Yellow Stool: What Causes Yellow Poop?

Digestive Disorders > Symptoms

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The digestive process begins when you eat and continues as your body pulls the nutrients it needs from food. The end product is a bowel movement that can vary in color, odor, size and consistency each time. These variations can provide clues about your body’s processes, organs, and overall health. Yellow bowel movements might give you a hint that something is going on with your diet or your body.

Why is stool usually brown?

Bowel movements are usually a shade of brown. The contents of a bowel movement are waste products from your body, including food residue, digestive organ secretions, bacteria, and byproducts of old red blood cells. These old red blood cells are broken down in spleen, liver, and bone marrow. These cells can look green, yellow, or brown as your body processes them. (Think of how a bruise transitions from brown, to green, to yellow as your body heals. ) Bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cells, ends up giving bowel movements the characteristic brown.

What causes yellow stool? Is yellowish stool normal?

Yellowish brown or yellow bowel movements may be alarming, but in many cases changes in color can be attributed to diet. Food that is high in yellow pigment or containing artificial food coloring can cause yellow bowel movements. Taking antibiotics can also make bowel movements yellow.

If you’ve eaten something or taken medication that affected the color of your bowel movement, you’ll notice your next bowel movement will look more normal. The discoloration should fully resolve in a day or two after discontinuing medication.

If yellow bowel movements are infrequent, there probably isn’t much cause for concern. If yellow bowel movements become the new normal or are accompanied by other symptoms, there may be an underlying pathology that can be addressed with treatment or medication. Yellowing of the skin and/or whites of the eyes (called jaundice), pain, or fever, accompanied by yellow stool should always be followed up by a healthcare provider.

Color	Potential symptoms	Possible causes	Should you see a gastrointestinal care provider?
Yellow-brown / yellow-whitish		Foods rich in yellow pigments or artificial yellow coloring; taking antibiotics	Yes, if changes persist for several weeks or can’t be explained by food or medication.
Light yellow, gray, or pale	Fatty stool (shiny, foul smelling), weight loss, abdominal pain	Inability to digest or absorb fat, as with conditions affecting the small intestine: celiac disease, short bowel syndrome (occurs after surgical removal of a section of the intestine), giardiasis (a parasite infection), conditions affecting the pancreas or bile salts	Yes.
Light yellow, clay-colored to white	Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), dark urine, itching, abdominal pain	Inability to process bilirubin from red blood cells. May be related to diseases of the biliary tract, the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, or the pancreas	Yes.
Ocher yellow, yellowish green, yellow slime	Diarrhea	Abdominal influenza (gastroenteritis), other diarrheal diseases	Most digestive tract infections will resolve without treatment. If you experience severe symptoms like fever, dizziness, or persistent diarrhea, seek care.

What diseases or conditions cause yellow stool?

Yellowish bowel movements can be caused by a variety of processes in the abdominal organs.

Most people experience abdominal or stomach pain from time to time, but when abdominal pain is accompanied by yellow bowel movements, this can indicate a bile drainage disorder.

Diseases of the liver, the bile ducts, or the pancreas can cause these symptoms:

• Light, clay-colored stool
• Dark urine
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Itching (pruritus)
• Less common: Fatty stool (steatorrhea) / weight loss with fat malabsorption

Liver-related causes of yellow stool

Chronic liver diseases including alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, viral, hepatitis, and other diseases impact liver function.

These diseases can impair bile production and delivery (excretion). In severe episodes, a person might experience fatigue, flu symptoms, and epigastric pain.

Biliary tract-related causes of yellow stool

Gallstones are hard, stone-like pieces of cholesterol and bilirubin that form in your gallbladder and can clog bile ducts.

Around 10 to 15 percent of adults in the United States have gallstones, although many people with gallstones don’t experience symptoms. When gallstones block the bile ducts, people can experience severe abdominal pain on their right side. The bile duct blockage might lead to a build-up of bile in the gallbladder. The gallbladder and bile ducts can become inflamed. This is called cholecystitis and cholangitis.

