The color of stools varies, but typically falls within the spectrum of brown color, depending on the foods you eat. You should be concerned if your stools are deep red, maroon, black, or "tarry," especially if they have a noticeable odor. This may mean that there is blood in the stool.
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.
The liver releases bile salts into the stool, giving it a normal brown color. You may have clay-colored stools if you have a liver infection that reduces bile production, or if the flow of bile out of the liver is blocked. Yellow skin (jaundice) often occurs with clay-colored stools.
Abnormal poop
excessive straining when pooping. poop that is red, black, green, yellow, or white. greasy, fatty stools.
Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), as well as dark urine, or light-colored stools.
As the liver becomes more severely damaged, more obvious and serious symptoms can develop, such as: yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice) swelling in the legs, ankles and feet caused by a build-up of fluid (oedema) swelling in your abdomen caused by a build-up of fluid known as ascites.
Pale stools are not normal and can be a sign of issues with your liver, gallbladder, or pancreas. Normal stools can vary in shades of brown, mostly due to your diet. Pale stools are not normal.
See your health care provider if more-frequent bowel movements also are accompanied by any of the following signs or symptoms: Changes in the consistency, volume or appearance of your bowel movements, such as repeatedly passing narrow, ribbonlike stools or loose, watery stools. Abdominal pain.
Blood from your stool could look bright red, or it might be dark red or black. How the blood looks depends on where it is coming from. Spots of red blood on the toilet paper, drops in the toilet bowl, blood on the surface of your stool or in your underwear indicate the bleeding is coming from the anus or lower rectum.
The infection makes sores in your intestines, so the stools become bloody. The bloody diarrhea may last for 2 to 5 days.
A GI bleed can be caused by anal fissure, cancer, diverticulitis, a GI infection, hemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps, or an ulcer. What can be mistaken for blood in the stool? Red foods and red food coloring can be confused for blood in the stool.
Acute liver failure can develop quickly in an otherwise healthy person, and it is life-threatening. If you or someone you know suddenly develops a yellowing of the eyes or skin; tenderness in the upper abdomen; or any unusual changes in mental state, personality or behavior, seek medical attention right away.
Acute liver failure causes fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, discomfort on your right side, just below your ribs, and diarrhea. Acute liver failure is a serious condition. It requires medical care right away. If treatments are not effective, you may be a candidate for a liver transplant.
A group of blood tests called liver function tests can be used to diagnose liver disease. Other blood tests can be done to look for specific liver problems or genetic conditions. Imaging tests. An ultrasound, CT scan and MRI can show liver damage.
When the stool is very pale, it often means that not enough bile is reaching the stool. Stools may contain low bile levels if there is a problem with the gallbladder, pancreas, or liver. People with consistently pale stools may want to talk with a doctor about conditions that affect these organs.
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. Symptoms are usually worse when lying down or bending.
Healthy Poop Should Sink in the Toilet
Floating stools are often an indication of high fat content, which can be a sign of malabsorption, a condition in which you can't absorb enough fat and other nutrients from the food you're ingesting, reports Mount Sinai.
For the most part, poop should be brown. Some of the foods we eat change the color of poop temporarily. But if it's bright red or black, and nothing you've eaten is the culprit, let your doctor know.
Stools should be brown, have a peanut-butter texture, and look like a sausage. If your stool has an abnormal color or consistency, it may be due to something you ate or an underlying medical condition in need of investigation by a healthcare provider.