{"id":58758,"date":"2016-12-09T15:09:34","date_gmt":"2016-12-09T14:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.darmklachten.nl\/symptoms\/blood-in-the-stool\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T22:01:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T20:01:27","slug":"blood-in-the-stool","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.darmklachten.nl\/en\/symptoms\/blood-in-the-stool\/","title":{"rendered":"Blood in the stool"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What you need to know about blood in the stool<\/h2>\n

Under normal circumstances there is no blood in the stool, but the lining of the stomach and intestines is sensitive and can bleed easily. When ulcers, polyps, inflammation or tumors are present in the gastrointestinal tract, minor bleeding can occur. Blood in the stool is in many cases a symptom that may indicate various stomach or intestinal disorders. The traces of blood are usually not visible. Blood in the stool may, however, be noticeable when there is bleeding in the last part of the large intestine, as with hemorrhoids. It can also sometimes be visible in the case of inflammation. The blood is then often mixed with mucus from the intestine. To detect blood in the stool, two markers can be tested: occult blood and transferrin.<\/p>\n

Occult blood is a test that detects human hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.\u00a0 Another test that can be performed when there is blood in the stool is the transferrin test. Like hemoglobin, transferrin is part of the blood and is a transport protein for zinc and iron. It has a function in the defense of the mucous membranes because it binds iron molecules, making it harder for harmful bacteria that need iron to thrive.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

\"\"IMPORTANT: Legislation relating to occult blood testing<\/strong><\/span>
\nUnder the Population Screening Act, Darmklachten.nl does not offer the occult blood test. Under this law, the test may only be performed if the request is submitted by a BIG-registered physician (Individual Healthcare Professions Act – Wet BIG) under the following conditions:
\n<\/span>
\nThe patient falls outside the 55-to-75-year age group
\nThere is an individual request for care or a medical indication
\n
\nAre you concerned about colorectal cancer, for example because it runs in your family, or do you see traces of blood in your stool? Contact your general practitioner. In this article, we provide more information about the causes of blood in the stool and offer tests that are relevant to inflammation – where blood loss can be a symptom. After a positive occult blood test, an internal examination (endoscopy) will be needed to detect inflammation, polyps or colorectal cancer.<\/span><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

Symptoms associated with blood in the stool<\/h2>\n

When there is blood in the stool – visible or not – it may be the result of colorectal cancer or inflammation of the intestine. This is often accompanied by other symptoms such as:<\/p>\n