Why is the stool light in color in an adult? White feces in an adult: causes and diagnosis of diseases

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White stool is a warning sign that causes many people to see a doctor. This sign indicates serious disturbances in the functioning of the body or is a consequence of changes in diet.

In any case, the manifestation of a symptom within a few days should be a reason for a thorough diagnosis. So why is stool white?

Stool lightening is considered normal for young children, since they only receive formula or breast milk as food. The reasons for white stool lie in the immaturity of the enzyme system and monotony in nutrition.

Such symptoms in adults are often the result of changes in diet. The predominance of large amounts of fatty foods leads to lightening of the stool. The cause may be the consumption of alcohol, high-calorie desserts, butter, cream, chocolate.

If this condition is not accompanied by pain and nausea, there is no need to worry. It is enough to make adjustments to the diet to cope with the problem.

What disease causes stool to become lighter in color?

The usual brown tint of stool is associated with the action of bilirubin - this substance is a component of bile. White feces are associated with a violation of the passage of bile into the intestines. There are also some diseases that can provoke the appearance of light-colored stools. So, what disease causes white stool?

Hepatitis is the general name for inflammatory liver lesions. Doctors distinguish toxic, alcoholic, and infectious types of hepatitis.
Cholecystitis - this term is usually understood as an inflammatory lesion of the gallbladder. It is characterized by acute pain in the abdomen, loss of appetite, increased temperature, and nausea. With the disease, loose stools in white lumps are often observed.
Pancreatitis - the basis for the development of inflammatory lesions is disturbances in diet, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, infectious lesions of internal organs, and taking medications.
Crohn's disease - this pathology is characterized by inflammatory damage to the entire digestive system.
Oncological diseases - the appearance of tumors on internal organs has an asymptomatic course. The first manifestations occur after the formation reaches a fairly impressive size. In this case, pain in the abdominal cavity, stool disturbances, vomiting, loss of appetite, and sudden weight loss are observed.

Sometimes the reason for lightening of the stool in adults lies in the use of certain medications. These primarily include antibacterial agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, and drugs for the treatment of gout.

White-yellow stool

white feces photo

Bilirubin affects the coloring of feces. This substance is secreted by the liver along with bile. Yellow stool in a healthy person is normal.

In this case, beige feces should be a cause for concern - this means that the liver synthesizes bilirubin unstably. Sometimes this indicates a narrowing of the bile ducts. The appearance of light yellow stool should be a signal to visit a doctor and prescribe additional diagnostics.

White mucus in stool

The appearance of clots of white mucus or plaque on the stool may indicate the manifestation of fistulas in the rectum or proctitis. In this case, purulent masses penetrate into the stool from the inflamed intestinal tissues.

The appearance of the disease is often indicated not only by clots of white mucus, but also by pain in the anus, as well as an increase in body temperature. If these symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

White loose stool

In most cases, the symptom indicates the development of proctitis. If white stool has a cheesy consistency, the doctor will suspect intestinal candidiasis, provoked by fungal microorganisms. Candidiasis usually develops against the background of a disturbance in the intestinal microflora.

The stool is accompanied by an unpleasant odor, indicating the accumulation of a large amount of bile in the gallbladder. Then stones form in it, pancreatitis and even malignant tumors develop.

If a person’s stool suddenly becomes discolored, the temperature rises, pain appears in the side and darkening of the urine is observed, an ambulance should be urgently called. Such symptoms indicate serious disturbances in the functioning of the biliary system, acute or chronic forms of cholecystitis, and hepatitis.

Sometimes loose white stools are a consequence of the use of antibacterial drugs - in particular, this symptom is provoked by tetracycline. Also, the cause of this condition sometimes lies in the use of oral contraceptives and acetylsalicylic acid.

Causes of white stool in a child

Changes in the color of stool in young children are usually not a symptom of serious illness. The following factors lead to this condition:

Features of the diet. If the baby is fed breast milk, the color of the stool usually depends on the mother's menu. Sometimes lightening of stool is associated with replacing infant formula or introducing new foods into the child’s diet. If your baby does not experience a decrease in appetite or increased anxiety, there is no need to worry.
Teething. This process is almost always accompanied by a deterioration in the child’s condition and disruption of the digestive system. In this case, loose stools, flatulence, and increased salivation are often observed. If your baby's temperature rises and his condition suffers greatly, you should contact your pediatrician.
Lactose intolerance. This condition is often observed in children in the first months of life. It is usually accompanied by an allergic skin reaction and changes in stool. Stool may turn white due to the child's inability to digest lactose.

