Hemochromatosis means too much iron in your bloodstream, either from an inherited disorder or consuming too much iron-rich food or iron supplements. Most of the excess iron is stored in your organs where it eventually causes damage. Some of the iron is passed in your urine, which turns it a light reddish color. Eating beets can also turn urine red, which is known as beeturia. Interestingly, the prevalence of beeturia is very high in those suffering from genetically-linked hemochromatosis, which suggests a potential connection.
Types of Hemochromatosis
The term hemochromatosis is broadly used to refer to any form of iron overload. Hereditary hemochromatosis affects up to 0.2 percent of populations and is characterized by an increased rate of intestinal iron absorption and deposition in various tissues, especially those of the pancreas, liver and heart, as cited in the "Professional Guide to Diseases." Acquired hemochromatosis as a result of taking excessive amounts of iron supplements or eating high levels of iron-rich foods, such as raw meat or fish.
Symptoms of Hemochromatosis
Signs and symptoms of hereditary hemochromatosis usually appear in midlife, although they may occur in childhood, and often include joint pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, impotence, cirrhotic liver, heart disease, diabetes and darkened pigmentation of the skin. Acquired hemochromatosis is usually a short-term condition that does not cause permanent damage to organs, but it can cause musculoskeletal pains, darken the skin and lead to slightly reddish urine. The hereditary type is often treated by multiple blood transfusions or bloodletting, while the acquired type is alleviated by dietary modification. Iron chelating drugs, which bind iron and eliminate it via urine and feces, can be taken for either type. In the process, these drugs turn both urine and feces a reddish color.
Beeturia
Beeturia produces reddish colored urine after eating red beets due to the presence of the pigment betacyanin. According to "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition," beeturia affects at least 10 percent of the population, although why the remaining majority of people are not affected is currently unknown. Several causes for beeturia have been suggested, such as genetic factors, food allergy, stomach over-acidity and too much oxalic acid in the colon. However, oxalates are known to impair the absorption of "nonheme" plant-based iron, and beets are rich in these compounds. Further complicating the matter is that beeturia is a transient condition that can come and go in people.
Beeturia and Hemochromatosis
It turns out that beeturia is most common in people with enhanced iron absorption, including the majority of those with hemochromatosis, according to "Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care" by nutritionist Sylvia Escott-Stump, president of the American Dietetic Association for 2011. Why this occurs has not been researched, although there seems to be a connection between increased iron and betacyanin absorption in the gut. Both iron and betacyanin are red pigments that can turn the urine red, and the conditions might be mistaken for one another; but then again, they may be related to each other. Further, beets are considered good sources of iron and may not be recommended for people with hemochromatosis, although they also contain oxalic acid that inhibits nonheme iron absorption, as cited in the "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide." Research is needed to clarify how the consumption of beets relates to hemochromatosis and absorption of both nonheme and heme iron.
References
- "Professional Guide to Diseases: Ninth Edition"; Springhouse Publishing; 2009
- "Human Biochemistry and Disease"; Gerald Litwack; 2008
- "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition"; Martha Stipanuk; 2006
- "Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care"; Sylvia Escott-Stump; 2008
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; American Dietetic Association; 2006
