Is it normal to get very pale stools from drinking lots of milk?

Jennifer

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@peter88, my diet consists of raw A2 milk, raw A2 cheese, eggs, shellfish (scallops, crab), fruit (blueberries, black raspberries, heirloom strawberries, muscat grapes, watermelon, white peaches) and a variety of honeys.
 

peter88

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Sorry to revive this thread. I too, have found that even small quantities of milk – 2 cups a day, 1 cup of yogurt, and a block of cheese result in pale stools. It still sinks and is of no foul odour. I experience no negative digestive issues otherwise with dairy. When I discontinue the milk my stool returns to a typical healthy color the following day.

To stimulate bile flow I've regularly taken taurine, dark chocolate, coffee, and ox bile.. but to no avail. If anyone has insight as to why this happens or if it's of any sort of hinderance to my health, I'd really appreciate it.
Do you still have this? From what you remember has milk always given you this?
 

parallax

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Sometimes I have eaten almost nothing but low fat milk and dates, typically with a bit of steak for lunch. Anything over 1 gallon of milk per day would typically result in pale poos. Interestingly (to me), when I ate the same way but with more variety of fruits I would see more normal colored 'movements.'
 

Vileplume

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When consuming only milk, it is normal to have pale stools. In his book The Milk Diet: A Remedy for Chronic Disease, Dr. Charles Sanford Porter mentions how when patients start the milk diet, their stools are usually a pale whitish grey. Then over time, the stools become a light yellow. However, this is if drinking only milk. So I do imagine that milk usually lightens the color of the stool since some of the milk fat and protein isn't fully digested.

But usually, if you're eating other stuff with the milk, the poop will darken in accordance with that other food.
 

charlie

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Symptoms of Cholestasis:

Light-colored poop. You may also notice poop changes due to the absence of bile in your intestines. When bile can’t flow to your intestines to help break down fats, these fats come out in your poop. Fatty stools are whitish or clay-colored. Their light color comes from the absence of bilirubin, which usually makes them brown. They may also float and may be extra smelly.
 

Smitty

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Do you still have this? From what you remember has milk always given you this?
It's mostly gone away! I think unripe OJ was actually the culprit. I consume up to 2L of goat milk per day now and although it's more pale than a standard poop, it's not nearly as pale as it used to be.
 

peter88

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I was in communication with a RPF member who wrote Ray about having pale stools and Ray replied that “pale is normal with a milk diet.” I get yellow stools too with a milk diet and light brown stools with the inclusion of shellfish. I no longer have gallbladder disease and my stools don’t smell so the color seems to be due to heavy dairy consumption, in my case. I found this chart helpful:

Stool colorPossible causes (dietary or other)Should you see your healthcare provider?
Red stool
  • Beets, red wine, food coloring
  • Bleeding in the lower intestinal tract such as the large intestine or rectum
If you suspect blood in the stool, consult your physician
Blackstool
  • Blueberries, charcoal tablets, iron supplements
  • Bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract such as the stomach
Yes, if changes can’t be explained by food or medication.
Dark brown stool
  • Increased meat consumption
  • Low fluid intake
Usually harmless
Yellowstool
  • Antibiotics, dairy products
  • Inability to digest or absorb fat
Yes, if changes persist for several weeks or can’t be explained by food or medication.
White stool
  • Bismuth-based medications
  • Lack of bile
Yes
Green stool
  • Spinach, broccoli
  • Bacterial infection (e.g. by salmonella)
Yes, if accompanied by diarrhea
Orange stool
  • Carrots
Usually harmless

How did you correct your gallbladder disease?
 

Jennifer

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@peter88, with thyroid supplementation. Ray said in an interview that those with gallbladder disease are without exception chronically hypothyroid.
 

peter88

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@peter88, with thyroid supplementation. Ray said in an interview that those with gallbladder disease are without exception chronically hypothyroid.
Thank you. I have realized that my issue with dairy is the fat. I get constipated and pebble stools from dairy fat that go away if I stop but I have other problems with other sources of fat. Tallow, ghee, eggs, etc all produce their own problems which I believe is related to liver/gallbladder health.

