The presence of blood in your urine is often unsettling, but it usually is not cause for alarm. Most of the time, it’s linked to an infection. When bacteria enter the body, your kidneys, bladder, urethra or other parts of the urinary tract can begin to leak blood cells into your urine. Sometimes, the leakage is great enough to discolor the urine, making the blood visible to the eye. While this may be the likeliest of culprits, other factors can play a role in its development. Diet isn’t typically among them, so, don’t blame a low-carb diet for the blood in your urine. Instead, talk to a doctor. To be on the safe side, prompt evaluation is a good idea, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Kidney Stones
The only potential link between a low-carb diet and blood in your urine is the development of kidney stones. Eating a low-carb diet often increases your protein intake, and high-protein diets tend to increase the amount of uric acid in your urine. Uric acid can begin to stick together to form crystals. Over time, these crystals can form kidney stones, which may lead to blood in your urine. In a way, a low-carb diet could indirectly cause the blood, but kidney stones are usually the result of a combination of factors, including age, gender, obesity and genetics. Simply maintaining a diet high in protein doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop kidney stones; it just increases the risk.
Development
Besides urinary tract infections or kidney stones, blood in your urine can be an indication of other medical conditions. For some people, bladder stones can lead to bloody urine, whereas others may begin to bleed as a result of an enlarged prostate. Kidney disease, sickle cell anemia and direct trauma to the kidneys can all cause blood to show up in your urine. Even cancer of the kidney, bladder or prostate can cause visible blood in the urine, especially in advanced stages of the diseases. None of these conditions is related to a low-carb diet, so your eating habits are not as likely a cause as are other things.
Diet
Although a low-carb diet — or any other diet, for that matter — isn’t likely the direct cause of blood in your urine, certain foods can mimic its appearance. This is especially true when it comes to beets and artificial food colorings. Such foods can discolor the urine, making it look pink, red or almost brownish. Even if you can track the discoloration back to certain foods, it’s still best to consult a doctor.
Lifestyle
It’s also important to note that other lifestyle factors can play a role in bloody urine, particularly when it comes to exercise. If you’re involved in more strenuous physical pursuits, it isn’t uncommon to notice the presence of blood in your urine. The reason why this occurs isn’t well understood. Some medical professionals believe it’s directly linked to dehydration, while others think the nature of the activity may injure the bladder and lead to blood leakage. This effect even has been associated with the breakdown of red blood cells during physical activity, notes MayoClinic.com. Regardless of the cause, talk to your doctor.
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