Iron supplements can cause some side effects, but they will not cause blood in your urine. You can have blood present in your urine for a variety of reasons. It’s even possible to have such tiny amounts of blood in your urine that you can’t even see it. If you do see blood in your urine, it’s imperative that you schedule a doctor's appointment or talk to your doctor right away so you can find out the exact cause and how to treat it.
Iron Supplements
You may take iron to treat an iron deficiency, or anemia. Your body requires iron so that it can manufacture red blood cells, or RBCs. If your body does not receive adequate amounts of iron, it cannot produce the appropriate amount of RBCs that is required for good health. Red blood cells carry oxygenated blood throughout your body to deliver oxygen, along with other nutrients, to various organs of your body such as your heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and brain. Taking an iron supplement can cause side effects such as constipation, leg cramps, nausea, vomiting and possibly diarrhea. If you receive an iron injection, it may discolor your urine, but it would not cause blood in your urine.
Types
There are two classes of blood being present in urine: microscopic or gross. When microscopic urine is present, it is undetectable to the naked eye and can only be seen under a microscope; this is known as microscopic hematuria. If there is enough blood visible to the naked eye, it is referred to as gross hematuria. The shade of gross hematuria can vary depending upon how much blood is present in the urine.
Causes
While taking iron does not cause blood to occur in urine, there are a large number of reasons blood can be present. A kidney infection, kidney stone or kidney disease can cause blood to appear in your urine. Cancer of the bladder and kidneys is another cause. Kidney failure and infection of the bladder, kidneys or urethra can cause blood to be present in urine specimens. It’s also possible that you could have inflammation to various parts of your urinary tract or an injury to the bladder or kidneys. Exercise can also cause bloody urine due to injury, inflammation or the breakdown of RBCs that occurs during aerobic exercise. Certain procedures, such as surgery, circumcision and catheterization can also cause blood to be present in your urine. Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, or blood clots in the kidneys can also cause bloody urine, in addition to certain medications such as blood thinners.
Prevention and Solution
Avoid sustaining injuries to your bladder or kidneys. The course of treatment that your doctor recommends will heavily rely upon the exact cause as to why there is blood in your urine. Your physician will likely focus on and treat the underlying cause, such as infection or injury, to cease the bleeding. If the underlying condition is not serious, according to MayoClinic.com, no treatment is necessary. Treatment may not be necessary if it’s a temporary condition caused by catheterization or circumcision, as the bleeding is likely to cease on its own.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Iron; Steven D. Ehrlich; June 2009
- Drugs.com; Iron Supplements Oral, Parental Consumer Information; September 2011
- MedlinePlus; Urine--Bloody; September 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Blood in Urine (Hematuria); Causes; Mayo Clinic Staff; September 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Blood in Urine (Hematuria): Treatments and Drugs; Mayo Clinic Staff; September 2011
