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Stool Color and Texture Changes
(Black, Red, Maroon, Green, Yellow, Gray, Tarry, Sticky)

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What color is normal stool?

Stool (feces) is most commonly brown in color, and many people become curious or concerned when the color of their stool changes. Most stool-to-stool changes in color have little meaning; however, some changes, particularly if the changes are consistent from stool-to-stool and not present in only one stool, can be important.

What causes normal stool color?

The color of stool is normally due to the presence of bile, specifically, the bilirubin in bile. Bilirubin is formed from hemoglobin after hemoglobin is released from red blood cells during their destruction, a part of the normal process of replacing the red blood cells in blood. The released hemoglobin is modified chemically and removed from the blood by the liver. In the liver the chemically changed hemoglobin (called bilirubin) is attached to other chemicals and secreted from the cells of the liver into bile. Depending on the concentration of bilirubin, bile can vary from almost black to light yellow in color.



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Stool Color & Texture Changes - Personal Experience Question: What color is/was your stool? Please share your symptoms and experience.
Stool Color & Texture Changes - Causes Question: If your stool changed color, what was the cause? Did you receive a diagnosis from a doctor?
Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/stool_color/article.htm

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