Urine color. Brown urine

Normal urine color ranges from pale to bright yellow, as a result of the presence of a pigment called urochrome, the color also depends on whether the urine is concentrated or liquid.

Most changes in urine color are temporary and do not cause serious consequences and develop as a result of eating certain foods, dyes, or medications. Sometimes, however, changes in the color of urine may indicate the presence of an infection or other serious illness. Tell your doctor about changes in urine color that do not seem related to food or medications.

Symptoms of changes in urine color

Sometimes urine may take on a color that is far from normal, such as red, green, blue, dark brown, and white.

Symptoms of urinary infections

A strong, constant urge to urinate
frequent urination
fever, chills, sweating
abdominal pain
strong odor of urine (normal urine should be odorless or have little or no odor)

When to see a doctor:

Causes of urine color change

Discoloration of urine is often caused by medications, certain foods, and food colorings. For example, dyes used in small quantities in sweets can be found in the urine of children. In some cases, however, changes in urine color may be caused by health problems.
Conditions that can cause urine color to change:

Red or pink urine

Blood. The presence of red blood cells is the main reason for the red color of urine. Usually the bleeding is not serious and occurs without associated symptoms. Factors that can cause blood in the urine, medically called hematuria, include urinary tract infections, enlarged prostate gland, kidney or bladder stones, kidney disease, and sometimes kidney or bladder cancer.
Food. Beets, blackberries and rhubarb pie can make your urine red or pink.
Medications. Some herbal laxatives. Prescription drugs may have the same effect, including antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, thioridazine, the anesthetic propofol (Diprivan)
Toxins. Chronic lead and mercury toxicity can cause urine to turn red. This may be the result of high levels of porphyrins, the same pigments that discolor the urine of people who have porphyria.

Orange urine color

food products and supplements. Most often it is vitamin C and carrots, carrot juice. High amounts of carotene, the orange pigment in carrots and other vegetables, also changes the color of your soles and palms.
medications that can turn your urine orange: antibiotics (rifampicin), warfarin (coumadin), phenazopyridine (pyridine), some laxatives and chemotherapy drugs.
dehydration. Drinking too little fluid may result in concentrated urine containing urochrome.

Blue and green urine color

Urine that is dark brown or tea-colored

Cloudy or dark urine

Risk factors

Eating foods that can affect the color of urine, such as berries, asparagus, rhubarb, and taking certain medications, changes in urine color will not harm you. Your body’s reaction to these products depends on the amount of food and medications consumed, as well as on the characteristics of your metabolism.

Factors related to medical problems that may accompany changes in urine color:

age. Many men over 50 may have blood in their urine due to prostate cancer.
floor. More than half of women have a recurring urinary tract infection, which causes blood to appear in the urine. In men, the condition is likely to be associated with the presence of bladder stones or kidney stones.
recent infection. Inflammatory changes in the kidney after a bacterial or viral infection (post-infectious glomerulonephritis) is one of the common causes of blood in the urine in children.
family history. A family history of kidney disease increases the likelihood of these problems occurring in relatives. These conditions can cause the presence of blood in the urine. This is one of the leading causes of blood in the urine. Long-distance runners can often experience blood in their urine, as can anyone who does intense physical activity.

Preparing for your treatment

Here is some information to help you prepare for your appointment with the Doctor:

You should be aware of any restrictions. When you go to the doctor, make sure you follow all the restrictions before diagnostic tests.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor:

What can you do:

Be informed of the necessary restrictions. Before visiting your doctor, learn how to prepare for possible diagnostic tests.
Write down any symptoms, including even those that may seem unrelated to the reason for your visit.
Make a list of key medical information, including any other conditions for which you are being treated and any medications, supplements, or vitamins you are taking.
Make a list of questions you want to ask your doctor. Bring paper and pen with you to write down the necessary information.

There are several basic questions that are commonly asked when urine color changes:

What are the possible causes of my symptoms?
What research do I need? Do these studies require any special preparation?
Are my symptoms temporary?
Will I need treatment?
What treatment methods are there?
Do you have any brochures or other printed material that I could take with me? What websites do you recommend visiting?

Urine color for kidney stones

What will your doctor be interested in?

The doctor may ask:

What color is your urine?
Do you have blood in your urine or blood clots?
When did you first notice a change in the color of your urine?
Does this happen constantly or periodically?
Does your Urine have an unusual odor?
Do you have frequent or less frequent urination?
Do you have pain when urinating?
What other symptoms do you have?
How has your appetite changed?
Are you feeling more thirsty than usual?
Have you previously had problems with urination?
Do you have any allergies?
What medications do you take?

Research and diagnostics

Analysis of urine. A general urine test is the first step in the examination. With this examination, you can find an admixture of red blood cells, an increase in protein levels, which may indicate a violation of the excretion of metabolic products, which can lead to stone formation. Your urine is also tested for bacteria or infection.
blood analysis. It is prescribed to determine the level of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen - waste products that are in your bloodstream when kidney function is impaired. This study can also detect increased levels of liver enzymes and diabetes mellitus.
other studies. You may have other tests depending on the results of your medical history, physical examination, urine test. The most common reason for continuing further testing is the presence of red blood cells in the urine.

