Dark brown stool is considered a normal color for a bowel movement, however very dark brown poop can indicated diet changes from certain foods or iron supplements, or mild internal bleeding located in the upper digestive tract. Dark brown stool can also indicate dehydration, usually after drinking alcohol, or infection.
What is the reason for dark brown stool?
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. Dark-colored foods such as blueberries, blackberries, plums, …etc.
What are black stools a sign of?
Black stool may be from dark foods and drinks (beets and dark beer), supplements like iron, or a sign of bleeding in the upper GI tract. If stool is black and has a bad odor, it is likely a sign of bleeding, from a peptic ulcer, gastritis, inflammation, colon polyps, or colon cancer.
What causes dark brown stools?
What Could Cause Loose, Dark Stools?
- Stool Color and Consistency. Bowel movements are a completely normal body function, and your stool provides helpful clues to your digestive health.
- Dietary Factors. Dietary fiber adds bulk to intestinal contents and makes fecal matter move more quickly through the intestines.
- Medications. ...
- GI Bleeding. ...
- When to See a Doctor. ...
What makes your poop dark brown?
What causes dark stool?
- Food and medication causes of dark stool
- Digestive tract causes of dark stool
- Serious or life-threatening causes of dark stool. In some cases, dark stool may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency ...
- Questions for diagnosing the cause of dark stool
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.
What are the symptoms of dark stool?
Dark stool may accompany other symptoms affecting the digestive tract including: Abdominal pain or cramping. Abdominal swelling, distension or bloating. Diarrhea.
What does it mean when your stool turns black?
Stool passed after eating these foods may be dark brown, bluish, reddish, or black. Iron supplements and medications containing bismuth subsalicylate, a common ingredient in anti-diarrhea medications, can also turn the stool dark or black. Dark stool not associated with specific foods or medications can be more worrisome and may be an indicator ...
Why is my stool red?
Red striping of the stool is often related to bleeding near the exit of the digestive tract and may be seen with hemorrhoids. Since dark stool can be related to digestive tract bleeding, if it cannot be explained by a specific food or medication, dark stool should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting.
What to do if stool is black?
Seek immediate medical care (call 911) for bloody stool or stool that is black or tarry in consistency that is accompanied by profuse sweating, changes in level of consciousness, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, or chest pain.
What causes dark stools?
These include: Bleeding disorders. Bleeding esophageal varices (life-threatening rupture and hemorrhage of swollen veins in the esophagus. Colorectal cancer.
Is dark stool a sign of a life threatening condition?
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition. In some cases, dark stool may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting.
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 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 black stools?
Medications can indirectly cause almost black stools (melena) by inducing bleeding inside the stomach or intestine. Tow major mechanisms of bleeding: Inducing ulcers or injury to the lining of your intestine which in turn bleeds.
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.
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).
What does it mean when your stool is dark brown?
A very dark brown stool that lasts a long time or keeps getting darker might indicate an ulcer in your stomach or intestines. Some supplements can also affect your stool, such as iron.
What does a doctor ask about stool?
They might ask about the color, size, softness and more. What color is normal for stool?
Can iron supplements cause blood in stool?
Some supplements can also affect your stool, such as iron. If you do have blood in your stool, you will need to have tests to rule out the cause. If you think that you might have blood in your stool, please see a doctor immediately.
Is brown stool normal?
Is Dark Brown Stool Normal? Most stools is rather brown in color. The question becomes what color it is, and what that might mean. Almost all stools are light tan to medium shades of brown. However, it might be green, depending upon what you have eaten, or it might be a pale yellow color.
What does it mean when your stool turns black?
Blood in the Stool (Melena) Blood that comes from the upper GI tract—such as the esophagus or the stomach—may turn the stool black. This is a condition called melena. If you have melena, you may also notice that your stool has a tarry texture or is similar to coffee grounds.
Why is my stool black?
Causes. Black stool can be caused by eating certain foods, taking certain medications or supplements (like iron), or it can be the result of something more serious . Stool is also known as bowel movements, feces, or poop, and bodily waste left over after digestion.
Why does stool turn black after a syringe?
