin (ribbon-like, ribbon-like)

The narrow shape of feces indicates obstacles to the passage of masses in the lower parts of the digestive tract or external pressure on the intestines. Ribbon-shaped (flat) feces are the result of spastic narrowing of the sphincters.

Such “pencil” (thread-like) stool requires diagnosis (colonoscopy), since it is considered a symptom of neoplasms.

Solid

There are many reasons for the formation of hard, dense feces:

• poor nutrition with a lack of fiber in the diet;
• little physical mobility;
• decreased motility or convulsive contractions of the digestive tract;
• increased water absorption;
• mechanical obstacles (polyps, tumors);
• inflammatory phenomena.

Hard feces are often evidence of constipation, and stool may be daily, but in small portions, and there is a feeling that the bowel movement has not been completed completely.

Taking certain medications also hardens stool, making it thick and hard and difficult to pass through the intestinal tract.

Balls (peas)

This is a type of hard stool consisting of individual round lumps. Outwardly it resembles “sheep” feces.

It takes shape due to prolonged presence in the intestines as a result of constipation, dehydration, taking certain medications and strengthening products (meat, alcohol), and a sedentary lifestyle. With spastic colitis, the feces, like those of a goat, contain 60% water, which explains its tightness.

Smell

Feces smell like decay products of food debris, mainly protein. However, the intensity is different. With an abundance of protein in the diet, a strong smell of stool is characteristic.

Normally, stool smells unpleasant, but not harsh or irritating. Excessively smelly feces indicate disturbances in the processes of decay and fermentation in the intestines.

Sour

This smell is characteristic of fermentative dyspepsia, which is caused by frequent and excessive consumption of carbohydrates (sugar, baked goods, carbonated drinks and others).

Foods of dairy origin also affect fermentation processes in the body, causing a peculiar aroma in the stool.

Acetone

Sometimes the stool takes on a distinct smell of acetone. The reasons for this phenomenon are called increased physical activity, excessive consumption of protein foods, fatty foods, and alcoholic beverages.

This odor may appear with the development of diabetes mellitus.

Putrefactive

This is what excrement smells like when there are disorders of food digestion, putrefactive dyspepsia associated with excessive protein consumption and its slow absorption. The predominance of decay processes is visible in a general analysis of feces based on the alkaline reaction.

Granulomatous or ulcerative colitis are also causes.

If the stool smells like “rotten eggs,” this indicates dysfunction of the small and large intestines due to infections, inflammation, and poisoning. Bacteria are capable of releasing hydrogen sulfide, which has a characteristic “smell.” The smell is often accompanied by diarrhea.

Fetid

A very unpleasant odor is characteristic of pathologies of the pancreas and cholecystitis. Occurs during the disintegration of tumors, putrefactive dyspepsia, bacterial infection, impaired digestion of food (celiac disease, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis).

Odor may occur when treated with certain medications (for example, antibiotics).

Cutting

Typically, a pronounced odor is associated with eating foods rich in phytoncides: onions, garlic. Excessive amounts of them destroy pathogenic microflora in the intestines, causing a pungent aroma.

Another reason is the inclusion of large amounts of meat, cabbage, legumes, and fatty foods in the diet.

Types on the Bristol scale

The classification of the main types of feces is presented on a specially developed Bristol scale.

The table shows pictures of types of feces and their descriptions.

It allows the patient to easily and without embarrassment formulate and characterize his own bowel movements, naming the appropriate type to the doctor:

• 1 and 2 are considered signs of constipation, feces do not come out of the intestines for several days, and are hard as a rock. They can cause injury to the anus, hemorrhoids, and intoxication.
• With type 3, defecation is also difficult, but the stool is of a softer consistency. To empty the intestines, you have to make several intense attempts, which can cause cracks. Characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome.
• Types 4 and 5 are considered normal. With the latter, defecation is possible several times a day.
• Type 6 indicates a stool that is not formed. It is regarded as a condition close to diarrhea.
• Type 7 includes loose stools. Stool with the consistency of water is considered a pathological phenomenon that needs treatment.

Causes of pathological stool

Factors influencing the formation of pathological forms, consistency, smell, color of feces are various diseases, conditions of the digestive organs, or characteristics of the food consumed.