Treatment and medications

When you are dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated and darker in color. If you notice this, you need to increase your fluid intake. Make sure you drink enough fluids every day to keep you healthy.
Prevention

Necessary to prevent changes in urine color caused by vitamin supplements, medications, and foods.

To prevent diseases that can cause changes in urine color, you may need to do the following to reduce your risk.

Urinary tract infections

Drink more fluids
urinate when you feel the urge to urinate and immediately after sexual intercourse.
wiping after urination from front to back.

Kidney stones

Drink more fluids
Limit your intake of salt, protein, and foods such as spinach and rhubarb.

Kidney and bladder cancer

Quit smoking
avoid exposure to toxic chemicals
drink more fluids
Maintain a normal weight, eat healthy foods, and exercise.

Urine is a liquid that the body secretes and with it removes products of internal metabolic processes, etc. These products are the sources of the color of urine. Such as urobilin, urochrome, uroroserine, uroerythrin color the liquid in various shades of yellow. Under normal conditions, the color of urine should not fall outside the yellow range., but sometimes exceptions to the rules arise. Vitamins and their absorption by the body can saturate the urine with a bright green tint, etc.

• directly from the quality of metabolism and the amount of fluid that is excreted from the body;
• age also has an impact on this issue. In children, the color of urine is always weaker than in adults: in newborns, the urine is almost transparent, in infants it is light yellow. But sometimes there may be a slight reddish tint due to increased uric acid levels;
• finally, it depends on what products or drugs are used. It is quite common for urine to change color during illness and drug treatment.

But it is also worth noting the fact that a change in the color of urine is most often evidence of pathological changes and diseases.

Golden yellow urine is normal

Why does my urine appear orange?

Urine is orange or reddish in color if the following conditions are present:

• a large amount of pigment that creates the yellow color of urine: urochrome, urobilinogen, etc.;
• consumption of foods with a high content of dye, by the way, not necessarily yellow. Any dye can produce an orange color when broken down;
• diseases of the urinary ducts and taking medications.

All people produce rich red urine in the morning, especially if the bladder was not emptied before bed. In this case, the reason lies in hormonal conditions.

Another reason for orange urine is dehydration. Dehydration, that is, a deficiency of metabolic water, can be caused by intense physical activity, prolonged lack of moisture intake, heat, etc. Increased concentration of urine occurs due to the fact that the kidneys are trying to compensate for the lack of moisture.

Abnormal shades of urine

Urine color is red

Absolutely any person will be surprised and even frightened if the urine takes on a red tint, especially if the color is rich. As a rule, this phenomenon is a sign of a disease in which blood or hemoglobin has entered the urine. Such diseases include:

• glomerulonephritis;
• the appearance of kidney stones;
• oncology of the bladder or kidneys;
• hemoglobinuria;
• hemophilia;
• bruises of the lower back or genitals.

Glomerulonephritis may be an independent disease or one of the complications caused by lupus erythematosus. In the acute form, vascular permeability occurs to a large extent, which results in deterioration of filtration and the entry of red blood cells into the urine. In this case, the urine can have both a red color and the color of raw meat.

One of the manifestations urolithiasis- formation of stones in the kidneys. Very often, through the blood supply they can enter the bladder or ureter. If concretions (stones) have a sharp surface, it will injure the mucous membrane, and blood particles will get into the urine. Often the appearance of symptoms of rapid renal colic.

Bladder cancer for a significant period of time it may not cause any symptoms at all. When the upper films of the tumor decompose, blood can enter the urine. The symptoms that accompany this case are fever, weight loss and difficulty urinating.

Important:If you notice your urine is red, it is better to see a therapist as soon as possible, who will prescribe additional examinations and tests.

Dark colored urine

As a rule, the lightness or darkness of the color is affected by the amount of liquid consumed: the more liquid, the lighter the color. In addition, dark color can be caused by exposure to toxins and the cause of certain diseases.

Diseases and conditions causing dark urine:

• an increase in the number of urochromats, which give a dark color as a result of dehydration;
• consumption of pharmacological drugs such as quinine, rifampicin, nitrofurantoin and metronidazole;
• additional or increased intake of vitamins C and B;
• cholelithiasis complicated by hepatitis;
• excess of the normal number of red blood cells;
• mercury vapor poisoning;
• tyrosinemia;
• urinary tract infection;
• urinary cavity cancer;
• stones in the gallbladder;
• kidney disease, including kidney stones and cancers;
• hemochromatosis caused by excess iron;
• liver and pancreas cancer;
• vasculitis;
• alcoholic and viral hepatitis;
• glomerulonephritis;
• bile duct cancer;
• Goodpasture's syndrome;
• dietary factors;
• schistosomiasis.

