Most of the brown color of the normal stool is a result of old blood cells being broken down into a substance known as bilirubin and released by the liver through bile production into the intestines. The National Institutes of Health states that...
Autoimmune liver disease is a chronic condition wherein the immune system erroneously attacks and destroys liver cells. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports the disorder most often presents in young adults....
Rene Caisse, a Canadian public health nurse, developed the formula for Essiac tea in the 1920s. This herbal concoction was widely promoted as a holistic cancer treatment and remains popular today. According to the National Institutes of Health,...
Obstructive jaundice is a condition in which the bile produced by the liver has insufficient drainage into the digestive system. As a result, the bile backs up in the liver and the bloodstream. There are several possible causes of obstructive...
Liver problems include conditions that adversely affect your liver. You need a healthy liver for the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients and to properly eliminate toxins in your body. Symptoms of an unhealthy liver include pain and...
According to the Hepatitis B Foundation, the hepatitis B virus transmits itself through body fluids such as blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex, used needles or from a mother to infant during delivery. Failure to diagnose and treat hepatitis B...
The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that is located below your liver. The gallbladder stores bile, a liquid produced by the liver. Before meals, the gallbladder is usually full of bile and has a full pear shape. After meals, it becomes...
Stool color can change daily. The color of your stool usually changes based on your diet, as well as by the amount of bile in your stool, according to MayoClinic.com gastroenterologist Dr. Michael F. Picco. However, yellow stool, also known as...
Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that causes harsh immune reactions to the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Infants with celiac disease may exhibit digestive symptoms, such as diarrhea or vomiting, failure to...
The liver is a crucial organ. It is about the size of a football and is located on the right side of the abdomen under the rib cage. It helps to digest food, absorb nutrients and remove toxins. While it is usually able to heal itself after...
Yasmin is a form of hormonal birth control. A woman on Yasmin must take 21 active pills followed by seven inactive pills. During the inactive pills, she will have her period, which is why Yasmin is sometimes used to regulate a woman's menstrual...
Malabsorption is a broad term used to describe the body's inability to absorb nutrients from food. It can affect one or many nutrients in the diet, including carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Weight loss often accompanies...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common chronic bloodborne viral infection in the United States. HCV causes inflammation of the liver and is passed from person to...
The liver is a highly resilient organ that can repair damaged cells at a high rate of turnover. However, viruses and diseases can damage the liver faster than it can repair itself. This may happen in a very short period of time, known as acute...
Piper methysticum, better known as kava, is an herb with sedative properties. It has been used for centuries in the Pacific Islands as an alcohol-like beverage and is valued today for its relaxing effects. Caffeine---a common stimulant found in...
Extra Strength Tylenol is an over-the-counter pain reliever that temporarily reduces fever and relieves pain due to conditions like headache, muscular aches, arthritis, colds and flu. The active ingredient in Extra Strength Tylenol is...
Inflammation, infection or damage caused by toxins or other physical or chemical changes can damage the liver and impair its normal functioning. Because the liver is responsible for so many functions in the human body--including filtering the...
Certain medical conditions can give a feeling of fullness without eating a single bite of food. This typically occurs with conditions related to your stomach and liver. Other conditions, such as gallstones or gallbladder disease, can make you feel...
The University of California, San Francisco writes that HIV antiviral medications help maintain the general health of the immune system. However, these drugs are not without side effects. Avert.Org explains that side effects vary from person to...
Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant that is sometimes used to treat epilepsy. It also may be used to lessen symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles that affects your nerve fibers and skin and causes burning pain. It's been...
Yellow stool, also known as pale stool, may be an indicator of a serious medical illness. There are several medical conditions that may cause yellow bowel movements. If bowel movements that are yellowish in color are seen, an examination by a...
Damage to the liver may originate from a number of different diseases and conditions. The liver plays a key role in the proper functioning of the body by aiding in digestion and filtering toxic substances. Damage to the organ may result in a...
High levels of cholesterol in the blood, also known as "hypercholesterolemia," can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. High cholesterol levels occur by eating foods containing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is present in foods...
Excessive consumption of alcohol occurring for a prolonged period of time may eventually cause liver damage. MedlinePlus indicates that the longer an individual abuses alcohol, the greater the likelihood that liver disease will develop. Once...
Brown, black and even green are normal colors for stool, but never pale white. White stool can be a sign of serious problems in the digestive tract. A variety of diseases and conditions can cause stool to turn pale or white. Consult a medical...
The color of your bowel movements, or stools, can change every day, but normally it's some shade of brown. Mustard yellow or pale stools in adults may indicate certain health conditions or may be due to medication. Babies may have yellow stools,...
Gallbladder attacks are often caused by rapid weight loss. That's because those who are overweight or obese often have a large amount of cholesterol in their body. If you lose a large amount of weight in a short time, your liver may release some...
Breast cancer may originate within the lobules, ducts or the nipple of the breast. If not detected early, breast cancer becomes more aggressive and invasive, and eventually gains the ability to metastasize, or migrate to distant organs in the...
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the medicinal herb kava has been used for centuries in the South Pacific. Since the 1700s, this potent product has steadily gained popularity in Europe and North America. In the U.S., kava...
The bile duct is a long tube-like structure that connects the liver to the intestine and transports bile. Learn about bile duct cancer including possible causes, and treatment options for bile duct cancer in this video.