During acute episodes, in addition to upper abdominal pain, fever, and chills can occur. Jaundice, dark urine and light or fatty stool may occur under some circumstances.

Other conditions that can affect the biliary tract include non-bacterial inflammation with autoimmune diseases, like primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). About 75 percent of people with PSC also have ulcerative colitis and 13 percent have Crohn’s disease. Symptoms are often absent, but persistent itching may occur.

Pancreas-related causes of yellow stool

Diseases of the pancreas, like the chronic inflammation of the pancreas (chronic pancreatitis), can lead to build up of bile, e.g. because of a bile duct compression or narrowing. This can be related to excessive alcohol consumption, autoimmune disorders, too much calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia). The main symptom is recurrent, belt-shaped upper abdominal pain. Other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, weight loss, jaundice, light and fatty stool, and jaundice may occur under some circumstances. This happens because the pancreas is damaged and can no longer produce the fat-splitting enzyme lipase.

Tumors that might cause yellow stool

Tumors that narrow the bile ducts are usually painless. Masses can occur in the bile ducts inside and outside the liver, the liver, and the pancreas. Painless jaundice may be a warning sign. Weight loss, night sweats, and unexplained fever can also occur.

What is fatty stool (

steatorrhea)?

Bile works by digesting fat in the intestine. If the body cannot digest or absorb enough fats, for example—due to a lack of bile salts or of the enzyme lipase—it excretes them instead in stool. This might manifest as a greasy, shiny bowel movement with a distinct, pungent smell. Fatty bowel movements often float in the toilet. If this problem persists for an extended period of time, it may lead to weight loss.

In case of fatty stools, the underlying condition should be treated. Dietary intake of fat-soluble vitamins can be increased by taking nutritional supplements.The absorption of fats is completed in the last part of the small intestine. Bowel diseases like celiac disease can lead to indigestion with fatty stool, weight loss, and abdominal pain.

Yellow diarrhea

A particularly common cause of abdominal pain are infections of the gastrointestinal tract, which cause pulpy, liquid bowel movements. Here, diarrhea occurs when the brown stool is thinned and can appear lighter in color.

There may also be mucus in the stool. Mucus acts as lubricant and keeps the intestinal inner lining moist. A small amount in bowel movements is normal. However, if you notice an increased amount or it is accompanied by abdominal pain, fever, or headache, seek evaluation from a primary care or gastroenterology provider.

Infants and yellow stool

Breastfed infants will have yellow, crumbly bowel movements. This is normal for infants. Bowel movement color should remain consistently yellow until a baby begins eating table foods. Any changes in bowel movement color in an exclusively breastfed infant should be followed up with a pediatric care provider.

What to do if you have yellow stool

Occasional yellow bowel movements are likely to be caused by diet. If yellow bowel movements become frequent, there may be an underlying condition responsible. A primary care provider or gastroenterologist can evaluate your symptoms and run lab tests to identify the cause of yellow bowel movements. If yellow bowel movements are accompanied by pain, fever, or jaundice, seek health care promptly.

Sources

Behrends, J., Bischofberger, J., Deutzmann, R. and Ehmke, H. (2010). Physiologie. Thieme. https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ebooks/book/10.1055/b-002-23567

Herold, G. (2011). Innere Medizin 2011. Cologne: Selbstverl.

Yellow Poop: Causes, Meaning, and Treatment

It’s common for your stool to change color. You likely have a varied diet, and changes in your diet impact your stool. But yellow stool could also mean one of a number of health conditions.

Bilirubin and bile give poop its brown color. Bilirubin is a byproduct of your red blood cells. It’s produced in the liver and then moves to the gallbladder, where it mixes with bile.

From there, most of the bilirubin passes into your intestines, where it’s broken down by bacteria and discarded in your feces or urine.

Several health conditions can cause yellow stool, also called pale stool.

1. Liver and gallbladder disorders

Cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis reduce or eliminate bile salts that help the body digest food and absorb nutrients. Gallstones or sludge in the gallbladder can reduce the amount of bile that reaches your intestines. Not only may this cause pain, but it can also turn your stool yellow.

