Characteristics Human feces

1 characteristics

1.1 classification
1.2 color

1.2.1 brown
1.2.2 yellow
1.2.3 pale or gray
1.2.4 black or red
1.2.5 blue
1.2.6 silver
1.2.7 green
1.2.8 violet or purple


1.3 odor
1.4 average chemical characteristics

characteristics
classification

the bristol stool scale medical aid designed classify form of human feces 7 categories. referred in uk meyers scale, developed k. w. heaton @ university of bristol , first published in scandinavian journal of gastroenterology in 1997. form of stool depends on time spends in colon.

the 7 types of stool are:

types 1 , 2 indicate constipation. types 3 , 4 optimal, latter, these easiest pass. types 5–7 associated increasing tendency diarrhea or urgency.

meconium newborn baby s first feces.

color

human fecal matter varies in appearance, depending on diet , health.

brown

human feces ordinarily has light dark brown coloration, results combination of bile, , bilirubin derivatives of stercobilin , urobilin, dead red blood cells. semisolid, mucus coating.

yellow

yellowing of feces can caused infection known giardiasis, derives name giardia, anaerobic flagellated protozoan parasite can cause severe , communicable yellow diarrhea. cause of yellowing condition known gilbert s syndrome. yellow stool can indicate food passing through digestive tract relatively quickly. yellow stool can found in people gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd).

pale or gray

stool pale or grey may caused insufficient bile output due conditions such cholecystitis, gallstones, giardia parasitic infection, hepatitis, chronic pancreatitis, or cirrhosis. bile salts liver give stool brownish color. if there decreased bile output, stool lighter in color.

black or red

feces can black due presence of red blood cells have been in intestines long enough broken down digestive enzymes. known melena, , typically due bleeding in upper digestive tract, such bleeding peptic ulcer. conditions can cause blood in stool include hemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulitis, colon cancer, , ulcerative colitis. same color change can observed after consuming foods contain substantial proportion of animal blood, such black pudding or tiết canh. black feces can caused number of medications, such bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in pepto-bismol), , dietary iron supplements, or foods such beetroot, black liquorice, or blueberries.


hematochezia passage of feces bright red due presence of undigested blood, either lower in digestive tract, or more active source in upper digestive tract. alcoholism can provoke abnormalities in path of blood throughout body, including passing of red-black stool. hemorrhoids can cause surface staining of red on stools, because leave body process can compress , burst hemorrhoids near anus.

blue

prussian blue, or blue, coloring used in treatment of radiation, cesium, , thallium poisoning, can turn feces blue. substantial consumption of products containing blue food dye, such blue curaçao or grape soda, can have same effect.

silver

a tarnished-silver or aluminum paint-like feces color characteristically results when biliary obstruction of type (white stool) combines gastrointestinal bleeding source (black stool). can suggest carcinoma of ampulla of vater, result in gastrointestinal bleeding , biliary obstruction, resulting in silver stool.

green

feces can green due having large amounts of unprocessed bile in digestive tract , strong-smelling diarrhea. can result eating liquorice candy, typically made anise oil rather liquorice herb , predominantly sugar. excessive sugar consumption or sensitivity anise oil may cause loose, green stools. can result consuming excessive amounts of green dye, such found in burger king s halloween whopper.

violet or purple

violet or purple feces symptom of porphyria.

odor

feces possess physiological odor, can vary according diet , health status. example, meat protein contains lot of sulfur-containing amino acid methionine, precursor of sulfur-containing odorous compounds listed below. odor of human feces suggested made following odorant volatiles:

methyl sulfides

methylmercaptan/methanethiol (mm)
dimethyl sulfide (dms)
dimethyl trisulfide (dmts)
dimethyl disulfide (dmds)


benzopyrrole volatiles

indole
skatole


hydrogen sulfide (h2s)

(h2s) common volatile sulfur compound in feces. odor of feces may increased when various pathologies present, including:

celiac disease
crohn s disease
ulcerative colitis
chronic pancreatitis
cystic fibrosis
intestinal infection, e.g. clostridium difficile infection.
malabsorption
short bowel syndrome

attempts reduce odor of feces (and flatus) largely based on animal research carried out industrial applications, such reduced environmental impact of pig farming. see also: flatulence#management, odor. many dietary modifications/supplements have been researched, including:

activated charcoal (in study found activated charcoal @ dose of 0.52g 4 times day did not appreciably influence liberation of fecal gases.)
bismuth subsalicylate
chloryphyllyn
herbs such rosemary
yucca schidigera
zinc acetate

average chemical characteristics

on average humans eliminate 128 g of fresh feces per person per day ph value of around 6.6. fresh feces contains around 75% water , remaining solid fraction 84–93% organic solids.

these organic solids consist of: 25–54% bacterial biomass, 2–25% protein or nitrogenous matter, 25% carbohydrate or undigested plant matter , 2–15% fat. protein , fat come colon due secretion, epithelial shedding , gut bacterial action. these proportions vary considerably depending on many factors such diet , body weight.

the remaining solids composed of calcium , iron phosphates, intestinal secretions, small amounts of dried epithelial cells, , mucus.