If you ate beets and urine is red. The influence of natural dyes on the color of urine

20.08.2019

By the state of urine, one can often judge the general state of human health. That is why, during various preventive examinations, doctors prescribe a general urine test to patients, and if some diseases are suspected, more specific tests are prescribed, such as, for example, a urine test for sugar or bacteriological urine culture.

Physical properties of urine

According to the physical state, urine is characterized by quantity, transparency, density, color and smell:

Quantity

Daily urine output by a healthy person averages 1.5 liters. A significant decrease or increase in daily diuresis is the cause of disturbances in the normal functioning of the body. The absence of urine, or its amount is not more than 50 ml per day, is a serious threat, as it is a symptom of a number of diseases that require immediate treatment.

Transparency

A distinctive characteristic of the urine of a healthy person is its transparency. Insufficient fluid intake causes temporary cloudiness of the urine and is not a sign of any disease. As a rule, after taking the necessary fluid for the body, the urine becomes transparent. Muddy and frothy appearance of the urine is given by the protein, crystalline substances and pus in it, this is a symptom of various diseases.

Density

The presence in it, as well as substances that enter the urine due to intravenous infusion, leads to an increase in the density of urine. Renal and acute damage to the renal tubules are the cause of a decrease in the density of urine.

The normal color of a healthy person's urine ranges from clear white to straw yellow. Urine tends to change color depending on the time of day, the amount of liquid consumed, and also on the composition of the food. So, for example, morning urine is always darker than urine during the day, which is always lighter in color.

Smell

Normally, urine has a specific mild odor. Various diseases can change its smell. For example, in diabetes, urine smells like rotting apples.

Reasons for changing the color of urine

The color of urine can be affected by drugs used for various diseases, the presence of diseases and products containing dyes:

Brown-red color. Due to the admixture of blood in the urine with glomerulonephritis, kidney stones, and tumors.
Pink and reddish color. The reason for this color may be food with red pigments - blueberries, blackberries, red peppers, beets, pastries with rhubarb.
Yellow-green color. It is observed with a significant content of pus in the urine and while taking anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants. The reason for the green color of urine may be an increase in bilirubin, which is a signal of liver and pancreas disease. The greenish color of urine comes from eating asparagus and spinach.
White color. It is associated with a large amount of phosphates and calcium phosphate salts in the urine, which indicates a violation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism. In the presence of pus in the urine, its color may take on a grayish tint.
Bright orange color. It happens when taking medications that thin the blood, as well as when consuming a large amount of beta-carotene contained in carrots.

Red coloration of urine after eating beets

Many people are frightened when they see red urine after taking beets. But is there really cause for concern? There is no single answer to this question, and even experts have different opinions on this issue.

Some of them believe that red urine after eating beets is quite normal. Others say that in a healthy person, urine after beets does not change color, and red color indicates the presence of dysbacteriosis. There is also an opinion that the red color of urine after taking beets means that a person has problems with the kidneys. Another theory claims that urine staining after eating beets is one of the signs of iron deficiency anemia.

How to determine the cause of red urine

Remove all doubts from what the urine turned red (from the presence of blood in it or from beets) can be a simple and very quick way. A small amount of baking soda should be poured into the urine, and then table vinegar should be added. If the color from the soda has disappeared and reappeared after the addition of vinegar, then the cause of the red color of the urine is the beets eaten, and not the blood.

Attention should also be paid to the fact that urine, reddened from taking beets, is transparent, and has a cloudy appearance due to the presence of blood.

In order to determine whether there are actually diseases such as dysbacteriosis, iron deficiency anemia, or kidney problems, the symptoms of which may be redness of the urine after taking beets, you should consult a doctor. The necessary tests and diagnostics will help determine the cause of the change in urine color.

Thanks to the well-coordinated work of the human excretory organs, our body timely gets rid of toxic substances, toxins, harmful elements that come to us both with food and medicines. Sometimes urine and feces can change color. Organs such as the kidneys and intestines play a leading role in the process of cleansing the body of metabolic products.

