what color is clay colored stool

What does pale or clay stool look like?

Stools that are pale, white, or look like clay or putty may result from many things. Sometimes a lack of bile or a blockage in the bile ducts can result in light-colored stools. Bile is a thick fluid that the liver makes to break down fats and remove waste from your body. It turns your stools a brown color.

Why is my poop so light tan?

Bile from the liver creates the typical brown hue of a healthy bowel movement. When the stool is very pale, it often means that not enough bile is reaching the stool. Problems with the gallbladder, pancreas, or liver are reasons why stool may not contain enough bile.

Is clay-colored poop okay?

Pale stools are not normal. If your stools are pale or clay-colored, you may have a problem with the drainage of your biliary system, which is comprised of your gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.

Why is my poop a light clay color?

Light-colored stools (grey or clay-colored) in adults can be caused by lack of bile in the digestive system. It is usually from a blockage in the bile ducts, either from a stone or a tumor. Bile helps digest fats and is responsible for the brown color of stool.

What color is your stool if you have liver problems?

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. Yellow skin (jaundice) often occurs with clay-colored stools.

Is peanut butter colored poop normal?

Stools should be brown, have a peanut-butter texture, and look like a sausage. If you have abnormal colors, it may be due to something you ingested. But it may also be due to serious illness. If it's abnormal once, it's likely nothing to worry about.

What does clay-colored poop look like?

Gray or Clay-Colored 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.

What color is stool with pancreatitis?

Disorders that affect the pancreas Chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, a blockage in the pancreatic duct, or cystic fibrosis can also turn your stool yellow. These conditions prevent your pancreas from providing enough of the enzymes your intestines need to digest food.

What color is clay?

Advertising & SponsorshipStool qualityWhat it may meanGreenFood 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.Light-colored, white or clay-coloredA lack of bile in stool. This may indicate a bile duct obstruction.3 more rows

Can IBS cause clay colored stool?

Orange stools may be due to medications or diet, but may also be caused by a lack of bile or the malabsorption of bile due to IBS. Clay-colored stools are often a sign of hepatitis or pancreatic disease.

Can anxiety cause pale stools?

Anxiety does not specifically affect the color of stool, but it can affect how food moves through the digestive tract.

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 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.

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.

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 stool light colored?

For example, a barium enema—which is a special X-ray test of the large intestine—can be conducted to help uncover disease affecting the intestine. The inability to absorb fat properly may lead to the light-colored stool. The term for this is “acholic” and it is usually a result of lack of bile.

Do you have to rush off if you have a clay stool?

When you have a clay-colored sto ol on an occasional basis, you don’t have to rush off to the doctor. If you experience clay stools on a regular basis, you need to see a healthcare professional so you can be checked for possible medical conditions.

Can gallstones cause cirrhosis?

The exact cause of biliary cirrhosis is unknown and it can be fatal. Gallstones – Hardened deposits in the gallbladder that can block the flow of bile. Many people don’t experience symptoms, while others complain about pain in the back, stomach, and right shoulder.

Why does my stool look clay?

You take calcium supplements or calcium-supplemented antacids. As noted by Dr. O’Connor, certain drugs and supplements can cause the stool to appear pale or clay-like. Family care physician, Susan Besser, MD, has seen pale or clay-colored stools in people who habitually take calcium supplements and calcium-supplemented antacids.

Why is my stool light colored?

If your skin is looking a bit pale (which can occur in people of any skin tone), there’s usually a reason. It could be anything from a vitamin B12 deficiency to a symptom of anemia.

Why is my stool pale?

It could be bile-related. When your stool is pale, and it’s not because of something you ingested, it can mean that your body is not producing enough bile, or that the bile is , for some reason, not reaching your stool .

Why does my stool float in the toilet?

The result is called steatorrhea, which is bulky, smelly, and pale-colored stool that often floats in the toilet instead of sinking to the bottom due to its fatty or oily content . If steatorrhea is a one-time thing after a particularly fatty meal, it’s not usually a cause for concern.

Is pale stool normal?

Although pale stool is not normal, there are a number of reasons why this happens, says family practitioner Kavita Shanker-Patel, MD, practicing family medicine at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, Illinois. While some are serious, others are quite benign. In fact, pale-colored stool can be the result ...

Can celiac disease cause a foul smelling stool?

You could have celiac disease. One of the less-known symptoms of celiac disease (an autoimmune condition in which the gluten proteins in wheat and other grains trigger an intestine-damaging immune response), is pale stool, particularly if it’s foul-smelling.

Can calcium tablets cause a change in stool color?

In fact, calcium-containing antacids are known to cause changes in stool color. So if you notice pale or clay-colored stool for the first time, ask yourself if you might have inadvertently taken a calcium supplement in the form of an antacid tablet. In the absence of other symptoms, it’s OK to take a wait and see approach.

What does it mean when your stools are clay colored?

There’s a lot of misinterpretation as to what “clay colored” refers to, even though “clay colored stools” is commonly listed as a symptom for disease, including liver problems. Definition of Clay Colored Stools.

Why do my stools turn grey?

