White, whitish or light faeces may be a sign of liver problems or bile ducts.
These problems can be diverse, including: hepatitis, hepatic cysts, gallbladder, tumors in the gallbladder or use of medicines.
Some diseases cause problems in bile, which is the drainage system of the gallbladder, pancreas and liver, leaving the stool lighter or with traces of white.
The bile contains a yellowish substance called bilirubin, which remains in the blood plasma until it is eliminated in the urine. Problems in the biliary system cause absence of bilirubin in the stool, making the stool lighter or even white in some cases.
In the case of hepatitis and cirrhosis, in addition to the whitish feces, the person also presents jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) and the disease may already be at a more advanced stage.
The normal stool color is dark brown. Any change in your color may be a sign that something is not right and the person should seek the general practitioner or family doctor.
