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  • Stool color changes from time to time for a variety of reasons. Typically, a change in color is no cause for alarm. There are times, though, when dark, black, or bloody stool can be a reason for concern.

    Food

    What you eat affects the color of your stool. Consuming black licorice, blueberries or foods high in iron can turn your stool dark, just as eating beets can turn it red. This is not a reason to worry.

    Medicines

    Anti-diarrhea medications such as Pepto-Bismol can turn stool black. This is another perfectly normal occurrence.

    Upper GI Bleeding

    Sometimes dark or black stool is an indication of bleeding in the upper portion of your gastro-intestinal tract. The digestive tract runs from your mouth to your anus. Upper GI bleeding causes dark stool because blood that has encountered the digestive juices of your stomach takes on a tarry appearance.

    Causes of Upper GI Bleeding

    Stomach ulcers, inflammation of the stomach's lining, and a tear in the esophagus are all potential causes of upper GI bleeding. In such cases consult your doctor so she can run tests to determine the source of the blood.

    Lower GI Bleeding

    Blood in the stool from your lower GI tract is often bright red in color, but it can be a darker maroon color. This can be caused by relatively minor ailments such as an anal fissure or hemorrhoids. Occasionally, though, the bleeding can be the result of colon polyps or cancer, a small bowel tumor, diverticulosis, or some other condition that requires medical attention.

    Source:

    Mayo Clinic Stool Color Assessment

    University of Tennessee Medical Center on Bloody or Tarry Stool

    University of Maryland Medical Center on Bloody or Tarry Stool

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