“Why is my urine this color?” I worked out hard… The reason it suddenly turned ‘cola-colored’

I think too much of anything isn't good.

I guess I should do strength training step by step, gradually increasing the difficulty level.

Please be careful with short-term, high-intensity strength training!!

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Short-term high-intensity strength training causes 'rhabdomyolysis'
Sudden muscle pain, dark red urine 'Major symptoms'

Exercise data image. Pixabay

It has been reported that short-term, high-intensity strength training can strain muscles and cause a condition called rhabdomyolysis. Caution is required, as neglecting this condition can lead to complications.

According to a paper published in the recent issue of the international journal *Medicina*, a joint research team from the Department of Emergency Medicine at Kyungpook National University Hospital and Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital analyzed 408 rhabdomyolysis patients who visited the emergency room over a 10-year period and found that acute kidney injury occurred in 28.2% (115 patients).

The risk of acute kidney injury in patients with rhabdomyolysis was 3.01 times higher in those over 50 years of age, and this risk skyrocketed to 5.14 times when using statin drugs used to treat hyperlipidemia (dyslipidemia).

Rhabdomyolysis refers to a condition in which striated muscle, which is skeletal muscle in moving parts such as the arms and legs, melts from solid to liquid.

According to Yonhap News, if rhabdomyolysis is left untreated and treatment is delayed, it can lead to serious complications such as electrolyte imbalance, acute kidney injury, and shock, which can be fatal. Among these, acute kidney injury resulting from rhabdomyolysis is considered a major problem, accounting for 7 to 10 percent of acute renal failure cases.

The main symptoms are… 'sudden muscle pain and dark red urine'

The main symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include sudden muscle pain in areas affected by strenuous physical activity and dark red (cola-colored) urine. The dark red color of the urine is due to the red myoglobin protein found in muscle tissue being mixed in.

In severe cases, it may be accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever, vomiting, general weakness, and edema, or cause acute renal failure due to a sudden deterioration in kidney function.

Short-term high-intensity strength training 'dangerous'... “Appropriate exercise”

Short-term high-intensity strength training can strain the muscles and potentially lead to rhabdomyolysis. When a person who does not usually exercise suddenly engages in high-intensity exercise, energy and oxygen are not sufficiently supplied to the muscles, causing muscle damage. Substances within the damaged muscle cells (such as myoglobin, proteins, creatine kinase, and electrolytes) are suddenly released into the bloodstream in large quantities, leading to rhabdomyolysis.

To prevent rhabdomyolysis, it is important above all to engage in an appropriate amount of physical activity that suits you.

In daily life, avoid physical activity in places where the temperature and humidity are too high, and consume sufficient fluids after physical activity. Vigorous exercise that strains the muscles, immobility that keeps muscles tense for a long time, and prolonged compression of the muscles are also not good.

Professor Eum Sang-hoon of the Department of Nephrology at Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University, advised, "Rhabdomyolysis can lead to serious complications such as acute renal failure, even in young people, so caution is required." He added, "When exercising, rather than overexerting yourself from the start, it is advisable to find appropriate exercises suited to your physical condition and gradually increase the amount of exercise."

Reporter Yoon Yerim