However, it is important to consider that in some situations the reasons for lightening of stool in children can be very serious. The most common diseases include the following:

Rotavirus infection or flu- these diseases often provoke lightening of the stool. At the same time, it acquires a grayish tint. A few days after the onset of the disease, the stool turns white. This symptom is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, general weakness, increased temperature, and decreased appetite.
Stagnation of bile. If the outflow of bile is disrupted, lightening of the stool is quite often observed. Sometimes this is due to anatomical features - bending or twisting of the gallbladder. Also, similar problems are associated with obstruction of the bile ducts.
Inflammatory lesion It is quite rare in children, but it provokes lightening of the stool. Pathology can be suspected when pain appears in the abdomen, radiating to the lumbar region.
Whipple's disease. This is a very rare disease - it is characterized by very light-colored stool, appearing about 10 times a day. In this case, the stools are foamy or pasty in nature.

In most cases, lightening of stool in children is not a symptom of serious illness. Most often, a change in color indicates a change in diet. It is caused by the consumption of excess amounts of sweets, medications containing calcium, and fatty foods.

When should you worry?

Of course, the appearance of white feces causes concern among people. However, a one-time phenomenon should not be a cause for alarm - most often it is associated with the composition and color of foods in the human diet.

If your health seriously deteriorates and your stool remains white for a long time, you should definitely consult a doctor. After this, the specialist will prescribe the necessary studies and select therapy.

Which doctor should I contact?

When lightening stool, you first need to consult a therapist. If there are no other signs, it is worth making adjustments to your diet. To do this, it is recommended to give up alcoholic beverages, fatty foods, spicy and fried foods for 2-3 days. If after 3 days the stool returns, there is no need to worry.

At the same time, it is worth performing the examination for preventive purposes. Before visiting a doctor, you should analyze your diet for the last 3 days.

You also need to inform the specialist about the presence of additional symptoms - nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. The use of medications is of no small importance.

Based on the results of the medical history, the doctor will prescribe additional tests. Most often, urine, blood and stool tests are required. Thanks to this, it will be possible to establish the causes of the violation.

If the stool remains white for a long time, and a person has other signs - nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the skin - a liver diagnosis will be required. To do this, you need to do a biochemical blood test, ultrasound and urine analysis.

White feces indicate various disorders in the digestive system and errors in the menu. If this symptom persists for a long time and diet adjustments do not help, you should immediately consult a doctor.

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The feces of a healthy person consists of food debris, microbes and digestive waste. The body produces up to 200 g of feces per day, this volume depends on the quality of food, the degree of its digestibility and the amount of water. Normally it has a soft consistency.

In case of deviations from the norm, the following are distinguished:

Sheep feces. Feces are dense lumps, reminiscent of sheep feces;
Acholic (discolored) stool. In this case, the clayey feces, reminiscent of greasy putty, are white with a gray tint;
Steatorrhea. The feces are oily, light yellow with a greasy sheen and an unpleasant odor, and are difficult to wash off with water. Indicates that a large amount of fat (more than 15 g per day) is excreted from the body with feces.

Reasons

Changes in the color and consistency of stool can be caused by dietary errors, namely consuming large amounts of fat or lack of fluid.

Also, changes in the consistency and color of stool may occur after taking medications: antibiotics, antifungals, non-steroidal drugs or oral contraceptives.

But if acholic stool appears or the consistency of stool does not change within 3–5 days, then the reasons may be different:

With sheep feces The evacuation capacity of the intestines decreases, which causes it to accumulate and become dehydrated. In this case, the feces become very compacted, and spastic contractions of the intestines separate them into small lumps. Such feces are characterized by a fetid odor, the presence of a large number of red blood cells, undigested fiber and iodophilic flora;
Acholic feces appears due to impaired excretion of bilirubin. Normally, bilirubin in bile is secreted from the liver into the intestines, where, as a result of chemical reactions, it is converted into stercobilin, which colors stool in various shades of brown. If this process is disrupted, the feces remain colorless;
Reason steatorrhea is an insufficient supply of bile and pancreatic enzymes to the intestines. Since they are involved in the digestion process, if they are deficient, fat is poorly digested.

