Light stool: what does it mean and what is it a sign of? + Stool colours

Light stools can most often indicate a disease of the liver, gallbladder or pancreas. In the first place, it is associated with the formation and secretion of bile into the small intestine.

Bile colours the stool to its natural brown colour.

A lack of bile in the stool resulting from diseases of these organs automatically means a lighter colour of the stool. However, several factors influence the colour of the stool.

The stool is used to excrete waste substances and products of digestion from the body. Its quantity and appearance depend on several factors.

Defecation, as the stool is professionally called, occurs 1-2 times every 24 to 48 hours.

Defecation can also occur after the main course of a meal.

Some people have bowel movements less frequently, for example 2-3 times a week. If regularity is not a problem, disruption of this periodicity can be a problem.

Men have stools more often.

The colour, consistency or smell of stools are important in monitoring a person's health. They will give clues not only about digestive problems, but much more. For a closer look, also read the article Stool - what should we know about it?

What affects stool and the frequency of its emptying:

• Diet composition - the level of fibre and digestible food components
• amount of food
• eating habits - frequency of eating during the day and portion size
• drinking and fluid intake - up to 75% of stool is water
• type of food and fluid intake - colour of food and fluid intake
• bacterial colonisation of the gut - normal gut microflora and its disturbance
• drugs - laxatives, iron - colour stools dark to black, opiates slow bowel emptying
• diseases - liver, gallbladder, pancreas, parasites, viruses, etc.
• age - in older people, the frequency of bowel movements decreases
• physical activity - little exercise = slower digestion and passage through the bowel
• psychological state and stress - diarrhoea is common in times of stress, an example being irritable bowel syndrome
• position during defecation
• privacy during defecation
• adaptation to change of environment

Interesting information about the gut microbiota:
The intestinal system accounts for 70% to 80% of human immunity,
the intestinal microflora has tens of trillions of microorganisms
and approximately 1000 species of bacteria,
of which about 40 species are necessary for life.
The weight of the intestinal microflora is approximately 1 kg.

Light-coloured stool and bile

Bile is a product of the liver.
The bile enters the collecting ducts into the
collecting sac or gallbladder.
From the gallbladder, bile is secreted as needed into the small intestine,
more specifically the duodenum, which is the initial part of the duodenum.

It helps in the digestion of fats.

Its composition consists of water, bile acids, bilirubin and others. Bilirubin is referred to as yellow dye. It is formed after the breakdown of red blood cells and the red dye - hemoglobin.

The red blood dye (heme), after breaking down, is converted into bilirubin, a bile dye. This is further chemically modified in the liver so that it can be excreted by bile into the intestine.

It is then converted into stercobilin, which is already present in the stool and colours it dark brown.

Part of the bilirubin is reabsorbed into the blood and then excreted in the urine. Therefore, the state of liver function is not only indicated by the appearance of the stool, but also by the urine.

Bile colours the stool to its natural colour, namely brown.

Do you want to know more about light-coloured stools?
Why do you have light-coloured stools?
Are there only dangerous diseases behind them?
Or can there be a less serious reason?
Read on with us.

If there is a deficiency of bile, bilirubin, in the stool, its colour is pale to white.
Such stools are technically referred to as acholic - i.e. deficient in bile.

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At the same time, there may also be yellow discoloration of the skin,
whites of the eyes, and
dark to black urine.
These symptoms indicate liver disease. Hepatitis, popularly known as jaundice, is also an example.

Light stools and disease

Various diseases of the digestive system can be behind the change in stool colour. Examples include imbalance of the intestinal microflora, antibiotic treatment, intestinal bacterial, viral or parasitic diseases, intestinal virulence.

But also a change in the color of the stool can cause a problem with the passage of the digestive tract. This occurs specifically if the food and later the digestion passes through the intestine too quickly. This happens from infectious causes, but also with excessive psychological load and stress.

Even students know intimately about diarrhea during the exam period.
It is then that, in addition to the consistency and frequency, the colour of the stool may also change.

