Yellow stools, feces in an adult: treatment, causes and remedies

A yellowish stool is not uncommon. Many different factors can contribute to a change in the color of feces - from the consumption of a certain product to a serious violation of the functioning of organs. In this article, you will find out why yellow stools appear in an adult, the reasons for its appearance.

When does yellow stool not indicate disease?

One of the main causes of yellow feces is the consumption of certain foods. These include:

• bright fruits and vegetables (orange, persimmon, carrot, pumpkin, etc.);
• peas;
• dairy products consumed in large quantities.

Often, stool becomes dark yellow when you follow a vegetarian diet. It implies the consumption of food only of plant origin.

When staining feces after eating the listed products, treatment is not required. It is enough to temporarily remove them from the diet or reduce portions to prevent the development of intolerance to the product due to its excess in the body and restore the balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in the diet.

Medicines also affect the color of feces. Usually, the color of the stool changes after taking antibiotics, birth control, anti-tuberculosis medications, and laxative medications. If the treatment is forced, and it is impossible to refuse drugs, it is recommended to use drugs with an effect that restores the gastric microflora (Linex, etc.). These medicines will reduce the aggressiveness of the effect of drugs for the treatment of the underlying disease on the gastrointestinal tract, but will not worsen their effectiveness.

Important! The feces can acquire a yellowish tint after the consumption of alcoholic beverages. If after drinking alcohol the faeces are always yellow, it is recommended to see a doctor.

In what diseases does the feces turn yellow?

In most cases, diseases in which the feces become yellowish are disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to changing the color of feces, they are accompanied by certain symptoms.

Diseases of the pancreas

The pancreas is an organ that plays two important roles in the body. The first is the production of pancreatic juice, without which it is impossible to fully digest the products that enter the gastrointestinal tract. The second is the production of hormonal resources. Also, the pancreas regulates metabolic processes. Any deterioration in the condition of the pancreas is immediately accompanied by various symptoms.

For pancreatitis, pancreatic oncology, pancreatic necrosis, cysts of the pancreas and cystic fibrosis are characterized by yellow feces with foam, into which untreated fat is converted. A symptom indicates a failure in the breakdown of products that enter the body.

Each of the diseases of the pancreas has individual symptoms. Diseases and their signs are presented in the table.

Table 1. Diseases of the pancreas and their signs

Disease	Symptoms
Pancreatitis	Girdle pain in the abdomen during exacerbation, severe digestive disorders (frequent stools, vomiting, nausea) when eating fatty, sweet, alcoholic and smoked foods.
Cancer	Periodic or persistent pain in the area of ​​the tumor, depending on the stage, sudden weight loss, jaundice or pallor of the skin.
Cyst	Dull rare pains in the left abdomen, swelling, fever when the cyst decays and the possibility of palpating it with an increase in size.
Cystic fibrosis	Cramping pains localized in the intestines (center of the abdomen), flatulence, loss of appetite, frequent stools, dry mouth, muscle weakness.
Pancreatic necrosis	Sharp unbearable pain behind the sternum, radiating to the lower back, bloating.

If you suspect each of the diseases of the pancreas, even before starting treatment, you should refuse certain types of food (spicy, strongly salted, fatty, smoked and fried). It is necessary to give preference to "neutral" products (cereals, soups, boiled meat).

Important! The faster you turn to a specialist, the higher the likelihood of a favorable outcome. It is highly discouraged to self-medicate, since the treatment of pancreatic diseases requires special supervision of specialists.

Diseases of the liver and gallbladder

Stool changes color to yellow-white in the presence of these ailments:

• stones in the gallbladder and ducts;
• cholecystitis;
• pressure on the bile duct by the pancreas;
• difficult rehabilitation period after removal of the gallbladder.

Urine in such conditions of the body darkens. The pain is especially pronounced after the consumption of alcoholic beverages and fatty foods. Its location is the area under the ribs on the right.

Liver and gallbladder diseases are based on the inability to produce enough enzymes. Due to a malfunction, the nutrients supplied during the nutrition process are not absorbed. Treatment of such diseases takes place under the strict supervision of a physician.

Bowel disease

The most common bowel disease that causes changes in the color of feces is rotavirus infection. It is transmitted by airborne droplets and through the consumption of dairy products.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection are similar to the flu. With the disease, the temperature rises, headaches occur, and a runny nose worries. But at the same time, it is accompanied by negative reactions from the organs of the digestive system (diarrhea, abdominal pain). Stool with rotavirus infection is mushy.

If there are inclusions of white in the yellowish stool, there may be other intestinal diseases:

• inflammation of the colon;
• candidiasis;
• dead pinworms.