The excretory system and its role in the body

During the life of the body, the kidneys act as a kind of filters, purifying the blood of everything unnecessary. As a result, the urine of a healthy person should have a well-defined volume, composition, color and smell, depending on gender and age. The parameters and components of the composition of urine may indicate certain problems in the body.

So, for example, the normal color of the urinary fluid is light-straw and transparent, without flakes and a strong odor. However, in some cases, the color range of urinary and fecal secretions may change and cause concern in people who first encountered such an effect.

Cause of reddish-pink urine after eating beets

A pink tint to urine can be caused by eating foods that have coloring pigments, such as beets and carrots. The main coloring pigment contained in beets is betanin, is the cause of these changes.
The thing is that this element is resistant to the aggressive effects of gastric juice and is evacuated from the human body through the excretory system, namely by the kidneys and rectum within 48 hours from the last time a healthy, bright root crop was eaten.

This phenomenon is considered a variant of the norm and does not pose a threat to life. After all, this property of coloring is skillfully used in the food industry and cooking as a natural vegetable dye. Since betanin is a chemical element from the group of glycosines, it has the biological ability to penetrate through the walls of the intestine into the bloodstream, and from there, subjected to repeated filtration processes, it is excreted through the urethra.

This substance also plays an important role in metabolic processes, helping to cleanse the body. And thanks to its antioxidant properties, it helps to increase immunity.

Where is the line between norm and pathology?

However, if after 48 hours the urinary discharge continues to surprise you with a purple color, and in addition to everything, you notice such symptoms of trouble in the excretory sphere as:

Frequent urge to urinate.
Chills.
Subfebrile condition.
Pain in the abdomen, lower back.
Note the presence of a cloudy suspension in the urine test.

All of these symptoms may indicate a pathological process and require timely diagnostic and therapeutic measures.

So, for example, in general analyzes of biological material, namely, in blood and urine, causes of a specific or non-specific nature that caused this kind of symptomatology can be found.

Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity will help to finally understand the diagnosis and begin adequate treatment.

If the source of infection is identified in the analyzes, antimicrobial treatment is prescribed, which in itself can cause pathological staining of urinary secretions. This is usually indicated in the annotation to the prescribed drug.

To date, there are anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs, many of which have a diuretic effect, helping to remove the infection from the body as quickly as possible.

It should be understood that the staining of urine itself is not abnormal, but if any of the symptoms listed above join it, it is urgent to seek medical help to exclude such life-threatening conditions as:

Urolithiasis disease.
Injuries and diseases of the kidneys.
Intoxication with salts of heavy metals.
Pyelonephritis and other problems of the abdominal organs.

When to sound the alarm?

Another reason for urgent hospitalization are the following conditions:

A change in the state of consciousness associated with a change in the color of urine.
Increased fatigue with a rational mode of sleep and wakefulness.
Sticky sweat, skin cyanosis.

These pathological conditions should not be ignored, as untimely medical care can lead to disastrous results.

Despite all the apparent negative consequences, you should not neglect and exclude a healthy tuber from your diet, because its regular use not only normalizes intestinal motility, but also contributes to the overall strengthening of the body, and it is recommended to include this product in the children's menu.

Is it normal to have red urine after eating beets? Ideally, urine has a yellow color and a specific smell, but in some cases, its shade can change. The color of urine is affected by the food and drinks consumed, but it can also give an unusual color and various ailments in the body. You can find out the true cause of the deviation from the norm only by submitting biological material for analysis to the laboratory.

Staining urine from beets is normal.

Can urine be stained from beets?

Does this bright root crop stain the urine of a child and an adult? If it was noticed that the urinary fluid turned red or turned pink after eating beets, then it is likely that this particular product provoked the staining, since a change in the color of urine is considered to be its side effect. However, the shade of urine does not always change due to concentrated vegetables, so you need to monitor how long it lasts and how often red urine appears.

