01/08/2020
Here is what all the colors of your urine mean:
1. Clear
If your urine has no color, it's because you have been drinking far too much water and should cut back. It could also be because of a drug called diuretic, which removes fluids from the body, according to WebMD.
2. Yellowish to amber
The normal color of urine is yellow to a deeper amber, so there is nothing to worry about if your urine falls in this spectrum. The color becomes clearer with more water intake. The urochrome pigment is produced when the body is breaking down the hemoglobin, which is the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells. Having a lot of B-vitamins in your bloodstream can also cause urine to appear neon yellow.
3. Red or pink
Fruits and vegetables can affect the color of your urine because of the pigments in them. If you have eaten produce like beets, rhubarb, and blueberries expect a change in the color of your urine. However, sometimes the change in color is because of health complications like kidney stones, enlarged prostate or tumors in the kidney or bladder, according to Healthline.
4. Orange
If your urine becomes orange, it is a clear sign of dehydration. That can be cured with more fluid intake. However, if you see other accompanying symptoms like light-colored stools, it could mean that there is bile in your blood. That happens with issues in bile ducts or liver. Another serious cause could be adult-onset jaundice.
5. Blue or green
There could be multiple reasons like dyes, medications or medical conditions changing the color of your urine to blue or green. Food dyes or tests for kidney and bladder function can change the color to blue.
Medicines like amitriptyline, indomethacin (Indocin, Tivorbex) and propofol (Diprivan) can also be the reason behind it. Sometimes there are medical conditions like familial benign hypercalcemia, a rare inherited disorder, also colloquially known as blue diaper syndrome, lead to blue urine. The condition is called blue diaper syndrome since children with this condition will have blue urine.
If you see green urine, it could be because of urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Pseudomonas bacteria, according to MayoClinic.
6. Dark brown
Dark brown urine could be an indication of dehydration but there are more serious conditions that can also affect the change. It could be a side effect of medicines like metronidazole (Flagyl) and chloroquine (Aralen). If you eat fava beans, rhubarb or aloe in large quantities, that too can cause dark brown urine.
A condition called porphyria, which leads to a buildup of the natural chemicals in your bloodstream can cause rusty or brown urine. It could also be because of liver disease.
7. Cloudy or murky
UTIs and kidney stones can change the color of your urine to cloudy or murky. Age could be another reason as tumors in the bladder and kidney are more common among older individuals. Your family history could be another reason for kidney disease or kidney stones.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/urine-color-chart -chart
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urine-color/symptoms-causes/syc-20367333
https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/truth-about-urine #1
Disclaimer : This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
