Symptom 5: Pale, Bloody, or Tar-Colored Stool
Changes in stool color can provide significant insights into your liver’s health, particularly when you’re dealing with NAFLD. Pale, bloody, or tar-colored stools are all abnormalities that shouldn’t be ignored. Pale stools, for instance, may indicate a lack of bile, a substance produced by the liver, which can be a sign of liver dysfunction.
Bile plays a crucial role in the digestion of fats, and it also gives stool its brown color. A lack of bile, resulting in pale stools, can be a clear indication that the liver is struggling with the excess fat typical in NAFLD, hindering its ability to produce and release bile.
On the other hand, bloody or tar-colored stools can be a sign of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. This can be related to liver disease, as the liver plays a role in blood clotting. When it’s not functioning properly, the risk of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract increases, which can lead to the presence of blood in the stool.
Any change in stool color, particularly when accompanied by other symptoms of liver dysfunction, should be taken seriously and requires immediate medical attention. It’s crucial to determine the underlying cause of the change in stool color to address any potential liver issues and prevent further complications.
As with other symptoms of NAFLD, addressing changes in stool color will often involve a combination of lifestyle changes and medical interventions. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight management can all play a role in supporting liver health and preventing the progression of NAFLD. (5)
