The digestive system processes food to the smallest compounds, providing the body with the necessary energy. Any malfunctions in the work of the gastrointestinal tract in themselves lead to disorders, and with untimely treatment, serious diseases are also possible.

It is not always possible to identify pathology in the early stages, but if a person has a red stool and there is a deterioration in well-being, this is a strong argument for contacting a doctor.

Fecal masses, forming in the intestines, acquire a brown color. This is due to bile, which is a yellow-green liquid. It is synthesized in the liver and acts as a digestive enzyme.

Passing through the intestines, bile becomes brown, and any deviations from this color give rise to physicians for a more detailed examination.

What is red stool a sign of?

Often, a change in the color of feces to red or orange stools appears only due to the fact that a person has eaten too much food of the corresponding color. And although some people become overly worried about this, the worry is usually unnecessary.

For example, it may appear after eating blood sausage or blackcurrant, and the green color is due to plant chlorophyll.

Orange-colored stools are caused by eating carrots, apricots, and other foods rich in beta-carotene.

Sometimes this color is the result of the use of drugs based on the anti-tuberculosis antibiotic Rifampicin or special vitamin A supplements.

Red feces often appear due to the use of beets or tomatoes.

Many are familiar with this change in stool after a meal, the main dishes of which were herring under a fur coat or borscht. But you also need to eat a lot of such foods so that the red streaks in the feces become pronounced.

If during a therapeutic conversation it turns out that the patient's health is consistently good and has not changed, and the diet has recently been saturated with similar food, doctors do not consider this a disorder, referring to physiological processes.

However, red feces can also indicate intestinal pathology.

When should you be concerned?

The human digestive system is most vulnerable to microorganisms. Of course, microbes can infect any organs, but it is in the gastrointestinal tract that there are all the necessary conditions for the development of pathogenic bacteria.

It is impossible to exclude the insufficiency of the functioning of the liver and pancreas. These organs are responsible for the synthesis of enzymes, without which digestion is simply impossible.

It often signals a dysbacteriosis, which, as a rule, develops after taking antibiotics. These drugs are necessary to fight harmful microorganisms, but the action of chemical compounds extends to beneficial microbes.

In addition, the inflammatory process in the intestine tends to neutralize protective cells - leukocytes. While doing their job, they also die, are excreted along with the feces, which turns green.

Yellow and orange stools may be due to a high concentration of undigested fat. And this indicates a low amount of pancreatic juice.

If a person has black-red feces (solid or streaked), and the corresponding food was not consumed the day before, then the reasons may be pathological:

• haemorrhoids;
• fissures of the rectum or other parts of the intestine;
• ulcers;
• inflammation;
• helminths;
• infection;
• tumor.

However, the redness of the stool varies. It all depends on the location of the lesion.

Bright red stools indicate bleeding in the lower intestines, and dark ones in the upper ones.

In addition, a person often manifests diarrhea, nausea, pain and high body temperature - these additional symptoms are important diagnostic characteristics.

Unlike adults, children often show red stools. And in most cases, this is not a sign of pathology. In very young children (up to 1 year old), reddening of the feces occurs due to an ordinary banana, and it is not so important who ate it: either the child himself, or the mother who is breastfeeding.

Older children are often addicted to a variety of sweets and drinks with dyes, which also contributes to a change in the color of the feces.

Liquid orange stools may indicate indigestion due to the use of low-quality food. Gastric lavage () will come to the rescue in such a situation, as well as taking probiotics - special means for normalizing microflora.

Children sometimes eat completely unwashed fruits picked in the garden, and this is fraught with the development of dysentery, the signs of which are an admixture of blood and pus in the feces. In this case, you should not delay contacting the pediatrician.

What to do with redness of the stool?

First of all it is important to pay attention to well-being if it is good - remember the dishes eaten the day before. If there were no red foods in the diet, then I recommend contacting the hospital for examination - especially if there is a deterioration in general condition, weakness or dizziness.

