Does b12 discolour urine

[Andypandy30]

Hi someone has asked me this and Iv read that it does but just wanted advise from others. She injects Sc and for the week after injection. Urine is discoloured red . She checked with urine strips and it shows as blood in urine . I assume the colour is making the strips pick up blood as it’s red . She has no symptoms of a kidney infection but it is making her fearful to inject as she feels that her body must have enough b12 .

[fionasloane]

I've never heard of this. I'd suggest your friend get it checked out. Whether or not it is B12-related blood in urine should always be checked IMHO. Red colour from something other than blood wouldn't make a urine strip show up as having blood in it. (I have no medical training though.)

[Hidden]

Apparently when your body has excess b12 you urine can turn pinkish/red.

[palmier]

When people are given extremely high doses of b12 to treat cyanide poisoning it can affect the colour of urin. But that is typically around 5 g of b12, 5000 times more than a normal 1000mcg injection.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

test for blood in urine is lookingfor blood cells in the urine, not at the colour. I would recommend that your friend contacts her GP.Article on urinary blood test.

medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/b...

As below - the amount in a B12 injection isn't going to result in change in colour or urine - there are other vitamins that can but not B12 at that level.

[Nackapan]

The only time thus has happened to me is after eating fresh beetroot. I initially thought it was b12.

The urine sticks shoukd be accurate.

If it were me I'd get it tested via your Gp surgery

A whole week after sounds extreme.

If no symptoms is it perhaos other vitamin tablets she takes?

Alot of them uses beetroot and one lot I got were bright red. ?

[2FloorLuka]

Hi. In my country there is no 1000 mcg of B12 available, so I have to inject 5000 mcg, what is standard here. The first and The second urine sample after the jab are usually pinkish/Red. But i've never heard that the color change could last a week. ((Hugs))

[lynxis in reply to 2FloorLuka]

This. The first, maybe second urine after an injection, or after a multivitamin, or especially a B12 tablet, is discolored but I haven't experienced it beyond that.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

I hope your friend sees her GP about the blood in urine.

Urine discolouration is listed as a side effect of B12 hydroxycobalamin injections in link below.

bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/hydrox...

[Clarrisa in reply to Sleepybunny]

FYI: Online formulary only available to U.K. Can you quote a sentence or two?

[Budsa in reply to Clarrisa]

Not too much info.

BNF screenshot

[Sleepybunny in reply to Clarrisa]

It mentions "urine discolouration" but no further details.