2. Disorders that affect the pancreas

Chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, a blockage in the pancreatic duct, or cystic fibrosis can also turn your stool yellow.

These conditions can cause steatorrhea, which means that your pancreas isn’t providing enough of the enzymes your intestines need to digest fat in food. The undigested fat can give the stool a yellow, greasy appearance causing it to float or appear frothy.

3. Celiac disease

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. If you have celiac disease and eat gluten, your body’s immune system responds by attacking and damaging the tissues of your small intestine. When this happens, your intestines aren’t able to absorb the nutrients your body needs. Celiac disease commonly runs in families.

According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, more than 250 symptoms are associated with celiac disease. This can make it difficult to diagnose the condition. The most common symptoms include:

• diarrhea
• constipation
• nausea
• bloating
• fatigue
• headache
• skin rash
• loss of bone density
• depression

Although there is no cure for celiac disease, it can be treated effectively by eliminating gluten from your diet.

4. Gilbert’s syndrome

Gilbert’s syndrome is a genetic liver disorder characterized by periods when bilirubin levels are too high. The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that Gilbert’s syndrome affects 3% to 7% of Americans. Symptoms of the disorder, primarily mild jaundice, are so mild that many people don’t know they have it. Gilbert’s syndrome is usually left untreated.

5. Giardiasis

Giardiasis is an infection of the intestinal tract by a microscopic parasite called giardia. You get giardiasis by ingesting giardia cysts. These are typically ingested with your food or water.

Symptoms of giardiasis may include:

• foul-smelling diarrhea that is often yellow
• stomach cramps
• nausea
• headache
• Low grade fever
• weight loss

Giardiasis is diagnosed by testing a stool sample. Although some people don’t require treatment, most are given antibiotics. Giardiasis often lasts several weeks. Giardiasis may become chronic, though this is rare.

Giardiasis is a common disorder worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), giardiasis is the most widespread intestinal parasitic infection in the United States.

Q:

When changing my baby’s diaper, sometimes his stool is yellow. Is this normal? If not, how should I treat it?

A Healthline reader

A:

Yes, yellow stool can indicate a shorter transit time of food through the intestinal tract. Different colors (darker) can indicate that transit time is slowing. It is not uncommon for stool to change colors. If you notice blood or diarrhea, you should notify your doctor immediately, as these may herald a serious health issue.

Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNPAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

If you are older and have a yellow stool, it may be a sign of another health condition. These can include:

• diarrhea
• GERD
• cholestasis
• pancreatic, liver, or gallbladder disease
• abdominal tumor

Some of the complications of untreated yellow stool include low red blood counts, dehydration, poor nutrition, growth trouble in children, and the potential to spread cancers or infections.

Some symptoms are warning signs of a digestive tract problem, such as:

• diarrhea
• nausea and vomiting
• indigestion and gas
• severely bad-smelling stool
• swelling and bloating in the abdomen
• cramping in the abdomen

Other complications that may occur with yellow stool are jaundice, fever and fatigue, skin itching, and bone or joint pain.

If your stool turns yellow, it’s most often due to changes in your diet. If the color persists for several days or is accompanied by other symptoms, you may want to contact your doctor.

You should see your doctor if your yellow stool is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:

• passing out
• lack of awareness
• confusion or mental changes
• fever
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• trouble breathing
• pus-filled stool
• lack of urine

You can connect with a primary care doctor in your area using the Healthline FindCare tool.

Is yellow poop normal?

Yellow poop can be your body’s typical reaction to what you eat. Some causes of this are eating foods high in food coloring, carrots, or sweet potatoes. It may also be from certain gluten products or a diet high in fats. That said, if it’s happening chronically, you may want to see a doctor to exclude an underlying medical cause.

Does yellow poop mean infection?

Yellow poop can be caused by giardiasis, which is a bacterial infection. However, it’s not the only possible cause.

Can Covid-19 cause yellow poop?

Research shows that people who experience diarrhea as a symptom of Covid-19 can have yellow stool. This is likely due to your body not having enough time to digest your food.