Red-brown feces have characteristic impurities that indicate a particular disease. Therefore, doctors will require an analysis of feces, and in case of severe malaise, they may prescribe an internal examination using an endoscope.

Red loose stools usually occur with ulcerative colitis. Such a disease is treated on an outpatient basis, be sure to prescribe a special diet with a high content of thermally processed vegetables and fruits.

But in some cases, you can not do without surgery. For example, with gastric bleeding, the patient is immediately sent to the surgical department.
Infectious diseases require the use of antibiotics.

And in the case of bleeding of hemorrhoids, it is quite possible to carry out their resection, although medications are usually prescribed in the early stages. Regardless of the cause of reddening of feces, self-medication is not only undesirable, but also dangerous.

Indigestion can occur in anyone. And if orange feces do not bother doctors, then red is perceived as a sign of pathology in the gastrointestinal tract.

It is better to contact a gastroenterologist who, from the height of his experience, will give a sober assessment of the situation and prescribe the correct course of therapy.

Beetroot has a rich red-violet color due to the presence of special substances in its composition - betacyanins. The coloring pigments of the plant are processed and discolored, getting into the stomach, and further, passing through the internal organs and intestines.

In certain cases, the natural colors of the beetroot are not digested and the plant can color the faeces. The effect of the root crop on feces is both within the normal range and due to possible health problems.

Natural Causes of Color Change

How are stools stained?

Feces after beets can turn into different shades of red - from pink to maroon, and even black. The degree of staining of feces is affected by:

• saturation of different varieties of root crops with coloring pigments;
• combination with other products and medicines;
• possible disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

Attention! Beetroot has a mild laxative effect and helps. Use with caution if you are prone to diarrhea and intestinal disorders!

Can they be red (pink)?

• After eating light varieties of vegetables.
• When combining a vegetable with other coloring products of red shades (tomatoes, red berries).
• From the simultaneous use of the root crop with antibiotics or potassium tablets.

Why are they black?

1. When using dark varieties of beets in large quantities.
2. As a result of simultaneous use with products that have a lot of dark coloring pigments:
   • prunes;
   • red grapes;
   • blueberries;
   • blackcurrant;
   • strong coffee;
   • sausage products.
3. When combining a plant with certain medications:
   • iron-containing agents;
   • activated carbon;
   • bismuth preparations;
   • antibiotics.
4. From combining with low-quality alcohol.

Why are there pieces of undigested vegetable?

Stool after eating a root crop in children and adults - what's the difference?

In young children, the digestive system is not developed and responds more quickly to changes in nutrition. The younger the child, the more difficult the child's body copes with excess amounts of beet fiber. At the first introduction of complementary foods, beets are excreted with feces almost unchanged. In older children, the stool after the root crop is liquefied, painted in shades of red and contains pieces of undigested vegetable.

As the child grows, there are more enzymes that help in the processing of beets, the food digestion system is fully formed, and the vegetable begins to be absorbed in large volumes.

On a note! In children, beets often affect not only the color of feces, but also stain the urine in a reddish hue. This is allowed if the child feels normal, and the change in red color occurs after removing the root crop from the diet.

What is indicative of health problems?

Feces after beets speaks of possible malfunctions in the body in the following cases:

Beetroot is a healthy and nutritious root vegetable that has a whole range of useful substances. Without them, the normal functioning of the body is impossible. Is it possible for people to eat beets, with, as well as how to treat, and beetroot juice - read on our website.

Is it possible to distinguish blood from root veins?

What does feces look like?

After beetroot, the consistency of the stool becomes softer than usual. The color varies from the usual brown to light or maroon. Small inclusions of undigested vegetables are allowed. The general state of health is normal, the usual color of feces is restored in a few days.

Does blood affect color characteristics?

1. Black feces with a pungent odor, tarry consistency, combined with a sharp deterioration in well-being, indicates possible internal bleeding in the upper digestive tract.
2. The heterogeneous structure of the discharge with streaks of bright scarlet blood indicates bleeding in the lower intestines.
3. Drops and trickles of blood on top of the feces are a sign of hemorrhoids, cracks in the anus.