In addition, black urine color can occur with mechanical damage to the liver.

Cloudiness in dark urine

If the dark color of the urine is accompanied by the presence of turbidity, then this most likely indicates a kidney stone. If there is such a symptom, then you need to contact a nephrologist as soon as possible. If the sharp change in urine color was short-term, then this fact should not be a cause for concern. But a preventive urine test in a clinic will not be superfluous.

The main thing is to ensure that the color change is not accompanied by the following processes:

• constant desire to “go small”;
• heat, fever, excessive sweating;
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• urine has a strong smell of acetone.

If there is at least one similar symptom, then you should not self-medicate and wait until the symptoms go away on their own. Timely initiation of therapy will make it possible to identify possible preconditions and begin measures to effectively eliminate them.

Dark urine during pregnancy

Pregnant girls should not immediately panic if the color of their urine becomes dark. During pregnancy, even the most harmless factor can lead to this effect. Very often, dark urine in pregnant women is noticed after sleep, when the morning bladder emptying occurs. The color change in this case occurs with increasing concentration. The following urinations reduce the concentration and, as a rule, the urine becomes significantly lighter. If the urine does not change color to a lighter color, it is better to consult a health visitor.

Brown urine

Brown urine may appear as a result of eating large amounts of beans or rhubarb. The same effect can be caused by the use of most anti-malaria drugs, as well as inflammatory processes in the urinary tract itself. Sulfur or cascara, which are contained in antibiotics or laxatives, give a stable brown color to urine.

Saturated brown color of urine can occur with diseases that are associated with liver damage: cirrhosis or hepatitis, and it also indicates improper functioning of the kidneys, which cannot cope with the removal of toxins.

Pink urine

Saturation of urine with a pink color in a healthy person can occur when consuming the following foods:

• Red beetroot,
• black currant (if there is an acidic urine reaction),
• rhubarb (alkaline reaction),
• carrots in very large quantities,
• blackberry,
• cherry,
• products with added red food coloring (lemonade, candies, etc.).

In addition, urine may turn pink after consuming pharmacological drugs, which include:

• aspirin acid;
• ibuprofen;
• purgen or phenolphthalein agents;
• aminophenazone;
• rifampicin, etc.

Pathologies of the urinary tract, which are characterized by the appearance of pink urine:

• cystitis;
• glomerulonephritis;
• vasculitis with kidney damage;
• urolithiasis disease;
• oncological diseases of the bladder, ureters, kidneys;

The pink tint of urine is caused by a small amount of blood, similar to the red color. Saturation depends on the amount of blood that is present in the urine. Cystitis - the reason that women twitch is very common. The hemorrhagic form of the disease, in addition to the pink color of the urine, is accompanied by a strong increase in temperature and pain in the kidneys and lower abdomen. In addition to blood, there may be clots of mucus, pus or films in the urine.

Pyelonephritis is a disease in which inflammation of the urinary canal occurs, vascular permeability increases, and blood cells enter the urine. Pink urine is accompanied by the usual symptoms of toxic damage: general inflammation of the mucous membranes, headaches, fever, etc. Also, with the disease, high blood pressure is diagnosed, resulting in swelling.

Important: If there are any signs of inflammatory processes, then it is advisable to consult a doctor who will identify all the causes of the disease and methods of combating them. Self-medication in this case can lead to serious complications and longer treatment.

Foods that turn urine pink

Blue color of urine

A greenish or blue tint to urine is a very interesting and rare case. The appearance of this color is mainly associated not with damage to the genital or urinary organs, but with the presence of infections or internal metabolism. A striking example would be a violation of tryptophan metabolic processes or the presence of pseudomonas infection. Tryptophan is an amino acid compound that is present in large quantities in salmon, tuna, chicken breast, turkey, shrimp, and beef. Blueish urine is a rare pathology, but it should not cause concern; as a rule, this phenomenon goes away on its own.

Other reasons include:

• Contrast agents used to detect kidney stones may turn the urine blue or light blue. Additionally, eating food coloring will have the same effect.
• The use of tetracycline antibiotics can cause a similar reaction in diabetics.
• Pseudomonas disease (Pseudomonas - lat.)

If there is a change in the color of urine, then to determine the cause, it is first necessary to exclude all possible external and physiological prerequisites. To more accurately determine the causes, urine analysis will be required in a clinical setting using specific chemicals. The cumulative study will allow us to draw conclusions with great confidence about a person’s health based on the color of urine.

Containers for urine donation

Video about urine analysis and color with Elena Malysheva

Normal urine is light yellow to straw yellow in color due to various pigments, including urobilin and urochrome. A change in its color can be caused by numerous diseases, not always associated with pathologies of the urinary system.