Fat

Shiny, elastic feces, like plasticine, indicate an excessive concentration of fats in it (steatorrhea). In this case, feces stick to the toilet and are not flushed.

If this is a one-time occurrence, it is usually caused by poor nutrition. If you regularly discharge sticky stool that is shiny, you should consult a doctor. It is a symptom of pancreatitis, enzyme deficiency, dysfunction of bile flow due to its stagnation.

Frequent

The norm is to have bowel movements up to 3 times a day, but in some cases it is possible to increase the frequency up to 5 times. This is usually associated with the consumption of foods that enhance motor skills.

If the stool is of normal thick consistency and other symptoms do not bother you, then nothing needs to be done. If the stool does not form, has a liquid consistency, if there are impurities (blood, mucus, pus), if you feel unwell, have a fever, or have pain, you should consult a doctor. This condition can be caused by infection, poisoning, or dysfunction of the digestive system.

Rare (constipation)

The irregular and protracted nature of bowel movements is a consequence of impaired food processing and absorption.

Constipation is considered to be infrequent bowel movements (less than 3 times a week). In this case, the stool is hard, often dry, does not come out well, the first portion is “plug-like.” Next, feces of normal consistency may be released.

The condition is treated by following a diet with a high fiber content, drinking plenty of fluids, and physical activity. The doctor decides how to induce feces and whether laxatives can be taken. It is advisable to prescribe medications on a natural basis.

With mucus

The presence of a small amount of exudate in the stool is considered normal. An increase in its volume is caused by the consumption of cereals, dairy products, fruits, and berries.

However, if there is excessive discharge of viscous mucus, the appearance of other impurities in the stool and symptoms (pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, etc.), you should consult a doctor. This may indicate infections, inflammation, ulcerative lesions of the digestive tract, and microflora disorders.

Liquid (diarrhea)

Diarrhea is not always a sign of pathological phenomena. It is considered natural when consuming foods that cause stool liquefaction: kefir, milk, vegetables and fruits in large quantities, fatty foods. If the diarrhea is not severe and there are no other symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain), the diet will help stabilize the stool.

Chronic diarrhea can be caused by impaired microflora, nutrient absorption, stress and anxiety.

Severe diarrhea is caused by infections, poisoning, diseases of the digestive system (colitis, enterocolitis, and so on).

In an acute condition, severe loose stools require medical attention and measures to rehydrate the body to avoid the development of dehydration.

Foamy

The occurrence of this type of stool in males and females indicates fermentative dyspepsia. Characterized by a sour odor.

Stool with bile has a yellowish-green color, diarrhea and pain in the right side of the abdomen are characteristic.

The causes are diseases of the biliary system, dysbacteriosis, poisoning, hologenic diarrhea. In this case, the urine darkens to brown.

With blood

The presence of blood in stool gives it a different color, depending on where the source is located. Black color indicates bleeding in the upper digestive tract and requires urgent medical attention.

Scarlet discharge on top of the stool indicates the presence of anal fissures and hemorrhoids. When red blood is mixed with feces, inflammation, ulcerative lesions of the intestinal tract, and neoplasms are possible.

What does bowel movement look like?

The type of feces varies depending on the presence of diseases, their severity and stage. Characteristic signs of stool allow the doctor to diagnose the pathology and prescribe treatment.

For intestinal diseases

First of all, bowel movements allow us to judge the state of the intestinal tract. Alternating diarrhea and constipation, flatulence, and pain often accompany irritable bowel syndrome. But it is important to differentiate it from ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Impurities of mucus, blood, and pus indicate inflammatory diseases and infections.

With an excess of proteins in the diet and the prevalence of putrefaction processes in the intestines, the formation of a fecal belly is possible.

Feces fill the loops of the tract, their activity is low, feces do not pass through due to atony or move heavily. As a result, a saggy, flabby or inflamed belly is formed that requires cleansing.

For pancreatitis

As the disease develops, the stool becomes liquefied: it becomes mushy or liquid. The bowel movements are copious, frequent, foul-smelling, characterized by a greasy sheen and a sticky consistency (difficult to wash off).

The color is light, sometimes discolored, dirty gray (during exacerbation), with a chronic course a greenish tint is possible.

For bowel cancer

Diarrhea occurs after prolonged constipation. The frequency of bowel movements is up to 10 times a day. Possible mushy stools, sometimes with blood.

