Can high bilirubin levels lead to lighter stool color?

Elevated bilirubin levels may lead to lighter stool color. Bilirubin is one of the main components of bile, and its metabolic abnormalities can affect the color of feces, usually associated with liver and gallbladder diseases or hemolytic diseases. When bilirubin is high, if bile excretion is obstructed, a decrease in bilirubin in the intestine can cause the color of feces to become lighter or even clay colored. This condition is more common in biliary obstruction, such as bile duct stones, bile duct stenosis, or pancreatic head tumors compressing the bile duct. The patient may experience symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and sclera, and darkening of urine color. It is necessary to determine the cause through liver function examination, abdominal ultrasound, or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. In treatment, drugs such as Ursodeoxycholic acid capsules and Adenosine Methionine Succinate enteric coated tablets can be used to promote bile excretion. If necessary, surgery can be performed to relieve obstruction. Some hemolytic diseases, such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia and hereditary spherocytosis, have an increase in indirect bilirubin due to excessive destruction of red blood cells, but the color of feces is usually not affected when bile excretion is normal. These patients require targeted treatment for the primary disease, such as using acetate prednisolone tablets to suppress immune responses or undergoing splenectomy. If there is also liver dysfunction, it may indirectly affect the color of feces.

It is recommended that individuals with high bilirubin levels avoid high-fat diets to reduce liver burden; Moderate supplementation of vitamin K to prevent coagulation dysfunction; Regularly monitor liver function indicators. If you find that the color of your stool continues to lighten or is accompanied by other abnormal symptoms, you should seek medical attention promptly to check for liver and gallbladder diseases.