Introduction
Yellow diarrhea is caused by changes in the bowel movements. Diarrhoea is defined as a bowel movement that is accompanied by an increased frequency (at least three times a day) and/or an increased proportion of water (at least 75%) and thus a particularly fluid consistency. An increased stool weight can also be caused by the diarrhoea.
In addition, a yellowish coloration of the bowel movement occurs. In addition to this, the bowel movement may also have an altered odor. This combination of consistency, frequency, color and odor can already provide initial diagnostic indications.
What are the causes of yellow diarrhea?
For yellow diarrhea the following causes can be considered: Infection Gastrointestinal infection Bacterial disease Viral disease Rarely parasites, fungal infection, etc. Medication Antibiotics Organ diseases Intestinal diseases Chronic inflammatory tumorous liver diseases Gall bladder diseases Kidney diseases Food intolerance Food intake with a lot of yellow colorant Rotten food
- Infection Gastrointestinal infection Bacterial disease Viral disease Rarely parasites, fungal infections, etc.
- Gastroenteritis
- Bacterial Disease
- Viral Disease
- Rare parasites, fungal infestation, etc.
- Drugs Antibiotics
- Antibiotics
- Organ diseases Intestinal diseases Chronic inflammatory tumorous liver diseases Gall bladder diseases Kidney diseases
- Bowel diseases Chronic inflammatory tumor
- Chronic inflammable
- Tumours
- Liver diseases
- Gall bladder diseases
- Renal diseases
- Food intolerance Food intake with a high amount of yellow colorant Spoiled food
- Incompatibility
- Supply of food with a particularly high amount of yellow colorant
- Spoiled food
- Gastroenteritis
- Bacterial Disease
- Viral Disease
- Rare parasites, fungal infestation, etc.
- Antibiotics
- Bowel diseases Chronic inflammatory tumor
- Chronic inflammable
- Tumours
- Liver diseases
- Gall bladder diseases
- Renal diseases
- Chronic inflammable
- Tumours
- Incompatibility
- Supply of food with a particularly high amount of yellow colorant
- Spoiled food
Antibiotics are drugs that are effective against a variety of bacterial pathogens. The gastrointestinal tract usually contains many bacteria that are a natural part of the human body’s digestion.
By taking antibiotics, not only disease-causing bacteria (for example in tonsillitis, pneumonia or cystitis) are attacked by the drug. Instead, the natural intestinal flora also suffers from the antibiotic. Depending on the type of antibiotic, different bacteria in the intestine are killed, which leads to an imbalance of digestive bacteria in the intestine.
This alone can cause changes in the bowel movements – especially diarrhoea – and also lead to yellow coloring of the diarrhoea. Frequently, the bacterial imbalance can also lead to the proliferation of disease-causing bacteria in the intestine, which can cause a gastrointestinal infection with symptoms such as yellow diarrhea after antibiotics. Bile plays an important role both in digestion and in the metabolism of decomposition components of the blood.
Bile surgery can lead to a (temporary) lack of bile acids. Since bile acids are needed for the digestion of fatty foods, the absorption of these foods may be reduced after bile surgery. This can result in yellowish, light-colored, particularly fatty bowel movements.
The lack of bile acids also leads to disorders in the breakdown of blood components, which can accumulate in the intestines. This can cause the yellowish color of the diarrhea. Liver diseases in their advanced stages cause many metabolic disorders.
As a result, changes in the bowel movements often occur as well. Thus, liver diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver typically result in jaundice, a yellow coloration of the skin. This yellow dye, which is deposited in the skin, can also enter the intestines where it colors the bowel movements yellow.
The disturbed formation of many digestive enzymes can also change the composition of the bowel movement, which can lead to diarrhoea.In principle, yellow diarrhea can be an indication of cancer among many other causes. In the case of yellow diarrhea that cannot be explained by other causes, one should think of intestinal cancer, for example. Above all, this can influence the consistency of the bowel movements and thus lead to increased diarrhoea. However, liver cancer or a cancer of the gall bladder and ducts can also make itself felt in the form of yellow diarrhoea. In most cases, cancer causes additional symptoms such as significant weight loss, pronounced night sweats and recurrent fever (so-called B symptoms).
All articles in this series:
