Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

Um, black stool can come from benign places. So an example is bismuth. So like Pepto-Bismol. So you have a, you have a stomach ache and then you take some Pepto-Bismol. And, um, so, but the issue with this is it'll actually give you black stool. So if you're having a bad stomach for a couple of days in a row, it could turn black.

But the other thing that turns your stool black that people need to know about is a slow GI bleed. bleeding into your stomach specifically, because that bleeding is happening higher up in your intestines and then it has to pass all the way through like intestinal transit time, right? Because there's such a delay, by the time it gets down to your rectum, it's now black, it's not red anymore.

But the other thing that turns your stool black that people need to know about is a slow GI bleed. bleeding into your stomach specifically, because that bleeding is happening higher up in your intestines and then it has to pass all the way through like intestinal transit time, right? Because there's such a delay, by the time it gets down to your rectum, it's now black, it's not red anymore.

So black stool can be indicative of bleeding. The way that we can differentiate this is when it's blood, it smells terrible.

So black stool can be indicative of bleeding. The way that we can differentiate this is when it's blood, it smells terrible.

Yeah. Well, you don't have to stick your nose into it. It's so clear. Like it will be so clear.

Yeah. Well, you don't have to stick your nose into it. It's so clear. Like it will be so clear.

Okay. When I'm in the hospital, I will be walking through and I can literally tell when a consult is coming because I can smell this diagnosis.

Okay. When I'm in the hospital, I will be walking through and I can literally tell when a consult is coming because I can smell this diagnosis.

Yeah. So anyway, the stool will turn black. It will smell terrible and it will be like tar. That's what makes it different than if you were to, for example, take Pepto-Bismol.

Yeah. So anyway, the stool will turn black. It will smell terrible and it will be like tar. That's what makes it different than if you were to, for example, take Pepto-Bismol.