Is Pale Stool A Symptom Of Diarrhea?

Consuming foods high in fat or fiber can cause stool to appear paler, especially after a bout of diarrhea. This can be due to food moving through the large intestine too quickly, causing bile to not break down completely. Green leafy vegetables, green food coloring, and iron supplements can also cause white stools after diarrhea.

White stool after diarrhea can indicate underlying liver, pancreas, or small intestine issues. It may be due to taking large doses of certain antidiarrheal drugs or a combination of dietary choices, infection, or underlying medical problems. Most stomach bugs are followed by pale stools or diarrhea, and if you experience either of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

Pale stools may also be due to problems in the biliary system, which is the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, or other organs. If the liver is not producing enough bile or if the flow of bile is blocked, stools may become pale or clay-colored.

Pale stools are not likely due to a food, but medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can help.

Can white stool be temporary?

Can white stool be temporary? Yes, white stool can be temporary. Several things, including stomach flu, antidiarrheal medications, or bile duct obstruction, can cause it. Once these conditions resolve, the stool color usually returns to normal.

Some diarrhea medications can cause changes in stool color, such as black or white stool. However, passing white stools can indicate a serious medical condition, such as a blocked bile duct or liver problem.

White stool is not normal and can indicate an underlying medical condition. People with this symptom should see a doctor for further evaluation and diagnosis.

This article covers the potential causes of white stools after diarrhea and answers frequently asked questions about this symptom.

Can antidiarrheals cause pale stool?

Yes, be concerned if you have white stool after diarrhea.

If you’ve been taking large doses of certain antidiarrheal drugs, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate), this could result in very light stools.

White stools, however, could be a symptom of a more serious condition. If your poop is white, get a diagnosis from a healthcare provider.

Keep reading to learn about the more serious causes of white stool, including symptoms and treatments.

A lack of bile can often cause white stool or stool that has a claylike consistency. A lack of bile could be a sign of a serious problem.

Can a stomach virus cause pale stool?

Steatorrhoea was a significant feature in an outbreak of rotavirus gastroenteritis that affected adults and infants in hospital. Fat globules or fatty acid crystals were obvious by light microscopy (LM) in faeces from 14 of 25 patients examined. Ten of the fatty stools and two of the remainder were very pale. By electron microscopy (EM), a rotavirus was seen in 11 of the 14 fatty faeces and in only two of 11 specimens without visible fat. In a further study of pale or fatty faeces, 20 specimens sent for laboratory examination from patients not involved in the hospital outbreak were compared microbiologically with a similar number which were neither pale nor fatty. Viruses were found by EM in 11 of the pale or fatty stools; eight rotaviruses, two astroviruses, and an uncultivable adenovirus were seen; one further patient had acute jaundice. In contrast, no viruses were seen by EM in the twenty specimens which were normally pigmented and without evident fat. Steatorrhoea was significantly associated with rotavirus infection of the alimentary tract which usually presented as a fatty enteritis.

The study concludes that rotaviruses certainly, and other viruses possibly, can impede both the digestion of fat and the pigmentation of the feces. Inspection and LM of faeces are easy. In acute enteritis a fatty or pale stool is an indication for virological examination. In the case of rotavirus gastroenteritis, a fatty or pale stool is an indication for virological examination.

Bishop R. F., Davidson G. P., Holmes I. H., Ruck B. J.. Virus particles in epithelial cells of duodenal mucosa from children with acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis. Lancet. 1973 Dec 8;2:1281–1283.

Blanski D., Lebenthal E., Faden H. S., Hatch T. F., Krasner J.. Reovirus type 3 infection in a suckling mouse: the effects on pancreatic structure and enzyme content. Pediatr Res. 1980 Jan;14:8–11.

Cubitt W. D., Holzel H. An outbreak of rotavirus infection in a long-stay ward of a geriatric hospital. J Clin Pathol. 1980 Mar;33:306–308.

Davidson G. P., Barnes G. L. Structural and functional abnormalities of the small intestine in infants and young children with rotavirus enteritis. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1979 Mar;68:181–186.

Matheley C. R. Viruses in the stools. J Clin Pathol. 1979 Jan;32:1–10.

SABIN A. B. Reoviruses. A new group of respiratory and enteric viruses formerly classified as ECHO type 10 is described. Med J Aust. 1961 Nov 18;48:815–818.

THOMAS M. E., CHARTER R. E. Aetiology of juvenile diarrhoea; laboratory investigation of specimens referred from general practices in North-East London. Br Med J. 1956 Aug 11;2:339–341.

Tillett H. E. Monitoring infectious diseases using routine microbiology data. I. Study of gastroenteritis in an urban area.

