Bright Yellow Urine: Vitamin Supplements Explained

  • Context: Medical 
  • Thread starter Thread starter lisab
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of bright yellow urine resulting from vitamin supplement intake, specifically focusing on the role of various B-vitamins, including riboflavin and folate. Participants explore the chemical basis for the color change and its implications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that their bright yellow urine is likely due to a component in their multi-vitamin supplement.
  • Another participant suggests that the color might be attributed to folate, although this is questioned by others.
  • A participant raises the question of whether folate has a visible chromophore, proposing that riboflavin (B2) is the more likely cause of the bright yellow color.
  • Further discussion includes the absorption characteristics of pterins and their potential contribution to urine color, while still considering riboflavin as a major factor.
  • One participant mentions that high iron intake results in dark yellow or orange urine, indicating that different supplements can affect urine color differently.
  • A participant revises their earlier claim about folate being responsible for the color, confirming that riboflavin is indeed the yellow culprit based on further research.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on whether folate or riboflavin is responsible for the bright yellow urine, with multiple competing views presented. Some participants support the riboflavin hypothesis, while others initially suggest folate.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the specific contributions of different B-vitamins to urine color, and there are references to the limitations of their knowledge about individual vitamin effects versus complex formulations.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in the effects of vitamin supplements on bodily functions, particularly those curious about the biochemical basis of urine coloration.

lisab
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I take a multi-vitamin supplement about 5 days a week. What is it in the pill that makes my urine turn bright, bright yellow? It looks almost fluorescent sometimes!
 
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lisab said:
I take a multi-vitamin supplement about 5 days a week. What is it in the pill that makes my urine turn bright, bright yellow? It looks almost fluorescent sometimes!

One of the B-vitamins...IIRC, it's the folate.
 
Does folate have a visible chromaphore? I always thought that color was due to the bright yellow riboflavin (B2).
 
pterins (folates as cryptochromes in leaves) have been shown to have max absorption at 380nm. It would give an orange-ish color I presume. Assuming folates in urine are similar.

http://mplant.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/1/68

However I always thought riboflavin was the major color culprit, too.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When I take a pill high in iron, the excess iron turns my urine dark yellow or orange.
 
chemisttree said:
Does folate have a visible chromaphore? I always thought that color was due to the bright yellow riboflavin (B2).

Could be...I was certain on the B vitamin part, but since I've never seen any of the B vitamins individually, just as a complex, I could very well be wrong on which one it is that's the yellow culprit.

Edit: Yep, digging around, it is B-2. Even found an ancient archived thread here on it (but am not providing a link to it because it also contained some old crackpottery we wouldn't allow under current guidelines). My apologies for the misinformation about it being folate.
 
Last edited:

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