loose reddish brown stools

Common Causes

Hot and spicy foods can irritate the intestinal lining and cause loose stools. It normally happens after a spicy meal and returns to normal shortly afterward. Compounds in spicy food aren't absorbed by the body and make their way into your intestines.

Related Conditions

Luckily, there are steps you can take to treat loose stool. Drink more liquid: Dehydration is one of the biggest risks of loose stools. Drinking more water will help you avoid dehydration, and can also help with clearing out viruses during illnesses. Aim to drink between eight to 12 glasses of water each day.

What is the cause for loose stools?

What causes red diarrhea?

• Rotavirus. One of the most common symptoms of rotavirus is red diarrhea. ...
• Gastrointestinal bleeding. In some cases, bleeding in the digestive system may show up in your stool. ...
• E. coli infection. ...
• Anal fissures. Inflammation can cause tears in the skin around the anus. ...
• Cancer polyps. ...
• Side effect of medication. ...
• Consuming red food or drinks. ...

Can anything be done for loose stools?

“Loose stools” can be natural for some people or signal diarrhea for others. Common causes include from foods – especially if something was spoiled or tainted – but GI viruses, food allergies and medication side-effects can also cause them.

What causes loose reddish brown stool with mucus?

Why do I have loose stools?

What Do Different Poop Colors Mean? - WebMD

Orange Poop. Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Stool Colors | What Poop Colors Mean & When to Worry | Buoy

Normal stool is light to dark brown. That can change depending on a number of factors, including diet or bleeding or blockages of your bile duct, among other issues.

What does it mean when you have brown stools?

When you go to the bathroom, you expect to see brown stools. However, if you have diarrhea and see red, you might wonder why and what you need to do. Common symptoms of diarrhea include: loose stools three or more times per day. cramps in the abdomen. pain in the stomach.

What does it mean when your diarrhea is red?

If your diarrhea is red, it may mean you have blood in your stool. To determine if the redness is caused by blood, your doctor may do a fecal occult blood test. This test looks for the presence of microscopic amounts of blood in the feces. Over time, excess blood loss may lead to the following complications:

How long does it take for diarrhea to clear up?

coli. Rotavirus symptoms last a few days and E. coli symptoms should clear up within a week.

How long does diarrhea last in children?

Symptoms of rotavirus are similar to the standard symptoms of diarrhea, and may include: fever. vomiting. abdominal pain. watery diarrhea for three to seven days.

How to test for E. coli?

To test for E. coli, a pathologist will test your stool sample for the presence of toxins produced by these bacteria. If gastrointestinal bleeding is suspected, your doctor will review your symptoms and then use a variety of tests to determine the specific cause of your bleeding.

Why does my anus get red?

Tears may lead to a small amount of blood in the stool. Typically, this leads to much less redness in toilet water when compared to other sources of red diarrhea. Sources of tears include excess stool and sexual contact with the anus.

How long does it take for E. coli to show up in your stool?

You can get E. coli from eating undercooked beef, drinking raw milk, or eating food infected with animal feces. It typically takes a couple of days after being infected for symptoms to appear.

What causes dark brown stools?

Dark brown stool. Many foods or medications may naturally cause your stool to change colors, including dark brown or black. Common foods known to do this include licorice, blueberries, beets, anything with food coloring , and food made with blood (i.e., blood sausage).

Why does my poop turn brown?

The slow bleed may eventually cause anemia, which causes fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Once the blood goes through the digestive system , it turns the stool a darker brown and eventually looks black or tarry.

Why does my stool have a color?

It may also be affected by your nervous system. Sometimes flare-ups are due to stress, diet, or other changes. IBS can have different symptoms depending on the person, but most experience abdominal cramps or discomfort. IBS may affect the color and consistency of your stool.

What does it mean when your stool is dark?

Symptoms. If your stool is a darker color than normal, it may indicate internal bleeding. You can have both upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeds. Upper GI bleeds tend to be from gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) or ulcers but there are other causes as well.

What causes a stool to turn black?

Many foods or medications may naturally cause your stool to change colors, including looking dark brown or black. Common foods known to do this include licorice, blueberries, beets, red-colored gelatin or food made with blood (ie blood sausage).

Why is my stool dark?

But stool that simply seems darker than normal may be the result of dehydration, constipation, or eating dark-colored foods or iron-rich foods or supplements.

Why do I get dizzy when I poop?

Dizziness. If your stool is a darker color than normal, it may indicate internal bleeding. You can have both upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeds. Upper GI bleeds tend to be from gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) or ulcers but there are other causes as well.

1. Light brown stool is a normal variant (due to food)

As a rule, all shades of brown stool, such as light brown stools and very dark brown stools, are considered normal. However, your stool color varies according to what you eat and several other factors.

A. Large fatty meals

Too much fat in your meal can turn your stool into light brown. The more fat you eat, the more the fat content of your stool.

2 . Diarrhea (loose stool)

The normal brown color of the stool is a result of the action of gut bacteria on bilirubin (secreted in bile to the gut tract).

3. IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

IBS is a common bowel disease that affects a large subset of people. It primarily affects the large intestine and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and bowel changes.

4. Gut infections

The gastrointestinal tract (gastroenteritis) infections often lead to diarrhea with subsequent light brown or yellow stools.

5. Food intolerance or allergy

Food intolerance is the inability of your digestive system to digest or absorb certain foods. It is a prevalent condition affecting up to 20% of the population. In addition, certain types of food intolerance are prevalent in the community, such as lactose intolerance (which affects about 65% of adult people).

6. Bible-related conditions

The brown color of your stool originates from bilirubin which reaches your intestine through the bile. The bile is formed initially inside the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and released into the duodenum through the bile ducts.

What colors the stool red?

It is important to first look at what gives stool its typically tan to brown color. Stool, also referred to as feces or bowel movement, is made up of water, wastes, undigested food, bile, digestive enzymes, mucus, water and bacteria. Within bile is a byproduct known as bilirubin. It is produced from the components of red blood cells that die or are destroyed within the body. Bilirubin is made in the liver and passed out with bile into the gallbladder.

Why is my stool red?

Causes of Red Stool. Blood is not the only cause of a red discoloration of the stool. In fact, if the stool is red for just one or two bowel movements and it does not occur again, then it could be due to other causes apart from blood. However, repeated reddish stool and diarrhea especially when there is pain is very likely to be due to blood in ...

What is the color of bile in stool?

Eventually bile is secreted into the small intestine during digestion. Part of the bilirubin within it is converted to stercobilin by the bacteria in the bowels. It is this stercobilin that gives stool its characteristic tan to brown color. However, the other components of stool can also play some role in the color as well. Blood in the stool is not entirely uncommon but most of the time it is microscopic and does not usually change the color of stool to a red color.

Why is my stool black?

When the bleeding is higher up it may cause the stool to become dark or black and tarry. This type of stool is known as melena. The blood degrades as it passes from the upper gut to the lower gut and is eventually passed out with a bowel movement. Therefore it does not have the typical red color of blood.

Why is my toilet water red?

Instead the reddish discoloration may be due to other factors. For example, the toilet water may already be stained red with detergents or some other substance and a person may not notice this tainting of the water until after passing stool. Similarly, vaginal bleeding may also stain the toilet water red.

What does it mean when your poop is red?

Therefore it may retain its characteristic red color and stain the stool red. This is known as hematochezia. Sometimes the stool may still appear brown but the reddish color is noticed only upon wiping.

What is the bloody stool associated with?

Bloody Diarrhea. Overt blood in the stool with diarrheal illnesses is usually associated with infections, particularly bacterial infections. It is more likely to be associated with infectious colitis, where the colon of the large intestine is infected.

Why is my stool brown?

Normal stool color is brown. This is due to the presence of bile in the stool. Normal stool color can range from light yellow to brown to almost black. If stool is red, maroon, black, clay-colored, pale, yellow, or green this may signify a problem. Some causes of stool color changes include. hemorrhoids,

Why does my stool change color?

Some causes of stool color changes include. hemorrhoids, bleeding in the stomach, bleeding in the lower parts of the intestines or colon, certain vegetables with deep colors, green foods , food dyes (especially red, green, purple), iron pills , bismuth-containing medications (such as Pepto-Bismol ),

What Causes Changes in Stool Color, Form, or Texture?

If your stool is black, the cause might be an iron supplement or over-the-counter medicine you took because your stomach felt bad.

What are the symptoms associated with stool color changes?

The symptoms associated with changes in the color of stool generally correspond to the underlying cause. In many instances, there may not be any symptoms associated with changes in stool color.

What kind of doctor treats stool color changes?

The evaluation of conditions such as intestinal bleeding or diseases of the pancreas, gallbladder, or liver, may warrant careful evaluation by an internist, a primary care provider (PCP) such as a family practitioner or pediatrician, internal medicine physician, general surgeon, or a gastroenterologist (a physician who specializes in diseases of the digestive tract).

When should I seek medical care for stool color changes?

A person should notify their doctor when there is a persistent change in the color of their stool.

What is the treatment for stool color changes?

Other more significant medical causes may require simple or extensive medical evaluation and treatment.

Why is my stool dark brown?

If your stool is not normal-colored (light or dark brown), it means you have some gut issue, whether it's just food that didn't sit right, food poisoning, or a virus. But sometimes it can be a sign of bleeding (red/black stool), or a liver or gallbladder issue (very pale stool), so don't ignore a discoloration.

Why is my stool red?

While red stool may be caused by ingesting certain foods or medications, red stool can indicate an internal problem. Paying attention to other symptoms such as abdominal pain or discomfort and discussing your concerns with a doctor in a timely manner is important.

Why is my bile green?

Bile travels through the GI tract and changes to brown when it interacts with certain enzymes. If your stool is green, it usually means that you have changed your diet slightly or your food is traveling through the large intestines faster than normal so it doesn’t have enough time to break down and change color.

Why is my stool white?