Another bowel dysfunction, in which the feces change color, is Crohn's disease.

With a disease, ulcers develop in the organ, due to which the feces acquire a gray-yellow tint and have an extremely unpleasant odor. White blotches in them are large.

Giardiasis

The cause of the disease is an attack by parasites of the digestive system. Giardia enters the body through the consumption of food. A number of symptoms also indicate their presence:

• Headaches. They are pronounced and disturbing at any time of the day.
• Nausea. It is often accompanied by the release of vomit.
• Diarrhea. The feces are light yellow in color and have a pungent unpleasant odor.
• Weight loss. The patient loses weight even when consuming portions of food sufficient for the body. Weight is not gained even when overeating.

Since these symptoms are similar to signs of other digestive diseases, if you suspect giardiasis, you need to donate feces for tests.

Celiac disease

The development of the disease provokes a high content of gluten in the body. The danger of its excess lies in the enveloping of the gastric walls. The resulting film prevents the absorption of nutrients and causes a number of negative reactions in the body:

• flatulence;
• feeling of nausea without vomiting;
• skin rash;
• diarrhea;
• constipation;
• constant feeling of tiredness;
• mild headache.

Disease prevention is easy - it is enough not to consume large quantities of barley, wheat and rye products. The only way to treat the disease is to adjust the diet. If celiac disease has become serious, additional techniques will be required.

Gilbert's syndrome

The disease is inherited. It makes itself felt almost from birth, since even infants with this syndrome have orange feces. The cause of the syndrome is an excess of bilirubin. A high concentration of a substance in the body provokes disruptions in the functioning of the liver.

In addition to yellow feces, the disease has a number of other symptoms:

• yellowing of the sclera and skin;
• alternating diarrhea with constipation;
• pain in the area under the right ribs;
• lack of appetite;
• nausea;
• damage to the nervous system (fatigue, insomnia, irritability).

There is no definite treatment regimen for this disease. The patient needs to periodically prevent and eliminate symptoms, taking into account the recommendations of specialists.

Attention! Ignoring the elimination of the symptoms of Gilbert's syndrome is fraught with the development of a chronic form of persistent hepatitis.

Rare Causes of Yellow Stools

A change in the shade of feces does not always provoke disorders of the digestive system and certain types of foods.

Other rare reasons include:

• Hormonal disruption in women. It occurs against the background of pregnancy, menopause and diseases of the reproductive system.
• Malfunctions of the thyroid gland. Often, yellow stools occur with diabetes mellitus. In this case, complications of the disease provoke it (diabetic enteropathy, steatorrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, autonomic neuropathy). Often, diarrhea in diabetes mellitus worries due to the intake of a number of drugs (sugar substitutes, anticoagulants and diuretics).
• Mental disorders. Fecal discoloration is possible with prolonged depression, acute neuroses, severe stress and serious mental diseases with severe symptoms (neurasthenia, bipolar disorder, phobias, lingering depression).

Important! The color of the stool also changes after the operation of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

Yellow stools during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the organs are under severe stress. This is especially true of the gastrointestinal tract.

If the yellowness of feces is constantly observed during pregnancy, these violations are possible:

• Deterioration of the functioning of the pancreas. During pregnancy, the uterus puts pressure on this organ, and disruptions in the digestive system associated with a change in taste preferences exacerbate the situation.
• Liver malfunctions. The organ that plays the role of a filter is overloaded due to the need to do its work more intensively. The problem is especially relevant in the difficult course of pregnancy associated with a deterioration in the functioning of the digestive organs.
• Upset stomach. Usually they are caused by the abuse of "heavy" food, saturated with fats, and exotic fruits.

Attention! Pregnant women need to report fecal discoloration to their doctor as soon as possible to prevent diseases and conditions of the body that can provoke a miscarriage or negatively affect development fetus.

Should I see a doctor?

Before contacting a specialist, you need to remember what factors could provoke a bowel movement with yellow feces. If in the last week there were no coloring or alcoholic products in the diet, and no medicines were used, it is worth being examined by a specialist. The gastroenterologist will take into account the complaints, issue a referral for tests (ultrasound of the gallbladder, pancreas, blood and feces analysis) and find out with the violation of the functioning of which organ the phenomenon is associated.

Note! If blood is excreted abundantly with feces, the body temperature has risen to 39 degrees, has sharply deteriorated feeling or worried about severe paroxysmal pain in the abdomen, you need to immediately call an ambulance medical assistance.

Yellow stools are a reason to pay attention to your health

Regular yellow stools are a reason to assess the state of your body. If, in addition to this phenomenon, other negative changes were noticed, a visit to the doctor should not be postponed. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the more favorable the prognosis of treatment.

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