Causes of urine coloration

Why does the urinary fluid turn red after a meal in which beets were present? It is believed that this vegetable can change the color of urine in adults, children, men and women, as it has the strongest pigment, the excretion of which is carried out by the kidneys with urine. The opinions of doctors differ, and if some believe that it is bad when urine turns red after taking beets, then others argue that changing the color of urine when coloring foods are the cause of the transformation is the norm and there is no threat to human life.

Doctors believe that urine can be red from beets if the person who ate it was diagnosed with dysbacteriosis. They say that in a healthy person, urine will not change its color after eating a bright root crop. Reddish or is a symptom of serious ailments, and occurs due to the penetration of blood into it during bleeding of the organs of the genitourinary system. But the opinion that there is red urine from beets has the right to exist, and not always the cause of colored urinary fluid is pathological changes inside the body. In addition to beets, the urine of a woman and a man is able to color rhubarb, carrots and other foods, which contain pigments that change the shade of the urinary fluid.

The burgundy color of urine after eating beets is due to the presence of strong coloring components in the vegetable.

Causes of the red tint

In some cases, after eating a vinaigrette, in the recipe of which the main ingredient is beetroot, the urine changes its color and becomes not habitually yellow, but red. Based on this, many are interested in why it acquires such a shade? There is a transformation of the urinary fluid into a purple color due to the presence of a group of betacyanins in the root crop, in which betanin performs the function of color saturation. It is even used as a natural food coloring to give food a bright red or blue-violet color.

In an acidic environment, the pigment is sensitive to oxidative degradation, so the color of the urine depends on the time required to process the root and the acidity of the stomach. Therefore, red urine after eating beets is normal, since betacyanins are not decomposed in every person in the digestive system. After that, the compounds are absorbed into the large intestine through the intestinal walls, and then, penetrate into the blood, pass the filter by the kidneys and enter the urine. It is possible that the degradation of betacyanins is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. But there are other conditions under which beets color the urinary fluid:

the volume of diuresis affecting the concentration of the coloring agent:
medicines that change stomach acidity;
other food products containing a large number of coloring components;
the presence of oxalic acid in food.

Can urine be stained from beets?

Causes of urine coloration

Doctors believe that urine can be red from beets if the person who ate it was diagnosed with dysbacteriosis. They say that in a healthy person, urine will not change its color after eating a bright root crop. Reddish or pink urine is a symptom of serious ailments, and occurs due to the penetration of blood into it during bleeding of the genitourinary system. But the opinion that there is red urine from beets has the right to exist, and not always the cause of colored urinary fluid is pathological changes inside the body. In addition to beets, the urine of a woman and a man is able to color rhubarb, carrots and other foods, which contain pigments that change the shade of the urinary fluid.

Causes of the red tint

the volume of diuresis affecting the concentration of the coloring agent:
medicines that change stomach acidity;
other food products containing a large number of coloring components;
the presence of oxalic acid in food.

Symptoms

As you know, beets are able to stain the urinary fluid in people who do not have health problems. But sometimes an atypical shade of urine still indicates pathological changes in the body, so it would be useful to take tests to exclude possible causes of a change in color. Along with redness of the urine, the following symptoms may occur:

frequent stool;
discomfort in the stomach;
painful bloating;
hematuria with a negative result for the presence of blood in the urine.

Cause for concern

In most cases, a change in the color of the urinary fluid is absolutely harmless to the body, but sometimes this phenomenon indicates an iron deficiency in the body. If this pathology is present, then the following symptoms should also appear in parallel:

depressed state;
fast fatiguability;
difficulty concentrating;
pallor of the skin.

They are urgently sent to a medical facility if there has been a change in the color of the urine to purple or pink, but the bright root crop has not been consumed. In this case, the presence of red blood cells in the urine affects the shade and indicates such ailments:

urolithiasis disease;
disorders of the kidneys and liver;
intoxication with mercury or lead fumes of a chronic degree;
infection of organs for the formation and excretion of urine.

