Gastric cancer is also called stomach cancer. It is an overgrowth of cells in the stomach, the organ responsible for holding and starting digesting of the food that you eat. Stomach cancer is uncommon in the United States but more common in other...
The liver produces bile and stores it in the gallbladder. The gallbladder excretes the bile into the small intestine to assist in the digestive process. This bile is what gives stool its typical brown color. Any shade of brown is acceptable for...
Although bathroom habits are typically a private matter, you might occasionally need to go public with your poop color. Typically, a healthy stool is brown and has a soft, formed consistency. When your stool turns bloody or black, it could...
Iron is a nutrient substance your body needs for purposes that include the transportation of oxygen in your bloodstream and normal growth and division in your cells. While some people get enough of this nutrient from dietary sources, others need...
Constipation is an unpleasant experience resulting in hard, infrequent stools. Constipation is defined as having three or fewer bowel movements a week. The stool is often dry and difficult to pass. The elderly, children and women are most likely...
Activated charcoal tablets are an over-the-counter treatment used to adsorb certain types of toxic or poisonous substances from the body. This emergency treatment can be used by humans and animals. Patients poisoned by ingesting gasoline, iron,...
Iron supplements are generally safe for consumption, but may have unpleasant side effects. Iron tablets invariably affect stools. Some level of color change in the stool is normal, but there are certain variations in feces that are cause for...
Coumadin is a blood thinner that prevents clots in the heart and in the blood vessels. When blood clots occur, an individual is more at risk for heart attacks and strokes. Known generically as wayfarin, Coumadin is given to patients with blood...
Stool color is a topic you may be hesitant or embarrassed to discuss with your health-care provider. Most people have what they consider to be their normal stool color, but when your elimination looks different from your expectations, you may...
Several factors can cause fecal matter to turn green. Green bowel movements can be attributed to the foods we eat, the medications we take, or a serious digestive disorder. It should be noted that any change in stool color should be reported to...
Normal stool color varies from brown to green. Your stool color might change based on changes in your diet, although color changes sometimes indicate a serious condition. Because of this, see your doctor if the abnormal stool colors are ongoing,...
Iron is a naturally occurring metal that is a vital component of several biological processes, including oxygen transport and cell growth. Many types of food contain iron, particularly meats, beans, spinach and whole greens. However, certain...
An ulcer is an open sore. Though there are a variety of types and locations on the body where they occur, peptic ulcers are the typical kind, with an estimated 10 percent of Americans developing one at some point, according to MayoClinic.com....
Niacin, also known as B3 and nicotinic acid, is one of the eight B vitamins. Niacin is naturally found in plant and animal foods. Niacin helps the body convert food into energy. It also helps the body make sex and stress hormones. Niacin...
Chlorambucil is a chemotherapy treatment used to treat cancers of the ovaries, lymph (fluid that carries white blood cells) and blood (leukemia). It can also treat nephrotic syndrome (kidney disorder) and uterine fibroids. According to Drugs.com,...
The adrenal glands produce hormones that affect the body differently. Cortisol, aldosterone and androgens such as testosterone are hormones produced by these glands. Adrenal insufficiency is a condition where the adrenal glands produce low amounts...
Charcoal has been used in medicine since the ancient Egyptians used it to absorb the odor of rotting wounds, Drugs.com states. Useful for its ability to absorb impurities, charcoal plays an important role in filtering drinking water and treating...
Having bloody stool sends adults to the doctor's office for fear that they have colorectal cancer, but the presence of blood in infants' stool is rarely tied to such a serious disease. Common health issues in infants are the likely cause, and in...
Colonoscopy is an internal examination of the large intestine using a small camera attached to a flexible pipe, or a colonoscope. This procedure can also take tissue samples of the colon in order to look for a microscopic changes or abnormalities....
Bloody stools, medically known as hematochezia, is an alarming condition that can be a sign of a serious medical illness. These stools can actually be bright red or even black in color. Sometimes, the stool may be normal in appearance but contain...
Black stools get their color because of the presence of blood in the stool. The blood turns black because the bleeding comes from the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract---which includes the esophagus, stomach and upper part of the small...
Iron deficiency anemia is often treated with iron supplements. These supplements contain ferric or ferrous acid, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, and are designed to replenish the body's iron stores. Iron supplements carry a few...
Iron deficiency is a form of anemia. Anemia is when the red blood cells don't have enough hemoglobin. It is the most common form of anemia. The decreased level of red blood cells doesn't allow oxygen to be distributed properly throughout the...
It may seem odd or even uncouth to examine your stool. Your stools, however, often reveal health problems you might otherwise miss. Before you flush, note changes in your stool and tell your doctor about unusual odors or composition, particularly...
Although scientific evidence is not conclusive, garlic is believed to have the potential for benefiting health in a number of areas, ranging from protecting against cancer to preventing heart disease to fighting infection. Garlic is low in...
Bloody stools are usually a sign of an injury or other problem in some part of the digestive tract. If this condition worsens when you eat foods containing lactose such as dairy products, it may be caused or aggravated by lactose intolerance. Only...
Cholesterolosis is the accumulation of cholesterol in the cells lining the gallbladder wall, the submucosal macrophages. The condition often occurs seen when the gall bladder from a person suffering from gallstones, or cholelithiasis, is...
You may need to take multivitamins sometime in your life if you cannot obtain their natural benefits through consumption of fresh vegetables, healthy meats and vegetables. Mineral and vitamin supplements contain many active nutritious ingredients...
The liver is the single largest organ inside the human body. It is also one of the busiest organs in there. The main function of the liver is to act as a filter for the blood, removing any impurity that may be present and releasing the fresh,...