There are 3 main groups of diseases that are associated with light stools:

• liver disease - disorder of bile production
• Gallbladder and biliary tract disease - impaired bile outflow
• pancreatic disease - impaired bile outflow

Light stools in liver disease

Hepatitis is one of the common and dangerous diseases. It is a group of viral diseases. Their common feature is damage to the cells and liver tissue, which disrupts its function and thus the production of bile.

Less bile = lighter stools.

In addition to the stool being light, gray to white, there is a higher proportion of fat in it. It is therefore greasy, shiny and floats - floating stools on water. Plus it smells more.

The most common hepatitis is hepatitis:

• Type A - infectious hepatitis spread by dirty hands through the faecal-oral route, the digestive tract
• Type B - a more severe form that spreads mainly through body fluids, namely blood, saliva, ejaculate, vaginal fluid; complications include cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure
• Type C - transmission is through blood, the main reason for spread nowadays is drug injection, but other options with insufficient protection against spread are also available

The main common features include fatigue, general flu-like symptoms, lack of appetite, jaundice, i.e. yellow discolouration of the skin and whites of the eyes, but also dark urine, pale stools, etc.

Of course, there are some differences between the specific forms.

More interesting information about hepatitis.

Another example is liver damage due to excessive alcohol intake.

Alcoholism is generally a problem that destroys the whole organism, from the brain to the liver. After a certain period of time, the liver cells can no longer regenerate and the liver loses its function.

We also know the term alcoholic hepatitis, i.e. inflammation of the liver caused by alcoholism. Hepatocytes (liver cells) are affected by the disease process.

It leads to a remodelling of the liver tissue = cirrhosis.

The final stage is cirrhosis of the liver = replacement of the liver cells with fibrous tissue - fibrosis. The diseased and hardened liver cannot break down waste substances from the body, not even bilirubin, which is produced by the breakdown of red blood cells.

The second serious disease besides cirrhosis is liver cancer. Hepatitis, alcoholism and other causes lead to it. Also, light stools may occur in it.

Other diseases of the liver are also listed.

Light stools due to gallbladder disease

Gall bladder (vesica biliarsi or vesica fallea) is a hollow organ. It serves as a collecting point for bile. Bile is made up of cells of the liver.

It is located just below the liver, that is, in the area to the right below the ribs.

Bile is not formed in the gallbladder, but only collected. The gallbladder stores and thickens bile.

Bile enters the gallbladder through the bile ducts from the liver.

Bile is thick, green, yellow to brown in colour. The thicker it is, the darker it is. It helps in the digestion of fats.

It is secreted about 30 minutes after eating food into the duodenum,
which is the initial part of the small intestine.

A disorder of bile production is caused, for example, by hepatitis.

In bile transport, it is most often a disease affecting the gallbladder or bile ducts:

• cholelithiasis, i.e. gallstones
• inflammation of the bile duct - cholangitis or
  • inflammation of the gallbladder - cholecystitis
• gallbladder tumour

The table briefly describes the main diseases of the gallbladder

Bile duct obstruction can also be caused by a liver tumour.
There is also a problem with the transport of bile into the digestive system.

When bile outflow is impaired, typical symptoms and biliary colic occur.
This is abdominal pain below the right rib arch.
It can spread to the back and under the right shoulder blade or shoulder.
It is accompanied by nausea to vomiting, pallor and sweating.

An increase in body temperature may indicate inflammation. There is a risk of inflammation spreading down the abdominal cavity to the peritoneum (peritonitis) and sepsis. Therefore, in some cases, surgical removal of the gallbladder - cholecystectomy- is chosen.

Diseases of the pancreas

The pancreas has several functions, from the production of digestive enzymes to the production of insulin.

Digestive pancreatic juices are secreted into the duodenum, the beginning of the small intestine, along with bile.

The pancreas and gallbladder share a common outlet (papilla duodeni major).

Therefore, the diseases of these two digestive organs interact with each other.

Inflammation of the pancreas can cause inflammation of the gallbladder. Inflammation of the gallbladder or gallstones can cause pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, can be acute (sudden) and chronic (long-term).

Alcoholism is also one of the causes.

Pancreatic cancer and light stools

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous cancers. It may not show any symptoms in the early stages.

