The presence of yellow stools is a relatively common change, but this can occur due to various 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 be aware of other characteristics such as shape and smell, as this can help your doctor get to diagnosis more easily.
These are the main causes of yellowish stools
Ingestion of excess fats, through frying, processed or processed products, hinders digestion and accelerates intestinal transit, especially in people who generally have a balanced diet. In such cases, in addition to yellowing the stool, they may also have a more liquid consistency due to the rate at which they pass through the intestine.
What to do: Reducing the amount of fats and processed foods in your diet will help regulate the color of your stool, which should improve after 2 or 3 days. However, if the problem persists longer, other causes need to be investigated.
Another very common cause of yellowish stools is an intestinal infection. But in these cases, it’s also common for other symptoms to appear, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. See a more complete list of symptoms of an intestinal infection.
In these cases, it is common for stools to look yellowish because the intestine is inflamed by infection and therefore cannot adequately absorb fat from food. The main cause of this problem is E. coli, which can be ingested in contaminated and undercooked food.
What to do: Drink plenty of water and eat easy-to-digest foods such as fruits, cooked white rice, fish and white meats, avoiding red meats and processed and fried foods.
Diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or the gallbladder cause less bile to reach the intestine, which is the substance responsible for the digestion of fats. In addition to changing the color of stool, these conditions often cause symptoms of abdominal pain and yellowish skin and eyes.
See 11 symptoms that may indicate liver problems
What to do: In the presence of these symptoms, you should consult a family doctor or gastroenterologist to confirm the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment.
Changes in the pancreas cause poor digestion, causing stools to become whitish or yellowish, as well as making them float and appear frothy. The main problems affecting this organ are pancreatitis, cancer, cystic fibrosis or pancreatic canal obstruction.
In addition to impaired stools, problems with the pancreas can cause abdominal pain, dark urine, poor digestion, nausea and weight loss. Discover other symptoms of pancreatic problems.
What to do: In the face of these changes, especially if accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea and lack of appetite, it is advisable to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and start appropriate treatment.
Giardiasis is an intestinal disease caused by the parasite Giardia that causes symptoms such as watery and explosive diarrhea, with nauseated yellow stools, nausea, headache, dehydration and weight loss.
What to do: In the presence of these symptoms, you should consult a family doctor or pediatrician or gastroenterologist and undergo stool tests to confirm the presence of the parasite in the intestine and begin appropriate treatment, usually done with antibiotics. Learn more about giardiasis treatment.
Celiac disease is a severe gluten intolerance that causes intestinal irritation and malabsorption when the person ingests foods containing wheat, rye or barley, resulting in an increase in the speed of stool in the intestine and an increase in fat in the stool, turning them yellow. .
In general, people with coeliac disease show an 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 coeliac disease.
The use of certain weight-loss medications works by reducing the absorption of fats in the gut, such as Xenical or Biofit, and also causes a change in the color of the stool and increases intestinal transit.
What to do: If you are taking any of these medicines, you should consult the doctor who prescribed them for advice on the correct use and side effects of the medicine or to exchange it for another medicine.
In most cases, the presence of yellow stools is due only to excessive fat consumption in a meal and, as a result, improve in less than a week. However, if it takes more than a week to go away or if other associated symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, weight loss, stomach swelling or blood in your stool appear, for example, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
Find out in this video what stool changes can indicate your health
Most faeces are made up of water and, in smaller quantities, bacteria are present in intestinal flora, fluids that help digest food, such as bile, and remains of foods that have not been digested or absorbed, such as fiber, cereals, and seeds.
For example, changes in diet, medication use, or the presence of an intestinal problem can cause poor digestion, preventing fat absorption from food, changing the color of stool to yellow.
Learn about the causes of each stool color change.