I also cannot tolerate fruit. It makes me ice cold and have abnormal stools. I was feeling optimistic and tried doxycycline for 12 days and it did nothing for me. White rice seems like a much better carb source for me.

Taking larger doses of vitamin d helps with mood and my skin even though I get a lot of sunlight year round. I believe I’ve seen a post of yours saying thyroid fixed your vitamin d status which would match what I’m dealing with too. High cholesterol and high vitamin a levels too.
 

Jennifer

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Thank you. I have realized that my issue with dairy is the fat. I get constipated and pebble stools from dairy fat that go away if I stop but I have other problems with other sources of fat. Tallow, ghee, eggs, etc all produce their own problems which I believe is related to liver/gallbladder health.

I also cannot tolerate fruit. It makes me ice cold and have abnormal stools. I was feeling optimistic and tried doxycycline for 12 days and it did nothing for me. White rice seems like a much better carb source for me.

Taking larger doses of vitamin d helps with mood and my skin even though I get a lot of sunlight year round. I believe I’ve seen a post of yours saying thyroid fixed your vitamin d status which would match what I’m dealing with too. High cholesterol and high vitamin a levels too.

You’re welcome. :) Our experiences are similar. My doctor prescribed minocycline after a comprehensive stool test revealed I had a bacterial infection and it caused white, pebble stools and for the first time in my life, gallbladder attacks when I had fat, especially dairy fat, and too much fructose. You’re correct that thyroid fixed my vitamin D status. Despite being fair-skinned and sunbathing regularly, my level was chronically low (below 20 and as low as 6) prior to thyroid and now, my level stays above 50, despite getting far less sun, however, my diet has also changed a lot. It’s now much higher in fat and protein and much lower in carbs, and I don’t consume fruit.
 

peter88

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You’re welcome. :) Our experiences are similar. My doctor prescribed minocycline after a comprehensive stool test revealed I had a bacterial infection and it caused white, pebble stools and for the first time in my life, gallbladder attacks when I had fat, especially dairy fat, and too much fructose. You’re correct that thyroid fixed my vitamin D status. Despite being fair-skinned and sunbathing regularly, my level was chronically low (below 20 and as low as 6) prior to thyroid and now, my level stays above 50, despite getting far less sun, however, my diet has also changed a lot. It’s now much higher in fat and protein and much lower in carbs, and I don’t consume fruit.
Interesting about the minocycline. I took doxy for 12 days and my hemorrhoid issue is much much worse. Pebble poops eating foods that usually don’t cause issues and very bad bleeding when I go to the bathroom. K2 doesn’t stop the bleeding so I’m at a loss.
 

Jennifer

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Interesting about the minocycline. I took doxy for 12 days and my hemorrhoid issue is much much worse. Pebble poops eating foods that usually don’t cause issues and very bad bleeding when I go to the bathroom. K2 doesn’t stop the bleeding so I’m at a loss.

Oh my! That’s terrible. Have you tried an easy to digest, low residue diet such as juice and gelatinous broth with some fat (butter, tallow etc.) added for a few days to allow the hemorrhoid(s) a chance to heal and the bleeding to stop?
 

DanDare

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I have consumed dairy regularly over the years, so it is nothing new for my body, but I never thought to ask if the pale stools were normal. I just assumed that it was, but so much is off about my digestion, so I figured I'd come here to ask. I get VERY pale stools from milk (whole or skim), granted I am drinking a lot of it. I normally drink whole milk and not skim, but both of them give me pale stools. Right now I am experimenting with one gallon of whole milk per day and nothing else. My stools are a light yellowish beige. I have read that pale stools are often an indication that the liver is not making enough bile. Is this also the case with milk, or dose milk normally produce very pale stools? Like I said this is whole milk, which contains fats and should stimulate bile production. Also, the stools appear very clay-like. Thanks for any advice!

I had this. I don't know whether it was due to low bile or just the excess calcium in milk colouring the stool.
 

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