Why is feces black? Is this normal? Such questions are extremely rare, but some patients ask their doctors. The norm is the color of feces, which periodically changes from brownish yellow to brownish dark. He gets this color both from the digested particles of the eaten products, and from the bile pigments that enter the intestines from the biliary tract.
It is worth noting that it is not in vain that most people are worried about such an intimate question about why stool is black. After all, sometimes this symptom indicates a serious pathology of the digestive tract. But often this phenomenon is associated with the use of certain foods, as well as taking medications.
Why is feces black: the main sign of a disease
If the darkening of the stool is sudden and seemingly unreasonable, then most likely this is due to bleeding in the digestive tract, in particular in its upper sections. Such a deviation often happens with a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer, as well as with bowel diseases, varicose problems of the esophagus and tumors of the internal organs.
If the stool is black due to bleeding, the focus of which is located in the intestine, then the blood is usually reddish-red. However, under the influence of hydrochloric acid, red hemoglobin is gradually converted to black hemin, which gives dark stool. As a rule, with internal bleeding in a person, other symptoms may appear. This is bloody vomiting, hypotension, general weakness, dizziness, tachycardia, pallor of the skin and mucous membranes. With severe and heavy bleeding, acute vascular insufficiency develops, which requires emergency care.
Why is feces black: nutrition
Darkening of the stool does not always indicate the presence of any internal disease. After all, such a deviation often appears after eating certain foods. These “coloring” ingredients include boiled beets, red grapes, prunes, blueberries, black currants and pomegranates. In addition to vegetables and fruits, the color of feces can be influenced by sausage-hoodies, as well as offal. In this case, a person can observe staining of the stool for 2-3 days, after which this deviation disappears.
Black feces during pregnancy and while taking medications
Often, a woman in position is consulted with such a problem. In this case, black stools most often appear as a result of taking medications that contain a large amount of iron. A similar deviation can be observed in people with anemia, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, etc. After all, doctors often prescribe a complex of "iron" vitamins, activated charcoal, and also preparations containing bismuth for the treatment of such diseases.
If the cause of black feces is taking medication, vitamins or products, then there is no danger to human health in this. In addition, such a deviation disappears immediately after the exclusion of the above ingredients and medications. Otherwise, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor.