What does the black color of feces mean , and is it hazardous to health? As a rule, such an intimate question is of interest to many who have this deviation. But, unfortunately, not everyone can ask him to their doctor. That is why in this article we decided to explain in detail what the black color of feces means, and in what situations the chair can change its color.
According to experts, such a problem arises as a result of various changes in the body and external influences. We consider each situation separately.
Black feces : causes of deviation
1. Food
The normal color of the stool can vary from light brown to dark. However, most often, feces become black due to human consumption of certain foods, which may contain certain coloring pigments. These ingredients include the following:
- liver of birds and other animals;
- ripe red tomatoes;
- black pudding, as well as all kinds of meat products, which contain impurities of animal blood;
- boiled beets or freshly squeezed juice from it;
- blackcurrant, as well as jam based on this berry;
- ripe pomegranate;
- chokeberry, cherry and cherry;
- Red grapes;
- prunes
- coffee or cocoa;
- blueberries
- red wine, where dyes were added, as well as a drink with a high percentage of fruit seeds.
Thus, when asking a question about why the color of feces is black, you should first of all think about whether you have recently consumed at least one of the above products.
2. Drugs
If the darkening of the stool is in no way associated with the consumption of certain dishes, then most likely this deviation is associated with the use of drugs. The medications that affect this factor include the following drugs.
- Tablets that contain a large amount of bismuth (for example, Novbismol, De-Nol and others).
- Medicines or vitamins with a high iron content (for example, Ferrum-Lek, Sorbifer, Vitrum, Tardiferon and others). In this case, the question of what the black color of feces means is very often asked by pregnant women. After all, it is they who use a large number of multivitamins containing iron.
- Activated carbon.
- Long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, Indomethacin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Nimesulide and others).
3. Diseases
In the event that you are not taking any medications, the question of what the black color of feces means should alert you. After all, such a symptom may indicate the presence of serious pathologies in the body. Consider a list of the most common diseases, a sign of which is a strong darkening of the stool.
- Esophageal vein defect (varicose veins). As a rule, it occurs with cirrhosis.
- Peptic ulcer of the duodenum and stomach.
- Multiple ulcers of the mucous membrane of the esophagus or stomach, formed after inhalation of toxic or irritating substances.
- Neoplasms (malignant / benign) of the esophagus or stomach.