Exercise-induced hematuria is usually short-lived and not cause for concern. Experts at the Urology Care Foundation explain that the condition is characterized by blood that has made its way into one’s urine, which may make pee appear darker in color. It’s often seen in people who engage in intense physical activity, such as athletes who run upwards of 6 miles or those who partake in high-intensity interval training. The reason is that vigorous exercise can interfere with the body’s natural blood filtration process.
As previously mentioned, exercise-induced hematuria is temporary and it usually subsides within three days. However, researchers from a 2014 study published in Renal Failure who studied incidence rates of post-exertional hematuria in nearly 500 individuals after they ran a roughly 3-mile race found that, for some individuals, the condition persisted for anywhere from seven to more than 14 days before subsiding. If, however, you still have blood in your urine after three days’ time or you’ve begun peeing less than normal, be sure to talk to your physician.