Yellow stools: what can be and what to do

The presence of yellow stools is a relatively common change, but it can happen due to several different types of problems, from an intestinal infection to a high-fat diet.

Because it can have several causes, after identifying the presence of yellowish stools, it is very important to pay attention to other characteristics such as shape and smell, as it can help the doctor to reach the diagnosis more easily.

Below are the main causes of the appearance of yellowish stools:

1. High-fat food

Eating excess fat, through fried foods, processed or processed products, makes digestion difficult and accelerates intestinal transit, especially in people who usually eat a balanced diet. In such cases, in addition to the stools turning yellow, they can also have a more liquid consistency due to the speed with which they pass through the intestine.

What to do: reducing the amount of fat and processed foods in the diet will help to regulate stool color, which should improve after 2 or 3 days. However, if the problem persists for a longer time, other causes should be investigated.

2. Intestinal infection

Another very common cause of yellowish stools is an intestinal infection. But in these cases it is also common for other symptoms to appear, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. See a more complete list of symptoms of intestinal infection.

In these cases, it is common for the stool to appear yellow because the intestine is inflamed by the infection and therefore cannot properly absorb the fat from the food. The main cause of this problem is the E. coli bacteria, which can be ingested in contaminated and undercooked foods.

What to do: drink plenty of water and consume easily digestible foods, such as fruits, cooked white rice, fish and white meats, avoiding red meats and processed and fried foods.

3. Liver or gallbladder problems

Diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or gall bladder cause less bile to reach the intestine, which is the substance responsible for helping digest fat. In addition to changing the color of stools, these diseases also often cause symptoms of abdominal pain and yellow skin and eyes.

See 11 symptoms that may indicate liver problems.

What to do: in the presence of these symptoms, you should see a general practitioner or gastroenterologist to confirm the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment.

4. Problems in the pancreas

Changes in the pancreas cause poor digestion, causing faeces to become whitish or yellowish, in addition to causing them to float and appear frothy. The main problems affecting this organ are pancreatitis, cancer, cystic fibrosis or obstruction of the pancreatic canal.

In addition to altered stools, problems in the pancreas can cause abdominal pain, dark urine, poor digestion, nausea and weight loss. Check out other symptoms of pancreatic problems.

What to do: in the presence of these changes, especially if accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea and a lack of appetite, you should see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and start appropriate treatment.

5. Giardiasis

Giardiasis is an intestinal disease caused by the giardia parasite that causes symptoms such as watery and explosive diarrhea, with fetid yellow stools, nausea, headache, dehydration and weight loss.

What to do: In the presence of these symptoms, you should see a general practitioner or a pediatrician or a gastroenterologist and have stool tests to confirm the presence of the parasite in the intestine and start the appropriate treatment, which is usually done with antibiotics. Learn more about treatment for giardiasis.

6. Celiac disease

Celiac disease is a severe intolerance to gluten that causes irritation and intestinal malabsorption when the person consumes foods with wheat, rye or barley, which leads to an increase in the speed of the stool in the intestine and an increase in fat in the stool, making it yellow..

Typically, people with celiac disease show improvement in symptoms when they remove gluten-free foods from their diet.

What to do: It is important to consult a gastroenterologist to confirm the diagnosis of the disease and start a gluten-free diet. Here are some symptoms that can help you identify celiac disease.

7. Use of medicines

The use of some drugs to lose weight work by reducing the absorption of fat in the intestine, such as Xenical or Biofit, and also cause a change in the color of stools and increase intestinal transit.

What to do: If you are taking any of these medications, you should consult the doctor who prescribed them to receive guidance on the correct use and adverse effects of the medication or to exchange for another medication.

When to go to the doctor

In most cases, the presence of yellow stools is only due to the excessive intake of fats in a meal and, therefore, they improve in less than a week. However, if it takes more than a week to disappear or if other associated symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, weight loss, swollen belly or blood in the stool, for example, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

What are feces made of?

Most faeces are made up of water, and in lesser quantities bacteria are present in the intestinal flora, liquids that help digest food, such as bile, and food remains that have not been digested or absorbed, such as fibers, grains and seeds.

Thus, changes in diet, the use of medication or the presence of an intestinal problem can cause poor digestion, causing the fat in the food to not be absorbed, which changes the color of the stool to yellow.

Know the causes for each color change in the stool.