1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Unusual Colors of Stool - Pale or Clay-Colored Stool

By Amber J. Tresca, About.com

Updated May 14, 2006

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Stools that look like clay or putty may be caused by a problem in the biliary system. The biliary system is the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. This condition is also known as acholic stools.

The inability of the digestive system to absorb fat properly may result in stools that are light in color (yellow to gray) and appear greasy.

Causes

Bile is created in the liver and stored in the gallbladder and released into the first section of the small intestine (the duodenum) while food is passing through. Bile gives stool its brown color, so if bile is not being produced or if the bile ducts are blocked, the result could be stool that is pale.

Common causes of stool that is pale or clay colored include:

  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Biliary cirrhosis
  • Birth defect
  • Cysts
  • Gallstones
  • Hepatitis A,B, or C
  • Infection
  • Sclerosing cholangitis
  • Side effects from medication
  • Strictures
  • Tumor

Associated Symptoms

Clay colored stool may be accompanied by a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice) or darkened urine. If these symptoms occur, a physician should be consulted immediately.

Diagnosis

In order to treat pale stools, the underlying cause must be diagnosed. In addition to a complete medical history, some of the tests that might be used to make a diagnosis are:

  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Blood work to test for an infection
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  • Liver function tests
  • Surgery to find defects in the biliary tract
Treatment

Treatment will depend on the underlying cause. If the cause is the malabsorption of fats, a change in diet and vitamin supplements may be prescribed. In the case of blocked bile ducts, surgery may be required to open the ducts. If the acholic stools are a symptom of another condition, such as hepatitis, the underlying cause should be treated.

Explore Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
About.com Special Features

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  4. Related Conditions
  5. More Digestive Disorders
  6. Unusual Colors of Stool - Pale or Clay-Colored Stool>

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.