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From: mhassman@zephyr.cair.du.edu (Mark Hassman)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: blue urine from food
Summary: cause = ascorbic acid
Keywords: YELLOW, Very Very yellow
Message-ID: <1990Nov28.162023.2198@mercury.cair.du.edu>
Date: 28 Nov 90 16:20:23 GMT
References: <999@ai.cs.utexas.edu> <4187@kitty.UUCP> <2070@calmasd.Prime.COM>
Sender: mhassman@zephyr
Followup-To: msgctr@calmasd.Prime.COM
Distribution: sci.bio
Organization: University of Denver
Lines: 23

In article <2070@calmasd.Prime.COM> msgctr@calmasd.Prime.COM (Message Center) writes:
>
>So bright, it looks like the soda Mountain Dew... 
>
>Of course, it only looks like that after I've taken my vitamin 
>packet... Quick too, take vitamins at 8:00 by 9:30 urine is 
>already in the running for most flourescent...
>Is it possible, if I was totally emaciated, starved and sick, 
>that the urine wouldn't get so yellow?

I believe the cause of this wonderfully bright yellow
color is due to the artificial colors found in your
vitamin packet.  Especially the vitamin C tablet.  
The ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) cannot be stored in
excess within the body so it is rapidly eliminated in
the urine.  Most Vitamin C tablets are colored with a
strong artificial yellow color which is carried along
during the elimination process.

Mark

mhassman@zephyr   rhassman@zephyr  REG14@medusa.cair.du.edu
University of Denver  Biology Student  Office of the Registrar