When the urine is red or slightly reddish, it usually indicates the presence of blood, however, there are other causes that can cause this discoloration, such as the ingestion of some foods or medicines.
Thus, if there are no other symptoms, such as fever, pain when urinating or feeling of heavy bladder, for example, it is probably not blood in the urine.
However, if you are suspicious of a problem in the urinary tract or if the change persists for more than 3 days, it is important to consult a urologist or a nephrologist to identify if there is a problem and start the most appropriate treatment.
See other urine changes may indicate health problems.
1. Presence of blood
The presence of blood in the urine is a major cause of red urine. However, this does not always mean that there is a serious problem in the urinary tract, and it often occurs in women who are in the menstrual period or in people who have had very intense physical exercise.
However, if red urine develops in other situations and if accompanied by other symptoms such as painful urination, fever or intense odor, it can indicate problems such as kidney stone, urinary tract infections or even bladder cancer, for example.
Check out the main causes of blood in the urine and what to do.
2. Intake of beet or artificial colors
Sometimes urine may become reddish due to ingestion of some foods, especially when they contain a large amount of dyes, as in birthday cakes with very intense colors or colorful treats, for example.
But these dyes can also be natural, as in dark-colored vegetables such as:
- Beet;
- Blackberry;
- Rhubarb.
Thus, if larger amounts of these vegetables have been eaten, it is very possible that the red color is related to their intake.
3. Use of medicines
Continued use of some medicines can also affect the color of the urine, making it more reddish. Some of the medications that usually cause this effect are:
- Rifampicin;
- Phenolphthalein;
- Daunorubicin;
- Phenazopyridine.
Thus, if a new drug has been started before the appearance of red urine, consult the doctor who prescribed it and evaluate the possibility of being a side effect of the drug. In the same way, you can also consult the package insert to identify if something is said about the possible color change.
What to do in case of red urine
The only way to confirm what is causing the red color in the urine is to see a doctor. However, it is possible to know if urine is being caused by ingestion of something if it arises up to 1 day after the ingestion of some of the foods or medicines mentioned above, for example.
If it seems that the color is being altered by the consumption of a food, one should stop the intake of this food and wait another 2 or 3 days to observe if the red color stays. If it is suspected that it is being caused by a drug, you should consult the doctor who prescribed it and evaluate the possibility of starting the treatment with another medicine, for example.
However, if there are symptoms along with a change in color, such as fever or pain when urinating, there may be a problem in the urinary tract and then a urologist or a nephrologist should be consulted to identify the correct cause and start treatment appropriate.
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