4. Paper-white Stools

Gallbladder problems cause the flow of bile to slow down or stop, preventing it from reaching the gut. Normally, the concentrated bile found inside the gallbladder is released into the small intestine where it helps digest fat, during which, bilirubin, a yellowish-brown pigment contained in bile, is released and gets converted into stercobiilin, the substance responsible for the stool’s characteristic brown color.

When bilirubin fails to reach the gut, its conversion to stercobilin is prevented, leaving stools grayish-white because of the absence of the brown pigment.