But in some cases, this situation is caused by completely physiological natural factors. Dark colored urine in women, the reasons for which, as mentioned above, can be different, always requires consultation with a doctor. Urine formation is a complex physiological process that occurs in the functional cells of the kidney - nephrons. With two-stage filtration, all substances necessary for the life of the body are absorbed. At the same time, excess fluid, ions, and certain toxins are removed.

In the process of urine formation, the kidneys perform the following functions:

• adjustment of the concentration of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl- ions, bicarbonates, phosphates, etc.;
• restoration of acid-base balance, releasing either hydrogen ions or carbonates;
• control of extracellular fluid volume;
• regulation of blood pressure;
• removal of metabolic end products;
• removal of residues of certain medications and poisons.

That is why it is very important to find out the reason for the appearance of dark urine in women, since in some cases such a symptom usually appears in the later stages of pathologies, when treatment should be started urgently. Freshly excreted urine should be clear, straw-yellow. Certain deviations are allowed.

So, the varieties of the norm are:

• short-term changes in the natural physiological shade as a result of dietary habits, excessive or, conversely, insufficient fluid intake, dehydration;
• course of treatment with certain drugs.

In the morning, when you first empty your bladder, very concentrated urine comes out due to the accumulation of salts and pigments. If it then returns to a normal shade, there is nothing to worry about.

A common cause of change in urine color is non-compliance with the rules for collecting analysis. The fact is that urine pigments are oxidized under the influence of light. In other words, if the patient collects the test in a transparent container and leaves it for a long time in a place exposed to direct sunlight, the urine darkens naturally.

The pathological cause of dark urine in women and men in the vast majority of cases is hematuria, that is, the appearance of blood (or rather, red blood cells). In this case, the urine takes on the brown tint of dark beer or meat slop. Hemoglobinuria is much less common. As a result of intravascular hemolysis, free hemoglobin is released by the kidneys. In some people, a similar phenomenon can be observed when overworked from intense and prolonged physical activity, running, etc.

Sometimes even the shade of urine can suggest the nature of the pathology:

• a light brown color, especially if a flocculent sediment or cloudiness is clearly visible, usually indicates a urinary tract infection;
• a brown tint with an admixture of red often appears when the epithelium of the ureters, urethra or directly to the kidneys is damaged due to the passage of a stone or injury;
• a dark brown color is noted against the background of an inflammatory or tumor process in the kidneys; if there is an admixture of a green tint, liver pathology is suspected.

It is extremely rare that urine turns black. Almost always, this symptom indicates a very serious damage to the urinary system, often a tumor or hereditary disease. However, all these pathologies rarely occur without a pronounced clinical picture. A urine color that is too light is also considered a deviation from the norm. This is usually a sign of impaired filtration capacity of the kidneys, which often occurs in diabetic nephropathy.

For medical reasons, a two-glass test is performed to determine the cause of dark-colored urine in women. Its essence is as follows. The patient is asked to urinate in two containers in turn, and it is important that the stream of urine is continuous. If the shade is changed only in the first portion, this usually indicates damage to the urinary tract, more often the ureters. Brown color in both jars indicates a more serious pathology. If dark or red clots or flakes are detected in the urine, the patient is urgently hospitalized.

This symptom sometimes appears when there is bleeding and rupture of blood vessels surrounding the genitourinary system. Darkening of urine is a rather bad symptom during pregnancy, unless of course it is associated with eating certain foods. The fact is that when carrying a child, the load on the kidneys increases, which is why regular laboratory tests are so necessary to evaluate their work.

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Women with chronic or previous pathologies of the urinary system are at risk. Timely identification of the cause of dark urine in a pregnant woman plays a very important role. Sometimes serious disturbances in kidney function are a direct indication for premature birth; they can negatively affect the intrauterine development of the fetus. But early treatment and the use of modern antibiotics can improve the situation.

If there is a change in the color of urine during pregnancy that is not related to diet, you should urgently consult a gynecologist and nephrologist.

When visiting a doctor with similar symptoms, they always give a referral for a general clinical urine test. This study is simple to perform, is performed quickly and provides basic information that allows you to make a preliminary diagnosis and determine the direction of further examination of the patient.

What do the numerous points on the form with the analysis result mean:

