Black stool after drinking wine

Wine may be consumed with dark foods that change stool colour, but a drink itself should not be assumed to cause tarry stool. Black, sticky stool with a strong odour can represent melena, or digested blood. Alcohol can irritate the stomach in some people, and gastritis or a peptic ulcer may cause upper digestive bleeding. Helicobacter pylori infection is another condition a clinician may consider.

Avoid further alcohol until the cause is clear and record what you ate, drank, and took before the stool changed. Include aspirin, anti-inflammatory pain relievers, iron, and bismuth products in your medicine list. Arrange prompt medical advice for unexplained black stool. Do not rely on water, food changes, or an over-the-counter remedy to treat possible bleeding.

Go to emergency care for faintness, dizziness, severe weakness, confusion, severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, or coffee-ground vomit. Prompt assessment is needed if stool remains black, becomes tarry, or recurs, particularly with ulcer history or blood-thinning treatment. Do not drive if you feel unsteady.

Ask whether food, wine-associated meals, or a medicine could explain the colour and whether you need tests for bleeding. Ask about gastritis, peptic ulcer, and Helicobacter pylori infection, and which pain relievers or alcohol should be avoided while symptoms are assessed.