A 14-year-old girl has black stool—what could be the cause, and what should be done?
Jun 05, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Chao
Introduction
A 14-year-old girl may have black stools due to dietary factors, acute gastritis, acute enteritis, or other causes. This can be improved through general management and medication. Consuming large amounts of iron-rich foods or those containing melanin, such as black sesame seeds or dark chocolate, may cause black stools. This occurs because iron ions in the food are reduced to ferrous ions, which then combine with gastric acid to form black ferric sulfide.
A 14-year-old girl may have black stools due to dietary factors, acute gastritis, acute enteritis, or other reasons. Symptoms can be improved through general management or medication. Specific analyses are as follows:
1. Dietary factors
Consuming large amounts of iron-rich foods or those containing melanin—such as black fungus, black sesame seeds, and dark chocolate—may cause black stools. This occurs because iron ions in food are reduced to ferrous ions, which then combine with gastric acid to form black ferric sulfide. If no other symptoms are present, special treatment is not required.
2. Acute gastritis
Acute gastritis is an acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa. When the stomach lining is irritated, it may secrete excessive gastric acid, lowering the pH of gastric fluid. This acidic environment can cause hemoglobin in the blood to break down into melanin and iron, resulting in black stools. Patients may take medications such as amoxicillin capsules or omeprazole enteric-coated capsules under medical guidance.
3. Acute enteritis
Acute enteritis refers to acute inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. Intestinal inflammation may damage the mucosal lining, leading to the breakdown of hemoglobin into melanin and iron, thereby changing stool color. Patients may be treated with medications such as montmorillonite powder or ciprofloxacin hydrochloride tablets under a doctor's supervision.
In addition to the above causes, black stools may also result from conditions such as gastric ulcers, gastric tumors, or colorectal tumors. If symptoms persist, timely medical evaluation is recommended for further diagnosis and treatment.