1. Amount of urine. There are no standards as such for this indicator; in this column, the laboratory assistant indicates the volume of urine transferred for research. But if a person has difficulty passing urine in the morning, this indicates either extreme dehydration or severe kidney damage.
2. Color. As mentioned above, normally it should be yellow.
3. Transparency. Cloudy urine is sometimes the result of a violation of the rules for taking the test. However, this often occurs with concomitant leukocyturia.
4. Relative density. This is an indicator that determines the concentration function of the kidneys, in other words, their work during the filtration of primary and secondary urine. Density increases with the appearance of sugar, leukocytes and other formed elements. Normally it is 1.010 - 1.020.
5. pH reaction. Normally, urine has a slightly acidic reaction with a pH value of 4.0-7.0. A change up or down usually occurs with metabolic disorders, which increases the risk of developing urolithiasis.
6. Protein. Normally, this figure does not exceed 0.033 g/l; proteinuria always indicates renal pathology.
7. Glucose. A healthy person should not have it, but the permissible limits are up to 0.8 mmol/l. Typically, exceeding this value occurs due to diabetes mellitus or excessive consumption of sweets at night or in the morning before the test.
8. Ketone bodies, are indicators of the correct course of metabolic processes in the body. Normally they are absent. A positive result is possible with prolonged fasting, vomiting, intoxication, diabetes, and damage to the pancreas.
9. Bilirubin. It is one of the main components of bile. It gets into the urine only in case of liver pathologies.
10. Urobilinogen. Also synthesized by liver cells. Positive results in the analysis usually indicate intestinal diseases.
11. Hemoglobin. Normally, it is located inside red blood cells and takes part in oxygen transport. But with the massive breakdown of red blood cells, it does not have time to be transformed in the liver and spleen, which causes it to be excreted through the kidneys. It appears in urine in cases of severe poisoning, blood transfusions, injuries accompanied by rupture of organs and muscle tissue, and burns.

Clinical analysis to identify the causes of dark urine in women or other pathologies always includes microscopic examination of the sediment. To do this, the urine is allowed to settle for 1-2 hours, then the settled elements are collected with a pipette. The resulting liquid is placed in a centrifuge, and the dry sediment is examined under a microscope and the cells within the field of view are counted (in the form they are abbreviated as p/z).

1. Red blood cells. It is their presence that gives urine its brown color. Normally, their number should not exceed 3.
2. Epithelial cells. In women, they often enter the urine from the vagina, so this indicator is not considered as a diagnostic criterion.
3. Cylinders. Normally, the presence of single hyaline cylinders is allowed; the appearance of waxy, erythrocyte, granular and epithelial casts is a sign of a pathological process in the kidneys.
4. Salt. Normally there are none. Their presence is the main symptom of uric acid diathesis or urolithiasis. Less often they are detected in inflammatory processes of the urinary system. In laboratories equipped with modern equipment, when salts are detected, their chemical composition is determined.
5. Bacteria. They should not be in the urine. Pathogenic microflora is excreted in urine in case of infection in any part of the urinary tract. Often microorganisms enter the urine from the vagina during vulvovaginitis.
6. Fungal flora. Fungi are found in urine during fungal infections of the genitourinary system.

Despite the abundance of information on deciphering a general urine analysis and determining the causes of dark-colored urine in women, a specialist must interpret the results of the study. Self-medication is unacceptable, as it can lead to worsening of the condition.

Dark urine in a woman: causes, diagnostic methods and possible treatment options

Brown urine is not always a reason to worry and see a doctor. The cause of dark urine in women may be completely physiological factors.

This is an incorrect drinking regime. The less fluid enters the body, the more saturated the color of the urine.

Intense exercise, living in a hot climate and other reasons that contribute to dehydration (vomiting, diarrhea, fever). Increased sweating contributes to increased fluid loss, and if it is not compensated by sufficient water consumption, the color of urine becomes dark yellow, especially noticeable in the morning, immediately after waking up. A long course of treatment with antimalarial, antituberculosis drugs, antibiotics from the nitrofuran group, laxatives, B vitamins and ascorbic acid, rifampicin, metronidazole, phenyl salicylate.

Excessive consumption of certain foods during the day before the test. So, the cause of dark urine in women can be beans and other legumes, beef, beets, carrots, rhubarb, natural black tea and coffee. In addition, many confectionery products (and not only) contain a large amount of dyes that affect the color of urine.

Naturally, dark urine in women, regardless of the cause, causes concern. A completely reasonable question arises: what to do in such a situation. If these symptoms are not related to diet and medications, you should pay attention to other clinical signs. This:

• severe febrile fever (body temperature above 38.5°), rising in the evening;
• strong unpleasant odor of urine;
• pain in the lumbar region of various types, aggravated by tapping the edge of the palm on the back above the kidneys, sometimes they can radiate along the ureter to the lower abdomen;
• discomfort in the liver area, yellow tint of the skin and sclera;
• weakness and malaise;
• disturbance of urination (frequent urge with the release of urine in small portions, or vice versa, difficulty passing urine).

If a change in urine color is accompanied by a similar clinical picture, you should immediately consult a doctor. If the fever increases, it is recommended to call an ambulance.

In the future, the doctor prescribes examinations to make an accurate diagnosis and identify the cause of dark urine in women. First of all, this is a study of urine using the method of Zimnitsky, Nechiporenko and other tests. Ultrasound diagnostics is very informative. It determines changes in the renal parenchyma during the inflammatory process, the presence of stones, and deviations in the anatomical structure of the urinary system. Additional diagnostic measures are possible using contrast agents and tomography.

