Darker or black stools are often a cause for concern. Black stools can occur due to the food you eat or related to a disease that you may be suffering from.
Human feces or feces are metabolic wastes from the digestive system which can be solid or semi-solid (soft). Normal stool is brown. However, under certain conditions, you may experience black stools.
Various Causes of Black Stool
Many factors may cause black stools. These factors include:
- Consumption of certain foodsBlack stool is not always an indication of a serious illness, because the consumption of certain foods can also cause black stools. Consume dark blue, purple, and black foods such as blueberries and beets, for example, can make your stools black.
- Consumption of certain drugsIn addition to the influence of food, certain drugs can also cause black stools. For example, drug type bismuth subsalicylate contribute to the black color of your stool. Consumption of supplements that contain iron can also make stools black.
- Gastrointestinal bleedingIn some cases, black stools can be a sign of a serious illness, such as bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract (upper gastrointestinal tract).upper gastrointestinal bleeding). Bleeding may occur in the esophagus or stomach.
In addition to black stools, it will generally be accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting blood or vomiting black liquid resembling a coffee solution, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, dizziness and fatigue. One of the causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is gastric infection.
- Cirrhosis
Blocked blood in these veins can rupture and cause internal bleeding. Signs of internal bleeding can be seen from the condition of the vomit or feces of the sufferer.
If a person does not consume the foods and medicines mentioned above, but passes black stools, then there is a high probability that there is a health problem. To find out clearly what the cause and how to treat it appropriately, you should immediately consult a doctor.