When bleeding occurs, in addition to the color of the stool, additional symptoms occur. These include:

• pain in the abdomen;
• nausea or vomiting;
• weakness and dizziness;
• pallor;
• drop in pressure (read about how eating beets affects pressure).

• increased restlessness or lethargy;
• a sharp cry and refusal to eat.

Such symptoms indicate acute inflammatory diseases of the digestive system. You should visit specialists as soon as possible, take tests and undergo an examination.

Important! If black resinous feces with a fetid odor appear, with sharp pain, loss of pressure and high temperature, you should immediately consult a doctor!

A photo

We described above how beets affect the feces of adults and children, now we will see this more clearly in the photo.

How many days does the product leave the body?

The burgundy color of feces appears a few hours after eating beets.. The chair returns to its usual color in one or two days after the exclusion of the root crop from the diet.

If there is stagnation of feces in the intestines and it is not immediately completely excreted from the body, the reddish color can last up to three to four days.

A change in the color of feces after eating beets can be both a variant of the norm and an indicator of the state of the digestive system of the body. The effect of a vegetable on excretion varies depending on the food consumed and human health..

If the color of the feces remains unchanged after beets, then everything has been assimilated as fully as possible. If, after eating the root crop, the feces turn into burgundy shades, while maintaining good health, and after the exclusion of beetroot dishes, the color of the feces is restored, you can continue to include this healthy vegetable in the diet.

In a healthy person, feces are usually colored brown and this is due to the fact that it contains undigested food debris and bile. The stool can be painted in a different color for various reasons, and such a sign can signal various pathologies of the human body.

Dark-colored feces can appear when eating certain foods that contain dyes. It is possible to suspect a serious illness only if, along with the darkening of the stool, the patient's general well-being worsens, and the symptoms characteristic of the disease of the internal organs are disturbed.

When a person has dark-colored feces, you should know the reasons that provoked this phenomenon:

• Eating foods that stain the stool dark in the last few days. In the event that a large amount of beets, red grapes or prunes enters the intestines, the stool darkens and may be black. If you suspect that it was the products that provoked a change in the color of the stool, then it is necessary to exclude them from your diet for several days and carefully monitor the color of the feces. In the event that 3-4 days after a person has stopped consuming such products, the feces remain black, then it is necessary to look for another reason for such a pathology.
• Some medications can cause dark-colored stools. Among their diversity, one can single out drugs that are prescribed for insufficient content in the human body. In addition, bismuth preparations and activated black carbon have a similar effect. Darkening of the stool is not considered a contraindication to continuing treatment with such medicines, and only a doctor should change the dosage.

You can learn more about the reasons for changing the color of the stool from the video:

In the event that black feces appear due to any disease, then it will persist in a person for a long time. In fact, such a chair can periodically appear in children and adults, even if there are no reasons for this.

Possible pathologies

Liquid dark stool most often occurs with gastrointestinal bleeding

With the sudden appearance of dark stools, it is necessary to look for the causes of such a pathology in functioning.

Such a symptom can signal the following diseases:

1. Food poisoning is considered the most common cause of any fecal problems in humans. Various viruses and bacteria that penetrate the gastrointestinal tract with dirty, stale or poorly cooked foods are capable of provoking intoxication of the body. It is possible to suspect poisoning if there are accompanying signs such as bouts of nausea and vomiting, upset stools, headache, and dark green stools. Certain types of poisoning pose a serious threat to the patient's health and can provoke dysbacteriosis and chronic enteritis.
2. Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract most often appears as a complication of stomach ulcers or varicose veins. With bleeding in the digestive system, the patient complains of an unexpected deterioration in general well-being, the development of severe vomiting, a change in the consistency of feces and their color in a dark color. This condition is considered extremely complex and can lead to the death of the patient.
3. Intestinal diverticulitis is a dangerous pathological condition, which is accompanied by a rapidly progressive inflammatory process in the intestinal mucosa. Diverticula are small protrusions of the intestinal walls, resembling a hernia. The leading cause of their appearance is considered to be weakness of the intestinal muscles and constant problems with bowel movements. The diverticulum is usually acute, and inflammation of the intestines causes a change in the color and composition of the feces, as well as an increase in body temperature and increased gas production. In addition, the patient complains of lack of appetite, bouts of nausea and vomiting, combined with a deterioration in general well-being.
4. Colitis is a disease that is accompanied by the development of an inflammatory process in. The main cause of its development is considered to be a bacterial infection, chemical poisoning and severe stress. In fact, the tendency to inflammatory processes in the intestines is inherited. Vivid signs of colitis are constant urge to go to the toilet, staining of feces in a dark color, a rise in body temperature and pain in the abdomen. Most often, with such a pathology, the feces become liquid and blood may be present in it. Such a sign may indicate that the human body cannot adequately absorb carbohydrates.