Associated symptoms

A change in the consistency and color of stool may be accompanied by:

Pain in the abdominal area;
skin and sclera of the eye;
Darkening of urine;
Increase in temperature;

What diseases may this indicate?

Sheep feces indicate diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, atonic or spastic colitis;
Colorless feces may indicate hepatitis, cholecystitis, bending of the gallbladder, cholelithiasis, hepatocellular carcinoma;
Steatorrhea develops against the background of pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, pancreatic or gall bladder cancer;

Treatment

Normalize nutrition;
Drink at least 2 liters of water per day;
Lead an active lifestyle.

To relieve constipation, lactulose-based laxatives are used.: Duphalac, Normaze.

With acholic stool and steatorrhea, special treatment is required depending on what caused the symptom. For diseases of the liver and pancreas, antibiotics and antiviral drugs are required.

Complications

If you ignore the symptom, serious complications are possible!

If you do not pay attention to this problem in time and do not start treatment, the consequences can be very serious:

For sheep feces: intoxication, cancer, ;
With acholic stool:, malignant neoplasms;
For steatorrhea: pancreatic necrosis.

Diet

If there are changes in the color and consistency of stool, special attention should be paid to diet. You need to adjust your diet as follows:

Eliminate fatty meat and fish;
When cooking, use a small amount of butter or vegetable oil;
Drink more fluids;
Eat foods rich in fiber: vegetables and fruits;
The menu should include porridges and slimy soups;
It is necessary to exclude spices from the diet and consume a minimum amount of salt.

Food should be taken in small portions so that the digestive system can cope with its processing.

In children

In newborns, in the first days of life, stool differs in color and consistency from normal feces. When breastfeeding, the color of the stool is golden yellow and the consistency is liquid. The reason for this is the immaturity of the digestive system and the presence of bilirubin in the feces, which is replaced by stercobilin by the 4th month of life.

In bottle-fed children, stool is denser in consistency with a white tint and a pungent odor.

The consistency of stool directly depends on the child’s nutrition: when eating large amounts of protein foods, it becomes dirty gray and offensive, and when eating fatty foods, steatorrhea appears.

In children of the first year of life, fed with undiluted cow's milk, the feces become “soapy,” silvery, shiny, with pieces of mucus on the surface.

In any case, if the color and consistency of stool changes, it is necessary to consult a doctor to exclude the presence of gastrointestinal tract diseases in the child.

During pregnancy

Problems with stool often occur in pregnant women. The body produces special substances that influence intestinal stimulation. During pregnancy, the intestinal muscles become insensitive to various irritants.

The reason lies in the fact that the intestines share a common innervation with the uterus, so stimulation of the intestines can provoke uterine contractions. This becomes a threat to the fetus.

In an adult, stool characteristics are normally quite stable. However, this is individual, and the character of excrement may differ significantly from person to person, even under normal conditions. Fecal matter is a metabolic waste product in the digestive system. Normal stools are brown and have a moderately soft consistency. If white feces appear, it is worth wondering why this happened.

What does the change in stool indicate?

Bile is synthesized in the liver cells, then it accumulates in the cavity of the gallbladder. With each meal, a portion of bile is released into the lumen of the duodenum, which processes fats. It also helps stimulate intestinal motility and the production of pancreatic juice and gastric mucus. Lack of necessary enzymes and bile leads to disruption of the normal properties of stool. Fecal matter acquires its normal color due to bilirubin. It enters the intestines as part of bile, undergoes a series of biochemical reactions and is excreted in feces, giving it a characteristic brown color. The color of stool in adults can change for various reasons. But, unfortunately, discolored feces most often signal pathological changes in the human body:

inflammation or sclerosis of parenchymal liver tissue;
inflammation of the gallbladder (usually acute);
inflammation of pancreatic tissue;
nonspecific lesions of the intestinal tract (Crohn's disease);
malignant neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.

A white coating on the tongue indirectly indicates a dysfunction of the digestive system, and this symptom cannot be ignored.

Conditions requiring attention

The leading cause of stool discoloration is acute lesions of the hepato-biliary system, namely hepatitis and cholecystitis.

With these diseases, it is important to notice the pathognomonic symptoms accompanying acholic feces:

pain in the right hypochondrium;
yellowness of the skin, sclera, and oral mucosa;
nausea and vomiting;
increased body temperature;
darkening of urine color;
loss of appetite, distortion of taste preferences.

Colorless stool in a person in combination with these symptoms indicates the need to immediately begin treatment.

Dark urine in combination with white stool should be especially alarming.

Feces with pancreatitis are slightly different, they have a yellowish tint, are shiny, and diarrhea is more common. After removal of the gallbladder, postcholecystectomy syndrome almost always occurs: abdominal pain, severe nausea, bloating, heartburn, steatorrhea to diarrhea. White stool in an adult may indicate the development of diabetes mellitus with damage to the pancreas. It is important to promptly diagnose manifestations of intestinal infection. The progression of rotavirus infection will result in loose, white stools with a yellowish tint. In this condition, the stomach hurts, vomiting appears, the temperature rises, and general weakness increases. If you start taking smecta during this period, the stool will become even more discolored. The infectious etiology of white plaque on stool is the most dangerous for infecting others.

You should urgently ask your doctor why the stool has changed its properties and undergo a series of tests (biochemical blood test for lipase, amylase, trypsin, glucose, glucose tolerance test, determination of glycosylated hemoglobin, as well as bacteriological and biochemical analysis of stool, extended coprogram).

In case of hepatitis, it is important to know the liver parameters (ALT, AST, LDH, ALP, GGTP), as well as to conduct instrumental studies to determine the condition of the organ tissues. As a result, it will be clear what kind of disease caused stool disorders. Soon after the start of therapy, the symptoms disappear, the general condition returns to normal, which means a favorable course of the disease, and is a prerequisite for a speedy remission.

Physiologically light stool

The causes of white feces are varied, sometimes it can be a physiological process. For example, when consuming butter, sour cream, meat, lard and other foods high in animal fats. A large amount of plant foods in the diet leads to excess fiber. As a result of accelerated transport of fecal matter through the intestines, stools become light in color. Acholia of feces is very likely after alcohol. In these cases, clarified stool appears once, no symptoms accompany it. However, dietary violations can also provoke an exacerbation of the chronic course of the disease.

Discolored stool may appear after taking certain medications. Antibiotics, acetylsalicylic acid, taking smecta after poisoning, anti-inflammatory and antifungal drugs, treatment of gout, epilepsy, tuberculosis can provoke the appearance of white feces in an adult. X-ray examinations are often performed using white barium sulfate as a contrast agent. In this case, feces with a white coating also appear, or it becomes completely discolored. In such a situation, people should not be alarmed if white stool persists for several days. If white stool does not return to normal within 3–5 days, you should see a doctor.

If white plaque on the stool is the only symptom, then self-correction of nutrition is acceptable. In order for an adult to no longer have white feces, it is necessary to follow a diet: do not eat fats of animal origin, fried, smoked foods, foods that activate fermentation (dairy and bakery products, legumes, cabbage), exclude alcohol. Adding protein products to the diet, split meals, and a sufficient amount of still water can improve the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract and eliminate acholic feces. If there is no positive effect, you will need the help of a specialist. If white stool appears due to medication or is accompanied by additional complaints, then you should immediately consult a therapist. It will be necessary to adjust or prescribe effective treatment, and, if necessary, resort to additional diagnostic techniques (laboratory and instrumental studies). And the feces will quickly return to their normal color.

To prevent exacerbation of alcoholic hepatitis and pancreatitis, you should strictly exclude alcohol from your life. The breakdown products of alcohols, except the gastric tract, affect absolutely all organs and systems. Quitting alcohol will help maintain your health for many years. It is important not to ignore recommendations for diagnostic procedures. Then diagnosis and treatment will be timely, and health will be able to fully recover. Treatment must be prescribed only by a doctor; taking medications at your own discretion is unacceptable.