Your bowel movements may differ in color, depending on what you’ve eaten recently. But if your stool is yellow, it could be indicative of a medical condition.

If you are having yellow poop, especially if you are noticing it frequently, see your doctor for an evaluation. Many things can cause yellow stool, and it’s a good idea to find the cause in case you need treatment.

Yellow diarrhea: causes, methods of treatment and prevention in adults

Co-author, editor and medical expert – Klimovich Elina Valerievna.

Editor and medical expert – Harutyunyan Mariam Harutyunovna.

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Date last updated: 2 Contents:

Causes of yellow diarrhea
Associated symptoms
Necessary measures
Treatment
IMODIUM ^® Diarrhea Express
Diarrhea treatment

Yellow diarrhea as well as diarrhea a different color, does not apply to independent diseases. But this condition may indicate a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract, problems with the liver and gallbladder, infectious diseases, intoxication, or other health problems that require timely and proper treatment.

Causes of yellow diarrhea

Loose stools that are bright yellow or mustard in color can be caused by the following diseases and conditions.

Intestinal infection . The causative agents of infectious diseases of the intestine can be viruses (with enterovirus, rotavirus infection, etc.), bacteria (with cholera, salmonellosis, dysentery), bacterial toxins (with toxic infections), as well as fungi and protozoa. They enter the body along with contaminated food, water, or if personal hygiene requirements are not observed. Also, the source can be poorly washed or long-term stored food, toys, household items, food products that have not undergone heat treatment. The disease can develop rapidly and be quite difficult (frequent urination and loose stools quickly lead to dehydration and other complications).

Food poisoning . It can occur when eating inedible or poisonous mushrooms, spoiled dishes. With improper storage of products (especially fermented milk), non-compliance with sanitary requirements during the preparation of various dishes, staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and other pathogenic microorganisms can multiply in them. In the course of their life activity, pathogenic microorganisms release many toxins, which poison the human body, having entered it with contaminated food.

Food allergy . Food allergies are often accompanied by digestive disorders. Gastrointestinal manifestations of such a reaction in a child or adult may include pale yellow diarrhea, severe flatulence, nausea, etc.

Other causes. Light yellow diarrhea can occur with problems with the gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and gallbladder, enzymatic pancreatic insufficiency. It also appears with excessive consumption of dairy products, especially if a person suffers from lactose intolerance. Also, such a chair is sometimes found in infants whose diet is represented mainly by breast milk or milk mixtures.

Associated symptoms

Diarrhea rarely develops as the only symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder or disease. In addition to diarrhea, the following manifestations of the underlying pathology may also be observed.

Necessary measures

What to do with yellow diarrhea should be decided by the doctor after a preliminary examination and a complete examination.

Treatment

In the treatment of diarrhea, it is important to eliminate the cause of this symptom and normalize bowel function in order to stop the loss of water and electrolytes and the development of other negative consequences. To understand the overall clinical picture and key aspects of the patient’s health, a medical examination is carried out, based on the results of which the doctor prescribes treatment. It may include taking various groups of drugs, including antibiotics, antidiarrheal drugs, lacto- and bifidobacteria, rehydrating solutions, enterosorbents, etc. The specific names of the drugs, their combination as part of complex treatment, the dosage and duration of the course of therapy are prescribed by the doctor.

IMODIUM

^® Express in the fight against diarrhea

Antidiarrheal agent IMODIUM ^® Express is intended for the symptomatic treatment of diseases that are accompanied by diarrhea. It contributes to the onset of antidiarrheal effect an hour after taking the pill. The drug helps to slow down peristalsis and increase the time it takes for the contents to pass through the intestines. As a result, the frequency of the urge to defecate and the release of water into the intestinal lumen are reduced, the absorption of water and salts by the intestinal walls is normalized. The action of the product does not violate the qualitative and quantitative composition of the microflora.

Treatment of diarrhea

Before taking the drug, carefully read the instructions for its use.

This material is for guidance only and does not replace medical advice.