In fact, the dark color of feces in humans does not always signal any dangerous bowel disease.

Various organs of the digestive system are actively involved in the process of digesting food, including.

Disruption of the proper functioning of these organs can cause a change in the color of the stool and its consistency. It is for this reason that when staining the stool in a dark or black color, it is recommended to visit a doctor and undergo all the necessary studies.

Dark stools during pregnancy

For the normal development of the fetus, expectant mothers are often prescribed multivitamin complexes in which iron is present. It is this component that stains a woman's stool in a dark color, and this phenomenon is considered quite normal and does not require any treatment. Experts say that in this way the body of the future mother removes excess iron, so you do not need to stop taking vitamins.

In the event that dark feces during pregnancy are in no way associated with the listed factors, then a general and should be carried out as soon as possible. If a woman has a history of duodenal ulcer or stomach ulcer, the doctor may prescribe a fecal occult blood test. If the stool is dark, loose, and bleeding symptoms such as collapse, cold sweat, and pallor are present, a woman should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Black feces during pregnancy can signal the presence of a dangerous disease, and the choice of one or another method of treatment is determined by the underlying cause of the disease.

An endoscopic examination can be performed on a future mother, thanks to which it is possible to identify sources of bleeding and provide her with medical care in a timely manner.

Treatment of pathology

Before starting any treatment, it is important to find out the cause that provoked the darkening of the feces:

• In case of poisoning of the body, drug therapy involves taking medications, the action of which is aimed at reducing the harmful effects of toxins on the body. When the first signs of poisoning appear, the patient must take activated charcoal and Smecta, and be sure to call a doctor.
• In the event that a disease such as colitis has become the cause of black stool in a person, that treatment is carried out with the help of adsorbents, antibacterial drugs and anti-spasm agents. With bleeding in the digestive system, treatment with pills will not bring a positive effect and specialist help is usually required. Self-treatment of pathologies such as diverticulitis and stomach ulcers can be extremely dangerous and additional complications may occur.
• In the event that the change in stool color is caused by taking medications or vitamins, then no special treatment is required. When the child's feces darken, it is necessary to analyze his entire diet, that is, remember all the foods that he has eaten over the past few days.

Gastroenterologists say that you should not hesitate to visit a doctor. In the event that the appearance of dark feces is in no way associated with the use of certain foods, then you should visit a doctor immediately when black streaks or dots appear in the stool. There is no need to wait for vivid manifestations of gastric or intra-intestinal bleeding, because at an early stage of the disease it is much easier to cure it.

A person's feces can tell a lot about their health. Color, consistency and other parameters reflect the level of certain substances in the body, as well as possible negative processes that occur in it.

Kal has its generally accepted characteristics, which indicate that everything is in order with health. This may not be the most pleasant topic, but everyone should know the parameters of the chair.

1. Color. In healthy people, on the menu of which a variety of foods, the stool has a color from yellowish to dark brown. Of course, this parameter varies depending on the type of food consumed at one time or another, but in general there should not be any unusual color.

   

2. Consistency. Normally, the stool is formed, moderately dense, it should easily come out during the act of defecation and resemble a sausage in shape. If the stool looks like a cluster of small balls or, on the contrary, is too liquid, this is already a deviation from the norm.