The color of human stool depends on many factors. This includes diet, gastrointestinal tract activity, and the use of medications. Normal stool color ranges from light brown to dark brown. It is the brown tint that indicates the health of the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, we are talking about the normal secretion of bile in an adult.

Getting from the gallbladder into the duodenum, bilirubin and stercobilin, which are in the bile masses, give the intestinal contents a brown tint. The saturation of the hue may vary depending on many reasons. The simplest of them is a variety of diet. In addition, light-colored stool in an adult can be caused by diseases of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder and inflammation of various parts of the digestive tract. Let's look at all these reasons for light-colored stool in more detail.

Why is stool light in color: causes

Food significantly influences the color of excrement. Sudden light color of stool can be caused by heavy 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 foods.

If the diet consisted more of meat foods, and you suddenly ate a large amount of plant foods, then the feces will become much lighter. When changing shade, first of all, remember your diet in previous days. It was probably nutrition that caused this phenomenon.

There are a number of medications that can cause lightening of excrement. These include:

antibiotics;
anti-inflammatory drugs;
antipyretics (aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol);
antifungal agents;
drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis;
gout medications;
drugs for the treatment of epilepsy.

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

Diseases that lead to the appearance of light-colored stool

For some serious diseases of the liver and gallbladder, the lightening of excrement is an important sign for their diagnosis. Light-colored stool is a symptom of many diseases, but the most likely causes are problems with the gallbladder, biliary tract and liver. Tumors and inflammations in different parts of the digestive tract are less likely.

Biliary dyskinesia. With this disease, the secretion of bile from the gallbladder becomes difficult due to a decrease in its contractility. Accordingly, bile enters the duodenum in smaller quantities, and the color of the stool becomes lighter.
Bend of the gallbladder. This problem is accompanied by decreased motility of the gallbladder and ducts. As a result, the organ, important for good digestion, works less productively, bile acids are supplied to a minimum, causing a light color like an adult.
Gallstones. The presence of stones changes the way the bladder produces and secretes bile. As in the previous case, the secretion of bile in humans decreases. Along with acute symptoms, light-colored stools appear.
Blockage of the bile ducts. The delivery of bile from the gallbladder to the duodenum is partially or completely stopped.
Cholecystitis. With cholecystitis, inflammation of the gallbladder occurs, which significantly reduces the amount of bile secreted.
Hepatitis. This inflammatory liver disease significantly affects the quality of digestion, worsening the general condition of the body and the lightening of feces.
Pancreatitis. Inflammation of the pancreas threatens the gastrointestinal tract with digestive problems, since this organ secretes important food enzymes.
Crohn's disease. This is inflammation of any part of the gastrointestinal tract, which is characterized by a disorder of the digestive processes.
Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Tumors and similar cancerous processes in the intestines can appear almost asymptomatically. Light-colored stool may be the only symptom that you can pay attention to.
Infection with helminths. In this case, white particles and larvae can be observed in the feces. Their number depends on the degree of intestinal infection.

Symptoms

If, in addition to lightening the stool, you feel unwell and a deterioration in your general condition, you should seek medical advice. Especially if you eat, the malaise does not go away within a day. Symptoms to watch out for:

persistent increase in temperature;
stool disorder;
nausea, vomiting;
pain in the abdomen, left hypochondrium, girdle pain;
yellowed eye sclera and skin;
lack of appetite;
sudden weight loss;
dark urine;
flatulence, abdominal enlargement;
stool with mucus.

If there are at least two additional signs of light-colored stool, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination to determine the diagnosis. With some problems, for example, with advanced pancreatitis, the count is not days, but hours. Be attentive to symptoms and do not ignore serious ailments.

What can you eat if your stool is white?

If you have light-colored stool, first of all, you need to eliminate fatty, fried, spicy and salty foods to facilitate the functioning of the liver and gallbladder. You need to refrain from alcoholic beverages, strong coffee and tea, as all this puts a lot of strain on the human digestive system.

To normalize the gastrointestinal tract, add more vegetables and fruits to the menu. Consume herbal teas from mint, chamomile, and sage. Small meals have a beneficial effect on all digestive organs: eat small portions 5-6 times a day. This especially facilitates the work of the pancreas in chronic pancreatitis.

