Health by stool color. The most common is brown.
Normal stool is brown. Stools of different colors can be caused by various factors. The American public broadcaster CNN explained the causes and color of the different stools that can appear depending on health conditions.
Opinions differ on how often you should have a bowel movement, but experts agree on what color your stool should be. The most common color is brown. During digestion, the small intestine releases bile and bilirubin, which turn the stool brown. A component called bilirubin, which is produced when old blood cells are broken down in the liver, comes from bile. Bile is produced in the liver to help digest fat and is dark brown or green in color.
However, there are times when the stool is yellow or orange rather than brown. This means that the body has consumed too much fat. Lena, professor of gastroenterology at the University of California, USA, adds that the smell can be terrible. The color can be caused by celiac disease, pancreatic disease, etc., in which an allergy occurs in the small intestine when eating gluten found in bread or cereals.
Dark stools are usually a symptom of internal bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, such as the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. If blood leaks from the inside, it moves through the digestive tract and mixes with gastric juice, turning the feces black. Black stools can be caused by ulcers, inflammation, or even, less commonly, stomach cancer, so be careful.
Maybe red stool. According to Professor Lena, bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract, such as the colon or rectum, can cause red stools. It is not black because it does not mix with gastric juices. It can be caused by bleeding from hemorrhoids, gastrointestinal ulcers, ulcerative colitis or, at worst, colon cancer.
Stool color may also change due to a side effect of certain foods, medications, or supplements. Eating carrots can make your stools orange due to a component called beta-carotene, and eating tomatoes or beets can also make your stools red.
Professor Lena recommended that if the color of the stool is abnormal, even if you have not taken food or supplements that can change the color of the stool, you need to see a specialist.
◆ Article Help: Choi Hye-rim, trainee reporter.