2023-10-28 15:39:02
Nowadays it is possible to monitor multiple health-related parameters through our mobile phones, watches, bracelets or smart rings: number of daily steps, type and intensity of training, calories, heart rate, hours of sleep, etc. However, we must not neglect the observation of “analog” indicators that do not depend on coverage, Wi-Fi connection or battery. And one of these parameters is the appearance of the stool.
It may not sound very glamorous, but monitoring our bowel movements is quick and easy and can provide information about health beyond the digestive system, given the connection of the intestine and its microbiota with the rest of the body’s apparatus and systems.
To encourage you to include this routine in your self-care habits, we are going to review the main characteristics that a normal bowel movement should have. We will talk mainly about color and consistency, but it is important to also pay attention to the smell and the act of defecation itself. While a healthy bowel movement does not require much effort and is painless, a strong, unpleasant aroma is normal due to the breakdown of waste substances by the intestinal microbiota.
Color: beyond brown
In general and in a context of good health, stools are brown, between caramel and cocoa color, a chromaticism granted by our red blood cells and their senescence process. The life cycle of red blood cells is about 120 days, and when they complete it and are broken down by the spleen, they produce bilirubin. From its conjugation in the liver, pigments called urobilinogens are derived, which are stored in the gallbladder as part of the bile and reach the segment of the small intestine called the duodenum, giving color to the feces.
Our mission is to share knowledge and enrich debate.
However, the consumption of some foods and drugs, as well as certain pathological processes, can change its color “palette.” Let’s make a Pantone-type guide to help us interpret the color of our stools:
Verde: Spinach, broccoli and other foods rich in chlorophyll can cause a greenish coloration. But also Salmonella, a bacteria that you have surely heard of and that can cause gastroenteritis. So? If you are feeling well and have eaten spinach, you should not worry. If not, and if you also suffer from diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or fever, be suspicious and seek medical attention.
Orange: Foods rich in beta-carotenes like carrots or pumpkin They can dye the stool this color. So do rifampin – a drug widely used to treat mycobacterial infections such as tuberculosis – and some antacids.
Yellow: Suggests the presence of an excessive amount of fat in the excrement, which may be due to intestinal absorption problems (as in celiac disease and SIBO) or a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes or bile. If there is excess fat, the stools will also shine and float.
Blanco: Whitish, pale or grayish stools warn of liver or gallbladder disorders.
Rojo: It can be explained by small remains of undigested food, such as the skin of tomatoes or red peppers, but also by the presence of blood in the stool. Small red threads on the surface are usually an indication of hemorrhoids or fissures. If blood is mixed with the stool, we should think about intestinal inflammatory processes or the presence of polyps or tumors.
Negro: Although it may seem strange, it can also be due to the presence of blood. In this case, it corresponds to remains of bleeding in the upper reaches of the digestive tract: as it is “digested” in its transit, the blood acquires a dark color close to black. These feces, which we clinically call «manes», they usually give off a very strong odor and remain very attached to the toilet. Other causes of black stools may be the consumption of drugs such as iron or foods such as squid ink, beets or blueberries.
Consistency: the Bristol Scale
Consistency is a key piece of information in evaluating intestinal health, and depends fundamentally on water content. When intestinal transit is rapid, water absorption is limited, resulting in liquid or semi-liquid stools. And if said transit is slow, absorption occurs in all sections of the intestine and the feces become dehydrated, becoming harder.
To measure consistency we have an ordinal scale, the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), which classifies stools based on their consistency and shape, from the hardest (type 1) to the softest (type 7).
The description of the appearance of each modality at a glance is as follows:
Type 1: Hard and separated fragments, like nuts, difficult to evacuate.
Type 2: Sausage-shaped, composed of visible fragments.
Type 3: Shape of sausage or blood sausage, with cracks on its surface.
Type 4: Sausage or snake shape, soft and smooth.
Type 5: Pieces of doughy dough, with well-defined edges and easy to evacuate.
Type 6: Soft and spongy fragments, with irregular edges and a soft or pasty consistency.
Type 7: Watery stools, without solid fragments, completely liquid.
Types 1 and 2 are abnormally hard stools and usually point to constipation, while types 6 and 7 are considered too liquid stools, compatible with diarrhea. This positions types 3, 4 and 5 as normal. The ideal is assigned to type 4.
Dare to monitor your health without apps and include this small color guide and the simple Bristol Scale in your daily life. Look before flushing the toilet and if you detect any warning signs, consult your nurse, nutritionist, family doctor and/or digestive system specialist or gastroenterologist.
Article published in The Conversation.
Esther Martínez Miguel: Director of the Degree in Nursing. Faculty of Life and Natural Sciences, Nebrija University
Silvia Gómez Senent: Digestive System Doctor. Professor in the Nursing Degree, Nebrija University
#Dont #flush #toilet #fast #color #consistency #stools #reveal