After the bleeding has stopped, stool may continue to appear black and tarry for several days. Possible causes of melena include a bleeding ulcer, gastritis, esop hageal varices (enlarged veins), or a tear in the esophagus from violent vomiting (Mallory-Weiss tear). 2.
Why is my stool red?
This is a condition called hematochezia. Blood stemming from this region will be more red in appearance, because it will be exposed to less of the digestive process.
How to tell if you have blood in your stool?
Blood in the stool can be detected through a stool test. See your doctor right away if you have black stool along with pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you suspect there is blood in your stool, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
What is the inflammation of the stomach lining?
Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining. This inflammation can be caused by too much alcohol, eating spicy foods, smoking, infection with bacteria, or by the prolonged use of NSAIDs. Gastritis can also develop after surgery or trauma, or it may be associated with already existing medical conditions. 5
What causes black stools?
Iron supplements, taken alone or as part of a multivitamin for iron-deficiency anemia, may cause black stools or even green stools. 1. Foods that are dark blue, black, or green may also cause black stools. Substances that are often found to cause black stools include: Black licorice. Blueberries.
Why is my stool dark?
The main causes of dark stool are: Upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, which can be from an infection, medication, trauma (like a car accident), or lesions of the blood vessels. Stomach/peptic ulcers that cause bleeding in the esophagus.
Why is my stool light colored?
Sometimes, the color can be from large doses of medications. The main causes of light-colored stool include: Gallstones, or hardened deposits of bile that form in the gallbladder and block your common bile duct. Pancreatic cancer. Liver disease.
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 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.
What does it mean when your poop is discolored?
But if your stool is discolored for a few days, or you have other symptoms, it could be a sign of something more serious. Black, tarry stool or bright red stool could be a sign of blood in the stool. Pale, clay-colored stool can be a sign of a blockage of your bile duct.
What does it mean when your stool is brown?
Bile salts in the intestines give stool its usual brown color. Stool that is light-colored (either pale, white, grey, or clay-colored) could indicate a lack of bile in the stool. A blockage of the bile ducts from gallstones, or a condition affecting your gallbladder, liver, or pancreas, can cause decreased bile output.
Why is my stool dark?
This type of stool is often dark because it stays in the intestines longer.
Why does my stool change color?
For example, if you are constipated, if your stool is pebble-shaped, or if it sinks quickly, you may simply need to add more fiber to your diet.
What foods make your stool darker?
Activated charcoal supplements. Dark foods, such as black licorice, blueberries, Oreo cookies, blackberries, grape juice, or blueberries. Stool can also appear darker with constipation. Dark green stool from bile that hasn't had time to break down may look black in certain lighting.
Why is my stool green?
3 Iron supplements and food coloring, including green, purple, and blue dye, can also turn feces an emerald color. Conditions that speed up intestinal activity, such as a bowel disorder or food poisoning, can also lead to green stool.
What is the name of the stool that is excreted in small pieces?
Stool excreted in small pieces is sometimes called pebble or pellet stool. 6 Fiber forms a gel in the intestines when it is fermented by bacteria in the colon and combined with water. If there is a lack of fiber holding stool together, it may be shaped like small pebbles.
Why is my stool yellow?
Stool that has suddenly become yellow can also be a sign of an intestinal infection, particularly if you also have diarrhea, fever, flu-like symptoms, or stomach cramps. Giardiasis, a small intestine infection caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia, can also lead to yellow stool or diarrhea. 1.
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 ),
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).
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.
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.
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 does it mean when your bowels are dark brown?
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.
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.
What causes a person's stool to change color?
When stool color changes, a person, parent, or caregiver often becomes concerned. 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 turn yellow?
Changes in the chemical structure of the bilirubin can cause stool to turn green or yellow. Yellow stool also may occur if stool is dilute or there is a reduction in the amount of bilirubin that is produced by the liver. Bacteria and digestive enzymes in the intestine can act on the bilirubin and change its color.
How many stools does a person have in a week?
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low-fiber diets, laxative abuse, and hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
Why is my stool black?
Black stools are a worrisome symptom because it may be due to a large amount of bleeding into the digestive system, most often from the upper GI tract including the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Red blood cells are broken down by digestive enzymes in the intestine and turn the stool black.