Certain traits of your excrement, or poop, could provide insights on your health, depending on its appearance and color -- and now its texture could give a clue on the state of your liver.

A fatty liver can suffer from inflammation, which causes symptoms such as fatigue and even discomfort around the upper abdomen. Even worse, when the condition progresses and leads to scarring of the liver tissues, it could reflect in the texture of your poop.

A Porta-Potty on a Camping Site
(Photo: Photo by Natalie Behring/Getty Images)
A porta-potty waits for eclipse campers on August 20, 2017, at the rodeo grounds in Tetonia, Idaho. A simple yet easily overlooked sign of impending liver problems is in the texture of a person's excrements.

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Signs of Liver Problems Beyond Poop Texture

News outlets such as Express UK reported an article from Medical News Today about how a tar-like texture to the poop could be an indicator of cirrhosis. Specifically, a black tar-like consistency in poop, a condition known as melena, could be an indicator of liver cirrhosis. Melena, however, is a common symptom between at least two conditions: cirrhosis and upper gastrointestinal bleeds (UGIB), as examined by a 2020 study in the Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology.

Additionally, a 2017 study led by researchers from the University of California - San Diego, published in the Cell Metabolism journal, promises to detect the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by examining stool samples. This takes the inspection a step further as the non-invasive procedure checks for the presence of the gut microbiome and its composition. 

Additionally, even loose stools - as the case with diarrhea - could be a sign of an advanced form of fatty liver disease, especially if it's accompanied by episodes of vomiting and nausea. According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, cirrhosis is a chronic disease resulting from the damage in the liver that has built up over time. Its other symptoms, aside from having a tar-like consistency, include the following:

  • General feelings of tiredness and weakness

  • Pain and swelling in the abdomen

  • Jaundice, or the yellowing of skin and eyes

  • Itchiness

  • Weight loss

  • Confusion, having difficulty in focusing and concentration, memory loss, and even hallucinations.

Fatty Liver: Risk Factors, Best Practices, and Quick Stats in the US

While diet and food intake is the most commonly known risk factor for developing non-alcoholic fatty liver, other risk factors toward developing the disease include genetic factors, smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, steroids, age, and even rapid weight loss.

The non-profit organization focused on promoting liver health and awareness, the American Liver Foundation, has issued a list of "tried and true" ways toward achieving liver wellness. This includes keeping a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, responsible drinking, and being aware of any NAFLD/NASH symptoms. 

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 4.5 million adults have been diagnosed with chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis based on a 2018 survey. This translates to 1.8 percent of the adult population in the country. Furthermore, out of these confirmed cases, there have been 44,358 recorded deaths or about 13.5 people for every 100,000.

 

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