What causes black stool?
Oct 14, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhao Haiming
Introduction
Passing black stool can be caused by diet, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastric ulcers, and other factors. Iron-containing foods entering the intestine form black iron sulfide, leading to black stool. Mechanical injury, gastrointestinal diseases, or systemic bleeding disorders may cause gastrointestinal bleeding, resulting in black stool. Gastric ulcers on the stomach lining can progress continuously, leading to gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation, which also causes black stool.
Passing black stool may be due to dietary factors or conditions such as gastrointestinal bleeding or gastric ulcers. It is recommended to seek medical evaluation at a hospital for an accurate diagnosis.
1. Dietary factors
Regular consumption of iron-rich foods such as pork liver, animal blood products, and mulberries can lead to the formation of black ferric sulfide in the intestines, resulting in black stool. This is a normal phenomenon and generally not a cause for concern.
2. Gastrointestinal bleeding
Mechanical injury to the digestive tract, digestive diseases, or systemic bleeding disorders may all lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, causing symptoms such as black stool, vomiting blood, and fever.
3. Gastric ulcer
Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), poor eating habits, or infection with Helicobacter pylori may cause ulcers in the stomach lining, leading to symptoms like stomach pain and bloating. As the ulcer progresses, it may eventually result in complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation, leading to black stool and hematemesis (vomiting blood).
