Generality
Orange feces is a symptom often attributable to completely occasional changes related to feeding or taking certain drugs.
If it does not tend to regress within a day or two, however, this manifestation may represent an indication of some pathological problems and / or conditions, which typically affect the gastrointestinal system. Therefore, if the orange feces were to be repeated frequently or for a continuous period, it is advisable to investigate the causes through a careful medical evaluation and the most appropriate diagnostic investigations appropriate to the case.
What are
What is Orange Feces?
The orange feces represent an alteration of the normal brown color of the faeces. This symptom can be caused by various pathological and non-pathological conditions.
When orange feces occur sporadically, they should not be a cause for concern and, often, it is not necessary to resort to special care. Their occasional production can be related, for example, to the abundant consumption of yellow-orange foods, rich in beta-carotene . Even supplements that contain this pigment with an antioxidant action (such as those for tanning), taking rifampicin-based medicines or eating food dyes of a similar color may cause this alteration.
On some occasions, however, orange feces may be indicative of some gastrointestinal or systemic disorders. Among the conditions that may be associated with this symptom are some diseases of the liver and biliary tract . Clearly, these occurrences must be addressed with specific and targeted treatments.
Did you know that…
The color of the stools is a signal of the state of health not only of the digestive tract, but also of the organs involved in the digestive process: liver, pancreas and gallbladder (or gall bladder) .
Stool color: what is normal?
Understanding the composition of faeces is a fundamental step to understand the causes of their color alteration :
- The stools are composed of 75% water and the remainder from bilirubin, fats, proteins, undigested or indigestible food (this is the case of dietary fiber and cellulose), bacteria, cells of the digestive tract and mucus.
- As a rule, the color of the stools is brownish brown, more or less dark, although it may vary depending on the digested foods. This characteristic is mainly due to the presence of bile pigments escaped from intestinal reabsorption and metabolized by the local flora. The natural color of the faeces is due, in particular, to bilirubin, a substance contained in bile, derived from the degradation of red blood cells. Bile is a dense substance of yellow-green color, which is produced by the liver, preserved in the gallbladder and poured into the intestine, where it favors the digestion and absorption of food lipids.
- At the intestinal level, bilirubin is transformed first into urobilin, then into stercobilin by the intestinal bacterial flora: it is this latter substance which gives the faeces its characteristic brown color.
Causes and Risk Factors
What causes Orange Feces?
Nutrition - Orange feces are found rather frequently due to the abundant consumption of foods containing orange pigments, such as beta-carotene (carrots, apricots, etc.), and food dyes of similar color. The alteration of the more or less brown coloring of the fecal material can therefore be related to the diet. Foods rich in beta-carotene are recognizable as they are characterized by yellow-orange shades (carrots, pumpkins, apricots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, etc.).
Food supplements - Orange feces can be the consequence of taking food supports that contain carotenoids (including beta-carotene). These pigments with antioxidant action are found above all in sun supplements, specially formulated to strengthen the defenses of skin exposed to the sun and promote an intense and lasting tan. In particular, beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A, which is able to stimulate the synthesis of collagen and melanin, in addition to defending the skin from sunburn. Solar supplements based on this carotenoid are the most suitable when a more intense tan is desired.
Medications - Even taking some medicines can cause the evacuation of orange stools. Examples are the drugs based on rifampicin, a bactericidal antibiotic from the rifamycin group, used for the treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy and legionella.
Functionality of the digestive system - The orange feces can be dependent on a problem that occurs along the entire path between the mouth and the anus . In fact, during the transit, the food ingested undergoes a series of mechanical and chemical transformations due to the action of digestive juices, enzymes and bacteria. Consequently, a possible obstacle in the processing of food along its path can influence the efficiency of the digestive system, in terms of nutrient extraction, overall transit time, exposure to bacterial flora and composition of feces. The orange color can therefore result from digestive difficulties, malabsorption or other problems.
Diseases of the digestive system - Orange feces can signal the presence of a liver disease, gallbladder or pancreas . These conditions can induce, in fact, variations in the physiological concentration of enzymes, bile salts and gastric juices that supervise the digestive processes.
The variations in the composition of the stools and consequently of their color can result, for example, from:
- Gallstones (these concretions may form, for example, as a result of cirrhosis or hematological disorders);
- Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation);
- Inflammation of the bile duct (cholangitis), caused by bacterial infections or gall bladder stones;
- Biliary cirrhosis;
- Atresia, fibrosis or stenosis of the biliary tract;
- Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer);
- Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis);
- Hepatic cirrhosis;
- Liver tumor;
- Pancreatitis;
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (eg irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease);
- Celiac disease (or celiac disease) and other malabsorption syndromes (set of disorders of nutrient absorption during digestion);
- Infections of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Carcinoma of the colon.
Other causes - Orange feces can also occur in the presence of haematological disorders (eg sickle cell disease, thalassemia, etc.) and cystic fibrosis .
Symptoms and Complications
The orange feces manifest themselves with the evident alteration of the color of the droppings. This symptom may occur, depending on the underlying cause, as a sporadic manifestation (associated with a single episode), continuous or recurrent (it occurs until the underlying problem is solved).
Possible associated disorders
Orange feces can be associated with other symptoms that affect the intestine and the digestive tract, usually depending on the causes that caused the event in question.
Among the most common disorders it is possible to find:
- Changes in the frequency of defecation (diarrhea or constipation);
- Presence of mucus;
- Excessive fatigue;
- Loss of appetite;
- Unjustified weight loss;
- Nausea and vomit;
- Abdominal pains;
- Jaundice;
- Swelling;
- Flatulence.
Did you know that…
The color, texture and shape of the stools reveal information on the condition of the organism and on the correct functioning of the digestive system. For this reason, it is advisable to check faecal waste daily.
Diagnosis
In the event that the emission of orange feces should be repeated frequently and last for more than a couple of days, a thorough clinical evaluation is necessary, especially when the alteration is associated with fever or changes in intestinal activity .
At the origin of this symptom, important problems can be hidden, in fact. For this reason, it is of fundamental importance to act with a timely and, of course, correct diagnosis.
First of all, the diagnostic procedure involves anamnestic analysis and objective examination of the patient.
The doctor may ask you to carry out further investigations, which may include both blood and urine tests and the examination of the stools themselves.
Laboratory tests
In the evaluation of the causes of this symptom, the chemical-physical exams (malabsorption), culture (bacterial infection) and parasitological examinations of faecal material are useful.
Furthermore, in the presence of yellow stools, it is advisable to also perform general blood tests, such as:
- Hemochromocytometric (to exclude anemias);
- Liver function test;
- Pancreatic enzymes dosage.
The search for occult blood in the stool can be performed to look for blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract.
Other surveys
To determine the causes responsible for the orange feces, the doctor can indicate the execution of:
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) : endoscopic examination that allows the visualization of the inside of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum;
- Colonoscopy : allows to examine the inside of the colon, identifying polyps or cancerous lesions;
- CT or MRI : imaging studies useful to highlight some neoplastic lesions.
Treatment and Remedies
As for the treatment, the options vary depending on the cause that led to the appearance of the orange feces.
In many cases, it is not necessary to resort to special care, since these are absolutely temporary disorders, destined to resolve spontaneously . Other times, however, orange feces could be an indication of diseases that require specific therapies for their solution.
If the faeces are orange and the causes of pathological nature can be excluded, it is possible to regulate one's diet (for example, limiting the intake of food colors). To help solve the problem of orange stools, the doctor can indicate the intake of lactic ferments to regulate intestinal functions, through the normalization of the bacterial flora.
