- 1. Anxiety or stress
- 2. Irritable bowel
- 3. Decrease in bile
- 4. Problems in the pancreas
- 5. Intestinal infection
- What can be yellow diarrhea in the baby
Yellow diarrhea usually occurs when feces pass through the intestine very quickly and, therefore, the body cannot properly absorb the fats, which end up being eliminated in the feces with yellow color.
Most of the time, this problem lasts only 1 or 2 days and is caused by situations of a lot of stress or anxiety, but when it lasts longer it can be a sign of changes in gastrointestinal health such as intestinal infection, irritable bowel even problems in the pancreas or gallbladder, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
During any period of diarrhea, it is important to increase your water intake in order to avoid dehydration caused by the loss of water in your stools, as well as eating a lighter diet to avoid overloading the intestine. Check out a diet suggestion for diarrhea.
1. Anxiety or stress
Anxiety and stress are the main cause of diarrhea, as they cause an increase in bowel movements, hindering the absorption of nutrients and water, resulting in soft or liquid stools. See 7 simple tips to control anxiety.
In addition, anxiety situations usually send blood to the legs, decreasing their concentration in the gastrointestinal tract, making digestion difficult and allowing the passage of fats that make the stool yellow. Thus, it is common that during periods of great stress and anxiety, such as delivery of important work or presentations, yellow diarrhea appears, but it usually improves in 1 or 2 days.
2. Irritable bowel
The irritable bowel is also one of the most frequent causes of diarrhea and, although it does not always cause yellowish stools, in some people it can impair the absorption of fats in the intestine, which ends up giving a yellow color.
Other common symptoms of this problem include abdominal pain, excessive gas and alternating with periods of constipation. Normally, the irritable bowel is treated with dietary changes, such as avoiding dark leafy vegetables, avoiding alcoholic beverages and coffee. Take our online test to see if you may have an irritable bowel:
- 1. Abdominal pain or frequent cramps Yes No
- 2. Feeling of swollen belly Yes No
- 3. Excessive production of intestinal gases Yes No
- 4. Diarrhea periods, interspersed with constipation Yes No
- 5. Increase in the number of evacuations per day Yes No
- 6. Feces with gelatinous secretion Yes No
And check out how to treat correctly to prevent the onset of diarrhea.
3. Decrease in bile
Bile is a very important substance for digestion, as it helps to break down fat from food, making it easier for it to be absorbed in the intestine. Thus, when the amount of bile is decreased, it is common for the fat to be eliminated in the stool, making the stool more liquid and yellowish in color.
In addition, as it is the digested bile that gives normal stools the brown color, it is even more common that the diarrhea in these cases is very yellow, due to the lack of bile pigments. Some of the problems that can cause a lack of bile include gall bladder or liver changes, such as inflammation, cirrhosis or even cancer. See 11 common signs of liver problems.
When diarrhea is caused by a lack of bile, other symptoms may also appear, such as darkening of the urine, tiredness, weight loss and low fever, for example.
4. Problems in the pancreas
When the pancreas is not functioning properly, due to an inflammation caused by problems such as infection, tumor, cystic fibrosis or a blockage in the organ channel, it cannot produce enough pancreatic juice for digestion, which ends up hindering the breakdown of fats and other nutrients. When this happens, it is normal to have yellowish diarrhea.
In these cases, in addition to diarrhea, other signs may also appear, such as a feeling of fullness after eating, excessive gas, frequent urge to defecate and weight loss. Thus, when changes in the pancreas are suspected, one should quickly go to the gastroenterologist for tests and to start the appropriate treatment. Cancer cases are the most serious, because they are usually identified too late, making treatment difficult. See the top 10 signs of this cancer.
5. Intestinal infection
Intestinal infection caused by eating raw food or contaminated water causes inflammation of the lining of the intestine that makes it difficult to absorb water, fat and other nutrients, resulting in yellowish diarrhea.
In cases of infection, other symptoms such as frequent vomiting, headache, loss of appetite and fever are common. Usually, this type of infection can be treated at home with rest, drinking water and a light diet. Learn more about how to treat intestinal infection.
What can be yellow diarrhea in the baby
The baby's soft and even liquid stools are normal, especially in the first 6 months, when most babies are fed exclusively with breast milk, which contains a lot of water. However, the amount of feces should not come out of the diaper, because when this happens it is a sign of diarrhea and should be reported to the pediatrician.
In addition, yellow coloring is also very common, as the baby's intestine works much faster than the adult's, making it difficult to absorb some fats, especially when the baby is fed with breast milk that has a high amount of fat.
Generally, stools should only be of concern when they are bulky or pink, red, white or black, as they can indicate problems such as infections or bleeding, for example. It is important to go quickly to the hospital or inform the pediatrician so that the best treatment can be started.
Learn more about baby's stool and what it means.