Including such a useful product in the diet, you should not worry that the urinary fluid is stained. Often this is a natural process and does not entail any negative consequences. But if the red tint persists for a long time and is accompanied by additional symptoms, it is recommended to consult a doctor and take the material to the laboratory for analysis.

The vast majority of people assume that red urine after beets is a typical situation after taking the product, while some are of the opinion that staining of the secretions should not occur, and the change that has occurred is associated with impaired functioning of the body. So can urine be red if beets were eaten, and what factors influence the color transformation, this information will help to understand.

For a home assessment of urine quality, each person should know the main characteristics of this biomaterial for a healthy body. The quality of the excreted urine can be assessed by the following characteristics:

Quantity. The optimal amount of urine excreted per day should be about 1.5 liters. If the daily discharge is significantly less or more than normal, then this indicates a violation in the functioning of the body. If the amount of urine excreted during the day is less than 50 ml or its complete absence, we can talk about the presence of serious diseases, the treatment of which must be started as soon as possible.
Transparency. A normally functioning body should produce clear urine. The presence of slight turbidity may indicate an insufficient amount of fluid consumed. As a rule, after the restoration of water balance in the body, the urine becomes transparent again. With severe turbidity and foaming of the discharge, you should consult a doctor, as this condition may indicate the development of the disease.
Density. Most often, the compaction of urinary secretions occurs due to glucose and other substances that enter the urine through intravenous injections. The presence of renal diabetes or acute damage to the renal tubules is responsible for a decrease in the level of density.
Smell. The smell of urine is quite specific, while it is not sharp. The change in this characteristic most often occurs due to the development of the disease. The ammonia smell of secretions may indicate infectious diseases of the urinary system, such as pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis.
Color. The natural healthy body should be a pale yellow to straw color. Also, the color of the discharge may change during the day due to the consumption of fluids and various foods.

If urine turns red after eating beets, can this be considered a natural process or should it be considered as a symptom of a possible pathology?

Causes of color change

It is known that the change in the color of the secretions is not affected by the beet itself, but by its juice. Most often, beetroot juice is taken as a health remedy that has a beneficial effect on the functionality of the body.

But there is still no consensus on whether urine can be red from beets due to the pigments in the composition of the vegetable, or the reason for this phenomenon is hidden in another. To date, there are several main opinions that try to explain the color change due to the use of a vegetable:

Some argue that the redness of urine after eating beets clearly indicates that there are disturbances in the functioning of internal organs in the body, namely the kidneys. Therefore, if a discoloration is detected, it is worth contacting a doctor as soon as possible to prescribe the correct treatment.
It is generally accepted among opponents that urine can be red from beets due to dysbacteriosis. The use of a vegetable with a change in the balance of microflora makes itself felt in the form of reddening of the discharge, while in a healthy person the color of the urine does not change.
It is also suggested that the red color of urine after eating indicates that a person has iron deficiency anemia. With a reduced number of red blood cells and / or hemoglobin levels, the use of beets can lead to a significant coloration of the urine, which will indicate the presence of pathology.
Another side refers to the fact that no doctor will make a correct diagnosis without preliminary tests and diagnostics. Red urine after eating beets may indicate kidney problems, but this condition is not necessary for every person. Some people may experience a change in the color of urine without the presence of diseases.

With a variety of theories explaining the reason why the color of urine changes after eating beets, many experts assure that often people who do not even complain about people who have undergone medical therapy note normalization of urine color even after eating a vegetable.

Therefore, when observing the staining of urine, it is worth consulting a doctor about the diagnosis of infectious diseases of the kidneys.

Principles of treatment

If, after eating beets while visiting the restroom, it was noticed that the urine turned red, you should not self-medicate and take any medications without the prior approval of a doctor.

First of all, the specialist prescribes a set of diagnostic measures aimed at identifying the reasons why the urine could stain, and, depending on the disease, prescribes a competent treatment. This will require:

. It is necessary to detect an inflammatory or infectious disease in the internal organs and other pathologies.
Pass a general and biochemical blood test to determine the level of hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells in a unit of blood.
Make an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs in case of suspected diseases of the kidneys and / or urinary system.
Undergo other laboratory and diagnostic tests.

