20 replies to this topic

[Jennas-auntie]

Ok, this was totally unexpected. There's this person I've told maybe they should get tested for celiac, they have some symptoms. Today they told me about 24 hours ago they had beets and their urine has been pink ever since. So I think, hey, that's odd, I wonder what that is about, just look it up to see why your urine would be pink if you eat beets. Come to find out there is a condition called "beeturia" where about 10-14% of the population have this effect from eating beets. Most people eat beets and their urine doesn't change color. Interestingly the articles I've read say they aren't sure why these people aren't able to process it, but it may be linked to malabsorption in the small intestine as one of their causes (of course not actually mentioning celiac specifically)...anybody have this when they were an untreated celiac? The things you learn every day...

[Ursa Major]

Yes, I did, and I thought it was just normal. You know, licorice would turn my stool black, beets would turn my urine pink.........seemed like a logical, normal thing........except, maybe I'm wondering now whether it was. But I'm not the only one in my family who's urine will turn pink from beets. I wonder why now.

[rinne]

Me too, I thought it was normal for people to have pink pee (doesn't that sound cute) but come to think of it I don't remember my pee being pink prior to the last ten years and that is when my digestive issues really started hitting me. And actually I remember the first time I saw it and freaked out for a moment until I remembered the beets but at the time I don't think I thought to try and remember when it hadn't been pink. I wasn't a huge beet eater and could have missed it for years but I am pretty clear that as a child I loved pickled beets and never saw pink pee. Sorry that could probably have been said in two lines rather than that convoluted statement but I am too tired.

Oprah has pink pee from eating beets, she talked about seeing the pink pee in the toilet and calling her doctor in a panic and then remembering that she had eaten beets. Perhaps she would be willing to do a show on "beeturia".

[momandgirls]

It is completely normal to have pink pee after eating fresh beets (it only happens with fresh beets - not canned ones) - it happens to me and everyone and everyone else in my family (diagnosed with Celiac or other digestive problems or not).

[eleep]

That's exactly what I was about to say -- everyone I know reacts that way to fresh beets -- I've been in a room full of people sharing beet-toilet-scare stories and I'm fairly confident that they weren't all celiacs. I also don't have that reaction to canned ones from the salad bar -- perhaps because a lot of the juice has been drained out of them? Dunno.

eleep

[up-late]

I don't think I've had that, but then I've only eaten fresh beets diluted in soup and I do get kidney stones so maybe in the past I've put it down to that.

I have had the licorice thing though, and spagetti, I didn't digest that at all for a while there, until I realised what it was I thought I had worms.

[queenofhearts]

I thought that was perfectly normal, too!

[penguin]

Yet another excuse...erm, reason for me not to eat beets! Having amazing technicolor stool is enough for me, thanks

[mle_ii]

Hmmm... I've got an interesting idea.

Since I'm getting a barium upper gi xray tomorrow and it's known to turn your stool white, and beets are known to turn them red, and perhaps blueberries might turn them blue. I might be able to come up with some patriotic Red, White and Blue Poo.

Wonder what Oprah would think of that?

Mike

[eKatherine]

If all celiacs had this, would that make it a reliable test?

[Ursa Major]

Hmmm... I've got an interesting idea.

Since I'm getting a barium upper gi xray tomorrow and it's known to turn your stool white, and beets are known to turn them red, and perhaps blueberries might turn them blue. I might be able to come up with some patriotic Red, White and Blue Poo.

Wonder what Oprah would think of that?

Mike

Mike, you crack me up.

Okay, what some of you said puts my mind at ease, I agree that having pink pee with fresh beets is probably perfectly normal.

[lpellegr]

I wondered about this too - I noticed a few years ago when I first had fresh beets that it turned my urine pink for a while. Now that I have been gluten-free two years I don't see much in my urine anymore, but I noticed some in my stool - maybe my intestine is less permeable to the color now that it's had time to heal.

[2kids4me]

Its not a test of anything other than beets and other foods can change the color of urine - and its not abnormal.
Just like eating fresh asparagus, makes your pee smell funny, certain drugs can color the urine blue or green (yup, blue), and foods can color the urine.

A usless bit of info : On standing, horse urine will change to a blackish brown - nothing wrong with the horse - thats what horse pee does.

Its normal phenomenon of our bodies and the food we eat.

Add on after posting first time:

Some dyes used in candy may be excreted in the urine, and a wide variety of drugs can discolor the urine.
Pink, red, or smoky brown urine can be a side effect of a medication or may be caused by the recent consumption of beets, blackberries or certain food colorings.
Dark yellow or orange urine can be caused by recent use of laxatives or consumption of B complex vitamins or carotene. Orange urine is often caused by pyridium (used in the treatment of urinary tract infections), rifampin, and warfarin.
Green or blue urine is due to the effect of artificial color in food or drug. It may also result from medications including amitriptyline, indomethacin, and doxorubicin.
http://www.nlm.nih.g...icle/003139.htm

[rinne]

Its not a test of anything other than beets and other foods can change the color of urine - and its not abnormal.
Just like eating fresh asparagus, makes your pee smell funny, certain drugs can color the urine blue or green (yup, blue), and foods can color the urine.

A usless bit of info : On standing, horse urine will change to a blackish brown - nothing wrong with the horse - thats what horse pee does.

Its normal phenomenon of our bodies and the food we eat.

That's great, I am glad to be normal in at least one respect.

[RiceGuy]

Oddly enough, this one I've not had to my recollection at all. I've always loved beets too. Don't know about how long they'd have to cook to alter the effect, but as a child most of the beets I had were fresh from the garden. In fact, my mother would remind me not to be frightened by it, so I guess it happens to her. I have tried to get it into her head she needs to try the gluten-free diet with all her health issues, but she's a stubborn one...