Stools - pale or clay-colored

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Lower digestive anatomy

Stools that are pale, or clay- or putty-colored may result from problems in the biliary system (the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas).

The liver releases bile salts into the stool, giving it a normal brown color. You may have clay-colored stools if you have a liver infection that reduces bile production, or if the flow of bile out of the liver is blocked.

Yellow skin (jaundice) often occurs with clay-colored stools due to the buildup of bile chemicals in the body.

Possible causes for clay-colored stools include:

• Alcoholic hepatitis
• Biliary cirrhosis
• Cancer or noncancerous (benign) tumors
• Cysts of the bile ducts
• Gallstones
• Medications
• Narrowings (strictures) of the bile ducts
• Sclerosing cholangitis
• Structural problems in the biliary system that are present from birth (congenital)
• Viral hepatitis

There may be other causes not listed here.

Review Date: 08/14/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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