Stool Reducing Substance Health Feed

Some foods with a black tint can cause you to have black stools. However, it can also happen due to various medical reasons like gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, colon polyps, stomach ulcers or esophageal varices giving it a rather dark appearance than its bright red colour.

It has been upheld by many medical studies that the appearance of one’s stool can tell a lot about their health and what illnesses and conditions they have. Similarly, a black stool (if not eaten something that could potentially change the colour of your poop) can tell that from where the blood is coming down. The farther the haemorrhage site is the darker the colour of your stool would be.

There are broadly two main reasons that may change the colour of your poop from normal brown to black;

Food or Medications 

• If eaten dark-colored foods like; blueberries, black licorice
• Iron supplements can also give it a black appearance
• Post-pregnancy medicines containing iron and folate supplements
• Newborn kids pass black stool during 24 hours of birth due to ingesting amniotic fluid, bile, and mucus 
• Breastfed newborn can also excrete black stool if mother’s milk is coming mixed with blood
• Medicines containing bismuth has also a potential effect on the colour of your stool

Medical conditions 

• After a surgery
• Stomach ulcers can discharge blood that get mix with your digestive fluids and may turn your poop black
• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding can also do the same 
• Esophageal varices is also one of the causes for black stool

Depending on what is causing the issue, there are many ways to treat black stools. If you have no symptoms and suspect that a certain food or medicine can be responsible for the black colour of your stool, you don’t need to be worried about it. 

However, if you have symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, or upset stomach along with black colour stool you should contact your doctor right away.

Home remedies for black stool treatment are among the most popular ways to lessen clinical symptoms at home. These treatments are generally secure and may be favoured when someone treats themselves without the assistance of a doctor or other specialist. 

The most effective preventative measures and treatments for black stools are;

• Drinking more water will keep you not only hydrated but might also help you with diarrhoea and bloody black stools from constipation
• As black stools are typical after drinking, stay away from smoking, drinking, vaping, and other hazardous substances
• Avoid using artificial food colouring because it can lead to more stools with black patches
• Avoid taking unnecessary over-the-counter medications since they may alter the colour of your stool
• Increasing the intake of high fibre foods can be the best course of action if you experience constipation and dark stools. A diet high in fibre can benefit your GI system and lower your risk of haemorrhoids or any other complications that might develop as a result
• Reduce acid reflux by consuming less spicy food and including fruits and vegetables in your diet
• Arugula, bay leaf, allspice, and basil are a few herbs that can help treat loose, black stools
• Carrots, avocado, almond milk, cooked apples, barley, acorn, acai,  alfalfa sprouts and apple cider vinegar are a few fruits and vegetables that you should think about including in your diet
• One of the most popular ayurveda remedies for black stools is almond-date drinks with cinnamon. You can also make a banana-cinnamon smoothie made with almond milk, or a pesto made of chickpeas and coconut to help you with black poop
• Avoid acai, anise, buckwheat, cardamom, and celery seeds as much as possible because they can induce tarry, black stools

Treatment for black stool in newborns

Mucusy, dark-colored stools could be an indication of a bacterial infection, and taking antibiotics as prescribed by a doctor could help. Anti-inflammatory or anti-bacterial medications should be used to treat strep skin infection, which frequently results in red spots in black stool.

Also, if the kid is taking Pepto-Bismol, which may turn his/her stool black, such a case also doesn't require any treatment.

Treatment for black stool in kids

If you notice your kid excreting thin or oily stools with gas, you can cure them with easy at-home remedies. A black stool or a black stool with blood and mucus, however, makes the situation more complicated. Cow milk colitis, a common cause of the illness, can be prevented by using formula milk in place of cow milk. 

In older kids, black stool problems can be healed by improving food, addressing constipation with medication, and staying hydrated.

Conclusion

Black stool with additional clinical symptoms may be a sign or indication of an underlying medical illness, hence, it’s always advisable to consult your healthcare provider if you are sure the black colour is not coming from something that you have eaten.