A narrow and thin shape of feces (ribbon-shaped) indicates a change in the structure of the intestine, an obstacle to the passage of feces, which is also a symptom of tumor processes.

The stool may take on a reddish tint or black if bleeding occurs.

For diseases of the liver and gall bladder

A characteristic symptom of pathologies of the liver and biliary tract is acholic (light-colored) stool. It turns yellow, white or gray. The analysis determines the presence of fatty acids and soap.

Diarrhea occurs when the production of fatty acids is disrupted and they do not enter the intestines (with cholestasis).

For dysbacteriosis

Characteristic changes in shades and consistency of stool. The color of the stool becomes green, light, gray. Foamy stools and pieces of undigested food may be present.

Alternating diarrhea and constipation are often observed.

Child's stool

Children's digestion has increased sensitivity, which differs from that of adults. The baby’s stool contains its own microflora, which depends on the type of feeding. On breastfeeding, gram-positive predominates, on artificial - gram-negative.

At an early stage of a child’s development, gastrointestinal pathologies are severe, so analysis of a baby’s stool, taking into account norms and possible deviations, becomes an important indicator of his health.

In the first days after birth, dark-colored meconium is passed. Light is gradually added to it (over 3 days) and on the 4-5th day it becomes the main one.

When breastfeeding, yellow poop indicates the presence of bilirubin, which is replaced by stercobilin at 4 months.

As pathologies develop, feces change, so you should know its main variations in children:

• « Hungry chair- characterized by black, dark green, dark brown color, unpleasant odor. It is observed when the child is starving or improperly fed.
• Acholic- the child poops discolored feces of white, gray color, similar to clay. Occurs in epidemic hepatitis, biliary atresia.
• Watery yellow- characteristic of breastfeeding, when mother's milk lacks nutrients.
• Putrefactive- there is a mushy consistency, dirty gray color with a pungent odor. Characteristic for protein feeding.
• Soapy- soft consistency and silvery color, shiny, mucus mixed.
• Mushy yellow- unformed, formed by excessive consumption of cereals, mainly semolina.
• Grainy- the stool contains black inclusions, grains, and grains that resemble sand. These are undigested remains of food and medicine. In young children, they are typical when fruits (bananas, apples) are introduced into the diet. As the baby grows, the inclusions will disappear.
• Fatty- has a whitish tint and a sour smell. Mucus is observed in moderate quantities. Occurs with excessive fat consumption.
• Constipation- in this case, the stool is hard, gray in color with a putrid odor.
• Curled, yellow-green- characteristic of dyspepsia.

What can you learn from a stool test?

The composition of the stool helps determine whether there are disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. Stool analysis is a common laboratory test.

It is important to test for occult blood, especially in elderly patients. The analysis reveals possible bleeding in the digestive tract, which is considered a symptom of severe pathologies, including cancer.

A test for dysbacteriosis determines the state of the intestinal microflora and the level of microorganism ratio.

Analysis of stool for the intestinal group and VD identifies infectious agents, determines antibiotic sensitivity, which increases the effectiveness of treatment.

Tests for enterobiasis and worm eggs can identify pinworms and helminths.

Infants (up to 1 year) are prescribed a stool test for carbohydrates to determine lactase deficiency.

To diagnose diseases, not only the type and composition of stool is important, but also the act of defecation itself: its frequency, nature, and the presence of pain.

Based on indirect evidence, a preliminary diagnosis is made, which is confirmed or refuted by additional examination. For example, smearing, when panties in adults are regularly soiled, may indicate incontinence, which is a sign of organic pathologies (tumors, injuries, and so on).

In official medicine, treatment with feces, or fecal transplantation, is used. In this method, feces from a healthy person are introduced into the intestinal tract of the patient. At the same time, the infected and damaged microflora returns to normal. In some cases, this method of therapy is more effective than taking antibiotics.

Psychiatric medicine knows a deviation in which people eat feces (coprophagia), their own or someone else's. This indicates schizophrenia, severe mental retardation or sexual deviation, when the fetish is the taste of feces or the process of eating itself. If we consider from the physiological side what will happen if we eat feces, then observations of patients with mental disorders have shown the absence of significant negative consequences. Possible development of mild digestive disorders and vomiting

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 what reason caused the change in the color of stool in 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.