Many people believe that staining urine pink after eating beets is normal. Others are of the opinion that urine should not change color after taking such a vegetable, and this condition indicates a violation of the functioning of the body. So there must be pink urine after beets, is this normal? Let's try to figure this out.
Urine properties
If a person takes care of his health, then he must know the basic characteristics of urine inherent in a healthy body:
- Number. The volume of fluid released should be approximately 1.5 liters per day. If the daily discharge is much more or less than normal, then it is likely that some disturbances occur in the body. You can talk about serious diseases if urine per day is less than 50 ml or it is completely absent. In this case, immediate treatment is required.
- Transparency. If the body functions normally, then the urine is transparent. A slight turbidity usually indicates that a person does not consume enough fluid. When water balance is restored, urine becomes transparent again. But if there is a strong turbidity and foaming of the discharge, then you should consult a doctor, because this may indicate the development of the disease.
- Density. Usually, glucose and other substances that enter the urine due to intravenous injection contribute to the compaction of urinary secretions. A decrease in the density level occurs with renal diabetes or pathology of the renal tubules.
- Smell. The urine smells quite specific, but not harsh. If any pathological condition develops, then the smell changes its quality characteristics. For example, in diseases of the urinary system (cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis), urine starts to smell like ammonia.
- Color. In a healthy person, the color of the urine may have a pale yellow or straw hue. In addition, the color of the discharge is able to change during the day due to the consumption of various foods or liquids.
The most common example of how food can change the color of urine is redness of urine after beetroot dishes. Is this considered a natural process or indicates the presence of a possible pathology? Let's try to figure this out.
Reasons for color change
Should I start to worry if urine turns pink after beetroot? Parents are especially worried about this, if such a phenomenon is observed in a child. According to most people, this is the norm because beets are famous for their strong coloring enzyme. To verify this, you can pick up this vegetable and peel it - the hands instantly turn pink, like the water in which it was boiled. Since urine is usually pink after beetroot, it is not recommended to use such a product before taking tests.
According to some doctors, the body should absorb the coloring pigment, and not remove it. In their opinion, the pink color of urine after eating beets can indicate the following diseases:
- dysbiosis;
- lack of iron in the human body;
- various problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Only a doctor is able to determine whether there are abnormalities in the functioning of the body and because of this, the urine turns pink.
In what cases is pink urine after eating beets a normal occurrence?
If urine is pink after beetroot, is it normal or not? The answer to this question can be independently found at home:
- urine must be collected in a container;
- add a small amount of baking soda to it and stir;
- pour a little vinegar into the solution.
If the pink color faded, and then after a while appeared again, then we can safely say that it is beets that are to blame. But such an experiment is not 100% accurate, therefore, if there is a suspicion of a malfunction in the body, it is best to visit a doctor.
Many people care about the question: how many days is pink urine after beetroot? Usually this color lasts a day or two, but if it lasts much longer, then the reason is not in this vegetable.
Other reasons
Sometimes urine acquires a pink tint due to the following problems in the body:
- intoxication or poisoning of the body with lead or mercury;
- bleeding in the soil (vermiform clots indicate this);
- stones in the kidneys;
- trauma in the lumbar region;
- taking certain medications, such as diuretics and pain medications;
- inflammation of the bladder;
- bleeding disorder;
- urinary tract infections;
- glomerulonephritis;
- malignant tumors.
What you should pay attention to?
Most doctors still agree with the opinion that usually the urine is pink after beetroot. But in some situations, this indicates a problem, especially if you have the following symptoms:
- frequent urination, which gradually increases;
- chills and sweating;
- fever;
- pain in the lower back and abdomen;
- strong smell of urine, its turbidity.
Pink urine in women after beetroot, as well as in men, is considered normal only when a person ate this vegetable before urinating and the liquid is clear. Its clouding indicates pathology.
Diagnostics
If after beetroot the urine is pink for several days, you should visit a doctor. To establish the reason why urine is of such a color, it is necessary to undergo a set of diagnostic measures, including:
- the delivery of a general urine test, which will help identify a disease of an infectious or inflammatory nature in the internal organs, as well as other pathologies;
- passing a biochemical and general blood test to determine the level of hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells in a unit of blood;
- conducting an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs if there is a suspicion of diseases of the urinary system or kidneys;
- the implementation of other diagnostic studies.
Based on the results, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes the necessary therapy.
Treatment
If as a result of the diagnostic measures it was found that after the beetroot the urine is pink due to a lack of hemoglobin, the doctor prescribes preparations containing iron: “Hemohelper”, “Actiferrin”, “Fenyuls”, “Ferlatum”.
Most often, urine is stained due to infectious diseases of the kidneys, the treatment of which involves the use of complex therapy, consisting of taking anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs. The following drugs are prescribed to the patient:
- "Urolesan" - helps not only treat kidney diseases, but also removes stones from them, while also providing analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
- "Fitolizin" - the drug has diuretic, bactericidal and analgesic properties. It is prescribed for urolithiasis and pyelonephritis in acute and chronic form.
- "Furagin" is a drug for the treatment of diseases of the urinary system, which has an antibacterial and antimicrobial effect.
Conclusion
Thus, if after beetroot the urine is pink or red, then this may not be so harmless. This condition is characteristic of many fairly serious diseases. Therefore, if there is even the slightest doubt that urine has stained as a result of any pathological process taking place in the body, then you should visit the doctor as soon as possible.