If my stool is not red after eating dragon fruit, but there is blood in it, what could be the reason?

It is common for stool color to change after consuming dragon fruit, as the natural pigment betalain in dragon fruit is not easily digested or absorbed by the human body and may cause the stool to appear red or pink. However, this is usually harmless. If, instead of red stool, blood is present in the stool, it may indicate gastrointestinal bleeding. Gastrointestinal bleeding can be caused by various factors, such as peptic ulcers, allergic enteritis, or intestinal tumors. This kind of bleeding typically presents as bright red or dark red blood in the stool, or the stool may appear black. The location of the bleeding source can be inferred from the color and consistency of the blood in the stool; bright red blood usually indicates a bleeding site near the anus, while dark red or black stool may suggest bleeding from a more distant part of the digestive tract. Apart from gastrointestinal bleeding, other intestinal diseases such as hemorrhoids or anal fissures can also cause blood in the stool. These conditions are often accompanied by other symptoms like anal pain or itching.

When encountering blood in the stool, it is important to seek timely medical evaluation at a hospital, where professional tests such as endoscopy or fecal occult blood testing can help determine the exact cause, followed by appropriate treatment.