This is what “clay colored” stools look like. In addition to alcoholic liver disease, here are other causes of this light grey appearance, according to nlm.nih.gov, in no particular order: biliary cirrhosis; benign or malignant tumors of the liver, biliary system or pancreas; bile duct cysts; narrowing of the bile ducts;

What color is moist clay?

Fresh moist clay that you dig up in the ground appears to be a combination of tan/brown and grey, similar to the moist clay that a sculptor works with.

Why is my stool yellowish?

Clay colored stool can occur due to a variety of causes that affect bile function, including insufficient drainage of bile from liver or the biliary system , low bile production by liver , and blockages in the bile ducts , etc. A temporary case of clay colored stool can be overlooked, but chronic cases need to be checked by a doctor for underlying causative diseases.

What are the symptoms of bile ducts?

Patients may experience symptoms like clay colored stool, jaundice, vomiting, itchiness, nausea, chills, fever, and pain in upper right abdomen. The condition can be treated via stenting or other surgeries that widen the bile ducts and allow the free passage of bile to the intestines. Biliary system structural defects: The biliary system is made up ...

Can a doctor check for clay colored stool?

A temporary case of clay colored stool can be overlooked, but chronic cases need to be checked by a doctor for underlying causative diseases. Treatment of clay colored stool is dependent on effective diagnosis of the underlying condition that is causing the abnormal feces and then curing it as per standard medical procedures.

Why is my stool clay colored?

What Causes Clay-Colored Stool? Clay stool is not normal and could be a symptom of a serious medical condition. There are several diseases affecting the biliary system that can cause clay colored stool. Healthy stool can come in several different shades of brown, which is greatly affected by diet. Stool that resembles clay or pale in color, may ...

What causes clay in stool?

What Causes Clay-Colored Stool? The biliary system in the body is responsible for drainage of the pancreas, gallbladder and liver. The liver creates bile, which is stored in the gall bladder. Then the bile is secreted into the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine, as food passes through.

Why is my stool brown?

Healthy stool can come in several different shades of brown, which is greatly affected by diet. Stool that resembles clay or pale in color, may indicate a health issue affecting the biliary system in the body, such as a blockage of the bile ducts or another problem resulting in a lack of bile. When the digestive system is unable to properly absorb ...

What causes dark urine and bile ducts?

9. Other Causes. Other causes include: Sclerosing cholangitis ---the scarring or inflammation of the bile ducts.

What are the symptoms of grey stool?

Besides grey stool, the most common symptoms include jaundice, which is the yellowing of the whites of eyes and skin, increased girth as a result of fluid accumulation and clay-colored stool. Other symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, pain and tenderness of the abdomen, and weight loss.

When to see a doctor for clay stools?

If it occurs more often, you should visit your doctor in order to be checked for a potentially serious medical condition.

What are the symptoms of biliary stricture?

Symptoms: Symptoms of biliary stricture may include fever, chills, itching, jaundice, nausea and vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and light or clay stool. 7. Side Effects from Medication. Drug-induced hepatitis refers to liver inflammation and swelling caused by medication.

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.

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 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.

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 does it mean when your urine is clay?

Concerning Symptoms. Clay-colored stool that is caused by certain medical conditions may be accompanied by a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes ( jaundice) or darkened urine. If signs of jaundice occur, a physician should be consulted immediately.

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 .

Can barium swallow cause pale stools?

A Word From Verywell. People who haven't recently had a barium enema or a barium swallow should see a doctor about having pale stools. This is particularly true if any other symptoms are occurring along with it, especially jaundice or pain.

Is it normal to have a pale stool?

Having a stool that is white or pale just once, or rarely, is not usually a concern , but when the color is consistently too light, it is something that should be discussed with a doctor. Healthy stools come in many sizes, shapes, and colors.

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 is the best way to determine if stool color is changing?

The evaluation of changes in stool color typically begins with a thorough physical examination and personal medical history. The doctor may ask about intake of alcohol, smoking, and other habits. Family history of any cancers, particularly of the liver or pancreas, or bleeding problems may be helpful.

Why is my bowel bleeding red?

If the bleeding originates from lower parts of the intestines or the colon, blood may not come into prolonged contact with digestive enzymes because of the short distance from the site of bleeding to the rectum. Moreover, large amounts of blood within the intestines speed up the transit of stool so that there is less time for the changes to take place. The stool in this type of bleeding may be dark red or maroon in color. Beets, other red vegetables, cranberries, and red food dyes also can turn the stool color red or maroon.

What causes black tarry stool?

Bleeding in the stomach (from gastritis or an ulcer) or the intestines can change the color of the stool. If bleeding occurs in the stomach or the upper part of the small intestine, the stool may turn black and sticky, and be described medically as black, tarry stool (melena).

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,

What is the test for occult stool?

This tests the stool directly for blood with a dye (fecal occult blood test or FOBT).

What is the chemical reaction in stool testing?

Occult stool blood testing relies on a chemical reaction between a solution (called guaiac) and hemoglobin in a sample of stool. In the presence of hemoglobin, the drop of solution will turn the stool sample (smeared onto a special paper which reacts chemically with the solution) blue.