Common Causes
Pale stool may be caused by pancreatic cancer that blocks the bile ducts. Lack of bile causes stool to lose its brown color and leaves it appearing pale. What is considered a pale colored stool? Pale stools are not normal.
Related Conditions
What Foods Cause Pale Stools. Certain foods can change the color of your stool. For example, beets can change the color of your poop to dark red and eating alots of veggies can give your stool a green hue. But are there foods that lighten stool color? Yes. Foods high in fat can lighten the color of your stool. Food coloring in foods can also ...
What can cause a pale stool?
Pale stool: Causes and treatments
- Causes of pale stool. Consuming fatty foods may make a person’s stools pale in color. ...
- Pale stool in children. Breastfed babies will generally have light-colored stools. ...
- Pale stool during pregnancy. ...
- When to see a doctor. ...
- Summary. ...
What foods cause pale stool?
The occasional pale stool in adults is often not a cause for concern. However, long-lasting pale stool or stool that is white can indicate a serious issue with the liver, pancreas, or gallbladder.
What causes pale stools and how is it treated?
Are pale stools a serious problem?
What do light colored stools mean?
Light-colored, white or clay-colored. A lack of bile in stool. This may indicate a bile duct obstruction.
What is considered a pale stool?
The stool can be gray or clay-colored if it contains little or no bile. The pale color may signify a condition (biliary obstruction) where the flow of bile to the intestine is obstructed, such as obstruction of the bile duct from a tumor or gallstone in the duct or nearby pancreas.
When should I be worried about pale stools?
Having pale stools once in a while may not be a cause for concern. If it occurs frequently, you may have a serious illness. You should see your doctor whenever you have pale or clay-colored stools in order to rule out illness and disease.
Is peanut butter colored poop normal?
Lifestyle changes to improve stools include eating fiber, drinking water, or exercising. Stools should be brown, have a peanut-butter texture, and look like a sausage.
Why do I have pale stools?
If your liver is not producing enough bile, or if the flow of the bile is blocked and not draining from your liver, your stools may become pale or clay-colored. Having pale stools once in a while may not be a cause for concern. If it occurs frequently, you may have a serious illness. You should see your doctor whenever you have pale ...
Why is my stool white?
Some of the causes are: a milk-only diet. barium sulfate from barium enema. antacids. blocked bile ducts or liver disease. You should contact your doctor any time your child’s stool changes color, especially if they haven’t had any brightly colored foods or if the stools are pale, white, or clay-colored.
What is the best medicine for fatty stool?
Commonly prescribed medications include cholestyramine (Questran) to treat itching and ursodiol (Urso Forte), which aids in removing bile from the bloodstream. Your doctor may also suggest taking vitamins A, K, E, and D, to replace the nutrients that are lost in the fatty stools.
Why do kids have bright colored stools?
Brightly colored stools in children are usually caused by colorful foods like breakfast cereal. However, pale, white, or clay-colored stools in children can be caused by something more serious. Some of the causes are:
What is the cause of biliary cirrhosis?
Biliary cirrhosis. Biliary cirrhosis is an inflammation or irritation of the bile ducts in the liver. The inflammation or irritation blocks the flow of bile to the intestines. The exact cause of biliary cirrhosis is unknown. There is no cure for biliary cirrhosis, and the disease can be fatal.
Why is my stool pale?
However, pale stool may be the first sign of a serious problem. If your bowel movements are light, yellow, clay-colored or very light brown, you may have inflammation or an infection in your gallbladder, liver or pancreas, according to Penn Medicine. Gallstones or another type of blockage in the bile ducts also can cause oddly colored stools.
How long does stool color last?
News & World Report, WebMD, Everyday Health and Health. Talk to your doctor about any change in stool color that lasts two weeks or longer .
What is barium in stool?
After the test, the barium is excreted through your stool, possibly making it white, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Why does my bowels bleed red?
