Why Is My Poop Light Brown? Causes & When It’s Serious

Key takeaways:

• Light brown poop can be normal due to dietary changes and habits but can also indicate digestive issues.
• In some cases, light brown poop may signal more serious health concerns related to the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas especially if accompanied by other symptoms.
• Experiencing light brown poop for more than a few days warrants a consultation with a healthcare provider.

Poop color can tell us a lot about the health of our gastrointestinal tract. Among the various colors that stool can take on, light brown poop is probably one of the more common and less concerning shades you can see.

While many people may experience light brown stools at some point, understanding what causes this color can help determine if it is a normal variation or a sign of an underlying issue. In this article, we will explore the possible causes of light brown poop, what its appearance may indicate based on consistency and other symptoms, and when to speak to your healthcare provider.

Is light or pale brown poop normal?

Light brown poop can be considered normal in many cases. The typical color of stool is influenced by bile and food, which can vary significantly based on dietary choices and other factors.

Light to dark brown is fairly normal but if you are consistently experiencing light or pale stools, you may want to investigate further.

Causes of light brown poop

There are many different potential causes for light brown poop. Below are some of the most noteworthy causes that should prompt receiving care from a healthcare provider.

Steatorrhea

Steatorrhea is defined as an increase in fat excretion in the stool. It is a clinical feature of fat malabsorption and can be caused by underlying conditions such as celiac disease and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

When poop contains a large fat content, it tends to be pale brown in color, loose, and malodorous. These conditions need to be addressed either with dietary changes, medication, or sometimes procedures in order for the symptoms to resolve.

Bile production and obstruction

Stool gets its normal brown color from bile which is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Biliary obstruction occurs when the bile ducts are blocked, preventing bile from reaching the intestines.

Gallstones, tumors, or inflammation are a few reasons that bile ducts may become obstructed. Bile production may be reduced or impacted when a person has a chronic liver disease such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. The lack of bile in the digestive tract can lead to pale or in some cases even white stool.

Medications

There are a few medications that can cause your stool to temporarily be lighter in color, and in extreme cases even white, until your body metabolizes the medicine.

Barium which can be used for imaging studies of the gastrointestinal tract is white in color and can cause pale-colored stools. Medications containing aluminum hydroxide (such as antacids) can also cause white or pale-colored stools.

Many antibiotics are also commonly known to cause gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea which may be lighter in color due to rapid transit through the intestines.

Malabsorption

Light brown or pale poop may indicate a malabsorption issue, particularly related to the malabsorption of fat or carbohydrates.

Liver disease, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and chronic pancreatitis are a few examples of disease processes that cause malabsorption.

What light brown poop may mean based on appearance, consistency, or another symptom or condition

Light brown or pale poop can indicate different health conditions and the cause needs to be properly identified to receive correct treatment. Additional details about appearance, consistency, or other symptoms can help your healthcare provider narrow in on a possible diagnosis:

• Light brown and dark brown poop: If you notice a mix of light and dark brown poop, it may indicate a dietary variation and is typically not a cause for concern.
• Light brown and yellow poop: Light brown mixed with yellow may suggest a lack of bile or issues with fat digestion secondary to a chronic gastrointestinal condition or a malabsorption issue.
• Light brown and orange poop: Light brown poop mixed with orange can be due to excess fat in the stool, abnormalities with bile, or due to dietary choices. Certain medications such as the antibiotic rifampin may also cause orange stool as a potential side effect.
• Watery light brown poop: Watery light brown poop may be due to an infection such as gastroenteritis or food poisoning, or could be secondary to irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease.
• Soft light brown poop: Soft light brown poop can be caused by dietary choices and may be due to high fiber intake.
• Hard light brown poop: Hard, light brown stool may suggest dehydration in addition to insufficient bile reaching the intestines.
• Flaky light brown poop: Flaky poop is usually seen with constipation due to low fiber intake or dehydration.
• Light brown poop with mucus: The presence of mucus in the stool is a sign of inflammation in the intestines. The inflammation can be due to infection or due to chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease.
• Light brown poop while pregnant: If you experience light brown poop while pregnant, it is important to rule out conditions impacting the flow of bile. Pregnant women are prone to a condition known as cholestasis of pregnancy. which can lead to pale or light stool.

Read our guide on different types of stool for more.

When to see a doctor about light brown poop

Light brown poop may lead to some confusion as to whether this symptom is normal or requires an evaluation by a healthcare provider. Recognizing concerning signs can help you better understand when to seek medical care.

You should see a doctor if:

• The change in stool color persists for more than a few days.
• You experience other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, or diarrhea.
• You are pregnant and experience light brown poop.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You notice blood in your stool.
• You experience severe abdominal pain or cramping.
• You are experiencing a fever with your light stool.

Questions to ask your doctor about light brown poop

• What could be causing my light brown poop?
• Is this symptom linked to my diet? And if so, what dietary changes can I make?
• What options are available to manage this symptom?
• What red flags should I look for that would indicate the need for a follow-up?

How to stop or treat light brown poop

Many of the cases reviewed above require some type of intervention to make this symptom go away.

Dietary changes

Increasing fiber intake through fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help normalize stool consistency and color.

Staying well-hydrated is also important. Foods high in fat are often harder to digest leading to a rapid transit through the gastrointestinal tract that results in loose, lighter stool. Minimizing intake of foods high in saturated fats can be helpful.

Address the underlying cause

Many causes of light brown poop are related to an abnormality somewhere within the gastrointestinal tract.

Whether the reason is due to malabsorption from a chronic condition such as inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease, or due to an obstruction from gallstones or inflammation of the biliary duct, the symptom will not resolve until the cause is treated.

Frequently asked questions: light brown poop

You may still have some questions regarding your light brown poop. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about this symptom.

Is light brown poop unhealthy?

Light brown poop is not necessarily unhealthy. It can be a normal variation based on diet and other factors like medications.

However, if light brown stool is accompanied by other symptoms or lasts more than a few days, this would not be considered normal or healthy stool and should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

Can stress cause light brown poop?

There is a known connection between stress and digestive abnormalities. Irritable bowel syndrome leading to bowel movement urgency and diarrhea is commonly linked to stress.

When stool moves through the digestive system too quickly, it may not contain as much bile as normal stool and can be a lighter brown color.

What foods or drinks cause light brown poop?

Highly fatty foods are known to cause loose stools that are often lighter in color due to the rapid transit through the gastrointestinal tract.

If you have an issue with malabsorption due to celiac disease, eating foods containing gluten can also be responsible for light brown stool.

Conclusion

Understanding the factors that influence stool color can help you identify potential issues related to your digestive health. While light brown poop might be benign and related to your dietary choices or medications, being aware of more serious causes can help you understand when it is time to see your healthcare provider.

The biggest take home from this article is that light brown poop is rarely due to an emergency, but if it lasts for more than a few days, something might be going on that warrants an evaluation.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Lane Thaut, DO.

Sources

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