If your stool is pale in color or white, it usually means that bile isn’t moving through your GI tract. This would mean that there’s an obstruction of the bile duct that isn’t letting the bile flow into the intestine. Sometimes, the color can be from large doses of medications.

What to do if your stool color changes?

If your stool color has changed because of a change in diet and there are no other symptoms, no treatment is needed. If you are bleeding, you may need to go to the hospital, have laboratory and imaging tests, and possibly even a procedure, such as an endoscopy or colonoscopy.

Why is my stool discolored?

In many cases, it could be caused by the food you eat or a medication you’re taking. But if your stool is discolored for a few days, or you have other symptoms, it could be a sign of something more serious.

Why is my poop yellow?

If your stool is yellow, or more likely, contains yellow droplets (seen floating on the toilet bowl), it is a sign of fat in the stool. It can also have a bad odor and a greasy texture. You may see noticeable amounts of fat in your stool when it’s not absorbed properly by the body. Yellow stool can be a sign you’re having malabsorption issues—along with other signs like difficulty maintaining or gaining weight.

Why is my stool dark brown?

Although changes in stool color or texture may be normal, most changes should be evaluated. Stool that is an unusual color may be due to diarrhea; bleeding in the intestine; intestine, pancreas, or liver diseases; and medications.

What are symptoms of stool color changes?

Changes in stool color alone do not cause symptoms. The underlying cause of the change in stool color, texture, or form is responsible for any symptoms.

What does it mean when your stool color changes in color, texture, or form?

When these changes in stool do occur, it can mean that there may be an illness affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or the entire body.

How is the cause of stool color changes diagnosed?

In most cases, a diagnosis, if any, cannot be made by stool color alone.

When should I contact my doctor about stool color or texture changes?

Aside from black, red, or maroon stools that may mean bleeding is a possibility, and require urgent assessment and treatment, most color changes are not an emergency. The significance is determined based on other symptoms that might be present.

What is the cause of stool color?

The presence of the bilirubin in the bile (a breakdown product of the hemoglobin in red blood cells that are normally destroyed after a useful life of several weeks) is generally responsible for stool color.

Why does my stool smell so bad?

There are a variety of reasons why stool will be yellow, greasy, and foul-smelling. It can be due to the intestine's inability to digest and absorb fat because of diseases of the intestinal lining (such as in celiac disease and cystic fibrosis) because the pancreas is unable to manufacture adequate digestive enzymes (such as with chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer that blocks the pancreatic duct), or there is not enough bile being delivered to the intestine (such as in cancer of the liver or bile ducts that are blocked). The yellowness, greasiness, and foul smell are due to the undigested fat.

Why is my stool brown?

More water in the stool makes it too loose, and less water can lead to hard, dry stool. The color of normal stool is brown, and diet factors and health problems can influence stool color. For instance, pale or yellow stool can be linked to liver disease or infections, and black or red stool is suggestive of blood in the stool.

What color should stool be?

In general, stool should be medium to dark brown with a soft to firm texture.

Why is my stool dark?

Stool can become dark if it's discolored by blue or black food pigments, though. Common foods that cause dark stools include blueberries, black licorice, or blue or black-colored candies.

What causes GI bleeding?

A wide variety of conditions and some infections can cause GI bleeding, including liver disease, ruptured blood vessels, ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and E. coli infections. So if GI bleeding is suspected, it's important see your doctor right away.

Can iron supplements cause black stool?

Iron supplements are notorious for causing dark or black stools, although these supplements are more likely to cause constipation than loose stools. Other medications that can cause dark stools, although not necessarily loose ones, are those that contain bismuth, such as Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate. Bismuth interacts with sulfur, which is naturally ...

Why is my stool dark brown?

Very dark brown stools are often caused by dark foods, food pigments, or medications. However, almost black stool can be a sign of bleeding inside your gastrointestinal tract.

Why does my stool change color?

The recent change of your stool color without other symptoms (especially abdominal pain) may indicate that food is the cause.

What is the smell of blood coming from the upper part of the stomach called?

Blood coming from the upper part of your gut (esophagus, stomach, or duodenum) is usually black (called melena). Melena is different from a very dark brown stool. It is tarry black. Usually with a characteristic offensive smell (rotten meat smell).

Why is my stool black?

Because it is less frequent compared to food and medications. Also, Bleeding into the upper part of your gut (eso phagus, stomach, and early part of small intestine) causes JET BLACK‌ stool rather than a very dark brown stool. Minor and recurrent bleeds can cause black spots or speckles in the stool.

What causes a gastrointestinal bleeding?

The most common causes of gastrointestinal bleeding are peptic ulcers, esophageal varices, vascular malformations, and malignant tumors.

What causes bleeding in the gut?

Malformed blood vessels (abnormally dilated vessels in the wall of the gut tract): it causes PAINLESS‌ bleeding inside your gut.

How to get rid of dark stool?

Check the iron content of your supplement. If you are not sure about the cause of very dark stool, try to withhold supplements for 3 to 5 days. And watch your stool color, if it reverts to normal, then it is due to the iron-containing supplement.

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