   

   

3. . With well-established digestion and moderate nutrition, defecation should occur 1-2 times a day. This is the optimal number of times at which there is no stagnation of feces in the intestines. Emptying is allowed once every 48 hours, but not less often. The number of bowel movements may change due to stressful situations or painful conditions, but after that everything should return to normal.

   

4. Amount of feces. If the diet is balanced and the person does not overeat, then the daily rate of feces is from 120 to 500 g, depending on the age and type of food consumed. If the menu contains more plant foods, the amount of feces increases, if meat and dairy, on the contrary, decreases.

   

5. . Usually unpleasant, but not too harsh. It depends on the type of food consumed, the nature of digestion, the presence of beneficial bacteria in the intestines and the necessary enzymes. So, if meat products predominate, the stool has a sharper odor, dairy food gives a characteristic sour smell. If the food is not fully digested, it begins to rot and ferment. The number of bacteria that feed on it increases and they produce the corresponding substances that have an unpleasant odor, such as hydrogen sulfide.

   

6. acidity of feces. An indicator that is established in the laboratory, but is also extremely important. Normal pH is 6.7-7.5 and depends on the intestinal microflora.

   

Attention! Some people have individual characteristics of feces associated with congenital anomalies, pathologies or lifestyle (for example, vegetarians). If in general nothing bothers you, then you should not be afraid for your health.

Deviations from the norms and their causes

Comparative characteristics of the color of feces and the causes that cause it.

Diagnosis of the condition with a changed color of feces

If the feces continue to be painted in an unnatural color for several days, which is not associated with the use of drugs or food, it is necessary to consult a specialist to find out the nature of this phenomenon.

If blood impurities are found in the feces, this is an indication for immediate medical attention, because this may be a sign of the onset of internal bleeding.

In a normal situation, the doctor collects an anamnesis, talking with the patient, and then prescribes a series of diagnostic studies according to indications.

What diseases cause stool staining

If the cause of the abnormal color of feces does not depend on the diet and medications, then most likely the problem is in the following organs:

• liver;
• spleen;
• pancreas;
• gallbladder;
• stomach;
• intestines.

The most common diseases that change the color of the stool.

1. Hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. The accumulation of toxic substances in the tissues of the liver leads to its inflammation and inability to perform its functions: to produce proteins and enzymes, to regulate cholesterol levels.
2. Diverticulitis is an inflammation of the intestinal tissue, with the formation of small growths in which food remains and bacteria multiply.

   

3. Pancreatitis- violation of the pancreas, as a result of which there is no timely outflow of enzymes into the intestine.

   

4. stomach ulcer- the formation of foci of inflammation on the mucous tissue of the stomach, which are then converted into wounds.
5. Ischemic colitis - inflammation of the tissues of the large intestine due to impaired blood circulation in it (atherosclerosis, embolism).

   

6. splenitis- inflammation of the spleen tissue due to infection, blood disorders, jaundice or cysts.

   

7. Dysfunctional disorder of the biliary tract. This includes such concepts as: dyskinesia of the gallbladder, dystonia of the sphincter of Oddi, acute or chronic cholecystitis.

   

8. Bulbit- swelling of the duodenal bulb, resulting in erosion and bleeding.

   

   Duodenum. The initial part of the duodenum is expanded - this is an ampulla or bulb

   

For reference! Stool staining can occur continuously or occasionally during an exacerbation of diseases. In some cases, discoloration of feces occurs throughout a person's life if their diagnosis is not treatable.

Treatment

In order to return the stool to its normal consistency and color, it is necessary to identify the cause of the changes and begin treatment.

First of all, the diet is normalized and bad habits are excluded.

If infections, poisoning, dysentery are the cause of atypical green stools, absorbent drugs, agents that restore water-salt balance, probiotics and prebiotics are prescribed to help normalize the microflora of the stomach and intestines.

