Characteristics of Human Feces

Depending on what we ate, we can expel different feces differing in size, color, density and smell.
Namely, those who eat fruits and vegetables regularly will have a more bright colored feces with a
smell which is not highly unpleasant. However, those whose diets consist mainly of meat will
experience their feces to smell extremely bad, being dark and most often hard. Liquid consumption,
frequency of eating, as well as many other factors, may all contribute to results of one's bowel
movement.
Good Signs
Bearing in mind all of the things mentioned above, experts have defined a type of feces which acts
as an ideal one, reflecting a healthy person. Starting from the very process of bowel movement, it
should go smoothly, without any additional pressure or effort. The feces should be bright, yellow or
brown, floating on the water surface. Additionally, the stool should not be in fragments, but rather
compact, cylindrical and soft.
Bad Signs
The first signs of possible infections or bad bacteria in your organism is lack of consistency. Liquid or
too watery feces, or those who sink down the toilet water indicate either the conditions mentioned
above, or hemorrhoids. Constipation may also influence the health behind your bowel movement,
possibly being the result of worms or other organisms in your intestines. Excessive sugar intake may
cause feces to expel bubbles while in toilet water. In general, watery feces are in most cases results
of diarrhea or similar conditions, and are mostly frequent and dehydrating.
Sticky and ooze-like excrements are most often a bad sign. These are results of either infections
caused by salmonella and the likes, or some fungi. Foul smelling excrements are usually connected
with the excessive protein intake, although, it may be a sign of some intestinal diseases.
Blood in one's feces followed by pain during bowel movement are all symptoms of some more
serious conditions and should be treated as soon as possible. Hemorrhoids, or even cancer may be
behind blood in one's stool. Extremely black or dark feces are also connected with intestinal bleeding
and require timely medical intervention.
Finally, any other unusual colored feces, red, extremely yellow or white, may all be connected with
parasite or bacteria infections, or conditions related to dysfunctions of certain organs. Thus, these
should be treated in shortest timespan possible.

http://ic.steadyhealth.com/healthy_human_feces.html

When bilirubin levels are high, the skin and whites of the eyes may appear yellow (jaundice).
Jaundice may be caused by liver disease (hepatitis), blood disorders (hemolytic anemia), or
blockage of the tubes (bile ducts) that allow bile to pass from the liver to the small intestine
Mild jaundice in newborns usually does not cause problems. But too much bilirubin
(hyperbilirubinemia) in a newborn baby can cause braindamage (kernicterus) and other serious
problems. So some babies who develop jaundice may need treatment to lower their bilirubin levels.

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/bilirubin-15434

Prehepatic (Hemolytic) jaundice

Occurs in case of hemolytic anemia.

Total bilirubin level is increased due to increased blood indirect bilirubin level.

The color of urine remains normal, because indirect bilirubin is bind to albumin, and
subsequently unable to pass the glomerular filter.

Higher level of blood indirect bilirubin, results in higher bilirubin uptake by the liver and
increased the rate of formation of direct bilirubin, and increased the direct bilirubin that pass to
the small intestine. This results in dark brown color of the feces.

The increased stercobilinogen level in the small intestine results in increase the
formation of urobilinogen, which is excreted in urine.

The most important changes in pre-hepatic jaundice are increased total and indirect
bilirubin in blood, normal urine color, dark brown feces and increased urobilinogen in urine.
http://education.advetresearch.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-jaundice/
In the absence of bile, fats become indigestible and are instead excreted in feces. In this case, the feces
lacks its characteristic brown colour and instead are white or grey, and greasy. This causes significant
problems in the distal parts of the intestine as normally virtually all fats are absorbed in the duodenum and
the intestines and bacterial flora are not adapted to processing fats past this point.
Possible causes for clay-colored stool result from problems in the biliary system, and may include:
* Cancer or benign tumors
* Strictures (narrowings)

* Congenital anatomic problems (present at birth)

* Gallstones
* Cysts
* Medications
* Sclerosing cholangitis
* Biliary cirrhosis
* Protein or infectious infiltration
* Alcoholic hepatitis
* Viral hepatitis (A,B, or C)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003129.htm

Steatorrhea is the medical term for fat in stool. Fat in the stool can cause bulky stool that floats, has
an oily or greasy appearance, and smells foul. Fat in the stool is fat that the digestive tract was
unable to absorb. Temporary steatorrhea may result from dietary changes or intestinal infections.
Steatorrhea that is persistent may result from diseases of the biliary tract, pancreas, or intestines.
Fat absorption is dependent upon bile (which is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder),
pancreatic lipases (enzymes that break down fat), and normal intestine function. Absence of bile is
often due to blockage of the biliary tract and can result in pale colored fatty stool and jaundice.
Absence of pancreatic lipases is uncommon, but can occur as a result of a diseased pancreas,
cystic fibrosis, or an abnormality that is present at birth.
Inflammation of the lining of the intestines, which may occur with conditions such as ulcerative colitis
(inflammation of the colon and rectum), Crohns disease (inflammation of the bowels), and celiac
disease (a severe sensitivity to gluten in the diet), can interfere with absorption of fats. Also, fat
absorption may be affected by surgical removal of a portion of the intestines.
Often, steatorrhea is a short-lived problem related to diet or infection; however, if it lasts for more
than a couple of weeks, becomes more severe, or is accompanied by other symptoms, it may be due
to a more serious condition. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you have bloody stool, black
or tarry stool, stool with pus, severe abdominal pain or cramping, or high fever (higher than 101
degrees Fahrenheit).

http://www.healthgrades.com/symptoms/steatorrhea

Steatorrhea occurs when the body cannot absorb dietary fats. Normally, when a person
eats fatty food, the fat is broken down by lipase, a digestive enzyme that is produced
and secreted by the pancreas.The digested fat is absorbed by the body, and any unused
byproducts of fat metabolism are excreted in stool.

For most people with cystic fibrosis, fat absorption does not work correctly because
cystic fibrosis interferes with the pancreas ability to secrete digestive enzymes, which
leads to a condition known as pancreatic insufficiency. When a person with pancreatic
insufficiency eats fatty food, the fat passes through the digestive system without getting
broken down or absorbed by the body. It mixes with the stool as it travels through the
intestines, and then gets excreted in its undigested form. This is what causes the
characteristic bulky, oily, foul-smelling stools.

http://cysticfibrosis.about.com/od/symptoms/a/steatorrhea.htm

The fecal occult blood test looks for the presence of microscopic blood in the feces,
which may be a sign of a problem in your digestive system.
Blood may appear in the stool because of one or more of the following conditions:

Benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) growths or polypsof the colon

Hemorrhoids (swollen blood vessels near the anus and lower rectum that can rupture,
causing bleeding)

Anal fissures (splits or cracks in the lining of the anal opening)

Intestinal infections that cause inflammation

Ulcers

Ulcerative colitis

Crohn's disease

Diverticular disease, caused by outpouchings of the colon wall

Abnormalities of the blood vessels in the large intestine

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-stool-testing-blood-fecal-occult-bloodtest