If the menu consists only of products of plant origin, then light feces are considered normal.

If the stool is light green

Light green stool can be caused by taking antibiotics. Due to specific processes that occur in the small intestine when taking these drugs, the excrement becomes green in light or dark shades.

If the green tint of the stool is combined with other signs, such as fever, vomiting, nausea, then the cause of this phenomenon may be dysentery. Urgent medical attention is required.

Green stool may indicate ulcers and tumors in the gastrointestinal tract. Also, in combination with diarrhea and vomiting, this symptom indicates an intestinal infection.

If the stool is yellow

Large amounts of plant foods can cause yellow or light yellow stools. There is a disease in which plant carbohydrates (plant fibers) are not digested due to disruption of processes in the gastrointestinal tract. This disease - fermentative dyspepsia - can be manifested by the yellow color of excrement.

Malfunctions of the pancreas can contribute to the lightening of feces. This process is a natural periodic phenomenon.

If the stool is dark in color

The reason for the dark color of the stool may be black foods (for example, blueberries), and those containing a lot of iron. If you took activated charcoal the day before, you should not be surprised by darkened stool in the following days.

But if you have not consumed anything suspicious, and the stool has darkened and has a viscous, stretchy structure, this is a serious signal to undergo an examination. Sudden darkening of feces to a black color may indicate internal bleeding in the upper digestive tract. Blood entering the large intestine darkens and changes, thereby changing the color and structure of human feces.

If the stool is red in color

Some foods can give stool a red tint: red beets, tomatoes, tomato sauce in large quantities, fruit juices.

The presence of a red tint in the stool may indicate bleeding in the lower intestines, in which case the blood does not darken to black. If, in addition to this symptom, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, loss of appetite appear, you must urgently seek medical help.

The presence of blood in human feces may indicate anal fissures, hemorrhoids, and bleeding in the rectum.

Changes in the color of stool can be caused by a variety of reasons. If light-colored stool appears, analyze your diet the day before. If your condition worsens, your temperature rises, and other symptoms of gastrointestinal distress occur, do not hesitate to seek medical help.

Doctors call discolored feces acholic. When discolored, the consistency of feces changes - feces become shapeless, clayey, similar to window putty.

What does this symptom mean and what needs to be done urgently if the stool of a child or adult becomes discolored?

Formation of discolored stool

The pigment that gives stool its color is mainly bilirubin. Together with bile acids, it breaks down proteins that contain hemoglobin and other hemes.

Bilirubin is brown, so it colors feces. There is no pure bilirubin in feces, since in the intestines it turns into another brown pigment - stercobilin.

If little bile enters the intestines, the stool is not colored. Food remains are excreted undigested and uncolored, that is, the feces become acholic.

Young children (up to two months of age) fed only formula or breast milk may produce light yellow or whitish stool due to insufficient enzyme production.

This should not alarm parents, since discolored feces at this age are considered a physiological norm.

Acholic stools are not always associated with a lack of bilirubin. Diet can affect the color of stool.

Discolored feces appear after consuming homemade sour cream, butter, and animal fats.

Due to their high fat content, such products cannot be completely digested and enter the large intestine unchanged, partially discoloring the feces.

This phenomenon is not dangerous to health. After a few days, the color of the discolored feces will be restored. The person does not experience any unpleasant symptoms and feels completely healthy.

To determine what exactly made the feces discolored in an adult - diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or dietary features, you need to monitor whether there is a connection between the color of feces and nutrition and how often discolored feces appear.

Isolated cases of discolored stool in an adult are more likely to indicate an excess of fatty foods, chocolate or alcohol in the diet than to health problems.

In order for stool to stop being discolored, it is enough to adjust your eating habits. It is useful to exclude alcohol and dishes prepared by frying from the menu - this will facilitate the work of the liver and pancreas, and the production of bile will be restored.

Some medications can cause discolored stool.

These include:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
oral contraceptives;
aspirin;
antifungal tablets;
drugs to get rid of tuberculosis.

The listed groups of medications do not directly discolor stool - they affect the functioning of the liver.

If, during treatment with the above drugs, discolored feces appear, then you must inform your doctor about this. You may need to immediately check the condition of your liver and adjust your treatment.

