A change in the color of feces may be due to changes in the diet, but if nothing like this has been done in the last few days, concern should be shown. Very often this is a symptom that cannot be ignored. Feces of a light brown color in an adult often signal problems with the functioning of the liver, pancreas, intestines. It is imperative to consult a doctor to diagnose the gastrointestinal tract.
A list of common reasons: why feces are light brown
In order to confirm with accuracy about the presence of a particular diagnosis, a full examination (biochemical analysis of blood, FGDS, ultrasound, in some cases MRI) should be done. The causes described below are hypothesized, and even with the full spectrum of the symptoms listed, the actual diagnosis and causes of feces in light brown may differ. Do not self-medicate - without the help of an experienced gastroenterologist and the appointment of special drugs, they can not do.
- physiological causes (change in diet);
- taking certain medications (a list is provided below);
- liver diseases - toxic hepatitis, cirrhosis, viral hepatitis;
- chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic necrosis;
- chronic gallstone disease or cholecystitis and other disorders of the outflow of bile;
- problems with the production of enzymes in sufficient quantities for the digestion of food.
List of possible physiological causes
Feces of a light brown color may appear if the patient has overeated a particular product, or as a reaction of the digestive system to an unusual ingredient in a dish. Therefore, first of all, we must remember what was eaten last week and not to panic.
Here is a list of products that in some cases can cause feces of a light brown color in an adult:
- white unpolished rice (and dishes from it: rolls, sushi, pilaf, porridge);
- dairy products and milk more than a liter per day;
- bakery products from white flour;
- boiled peas (more than a kilogram per day);
- barley and dishes from it.
Features nutrition and color feces
As you can see, the list of products is not so large, and to eat such a large amount - you will have to make some efforts. Depending on the individual characteristics of the body, sometimes it is enough to drink only 500 ml of milk in one gulp so that the feces become lighter.
In some cases, it becomes not only light brown, but also literally milky in color. This shocked some patients - and it was just an over-consumption of milk. The light brown color of feces in a child can be triggered by a violation of the absorption of lactose - you must pass the necessary tests to make sure that the substance is properly absorbed by the baby's body.
What medications can cause a color change?
In some cases, the cause of lightening lies in the regular use of certain pharmaceuticals. Perhaps you should reduce the dosage. Or taking medication has a toxic effect on liver cells, resulting in toxic hepatitis.
List of medications, the intake of which can cause feces of a light brown color in an adult or a child:
- calcium preparations - it does not matter, single ("Calcium gluconate") or any other multivitamin complexes in which the mineral is combined with other substances useful to the body;
- antacids, which are taken with certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, even with regular use in high doses, can provoke a discoloration of the bowel movements;
- fixing drugs that are taken with diarrhea can provoke a greenish or light brown tint;
- some anticonvulsants are quite toxic to the liver, therefore, inevitably lead to a clear stool;
- paracetamol with a significant overdose is the cause of the development of acute damage to the liver tissue - accordingly, the feces brightens;
- barium sulfate, which is used as a contrast agent during x-rays (for example, in the diagnosis of stomach diseases).
Liver diseases: causes, symptoms and treatment methods
It was not without reason that he repeated several times about liver diseases: it is precisely these diseases that in most cases are the cause of a change in the shade of feces in the bright side. Why does toxic hepatitis develop? Here are the most common ways to get this chronic disease:
- regular abuse of drinks containing ethyl alcohol;
- regular eating fast food, fatty foods, simple carbohydrates in large quantities;
- overdose of certain drugs (anticonvulsants, normotimics, paracetamol, antidepressants, sedatives);
- oncology chemotherapy;
- exposure to radiation;
- other radiation sources that have been stably present for many years in human life.
Toxic hepatitis is not only accompanied by a light brown color of feces. The photo of the affected organ is located just below: hepatitis inevitably leads to the development of cirrhosis, and then to death. The disease is accompanied by constant weakness, pulling pains in the right hypochondrium, a yellow tint of the skin and sclera, indigestion, nausea after eating.
Chronic pancreatitis, its manifestations and directions in therapy
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreatic tissue. Few people think about the health of this body. Meanwhile, it is he who produces the enzymes necessary for the digestion process. It is he who synthesizes the most important hormone in the human body - insulin. It depends on the pancreas how well the food will be digested, because if enough enzymes are excreted, pieces of undigested food may remain in the feces and it will be light in color.
In order to diagnose pancreatitis, it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound. The organ will be enlarged, or the doctor will notice areas of inflammation in the tissues. Treatment methods involve taking enzymes from the outside in order to level their iron production. Reviews about this treatment are positive. It is especially effective if you adhere to a therapeutic diet: exclude fatty foods, heavy meat, fast food and alcoholic beverages. Drinking regimes should be followed and drinking plenty of clean liquid as much as possible.
Intestinal diseases and their effect on the color of bowel movements
In the case of polyps, cysts, erosion on the walls of the intestine, the color of feces can change. With dysentery, it can become greenish, streaks of blood may appear with various neoplasms, with parasitic infestation it becomes pale, with polyps and erosion, an admixture of blood can be observed.
In order to accurately diagnose the reason why the feces are light brown in an adult, you should undergo a bowel examination - colonoscopy. In some cases, even a simple ultrasound is sufficient, but most often it does not allow to consider each bow of the intestine. Therefore, when examining this organ, ultrasound is not always effective. Depending on the area of the intestine and the degree of damage, the treatment methods will also vary.
Chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis
It occurs, as a rule, after the formation of sediment or stones in the gallbladder. In some cases, the disease can be triggered by an irregular physiological form of the organ - if it has bends, then cholecystitis is regarded as a normal condition. So that there are no pains and there are no problems with digestion, you need to drink a course of choleretic drugs from time to time.
“Urossan” has proven itself in such a situation - it has a mild choleretic effect, and the hepatoprotective effect supports the functioning of the body. Already in the second week of taking the capsules, the color of the feces is normalized and the patient will feel more energized and more efficient.
Fermentopathy as a cause of light feces
In the case of insufficient amount of enzymes produced by the pancreas, pancreatitis does not always develop. Sometimes gastroenterologists diagnose the so-called fermentopathy, the symptoms of which resemble a state of severe intoxication. Only in parallel with weakness, digestion and light brown stools are also observed.
With enzymeopathy, tablet enzymes and a special therapeutic diet are prescribed. "Festal", "Pancreatin", "Creon" are affordable and effective drugs, the intake of which will restore normal digestion already in the second week of administration. A prerequisite is the normalization of nutrition and a complete rejection of alcohol. If you continue to lead an incorrect lifestyle, the condition will worsen, and pancreatitis will be diagnosed. He, in turn, can progress to pancreatic necrosis, which is a fatal incurable disease.
Prevention measures: advice of gastroenterologists
In order to avoid problems with digestion and color of feces, you should follow simple rules:
- always wash your hands before eating;
- observe moderation in food;
- take medicine only in case of emergency;
- avoid taking vitamins with calcium, if there is no confidence in their necessity;
- once a year to undergo a routine examination of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract;
- do not abuse alcoholic beverages;
- minimize the intake of fast food and fatty foods;
- give up smoking.
If the patient has noticed that the stool has become lighter and does not restore its normal color, this is a serious reason to consult a gastroenterologist. Self-medication at home is undesirable, especially when there are concomitant symptoms. Timely examination in some cases can save the patient's life.