Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Stool gets its normal brownish color from bile, which is excreted into the small intestine during the digestive process. If the liver doesn't produce bile or if bile is obstructed from leaving the liver, stool will be light colored or white.
What does light-colored stool mean? White or light gray poop in kids can be a sign of liver disease. Blocked bile ducts in babies can lead to light gray or pale yellow stool. An all-milk diet may also lead to white stool, as can certain medicines.
Gastrointestinal infections caused by certain bacteria, such as Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter, can also lead to pale stools. These infections typically cause symptoms like diarrhoea, nausea, and abdominal pain as well.
An occasional clay-colored stool isn't usually a concern. However, if pale stools persist, it can point to a problem with bile ducts or another underlying medical condition. It's essential to see a healthcare provider, especially if you have any other concerning symptoms, like jaundice or pain.
Stools that are pale, clay, or putty-colored may be due to problems in the biliary system. The biliary system is the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. Food passes from the stomach into the small intestine. In the small intestine all nutrient absorption occurs.
If you notice pale/grey colored stools along with abdominal pain or jaundice, you should go to the ER. You may need a gastroenterologist to perform an imaging test and procedure to clear the stones.
If your stool is white or pale, there may be something wrong. In some cases, it may resolve on its own in a few days. However, if it doesn't go away, you will need to see a doctor. White poop happens when there is a lack of bile in the stool.
Gray or Clay-Colored Stool
The stool can be gray or clay-colored if it contains little or no bile. The pale color may signify a condition (biliary obstruction) where the flow of bile to the intestine is obstructed, such as obstruction of the bile duct from a tumor or gallstone in the duct or nearby pancreas.
One pale stool is not usually a matter for concern, but frequent pale stools can indicate diseases of the liver, pancreas, or gallbladder. In some cases, treatment can help a person feel better within a few days or weeks. Other underlying conditions require long-term management.
Milk and cheese are the only foods that in high amounts can cause constipation. It causes hard pale stools. This is why you want your child to eat a well-balanced diet.
Diarrhea caused by COVID-19 tends to be more watery, yellow or green in color. It may be accompanied by cramping and bloating. If you have COVID-19, you will likely develop other symptoms within a day or two, such as fever, cough, congestion and/or loss of taste and smell.
Fatty poops are different from normal poops. They tend to be looser, smellier and paler in color, like clay. They might float. You might have an occasional fatty poop after eating a fatty meal.
Foamy poop is typically the result of an increased amount of fat in the stool. This can be caused by a number of conditions including celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, giardiasis, and cystic fibrosis.
Clay: a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth, typically yellow, red, or bluish-gray in color and often forming an impermeable layer in the soil. Clay colors are a family of nature inspired neutrals — that resembles earth tones.
Liver disease can have many negative effects on bodily functions, including bowel movements. The best way to assist your bowel movements is to focus on lifestyle changes that improve liver function. These include exercise, weight loss, and minimizing alcohol consumption, among others.
A person should also see a doctor if their symptoms get progressively worse, stools are pale, bulky, very offensive smelling and difficult to flush away (this may indicate a problem with absorbing fat), or if they are concerned about their symptoms.
Yellow stool can indicate that food is passing through the digestive tract relatively quickly. Yellow stool can be found in people with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Symptoms of GERD include heartburn, chest pain, sore throat, chronic cough, and wheezing.
Pale stools could be a sign of liver damage, as pale, clay, beige or sand coloured stool may be a sign that your body, most notably your liver is not producing enough bile, or it may not be draining bile properly.
Definition. Clay colored stools lacking bile pigment. [ from HPO]
Fatty liver disease: If you notice dark urine and pale poo, seek urgent medical attention.