It has a silent and painless, so-called asymptomatic stage.

When it flares up and symptoms appear, it is already an advanced condition and the cancer often spreads to the surrounding area outside the pancreas.

Common manifestations include:

• fatigue and malaise
• nausea to vomiting
• indigestion - feeling full
• swelling of the abdomen
• weight loss and lack of appetite
• abdominal pain
• pain in the back - often in the lower back
• jaundice
• changes in bowel movements and changes in stool
  • pale, grey to white stools
  • clay-like stools, greasy, shiny
  • diarrhoea
• development or worsening of diabetes mellitus
• deep vein thrombosis
• depression

Other causes of changes in stool colour + stool colour

Stool colour can vary.

The natural colour is brown.

It will be red in the presence of fresh blood when the blood comes from the lower parts of the digestive system. Examples are polyps of the colon, infection and inflammation of the colon, colon cancer or less severe hemorrhoids and rectal fissure - light blood after stool.

Black stools occur when the blood is digested and passes through the digestive system for a long time. It can come from higher parts of the digestive system, such as the small intestine and stomach, but also from the oesophagus or mouth.

But!

It can also be black when taking medication to replenish iron. Alternatively, it occurs after taking black coal.

A special case is the use of drugs for blood clotting.

Yellow stools - ochre yellow occurs in celiac disease, jaundice, but also in intestinal infections and diarrhea. Possibly when stained by foods such as turmeric, curry, carrots or apricots.

Green tends to be present in increased bile, but also in intestinal infections. It appears when spinach, seaweed and other leafy vegetables are eaten.

Mucus in the stool is a separate component. Often its increased presence is seen in inflammation of the intestine, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, but also in constipation.

But also with an overgrowth of certain bacteria in the intestine and so-called dysbacteriosis.

An example of inflammatory bowel disease with the presence of mucus in the stool is:

• Celiac disease
• ulcerative colitis
• Crohn's disease
• infectious inflammations
• parasites

Stool discoloration may be present in the short or long term.

Light stools may also indicate:

• gastroesophageal reflux
• too rapid passage of food through the digestive tract
• infection with a parasite called Giardia
• impaired absorption of nutrients during digestion, called malabsorption syndrome
• post-infectious liver damage, for example after mononucleosis

The expert guarantor of the article, Zuzana Kožlejová, MD, PhD, adds the following information: Irregular stools, alternating diarrhoea and constipation, pencil-like stools, light stools, dark, smelly stools, blood in the stool are symptoms that should not be overlooked. If they appear, you should definitely see a doctor. Drop the fear of talking about stools. Early diagnosis will save your life.

Example of foods that change the color of stool:

• Blueberries, beetroot, watermelon, apricots, currants, spinach, leafy greens, turmeric, curry, carrots, dairy products, seaweed, excess iron in the diet, yellow drinks, etc.
• stool is also coloured by food dyes and dyes in medicines
• cause lightening and whitening of stools
• Important to note associated symptoms - abdominal pain and cramps, diarrhoea, increase in body temperature, vomiting, etc.

Light stools may have associated features:

• light, grey to white stools
• oily and shiny - clay-like
• floats on the surface of the water
• smells bad
• for excess fat in the stool

Important investigations:

• Stool examination
• possibly a rectal swab
• medical history
• physical examination
• blood sampling and laboratory results (liver tests, bilirubin, CRP)
• SONO - abdominal ultrasound
• MRCP, MRI, CTERCP - diagnostic and therapeutic method, especially for gallstones
• endoscopic examination of the digestive tract

And what does light stool in children mean?

As in adulthood, the above-mentioned diseases can occur in childhood. It is a problem with the production or transport of bile and excess fat in the stool.

First of all, we should exclude the action of food and drink.

In children, both the smallest babies and the larger ones, a change in the colour of the stool and an inappropriate composition of the diet can mean an excess of dairy products, but also an intolerance to milk sugar - lactose. Thin stools to diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and nausea are associated.

Read also the articles:
How to manage diarrhoea in children,
What can be the causes of green stools in children?
What is the right diet for diarrhoea, constipation or vomiting?