* Among products based on Loperamide. According to sales in money for February 2018 – January 2019, according to IQVIA.

Yellow stool – causes, diagnosis and treatment

Yellow stool is the discharge of yellowish stools, the consistency of which is often changed. Normally, the symptom occurs in infants, in adults – after eating certain foods. Common pathological causes of yellowing of the stool are diseases of the hepatobiliary zone, dysbacteriosis, intestinal infections, hormonal fluctuations in women. To clarify the etiology, they make a coprogram, ultrasound and x-ray of the intestine, ERCP. To eliminate the symptom, a diet, intake of sorbents, probiotics and enzyme preparations is necessary.

Causes of yellow stools

Nutritional considerations

Eating large amounts of carrots and sweet potatoes causes a change in stool color because these foods contain natural colorants. Bright yellow stools appear after eating dishes with turmeric. The symptom is observed in compliance with the milk diet, the predominance of fermented milk products in the diet. Natural causes provoke only a change in the color of the stool, the consistency and frequency of bowel movements remain normal.

Childhood

Newborns have yellow stools due to consumption of one breast milk. Normal stools have a mushy texture. After a few months, the color changes to mustard or yellowish green, which is also a normal variant. In children of the first year of life who are bottle-fed, the feces are light brown or light yellow with a pungent odor.

Intestinal infections

Light-colored feces are detected in infectious processes that affect the small intestine and prevent normal digestion of food. Escherichiosis is characterized by liquid feces of a golden yellow color. The frequency of bowel movements increases up to 10-15 times a day. Greenish-yellow stools are excreted in the gastrointestinal form of salmonellosis.

Frequent light yellow stools occur with rotavirus infection. Feces are very liquid, with a specific pungent odor. The disease is usually determined in children of preschool and primary school age who have not yet learned to observe hygiene. Yellow feces are also provoked by other causes: enterovirus infection, food poisoning.

Pancreatic enzyme deficiency

When there is a lack of digestive enzymes in the small intestine, part of the food is not digested, but is excreted from the body with feces, which becomes light or pale yellow in color. In chronic pancreatitis, the symptom is noted periodically: if a special diet is followed, the feces have a normal color, when the gastrointestinal tract is overloaded with fatty foods, it brightens and acquires a mushy consistency.

Yellow discoloration of feces is preceded by heaviness and pain in the epigastrium, patients complain of rumbling and flatulence. In acute pancreatitis, the color of the feces changes to light yellow or grayish suddenly. At the same time, a person is disturbed by severe girdle pains in the upper abdomen, repeated vomiting, which does not bring relief.

Diseases of the hepatobiliary system

The typical brown color of feces is due to bile acids and stercobilin, which enter the intestine with bile. Periodic light yellow stools of a mushy consistency are characteristic of chronic cholecystitis or cholelithiasis in the acute stage, when bile secretion is impaired. Similar symptoms are observed in functional disorders of the gallbladder.

Clarification of feces is caused by liver causes: viral or toxic hepatitis of mild to moderate severity, in which the biliary function is partially preserved. The appearance of yellow stools is accompanied by heaviness in the right hypochondrium, constant nausea and loss of appetite. Symptoms are aggravated after eating fatty foods. With the complete cessation of bile secretion, the yellow color of the feces is replaced by a grayish-white.

Giardiasis

Giardia multiplies in the gallbladder, disrupts the outflow of bile and contributes to the clarification of feces. The frequency of bowel movements in giardiasis increases up to 5-7 times a day, the feces are bright yellow and liquid, with a sharp fetid odor. In addition, the person complains of dull pain in the right hypochondrium, flatulence, nausea and vomiting mixed with bile. Normalization of the color of feces occurs on the 5-7th day of the disease.

Celiac disease

Symptoms occur with a large consumption of cereals – barley, wheat, rye. Light yellow mushy stools with a sharp unpleasant odor may appear periodically, and then permanently already in childhood and adolescence, which is combined with weight loss, growth retardation and physical development. The first detected yellow stool in an adult indicates a mild form of celiac disease, which is well stopped with the help of a diet.

