Most of us barely take any time to notice our bowel habits, but if we notice these, it can give us important cues to our health. Changes in the stool color can indicate that there might be a problem. Human feces or stools are the waste product of the human digestive system that varies significantly in its appearance depending on the state of the whole digestive system and is normally brown in color; therefore, any changes in the color of your stool might make you curious, as it could be indicative of some change. Human feces can sometimes also be yellow in color and this generally occurs as a result of an infection that can cause severe yellow diarrhea. Yet another reason for yellow stools could be characterized by jaundice and hyperbilirubinemai. Black feces is called melena, and this is typically due to bleeding in the upper part of the digestive system. A peptic ulcer is one possible cause – if such an ulcer persists for a long time, it may start to bleed. By the time the blood leaves the body, it has been in the intestines long enough, because of which it is broken down by digestive enzymes, thus resulting in black colored stools. Peptic ulcers are one of the major reasons for black colored stools, which are caused by an infection in the lining of the stomach invading the stomach and a part of the small intestine. A change in the color of human feces does not necessarily indicate a serious problem. Stools may also be black due to consumption of certain medications, including iron supplements or bismuth subsalicylate. Certain foods such as black liqourice and blueberries can also cause black stools. In case your stool is black due to bleeding you will be able to detect this if the stool is sticky and smells unusually bad.
The black color alone is not enough to prove that there is blood in the stool however; therefore, your stool needs to be examined for melena to confirm the same. The bleeding can be due to a number of other conditions that include a bleeding ulcer, gastritis, esophageal varices or a tear in the esophagus from vomiting. There are no home remedies for changes in the color of human feces, however, if it is due to an excessive intake of iron supplements then, reduce consumption of iron rich food like spinach and cut down on your iron supplements after consulting with your physician. However, after realizing persistent and recurrent changes in the color of your stools, it is suggested that you take an appointment with your doctor as it would require medical attention.
answered by G M