A woman in China has been left horrified after an intense spin session at her local gym caused her urine turned dark ‘like soy sauce’.
The fitness lover, known by her surname Li, sought medical attention in southern Chinese city Shenzhen when she noticed her tea-coloured urine after the 50-minute workout class, reported Chinese media.
She was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal muscular injury caused by excessive exercise and the breakdown of muscle tissue.
The fitness lover, known by her surname Li, sought medical attention in southern Chinese city Shenzhen when she noticed her tea-coloured urine after the 50-minute workout class
Ms Li from China’s Shenzhen city was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal muscular injury caused by excessive exercise and the breakdown of muscle tissue
Ms Li said that she felt tired five minutes into the session but continued until the end of the class, according to Shanghai news outlet The Paper.
Both her legs were swollen in the evening to the point where she could hardly walk the following day.
The woman then noticed her urine had become dark like the colour of soy sauce and went to see doctors.
She was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when muscles are injured and they release their contents, including a muscle enzyme, into the bloodstream.
Peng Wujian, a kidney disease specialist at The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, said: ‘Rhabdomyolysis is mainly caused by exercise but can also happen after a crush injury, such as being struck by debris during an earthquake.
‘Some types of medication may also lead to rhabdomyolysis as a side effect,’ he added.
Ms Li is slowly recovering from the condition while being treated at the Shenzhen hospital.
Doctors are reporting higher numbers of patients presenting with ‘rhabdo’ or exertion-related rhabdomyolysis, due to high-intensity workouts such as spinning and CrossFit
Doctors are reporting higher numbers of patients presenting with ‘rhabdo’ or exertion-related rhabdomyolysis, due to high-intensity workouts such as spinning and CrossFit, an intensive form of training that includes elements of weightlifting, running, rowing and more.
Adding to this is the fact some gyms offer introductory ‘bundles’ of classes that must be taken in a short period.
‘You can end up doing seven spinning classes in a week, far more than your body can take,’ says personal trainer Max Lowery, author of The 2 Meal Day.
It’s not just an anecdotal problem; studies such as one published in the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association in 2016 reported an increase in the number of reported cases of rhabdomyolysis triggered by exercise at hospitals across Norway. And doctors say the same is happening here.
‘Exertion-related rhabdomyolysis is a growing problem and we are seeing more cases in A&E,’ says Dr Shruti Goel, a consultant in renal and acute medicine at Hillingdon NHS Hospital Trust.
Rhabdomyolysis happens when not enough oxygen reaches the cells to keep up with the demand being placed upon them. As a result, the muscle tissue breaks down, releasing toxins into the blood which can seriously damage the kidneys.
Motivational instructors, pumping soundtracks and a party vibe all add to the draw of sessions that often take place in dim light to add to the club-like atmosphere
In many cases, this causes no symptoms, and the muscles simply ‘heal’. In fact, this is how bigger muscles are built.
However, if this process happens too fast or for too long, the resulting muscle breakdown releases large quantities of minerals such as potassium and phosphate (normally stored in muscle tissue).
It also triggers the release of myoglobin (which carries oxygen to the muscles) into the blood, a combination which can be toxic to the kidneys and affect heart rhythms. It can progress to a medical emergency and could even prove fatal.
‘After intense exercise, the myoglobin can crystallise, causing damage and blockage of the renal tubules, leading to serious kidney injury,’ says Dr Peter Hill, a consultant nephrologist at Hammersmith Hospital in London.
In fact, in serious cases of rhabdo, someone can stop passing urine completely.
The tubules may recover after several days or weeks, but sometimes the damage is irreversible.