All About Beeturia - HealthlineBeets and Blood in the Stool - Livestrong.com
beetroot is a popular vegetable and can be found in chocolate cake, pizza, and salad.Some people might be taken aback by what happens after they eat it.
You may have run into this problem if you are a beetroot lover like me.A visit to the restroom after a meal leaves a trace.
The term "beeturia" refers to the presence of red beets in urine or stool.Some people experience a colorful surprise after eating beets.
It is thought to be mostly harmless, but can be a sign of iron deficiency in some individuals.
What causes the red poop and pee?Should you be concerned when you experience it for the first time?
The red colors in beets are called betalains.The cells in the beetroot have strong anti-oxidants in them.
In laboratory studies, scientists from the Universities of Bologna and Urbino in Italy showed that betalains can kill colon cancer cells.
What happens to betalain in the human body is not known.The University of Edinburgh found a link between oxalic acid and beeturia.
They think that the red pigments are broken down in the stomach and colon.When oxalic acid levels are high, the red color is preserved and this can lead to red poop in people who don't normally experience it.
Many foods have oxalic acid in them.It is possible to leave those not used to red poop with a surprise.
It's not clear how beets cause red pee, but scientists theorize that those affected somehow fail to absorb the red pigments and excrete them in the urine and the feces instead.
Iron-deficiency individuals have a higher rate of beeturia than the general population.
It can be as high as 80 percent in people who aren't currently being treated for their anemia, while 45 percent is the rate for those currently receiving iron supplements.
Beeturia can cause unnecessary anxiety among patients and their families and can lead to expensive investigations, according to a case report in the Journal of Current Surgery.
If you are a lifelong companion like me, you have nothing to worry about.It is worth talking to your doctor if you are experiencing it for the first time and are worried about your iron levels.