Complications of pharmacotherapy

Many drugs provoke disorders of digestion and absorption of food, which is manifested by yellowing of the feces and an increase in the frequency of defecation. A person notes seething and rumbling in the intestines, soreness throughout the abdomen, lack of appetite. When taking antibiotics, the color of the stool is greenish-yellow, which is associated with intestinal dysbiosis. Yellow discoloration of feces is caused by the following medical causes:

• Antituberculosis drugs : isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin.
• Estrogen derivatives .
• Cytostatics : methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin.
• Certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs : aspirin, paracetamol, diclofenac.

Rare causes

• Viral infections : cytomegalovirus, infectious mononucleosis.
• Hormonal changes in women : premenstrual period, pregnancy, menopause.
• Disorders of bilirubin conjugation : Gilbert’s syndrome, Crigler-Najjar syndrome.
• Psychological causes : severe stress, depression.

Diagnostics

If the color of the stool changes to yellow, you should consult a gastroenterologist. To determine the cause of yellowing of the stool, an instrumental examination of the digestive system is performed. To clarify the diagnosis and identify hidden metabolic disorders, highly specific laboratory methods are prescribed. In diagnostic terms, the most informative:

• Coprogram . Macroscopically study the consistency, color and smell of feces. Microscopic analysis pays attention to the presence of undigested muscle fibers and starch grains, the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes. Be sure to examine the feces for helminth eggs, to assess the work of the pancreas, fecal elastase is determined.
• Sonography . Plain ultrasound of the abdominal cavity reveals inflammatory or fibrotic changes in the liver and pancreas, signs of intestinal damage. To clarify the cause of the disease, elastometry is informative, which allows you to quickly and painlessly establish the degree of liver fibrosis.
• Radiological Imaging . To study the motor function of the intestine and detect local inflammatory processes, a barium x-ray of the abdominal cavity is recommended. A plain radiograph of the abdomen helps to visualize masses, cysts of the liver or pancreas. If necessary, perform irrigoscopy.
• Retrograde cholecystopancreatography . Endoscopic examination of the bile and pancreatic ducts is an invasive examination that is used to diagnose cholangitis, cholelithiasis, and reactive pancreatitis. The method is therapeutic and diagnostic, since during ERCP it is possible to remove small stones that clog the bile ducts.
• Blood tests . A blood test for the level of pancreatic lipase and amylase is aimed at studying the enzymatic activity of the pancreas. Liver tests are also being studied. Serological tests (ELISA, RIF) detect specific antibodies in case of suspected viral or bacterial intestinal infections.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

The yellow color of feces, caused by eating habits and observed against the background of normal health, disappears on its own after 2-3 days. In order not to overload the intestines during this period, it is advised to give up fatty and fried foods, alcohol. If a change in the color of the stool occurs against the background of diarrhea, abdominal pain, you should visit a specialist. To improve the condition, you can drink sorbents. The use of antidiarrheal agents is undesirable.

Conservative therapy

The yellowish color of feces is caused by various reasons, so the list of therapeutic measures is selected individually. An important stage of treatment is the observance of a special diet, which is based on stewed vegetables, meat and fish of low-fat varieties, cereals and soups. In chronic pathologies of the pancreas and liver, such a diet must be followed constantly. To treat diseases in which feces have a yellow color, the following drugs are prescribed:

• Sorbents . Activated charcoal preparations, smecta are designed to bind and remove toxins from the intestines. Medicines speed up recovery from toxic infections, help to cope with diarrhea, and improve digestive functions.
• Probiotics . With dysbacteriosis, bacterial overgrowth syndrome and side effects of pharmacotherapy, beneficial bacteria are taken that populate the large intestine and promote digestion. For a lasting effect, they are used in courses of at least 10 days.
• Enzymes . When inhibiting the exocrine function of the pancreas, drugs containing pancreatic enzymes are used. They eliminate the causes of yellow stools, stimulate the processes of abdominal digestion in the small intestine.
• Cholagogue preparations .