Diseases of the digestive organs

A common cause of discolored stool is inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

Feces with pancreatitis are liquid, mushy, they contain a large amount of unprocessed fats, since the body does not have enough enzymes to process them.

The color of stool can be described as pearlescent or dirty gray. Simultaneously with the change in the color of the stool, the temperature rises, pain in the hypochondrium, dizziness, and vomiting begin.

The pain may be tingling in nature. Taking painkillers does not improve the condition.

Acute pancreatitis is a serious illness with the possibility of death. The chronic form is less severe.

Feces in chronic pancreatitis have a characteristic odor and gray color and are difficult to flush down the toilet. A dull pain appears in the hypochondrium, and the temperature may rise.

Another reason why stool may become discolored is cholecystitis. This is the name for inflammation of the gallbladder, an organ in which bile produced in the liver accumulates before being released into the intestines.

With cholecystitis, a large amount of fat and nitrogenous products are found in the stool, leading to a change in its color to light, sometimes whitish.

Symptoms of gallbladder inflammation:

stool discoloration;
pain in the right hypochondrium that occurs after eating spicy or fatty foods or drinking alcohol;
constant nausea;
bitter or metallic taste in the mouth;
irritability, insomnia;
white coating on the tongue, dry mouth.

Cholecystitis can occur in acute and chronic forms - the color of stool changes in both cases. In case of acute cholecystitis, the patient needs urgent surgery. The chronic form is treated conservatively: with medications and diet.

Discoloration of stool due to cholelithiasis

Another common disease of the gallbladder - cholelithiasis - can lead to the appearance of discolored stool.

With this disease, undigested fat is found in the coprogram, which gives the feces a light yellow color.

Light-colored stool means that due to a blockage in the bile duct, bile does not flow into the intestines in sufficient quantities.

A typical symptom of cholelithiasis is biliary colic. The patient (usually in the evening or at night) has a slight rise in temperature, the skin and mucous membranes turn yellow, and diarrhea and vomiting begin.

After an injection of an antispasmodic, the spasm ends and the state of health improves. With a mild form of cholelithiasis, attacks of biliary colic are observed 1–5 times a year, with a moderate form - once a month. In severe cases, the stomach hurts constantly, the stool is liquid and discolored.

To diagnose cholelithiasis, it is necessary to do a stool and blood test, perform an ultrasound examination or tomography of the liver and gall bladder. GSD is a disease in which it is very important to be able to prevent colic.

To prevent attacks, a special diet and medications are used to dissolve cholesterol stones.

It is very important for people with gallstones to monitor the color of their stool. If you notice discoloration of feces (usually this phenomenon is accompanied by soreness under the ribs on the right side), you should immediately go on a strict diet. Nutritionists recommend using diet No. 5 to prevent exacerbations of cholelithiasis.

Inflammatory liver diseases

Has your stool become discolored and your urine dark? Most likely, these are symptoms of hepatitis - a dangerous viral disease.

Depending on the type of virus, hepatitis A, B and C are distinguished. In recent years, other types of the virus have been identified.

Lightening of stool is observed with any type of viral hepatitis. Hepatitis A can be contracted through water and food. Hepatitis B is transmitted only through blood.

Its most dangerous complication is cirrhosis of the liver, which develops in 10% of patients. Hepatitis C proceeds in the same way as the previous form, but is much easier to tolerate.

The Delta form of hepatitis is the most dangerous and appears only simultaneously with form B. Due to the doubled viral load, the liver quickly fails.

With any type of viral hepatitis, three typical signs are observed:

discolored feces;
dark urine;
yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes and eyeballs.

With viral hepatitis, viruses that cause the disease are found in feces. The feces not only become discolored, but also acquire a characteristic odor, which is an additional symptom.

Chronic viral hepatitis is dangerous because it may not show pronounced symptoms, such as high fever, abdominal pain or loose stools, for years.

Defecation with discolored feces is often the first, and sometimes the only signal that makes you suspect liver inflammation and start treatment on time. Timely measures taken will help avoid cirrhosis and sometimes cancer.

So, discoloration of stool can be a symptom of diseases of the liver, pancreas or gall bladder.

If the tests do not reveal any pathologies, then you just need to change your diet, and the color of the stool will be restored.