[charlie]

G

D MORNING i have a need to know!!what role does bile play in the digestive system, i am confused as to why the color change of stool with either ibs c or d, could bile play a part in either one, i feel that the color change has something to do with it,does bile help in the bowel movements ie to much or not enough bile? how can you tell if you have either? thankscharlie

 

[Guest]

To make a long story short, bile is a complex fluid which is secreted by the liver to both aid in the excretion of fat soluble metabolites and to aid in the absorption of fat soluble dietary substances.Bile plays a role in stool color. It is principally bilirubin and its breakdown products which produce this color. Secreted bile is normally yellowish to green. Gut bacteria breakdown bilirubin (and other things) which produce the characteristic brownish color normally seen. The longer it sits, the darker the brown typically becomes.

 

[charlie]

THANKS DR Jthe one thing that i dont understand is why most people have a stool color change when they get ibs, for example, i was fine until i got ibs, normal brown, c type ibs, ever since its gold/ rust with no diet change at all,how does ibs effect the liver or bile production? in a lot of people?in other words what would it take to get back to normal brown lets say, what the heck is outof wack I AM SOOOOOO CONFUSED THANKS CHARLIE ( BROWN) HA HA

 

[Guest]

Question on bilrubin for Doc J.My bilrubin has been slightly elevated for the past nine months. Docs say not a problem. What say U?

 

[Guest]

Charlie-Stop for a minute and think about the amount of time you've dedicated out of your life in the past week to the topic of stool color. This concerns me more than the color of your stool. Stool color in most may be a function of transit time and bacterial metabolism of bile pigments. Briefly put: faster=greener. To obtain the stool color of your choice, place drops of the appropriate food coloring in the toilet before a bowel movement. Titrate to desired hue.

Karl- Depends. Only the guy reviewing your liver tests knows for sure. It is common to see folks with mild elevations of bilirubin with normal liver enzymes. They most often have no underlying liver disease.