Be sure to do a clinical blood test, a study of liver enzymes and other biochemical indicators. It should be immediately noted that it is not the dark color of urine that is treated, but the cause that caused it. The specific treatment regimen depends on the diagnosis. Bacterial infections of the kidneys and bladder can be treated with long-term antibiotics. Therapy for urolithiasis is very complex.

Sometimes medicinal dissolution of stones is possible; in the presence of large formations, surgical removal is indicated, and the use of folk remedies is effective to prevent relapse. Autoimmune glomerulonephritis is treated with hormonal drugs, and in severe cases, cytostatics are indicated.

When dark urine appears in a woman, the reasons for which are varied, this almost always serves as a reason for a comprehensive examination by a nephrologist and gastroenterologist. This is especially important during pregnancy. Attempting self-treatment may worsen symptoms and cause irreversible consequences. Modern methods of therapy can eliminate all symptoms of the disease with minimal consequences.

The color of a person’s urine does not always remain normal: it depends on several factors affecting the human body.

What is the color of urine?

Normally, the shades of human urine can be different. A healthy person may have either pale or bright yellow urine. The shade depends on the amount in the urine urochrome , that is, a pigment that determines how concentrated the urine will be. This pigment is produced during the breakdown of the one that carries oxygen in.

The color also depends on age: a child’s urine is lighter, while an adult’s urine has a more saturated color. Infants produce light yellow urine, while a newborn baby's urine is an almost colorless liquid.

The color of a person’s urine depends on metabolic activity, as well as on how much fluid the body excretes. If a person drinks a lot of liquid, the color of the urine will be clear. Therefore, the more concentrated the urine, the more saturated its color. If the body is very dehydrated, the urine may be amber in color.

Why does urine color change?

Therefore, the healthy color of urine can vary. Changes in the color of the urine of a healthy person are usually temporary and occur due to the use of medications, certain foods, or dyes. If you suspect the development of a pathological condition, you should ask your doctor about the normal color of urine in an adult. After all, serious changes in the color of urine may indicate the development of infectious diseases and other serious illnesses. However, the person himself is able to determine what color healthy urine is by comparing all changes with the usual shade of urine.

With genitourinary infections, in addition to changes in the color of urine, a person may experience other symptoms, although often such diseases go away without other signs. However, with a urinary tract infection, there may also be a constant urge to urinate, abdominal pain, and a burning sensation during the process. urination , chills , , weakness . Urine may not only have a changed color, but also a strong odor.

You should pay attention to those changes in the color of urine that are noticeable to the naked eye.

Reddish urine in both men and women does not always indicate serious health problems. The red color of urine is mainly due to the presence of red blood cells. As a rule, such bleeding disappears quickly, so red urine is only a temporary phenomenon. However, if the reddish color appears constantly, then this symptom indicates a serious illness. In medicine, reddish urine, which appears due to blood entering it, is called hematuria . This symptom may accompany prostate disease in men, the appearance of kidney or bladder stones, and cancer of the genitourinary system.

It should be noted that the reddish color of urine is often also associated with the food that a person consumed. Dishes made from beets, blackberries, and rhubarb can turn your urine pink. Urine also turns red under the influence of a number of toxins, in particular due to mercury and lead poisoning.

Sometimes the urine turns orange. Often women are seriously worried about why orange urine appears from time to time during pregnancy. In fact, this symptom is often caused by the most common causes. This shade may appear after consuming certain foods and food additives. These are, first of all, carrot dishes that contain a large amount carotene . Orange urine is observed in those who take more. Why bright orange urine appears in a person during the treatment of certain diseases is explained by the use of certain medications. These are separate, phenazopyridine etc. It should be noted that the orange color of urine may also indicate dehydration of the body, since in this case the urine becomes more concentrated.

If a woman’s urine color changes during pregnancy, this can be explained by both physiological reasons and the development of certain pathologies. A change in the color of urine during pregnancy occurs if in the early stages of pregnancy the expectant mother suffers from severe pain, resulting in dehydration. Also, the reasons for changes in the color of urine in pregnant women are often associated with the dietary habits of the expectant mother. But if a woman has the slightest suspicion that changes in the color of urine are associated with diseases, she should immediately consult a doctor who will prescribe the necessary laboratory tests.

If a person has blue and green urine, then such manifestations may also be associated with taking medications and certain foods. For example, greenish color of urine appears after eating asparagus. Blue and yellow-green color of urine appears after drug treatment urised , Tagamet , also after taking certain multivitamin complexes.

In rare cases, blue urine is observed in children who suffer from familial hypercalcemia . This is a hereditary disease in which the level of calcium in the blood is elevated.

Dark colored urine with an odor in men and women occurs both due to the consumption of certain foods (legumes, rhubarb) and as a result of taking a number of medications. Dark brown or dark orange urine appears after taking antimalarial drugs, after treatment with certain drugs used to treat genitourinary infections, and after taking drugs that contain sena, cascara, and metoclopramide.