If, according to the results of the diagnostics, it was revealed that after eating beets, the urine is red due to a lack of hemoglobin, i.e. diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, in this case, the doctor recommends taking iron supplements, which include: Aktiferrin, Hemohelper, Ferlatum, Fenyuls.

Most often, to treat the cause of a change in the color of urine in the form of infectious diseases of the kidneys, complex therapy is used, consisting of a course of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. The patient is prescribed the following medications:

Urolesan. The tool is intended for the treatment of infectious diseases of the kidneys and the removal of stones from them, while it has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Most often prescribed for the treatment of pyelonephritis, cystitis, urolithiasis. Contains in its composition mainly natural ingredients: essential oils and extracts of medicinal herbs.
Phytolysin. The action of the drug is based on its bactericidal, diuretic and analgesic properties. The product is available in the form of a paste for ingestion, which includes components of natural origin. The diseases in which the use of the drug is recommended include pyelonephritis in acute and chronic forms, urolithiasis. At the same time, a contraindication for taking this drug is the presence of glomerulonephritis, nephrosis and renal failure in a patient.
Furagin. In addition to the antimicrobial and antibacterial action, the drug is able to activate the immune system, helping the body cope with the infection on its own. The drug is recommended for the treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the urinary system, but is strictly contraindicated in infectious diseases of the renal parenchyma.

It must be remembered that if the urine after the consumption of beets has changed its color to red, this is not always the result of an infectious disease in the kidneys. Therefore, before using any of the above drugs, it is necessary to consult with a specialist about the need to prescribe treatment, having passed the necessary tests beforehand and having undergone additional diagnostics.

Another trivial reason why urine could turn red after eating beets is the abuse of physical activity.

At the same time, after a uniform distribution of efforts on exercises, the discharge after the beetroot acquires its natural shade.

Traditional medicine recipes

As mentioned above, the red color of urine after eating beets does not always indicate problems in the functioning of internal organs, in particular the kidneys. But to prevent discoloration after eating a vegetable, alternative therapy suggests following some recommendations:

Visit baths or saunas as often and regularly as possible, but only if it is not contraindicated for other existing diseases. At the same time, steam procedures using essential oils from coniferous trees, which have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, are the most effective. After warming up the body, a manual massage in the back and buttocks is very useful.
Avoid hypothermia. Therefore, dousing with cold water, swimming in pools and rubbing with snow should be avoided.
The regular use of teas with the addition of raspberry, linden, honey or sage is recommended, which have a wonderful diaphoretic effect.

Following the rules of traditional medicine, traditional therapy should not be neglected, especially if after eating beets it has been bothering you for a long time.

Diagnostic measures

By regularly monitoring urine (its color, consistency, smell and other characteristics), you can notice the occurrence of various diseases at an early stage and begin treatment. That is why you should not neglect such a simple and affordable method for diagnosing the state of the body.

In addition to visual tracking, there is one method that allows you to examine the urine, or rather, determine the approximate cause of the color change and understand whether it was stained due to the presence of blood or whether it was due to the influence of red pigments from consumed beets.

To conduct an independent study, you will need soda, vinegar and a collected sample of stained urine. To begin with, a small amount of baking soda is added to the discharge sample, after which a drop of table vinegar is added to it. If, after adding soda, the unnatural color of the urine disappeared, and after adding the vinegar essence, it reappeared, then you don’t have to worry - the red color of the urine did not become due to blood entering it, but changed under the influence of the product eaten.

Unfortunately, such a test does not have great reliability of the results obtained, therefore, if there are some problems in the functioning of the internal organs and at the same time the urine has turned red after the beets, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor.

In addition to the reasons for urine staining, some are interested in how many days the unnatural color of the discharge can persist if beetroot juice has been consumed. Experts say that this takes 1-2 days. If, after this time, the red tint still prevails in the color of urine, then most likely the cause of this phenomenon lies not in food, but in a more serious deviation.