Yellow diarrhea (bright yellow diarrhea) & what causes this pale bowel movement

When looking at causes of this bright yellow diarrhea, these can be split into intra luminal causes (within the bowel itself), small bowel causes (problems within the small bowel lining) or extra-luminal causes (outside the small bowel). If you have any more questions or concerns about this, you might like to use the free online doctor advice service or virtual doctor for more information.

Below is a list of potential causes of this pale bowel movement:


Intraluminal causes

Small bowel bacterial overgrowth - excessive 'bad' bacteria growing in the small bowel which interferes with absorption of fat and other nutrients. Can result in nutrient deficiencies such as B12, folate, iron, Vitamins D,E,A and K.

Diet - Certain diet products interfere with fat absorption in the small bowel eg excessive Benecol use that reduces fat absorption in the small bowel

Drugs - many drugs can interfere with fat absorption eg Xenical, Cholestyramine

Idiopathic - Unknown cause

Small bowel causes

Small bowel Crohns disease - a form of inflammatory bowel disease

Celiac (Coeliac) disease - a condition of the small bowel where the individual is sensitive to gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley with resultant damage to the bowel lining

Lymphoma - a form of cancer of the lymph glands

Small bowel malignancy - cancers arising from the small bowel eg adenocarcinomas, stromal tumours

Previous surgery of the small bowel

Infections

Radiation

Extra-luminal causes

Drugs

Pancreatic insufficiency - condition where the pancreas gland fails to produce the pancreatic enzymes needed to aid absorption of fat. Examples of this include pancreatitis, cancer

Chronic pancreatitis

Liver diseases

Biliary obstruction - conditions where the bile draining tubes (biliary tree) are blocked eg gallstones, strictures which can be benign or malignant, infections

Various investigations can be undertaken looking for a causes of these abnormal bowel movements including blood tests, stool culture, stool examination for fat, fecal (faecal) elastase testing, glucose-hydrogen breath testing, endoscopy and small bowel biopsy, small bowel meal and follow through, enteroscopy and capsular endoscopy. These will need discussion with your Gastroenterologist .

Treatment of yellow bowel movements depend on the underlying cause and it is best to discuss this further with your doctor. As previously mentioned, if you have any questions or concerns about this, you might like to use the free online doctor advice service or virtual doctor for more information.

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