One is bleeding in the rectum or anus, and another is cancer is an area of your digestive tract, according to Penn Medicine. If the blood supply in part of your intestines is cut off or if you have swelling in your stomach lining , you may experience red stool.
Can food dyes change the color of your stool?
Red food dyes can change the color of your stool to red, as can eating a lot of red-colored foods like beets or cranberries, states UC San Diego Health. Sometimes women who have their menstrual cycle might notice a tiny bit of blood in their stool, Penn Medicine notes.
Can a discolored stool cause pale stool?
Advertisement. However, pale stool may be the first sign of a serious problem.
Why does pale stool turn yellow?
Complications resulting from untreated pale stool is jaundice because there is a build-up of bile in the body which makes the skin appear yellowish. Jaundice is also a symptom of liver disease and so it’s highly important you see your doctor if you notice color changes of your skin and the whites of your eyes.
What color is my poop?
The color of your stool may seem irrelevant. However, clay-colored or pale stool can be a cause for concern. Some people who experience pale stool ignore it, thinking there is nothing they can do about it. Normal looking stools are various shades of brown, and this is normally a result of a healthy diet. Clay-colored stools are pale, white, ...
Why is my stool brown?
The term for this is “acholic” and it is usually a result of lack of bile. Bile salts are released into stool by the liver and give them their brown color. When the liver is not producing enough bile, or when the flow of the bile is blocked, stools become clay-colored. Pale-colored stool in adults is no reason for alarm if it only happens once in ...
Why is my bile duct narrowing?
Structural defects – Some people are born with defects in their biliary system that prevents the flow of bile. Biliary stricture – Gallbladder removal surgery can lead to narrowing of the bile ducts.
What are the symptoms of a bile duct cyst?
Symptoms include jaundice, loss of appetite, itching, fever, and pain on the right side. Cysts – Cysts on the bile ducts can prevent the flow of bile. Symptoms include jaundice and a mass in the upper right side of the stomach.
How long does bile acid dissolution therapy last?
This treatment can last anywhere between 6 to 12 months and involves taking an oral solution to help dissolve gallstones.
Why do I have a clay odor in my stool?
For instance, some anti-inflammatories can cause clay-colored stool. Antibiotics, anabolic steroids, and some birth control pills have also been known to cause clay-colored stool.
Considerations
The liver releases bile salts into the stool, giving it a normal brown color. You may have clay-colored stools if you have a liver infection that reduces bile production, or if the flow of bile out of the liver is blocked.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if your stools are not the normal brown color for several days.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
The provider will perform a physical exam. They will ask questions about your medical history and symptoms. Questions may include:
What causes a pale stool?
Medical causes of stool that is pale or clay-colored are usually liver and biliary issues such as: 1 Alcoholic hepatitis: This disease of the liver occurs after overexposure to alcohol. 2 Biliary cirrhosis: This is a type of liver disease where the bile ducts are damaged. 3 Birth defect: Some people are born with a problem in the biliary system. 4 Cysts: A cyst may block a bile duct. 5 Gallstones: These calcium deposits in the gallbladder could block bile ducts. 6 Hepatitis A, B, or C: Infectious liver diseases that may cause a lack of bile. 7 Infection: Certain types of infections could affect the biliary system. 8 Sclerosing cholangitis: This is a disease that can cause a lack of bile production or a blockage in the bile ducts. 9 Side effects of medication: Overuse of certain medications could cause drug-induced hepatitis. These drugs include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, hormonal birth control, and certain antibiotics. 10 Strictures: A narrowing of the intestine could block the flow of bile. 11 Tumor: A tumor could block the flow of bile.
What tests are used to determine if a person has pale stools?
In addition to a complete medical history, some of the tests that might be used to make a diagnosis are: Liver function tests: Liver function tests can help determine if there is a condition that involves the liver that's causing the pale stools. 2 .
Why is my stool brown?
Bile is what gives stool its brown color, so if bile is not being produced or if the bile ducts are blocked, and bile isn't entering the small intestine, the result could be stool that is light. Medical causes of stool that is pale or clay-colored are usually liver and biliary issues such as: Alcoholic hepatitis: This disease ...
What is the biliary system?
The biliary system is the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. 1 Bile is created in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and is released into the first section of the small intestine (the duodenum) while food is passing through. Ellen Lindner / Verywell.
What to do if you have blocked bile ducts?
In the case of blocked bile ducts, surgery may be required to open the ducts. If the stools are a symptom of another condition, such as hepatitis, the underlying cause should be treated.
Why do my bowels look like clay?
Stools that are pale, white, or look like clay or putty may be the result of a lack of bile or caused by a blockage in the bile ducts. Stools that are light in color or look like clay can also occur after a test in the colon that uses barium (such as a barium enema ), because the barium may be passed in the stool.
What causes a lack of bile?
Hepatitis A, B, or C: Infectious liver diseases that may cause a lack of bile. Infection: Certain types of infections could affect the biliary system. Sclerosing cholangitis: This is a disease that can cause a lack of bile production or a blockage in the bile ducts. Side effects of medication: Overuse of certain medications could cause drug-induced ...
Why does stool color change?
Only rarely does stool color indicate a potentially serious intestinal condition. Stool color is generally influenced by what you eat as well as by the amount of bile — a yellow-green fluid that digests fats — in your stool. As bile pigments travel through your gastrointestinal tract, they are chemically altered by enzymes, ...
Why is my stool red?
If your stool is bright red or black — which may indicate the presence of blood — seek prompt medical attention. Food may be moving through the large intestine too quickly, such as due to diarrhea. As a result, bile doesn't have time to break down completely.
What does it mean when you have no bile in your stool?
A lack of bile in stool. This may indicate a bile duct obstruction. Certain medications, such as large doses of bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) and other anti-diarrheal drugs. Excess fat in the stool, such as due to a malabsorption disorder, for example, celiac disease.
Does bile break down?
As a result, bile doesn't have time to break down completely. Green leafy vegetables, green food coloring, such as in flavored drink mixes or ice pops, iron supplements. A lack of bile in stool. This may indicate a bile duct obstruction.
Why is my stool green?
Green Stool. If your stool is green, it might be due to your high consumption of green vegetables like spinach, kale or other green foods. It can also occur in diarrhea. Food may pass through the intestines too quickly that there isn’t enough time for bacteria and enzymes to change the green color of bile to brown.
Why is my poop white?
White Poop. When you pass a white, gray or pale stool, it might be an indication of liver or gallbladder problem. Generally, pale stools mean that the body isn’t secreting enough bile to give it the characteristic brown color. Advertisements. Bile is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. In addition, some drugs used in treating ...
Why is my poop black?
Black Poop. When you notice the color of your stool is black and it looks coffee color, it might be as a result of what you ingested. When you take iron supplements or blood tonic, your poop maybe black. Other causes include black licorice, black stout, and bismuth medications. However, if you had not taken any of the above, ...
What causes orange poop?
These fruits include carrots and winter squash. Also, some medication like antacids and antibiotics like Rifampicin can make your poop orange. Advertisements.
Why do I have hard stools?
Hard or infrequent stools. This signifies constipation and is usually caused by a lack of fiber in your diet, as well as low water intake. However, this issue may also be caused by medications, blockages in the intestine, or in more rare cases, colon cancer. Advertisement.
What does it mean when your stools are maroon?
According to Nelson, this can indicate bleeding from the very end of the small bowel or the colon.
Why do I have a lot of mucus in my stool?
Mucus in the stool. This is usually due to inflammation of the intestines , said Peyton Berookim, a gastroenterologist in Los Angeles. He noted that the condition can be seen in inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s. It can also be due to inflammation caused by a bacterial infection or IBS.
Normal vs. Abnormal Stools
Stools that are lightly colored or pale.
Causes
Concerning Symptoms
Diagnosing The Underlying Condition
Treatment
Summary
A Word from Verywell