A 31-year-old member asked:
what can cause dark stool?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Richard Bensinger answered
Ophthalmology 52 years experience
Diet, blood: Stool will vary from light to dark depending upon the diet. Diets rich is red meat for instance will darken the stool color. If there is GI bleeding then the stool may become black. This requires evaluation by your gastoenterlogist as the source of the bleeding must be discovered and corrected.
5384 views
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Melena?: Black, malodorous, sticky stool can be due to GI bleeding.
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Similar questions
A 42-year-old member asked:
What?Couls cause?My stool to be dark green?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Alfredo Garcia answered
Pediatrics 56 years experience
Stool color: Decomposed bile, which is originally green, gives stool its yellow color. Having said that, green stool may mean that bile has rushed through the intestines without being acted on by bacteria like during diarrhea. Another cause of green color is unabsorbed iron in the diet.
5710 views
A 47-year-old member asked:
What causes stool to be black or dark green?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Charles Cattano answered
Gastroenterology 39 years experience
Dark stool: Dark-colored stools may result from iron supplements, foods you eat (like a lot of spinach), substances (like peptobismol), but most significantly suggests bleeding. When blood is denatured by acid in your stomach, as from ulcers, stools will turn tarry ("melena"). Blood may also be ingested from nose bleeds, bleeding gums. Silver-colored stool suggests bleeding from the biliary tree. Get checked.
5546 views
A 35-year-old member asked:
Can red wine cause stools to be dark?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered
Psychiatry 25 years experience
Reviewed several: Sites that indicate that red wine can cause dark stools. If stool is black, tarry and malodorous please have that checked asap as it could be related to GI bleeding.
4714 views
A 36-year-old member asked:
What can cause stool that is very dark in color?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Andrew Seibert answered
Gastroenterology 35 years experience
Black stool: If the stool is solid black or maroon, especially if it is very foul smelling, it may represent what is called melena, which is usually a sign of bleeding from the digestive tract. The bleeding is often active and this is a medical emergency. If you experience this, you should go to the emergency room immediately. Good luck.
676 views
Philippines
A 18-year-old female asked:
Do prunes cause dark and soft stools?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Tony Willson answered
Family Medicine 17 years experience
Possible: The idea of prunes is to soften stool and the coloration may just be from the prunes. See the doc if worsens.
3347 views
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Last updated Dec 2, 2020
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