How long does it take for stool to return to normal after diarrhea?

Diarrhoea is passing looser, watery or more frequent poo (stools) than is normal for you.

It affects most people from time to time and is usually nothing to worry about. It can be distressing and unpleasant. It normally clears up in a few days to a week.

Diarrhoea self-help guide. Complete our self-help guide to check your symptoms and find out what to do next.

• It’s particularly frequent or severe
• it lasts for more than 7 days
• you’re concerned
• poo with blood on it
• persistent vomiting and are unable to keep fluid down
• a severe or continuous stomach ache
• weight loss
• have passed a large amount of very watery diarrhoea
• it occurs at night and is disturbing sleep
• have recently taken antibiotics or been treated in hospital
• have signs of dehydration – including drowsiness, peeing less than usual, and feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• have poo that’s dark or black – this may be a sign of bleeding inside your stomach

What color is bad for diarrhea?

Stool ChartColorPotential CauseCommentGreenAssociated with diarrheaConsult a healthcare professionalBrownNormal colorConsult a healthcare professionalYellowDiseases of the pancreasMalabsorptionYellowCeliac disease, cystic fibrosisConsult a healthcare professional.

What does it mean when your stool color changes in color, texture, or form?;

What are the causes of stool color, texture, and form changes?;

When should I contact my doctor about stool color or texture changes?;

Why is my poop light tan?

It isn’t unusual to have brightly colored bowel movements, Jamile Wakim-Fleming, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told Health. Different colors are typically the result of dietary causes, such as additives and dyes that are not digested.

Different color stools can be normal, but frequent colorful poop can be a sign of a more severe health condition. For example, pale or tan-colored stool can indicate a gallbladder, liver, or pancreas problem. Read on to learn more about stool color, including what’s normal and different causes.

Stool is usually dark or light brown, but all shades of brown are considered “normal” stool color. It’s not uncommon for stool to change in color, typically due to a health concern or dietary causes. Treating the underlying cause or adjusting your diet can help restore stool color.

It’s absolutely normal for stool to vary in color. These color changes are often due to foods in your diet. All shades of brown and most shades of green are considered “normal.” Brown is normally associated with the natural breakdown of bile in the GI tract. Bile is secreted by the liver and helps to break down fat.

Why is my poop a light tan color?

It isn’t unusual to have brightly colored bowel movements, Jamile Wakim-Fleming, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told Health. Different colors are typically the result of dietary causes, such as additives and dyes that are not digested.

Different color stools can be normal, but frequent colorful poop can be a sign of a more severe health condition. For example, pale or tan-colored stool can indicate a gallbladder, liver, or pancreas problem. Read on to learn more about stool color, including what’s normal and different causes.

Stool is usually dark or light brown, but all shades of brown are considered “normal” stool color. It’s not uncommon for stool to change in color, typically due to a health concern or dietary causes. Treating the underlying cause or adjusting your diet can help restore stool color.

It’s absolutely normal for stool to vary in color. These color changes are often due to foods in your diet. All shades of brown and most shades of green are considered “normal.” Brown is normally associated with the natural breakdown of bile in the GI tract. Bile is secreted by the liver and helps to break down fat.

Can pale stool be temporary?

Sometimes a person passes one pale stool, and then the usual color returns. If pale stools persist, it is best to seek medical advice promptly, especially if there are other symptoms, such as dark urine, vomiting, or fever.

Here are some answers to questions people often ask about pale stool.

Pale stools can indicate problems in the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, or pancreas. Dietary factors can also play a role. Giardiasis, a parasitic infection, can cause yellow stools.

What does pale poop mean after diarrhea?

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.

Is it OK to have pale stool once?

Bowel movements reveal important information about a person’s health. One pale stool is not usually a matter of 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.

Can diarrhea change stool color?

• Almost always due to food coloring or food additives.
• Stool color relates more to what is eaten than to any disease.
• In children with diarrhea, the gastrointestinal (GI) passage time is very rapid. Stools often come out the same color as the fluid that went in. Examples are Kool-Aid or Jell-O.
• The only colors we worry about are red, black (not dark green) and white.

• “Bloody stools”: 90% of red stools are not caused by blood
• Blood from lower GI tract bleeding
• Medicines. Red medicines (like Amoxicillin). Sometimes, other medicines that turn red in the GI tract (such as Omnicef)
• Foods. See list below.

• Red Jell-O, red or grape Kool-Aid
• Red candy, red licorice
• Red cereals
• Red frosting
• Red food coloring
• Beets
• Cranberries
• Fire Cheetos
• Paprika
• Red peppers
• Rhubarb
• Tomato juice or soup, tomato skin