According to the indications for other diseases, the following can be used:

• painkillers;
• anti-inflammatory;
• antibiotics;
• enzyme preparations;
• antispasmodics;
• venotonic agents;
• laxatives or vice versa, antidiarrheals;
• antacids;
• anthelmintic drugs;
• anticoagulants;
• homeopathic remedies.

Candles with sea buckthorn and "Anestezol" can be used for intestinal diseases

In some cases, surgical intervention is required, for example, to remove polyps, various neoplasms, and stop bleeding in internal organs.

With adequate treatment, the result comes fairly quickly, the patient is no longer tormented by diarrhea, constipation, pain and abnormal stool color.

Feces are not just processed products, they are, like other excretions from the body, an indicator of human health. Therefore, careful monitoring of the color of your stool will help prevent many diseases.

Video - What the color of the stool says

The color of human feces depends on many factors. This includes the diet, and the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, and the use of drugs. Normal stool color varies from light to dark brown. It is the brown shade of feces that indicates the health of the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, we are talking about the normal secretion of bile in an adult. Why does it turn black, green or yellow? When should I be concerned, and when can discoloration of feces be attributed to nutrition?

What determines the color of feces

Feces are the product of processing food into the body and is formed after the passage of the latter through the digestive tract. Nutrients are absorbed along this route and are available after complex digestive processing, mainly in the stomach and intestines. This process produces non-metabolizable waste that forms feces.

Physiologically, they are brown, because the bile that enters the intestine from the liver is metabolized by the bacterial flora and turns into bilirubin, and then into stercobilin, which gives the feces a brown color.

Causes of discoloration of feces

Thus, under normal conditions, feces are brown in color from light to dark. The indicated color may differ in some cases and this situation is not always a sign of a painful condition. The color of feces, in fact, closely depends on some factors, namely:

• Consumed products. Some foods, especially rich in natural dyes, which are unchanged in the digestive tract, are excreted in the feces, giving it their color. Several examples can be given. All green leafy vegetables such as broccoli are rich in chlorophyll, which can turn stools green. Beets are rich in beta-carotene, which can cause dark red stools.
• Reception of dyes. Food coloring can be found in some foods. For example, Curaçao blue, which has an intense blue color, is used to make cocktails, and ferric ferricyanide (also blue) is used as a drug to treat heavy metal poisoning such as cesium.
• Functionality of the gastrointestinal tract. On the way between the mouth and anus, food, as already mentioned, undergoes a series of mechanical and chemical transformations under the action of digestive juices, enzymes and bacteria. Violations of the coherence of the work of this digestive chain often leads to a change in the color of feces.
• Diseases. Some diseases can cause changes in the physiological concentration of enzymes and juices, which are necessary for the processes of digestion and, therefore, determine changes in the composition and color of feces. Such changes may be the result, for example, of bleeding from the wall of the stomach and / or intestines.

Based on medical practice, the following stool colors may occur: brown, yellow, green, white / clay-gray, black, red.

Yellow stool

When the stool turns yellow, it indicates the abundant presence of undigested fats. This presence is due to:

• Diseases of the pancreas, which reduce the concentration of enzymes in the intestines. An example of such diseases is chronic pancreatitis, which is usually a consequence of alcohol abuse. There is also the possibility of blockage of the duct through which pancreatic enzymes are excreted into the intestine, which is almost always caused by a tumor.
• Malabsorption disease. A typical example is celiac disease (gluten intolerance), which interferes with nutrient absorption, causing bloating, diarrhea, and discoloration of the stool. The consequences of such diseases are especially severe in children and adolescents.

Green stool

Green stools can have both pathological and non-pathological causes.

Non-pathological include:

• Active consumption of foods rich in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in all plants. Among the plants used for nutrition, all green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, as well as arugula and parsley, are especially rich in chlorophyll.
• Diarrhea is not of pathological etiology. Diarrhea shortens the transit time of intestinal contents. In bile, in addition to bilirubin, there is its precursor biliverdin, which has an intense green color. In the intestines, under the action of enzymes and bacteria, it is converted to bilirubin, and then to stercobilin. If the transit is too fast (diarrhea effect), then the transformation cannot take place and biliverdin turns the stool green. The most common non-pathological causes of diarrhea are antibiotics, excess non-ferrous metals, etc.