What does darkening of urine mean, you should definitely understand if a person suffers from liver ailments. Darkening of urine occurs when hepatitis . Also, urine may acquire a dark brown tint when acute glomerulonephritis when the kidneys do not remove waste and excess fluid in sufficient quantities.

Expectant mothers should not ignore this symptom. If your urine turns brown or dark red during pregnancy, you should definitely consult a doctor, as there may be bleeding.

In addition, brown urine during pregnancy sometimes indicates liver or kidney problems. Also, red-brown urine can be a sign of infectious diseases. Tests can make a diagnosis and determine exactly why the urine is brown in women expecting a baby. It should be understood that the uncharacteristic color of urine during pregnancy can be both a sign of illness and an absolutely normal physiological phenomenon. Therefore, it is better for the expectant mother to always tell the doctor about her observations and suspicions.

Sometimes a person may be concerned about why cloudy urine is found under certain circumstances. Cloudy white urine may be a sign of a urinary tract infection. If fatty degeneration of the kidney occurs, pus and fats appear in the urine. As a result, the urine becomes whitish in color.

If the clarity of the urine is cloudy, and at the same time there are mucus impurities in it, then we can talk about the development of diseases of the kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract. Sometimes incomplete urine clarity occurs as the urine progresses in a woman or a man. Also, a woman may come out with slightly cloudy urine after sexual intercourse if all the rules of personal hygiene have not been followed.

It should be noted that in some cases, cloudy urine is possible under normal health conditions, for example, after visiting a sauna, in very hot weather, or with excessive consumption of protein foods. If the influence of these factors is eliminated, then the condition gradually normalizes and complete transparency is noted. If a person consults a doctor with this symptom, and it is subsequently discovered that a urine test for transparency is normal, it means that it was a question of cloudiness under the influence of physiological factors.

Sometimes brown urine appears in older men. If this phenomenon is observed regularly, it is necessary to consult a urologist, since often brown urine in men indicates the development.

How to normalize the color of urine?

If you suspect that the change in urine color is pathological, you should contact a specialist who treats pathologies of the urinary tract. When visiting a doctor, it is important to tell him in detail about the medications that have been used recently, about your dietary habits, and also answer in detail the specialist’s other questions.

The doctor conducts a physical examination, orders laboratory tests of urine and other tests depending on the characteristics of the symptom.

If there is a disturbance in the color of urine, the cause of this phenomenon is initially determined, and only after that a treatment regimen for the underlying disease is prescribed.

It is also important to pay attention to some lifestyle features. It is undesirable to allow the body to become dehydrated. If your urine becomes dark in color, it is important to replenish lost fluid by adjusting your drinking regimen. The development of diseases that cause this symptom should be prevented. In particular, adequate fluid intake, regular urination after the first urge appears, and proper genital hygiene will help prevent the development of urinary tract infections. To prevent the appearance of kidney stones, it is important to limit the amount of protein foods and salt in the diet.

In addition, prevention methods include quitting smoking, protecting yourself from the effects of toxic chemicals, and living a healthy and active life.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) used clinically to assess the degree of renal dysfunction and monitor the course of kidney disease. However, GFR does not provide any information about the causes of kidney disease. This is achieved through a urine test.

A general urine test begins with a visual assessment of the physical properties of urine and, above all, the color of urine.

Color is a vital indicator of many body conditions. In medicine, any manifestation of deviation from the norm is often reflected by a change in color. For example, with jaundice, yellowness of the proteins appears. Urine, as one of the body's biological fluids, is no exception to this rule. A change in urine color may be the most important indicator of the earliest stage of the disease.

The color of normal urine is light yellow. It depends on the presence in the urine of one of the final metabolites of hemoglobin of erythrocytes, the pigment urochrome. However, in kidney diseases with impaired filtration and selective, selective reabsorption, the pale color of urine changes. If filtration in the glomeruli of the kidneys is impaired, some elements, for example, erythrocytes, leukocytes, proteins, dyes, etc. enter the urine; if reabsorption is impaired, they do not return to the blood. Thus, components appear in the urine that are absent in normal urine. They change the color of urine often accurately reflects the level of kidney damage. Therefore, the color of urine is used to make an approximate diagnosis.

Deciphering the color of urine and possible diseases or conditions

Color interpretation
"light urine »

• Typically, light-colored urine reflects adequate water intake and is a sign of health. However, light urine occurs in diseases such as hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. In addition, light-colored urine is observed during pregnancy.
• White or colorless urine: If your urine is colorless, it means you are drinking too much fluid. Drinking too much fluid can cause your blood sodium levels to become critically low. Symptoms include confusion, headaches, nausea and bloating. In severe cases, it can lead to seizures, organ failure and even death.

Color interpretation
"bright yellow or neon yellow urine"

This urine color is caused by taking vitamin supplements, especially those containing water-soluble riboflavin or vitamin B2, which is naturally yellow in color. Excess riboflavin turns urine bright yellow. If vitamin intake exceeds the upper safe level, there is a potential risk of hypervitaminosis.