Pathological causes include celiac disease, intestinal inflammation and tumors. Green color of the stool can also indicate problems with the liver. With the massive breakdown of red blood cells in the liver, a large amount of a substance is produced from their hemoglobin - the so-called bilirubin, which then enters the intestine and can give the feces a green or darker, up to dark brown, color.

Stools are white or gray-clay in color

A significant measure on the color of excrement is influenced by food. The sudden light color of the bowel movements can be caused by the abundant consumption of fatty foods (butter, sour cream). Potatoes and white rice can have the same properties if you eat a lot of them the day before and without adding other products. If the diet consisted more of meat food, and you suddenly ate a large amount of vegetable matter, then the feces will become much lighter. When changing the shade, first of all, remember your diet in previous days. Possibly food was the cause of this phenomenon.

There are a number of medications that can cause feces to clear up. These include:

• antibiotics;
• anti-inflammatory drugs;
• antipyretics (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol);
• antifungal agents;
• drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis;
• drugs for gout;
• agents for the treatment of epilepsy.

If you have undergone such an examination as an X-ray of the gastrointestinal tract or other procedures in which you need to take barium sulfate, then 2-3 days after the stool will brighten very sharply. When the barium is completely eliminated from the body, the excrement will return to its normal color.

The gray color of the stool in combination with the urine of the color of "strong tea" is an alarming sign of the acute phase of hepatitis. Inflammation of the liver leads to a violation of the function of bile formation, which causes whitening of the stool. With hepatitis, the bilirubin produced by the body is excreted through the kidneys and skin, so the urine becomes dark and the skin yellow.

Such a case suggests a lack or absence of bile in the intestines. Bile deficiency leads to a deficiency of bilirubin and, consequently, strecobilin, which determines the brown color of the stool. This situation may be due to blockage of the bile ducts or pancreatic duct. The reasons for this may be gallstones or pancreatic tumors.

Black stool

Possible causes of black stool:

• Excessive consumption of licorice. Licorice is black in color and excessive consumption can stain excrement.
• Taking iron supplements. They give the feces a black-gray color.
• Therapy based on bismuth subsalicylate. Used to treat gastritis and abdominal pain. Turns black when combined with sulfur in saliva.
• Bleeding of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Bleeding from the walls of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine turns the stool black. The reason is that the blood has time to partially digest. The causes of bleeding can be ulcers and tumors.

Red stool

Why does stool turn red? Possible reasons include:

• Excessive consumption of foods containing natural red dye, i.e. tomatoes, beets and red fruits.
• Bleeding of the lower gastrointestinal tract. The reasons that can lead to bleeding are varied. Some of the possible ones are intestinal polyps, colon cancer, hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
• If the stool is dark red/brick-colored, the bleeding is in the upper intestine just below the small intestine.

Symptoms associated with discoloration of feces

The symptomatology that accompanies a change in the color of feces, as a rule, depends on the reasons that led to this situation. There are many reasons, as we have seen. However, the most common symptoms are:

• Diarrhea. Reduces intestinal transit time and is accompanied by green stools.
• Stomach ache. May be associated with bleeding, which is most often accompanied by dark and tarry or red stools.
• Weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath. As a result of anemia, which develops as a result of intestinal bleeding.
• Jaundice. This disease is associated with blockage of the bile ducts and thus grayish-white stools.
• Rumbling in the stomach and flatulence. Associated with malabsorption problems and therefore yellow and greasy stools.

Color of feces in children

In newborns, in the first three days, bowel movements differ from normal feces, which appear by the 4-5th day of life. When breastfeeding, feces have a golden yellow color due to the presence of bilirubin in it (from the 4th month, bilirubin is gradually replaced by stercobilin). When artificially fed with milk mixtures, it acquires a thicker texture, whitish color, stronger smell, alkaline reaction; its flora is diverse, E. coli predominates.