Color interpretation

"dark yellow or golden-colored urine"

Too dark a color - this is either very concentrated urine or heavy dehydration. Dark yellow or golden colored urine may be an indication that you are taking laxatives or supplements that contain B complex vitamins.

Explanation of “dark yellow urine color”

This urine color may reflect the following conditions:

• Dehydration

Dark yellow urine is often a sign that the patient is dehydrated or is not drinking enough water. One of the reasons for dehydration: due to intense sweating without replenishing lost water. Other important factors that lead to dehydration are excessive vomiting and diarrhea. Due to dehydration, the concentration of nitrogenous waste in the urine increases, the urine becomes concentrated, and the color of the urine changes from colorless to dark yellow. The high concentration of nitrogen-containing waste in the urine, along with a change in color, gives the urine a specific odor.

• Medicines and nutritional supplements

Taking B vitamins and supplements can cause urine to appear dark or bright yellow. All B vitamins are water-soluble; if they are taken in doses exceeding the body's needs, then their excess is excreted in the urine. Medicines such as quinine and quinine derivatives, rifampin, warfarin, nitrofurantoin, and sulfamethoxazole may cause urine to appear dark yellow or orange, and urine may appear dark after recent use of laxatives.

• Eating certain foods

Another common cause of temporary changes in urine color is eating certain foods. For example, if you eat asparagus, your urine may be dark yellow or greenish in color. Excessive consumption of foods rich in B vitamins, carotene and vitamin C also changes the color of urine from bright to dark yellow. On the other hand, eating large amounts of beets turns the urine reddish-purple, and eating blackberries and rhubarb gives the urine a red tint.

• Diseases and disorders

Persistent yellow coloration of urine can be caused by jaundice. Along with urine, with jaundice the skin and sclera of the eyes are colored yellow. The color change in jaundice is caused by the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, which is a metabolite of old red blood cells. Normally, the liver removes excess bilirubin from the blood and it is excreted in bile. The process of bilirubin metabolism is disrupted by excessive destruction of red blood cells or liver diseases caused by infections or the action of certain medications.

Impaired flow of bile in the bile duct system can also cause jaundice by interfering with the flow of bile into the digestive system. Liver infections such as hepatitis A, B and C, infectious mononucleosis and leptospirosis, paracetamol overdose, liver cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, liver cancer can cause jaundice by damaging liver cells. Diseases such as malaria, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, Gilbert's syndrome, etc. can also cause jaundice due to increased breakdown of red blood cells. Conditions that obstruct the flow of bile, thereby causing jaundice, include gallstones, pancreatitis, cholangitis, and cancer of the bile ducts and pancreas.

Hemolytic anemia is another factor that can cause urine to change color to dark brown or yellow. In hemolytic anemia, hemolysis of red blood cells is increased, which is not fully compensated by their maturation in the bone marrow. The number of red blood cells in the blood decreases, and increased breakdown of red blood cells increases the level of bilirubin in the blood and causes jaundice.

In addition to being dark yellow, urine may be orange, brown, or greenish in other body conditions.

Decoding
"Urine is reddish-brown in color »

Reddish-brown color of urine is observed with hepatitis and melanoma, as well as with copper poisoning.

Decoding
"Smoky (silver) brown
and red or pink urine."

This color of urine comes from eating foods such as beets, beans, and blackberries. Please note that red or pink urine can be a sign of serious illness.

Decoding the blue and green colors of urine

Urine turns blue or green when you have recently eaten foods colored in the same color or taken methylene blue medication. Blue or green urine is caused by bacterial urinary tract infections or taking amitriptyline, indomethacin and doxorubicin.

Blue urine is a symptom of a bacterial infection and a hereditary disease such as familial hypercalcemia.

Analysis transcript
"Curdy and dark urine with an unpleasant odor"

This type of urine usually indicates a urinary tract infection.

Decoding the color of urine
"Red or pink urine"

This test result reflects the presence of blood in the urine, which is usually associated with an infection caused by kidney stones.

Associated symptoms of urine color change

• If dark yellow urine is associated with a urinary tract infection, it may have a strong and unpleasant odor.
• A person experiences a frequent urge to urinate and a burning sensation during urination.
• In some people, the infection is accompanied by fever and abdominal pain.

Before drawing any conclusions regarding the reasons for the change in urine color, it is very important to pay attention to food recently consumed, as well as the amount of liquid consumed. The fact is that temporary abnormal coloration of urine is usually caused by eating certain foods and dehydration. Water plays a key role in removing impurities from the body through urine. But if your dark yellow urine for a significant period of time with an unpleasant odor, be sure to consult a doctor.

To diagnose a disease The doctor must properly analyze the complaints, symptoms and medical history. Order blood tests, liver function tests, urinalysis, and ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder, which are required to identify specific causes of dark yellow urine. The results of these diagnostic tests will, in turn, determine the course of treatment.

Rainbow of urine!