Depending on the age of the child, the nature of feeding, the functional state of the intestine, feces have their own characteristics. So:

• when breastfeeding with breast milk containing a lot of water and few nutrients, the feces are yellow, watery, odorless.
• when fed with insufficiently diluted cow's milk, the feces are silvery in color, glossy (soapy feces), soft, contain small lumps of mucus on the surface.
• with predominantly protein feeding, the feces are dirty gray, mushy, with a sharp unpleasant odor (putrid feces).
• when eating an excess of fatty foods or impaired absorption of fat, whitish stools (fatty stools), with a sour smell, a small amount of mucus.
• with constipation, the feces are hard, gray in color, with a putrid odor.
• with increased peristalsis and insufficient absorption of fat, the feces contain lumps of soap and an admixture of mucus (coagulated feces).
• with starvation or malnutrition of a child who is breastfed, there is a "hungry feces" of a dark color, sometimes liquid, with an unpleasant odor, having an alkaline reaction.

Fecal changes in children are also observed in various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:

• With overfeeding, nutritional errors, feeding that does not correspond to age, dyspeptic stools appear, frequent, plentiful, with mushy or watery foamy yellow-green stools containing white lumps of soaps and fatty acids, mucus.
• With congenital atresia of the biliary tract, viral hepatitis, the feces are discolored, fatty, clayey (acholic feces).
• With dysentery, the stool is thin, watery, contains mucus and blood.
• With celiac disease, the feces are light yellow or grayish, shiny, frothy, mushy, extremely plentiful.
• With cystic fibrosis, feces are plentiful, light, fetid, contain a lot of neutral fat.
• Melena of newborns is characterized by liquid, dark, raspberry-colored feces.

When to See a Doctor

As we have seen, a change in the physiological color of feces is not always a disease; indeed, in many cases, there is a problem of nutrition, without any consequences. However, this symptom, in any case, should not be ignored, because it can indicate serious illnesses.

Particular attention should be paid to the symptoms accompanying the violation of the stool:

• pain syndrome (in any area of ​​the abdomen);
• yellowness of the skin and icterus of the mucous membranes;
• increased body temperature;
• nausea and vomiting;
• dark urine;
• weight loss, loss of appetite;
• bloating, an increase in the volume of the abdomen;
• marked deterioration.

Identification of these symptoms is an indication for immediate medical attention and the necessary tests (bacteriological and biochemical analysis of feces, extended coprogram).

You should also contact your doctor without delay if:

• The color change of feces is permanent.
• Changes in the color of feces are periodically repeated, after periods of stagnation.

Diagnosis when changing the color of feces

Diagnosing the causes of faecal discoloration is often a lengthy and complex process. He suggests:

• Anamnestic analysis.
• Analysis of symptoms and signs.
• Physical examination of the patient.
• Blood tests, in particular, a complete blood count (to rule out anemia), a study of liver function, the level of pancreatic enzymes.
• Fecal occult blood tests to check for any bleeding.
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy. A clinical examination using an endoscope allows you to examine the esophagus, stomach and duodenum from the inside.
• Colonoscopy. The use of an endoscope can reveal polyps, injuries, or tumors inside the colon.
• Sometimes a CT or MRI may be needed to confirm the diagnosis of a tumor lesion.

Given the heterogeneity of the causes that determine the color of the feces, it is impossible to specify a single remedy for the situation: therefore, first of all, we must determine the disease or habit that causes changes in the color of the feces.

If you find any changes in the stool, do not despair. You need to calmly figure everything out, and if necessary, resort to additional diagnostic methods (laboratory, instrumental studies) and the help of qualified specialists. They will be able to make a definitive diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment, if necessary.

Problems in children are perceived with the greatest trepidation, but fortunately, most often they are not serious. They consist in irrational nutrition, and for healing you just need to choose the right diet. And in good condition, only observation is enough, and after a few days the chair will recover on its own.