The colour of your pee can change depending on how hydrated you are, what foods you have been eating, and even as a weird side effect to certain medications.
Here’s what your urine colour says about your health — and when it could signal a serious problem, according to a CNN report.
Clear
By now you have heard that drinking eight glasses of water a day and staying hydrated is important for your health. But if your urine looks like water, you are probably over-hydrated, says Jane Miller, MD, associate professor of urology at the University of Washington.
You likely are not doing yourself any harm, but there’s no data to support the need for drinking eight or more glasses of water a day, Miller says. Plus, you will just wind up spending half your day in the bathroom if you are drinking too much.
Pale Yellow
Consider this your toilet bowl goal. You should strive to have light yellow pee, somewhere between clear and the color of apple juice. You are probably sufficiently hydrated if your pee is pale yellow.
Bright Yellow
If your pee has this colour, blame B Vitamins, Miller says. Riboflavin (B2) is naturally fluorescent when exposed to UV light. It might be shocking to see, but it’s nothing to worry about. Your body excretes the riboflavin it doesn’t need through urine, which is why excess amounts – either consumed in food or through taking supplements – could make your pee look bright yellow. Almost all multivitamins contain riboflavin, as do food such as eggs, organ meats, lean meats and dairy.
Brownish-Yellow
Pee that’s the colour of apple juice is the darkest end of the normal urine spectrum. While you might assume it means you are super dehydrated, it really just means your pee is extra concentrated. Just because urine is concentrated doesn’t mean you are dehydrated.
Your kidneys are very good at concentrating urine to keep you from becoming symptomatically dehydrated.That said, if your urine is dark often, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to drink more water, especially if you are exercising a lot.
Brown
Brown urine can be associated with myoglobinuria, or the presence of myoglobin — a protein found in muscle — in the urine. It’s most commonly associated with rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo which is a form of muscle damage that causes muscle fibres to die and be released into the bloodstream.
Without prompt medical care, rhabdo could lead to lasting kidney damage.
Greenish-Blue or Orange
I am sure you would freak out if your pee showed up blue in your bowl! But if you are being treated for a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), strange greenish-blue pee could be a side effect. That’s because Uribel, a medication used to treat urinary symptoms and irritations, contains methylene blue, a dye that can show up in your urine.
Likewise, if you’re being treated with Phenazopyridine, a urinary tract analgesic used for UTIs or bladder irritation, your pee could turn orange. This is a normal side effect of the medication, and should clear up when your treatment is finished. In both cases, consult with your doctor if you are concerned!
Pink or Red
This could mean a few things. The least worrisome would be that you have been eating lots of beets, says Dr Miller. In large amounts, the pigments in beets can actually turn your pee red. This discolouration isn’t harmful and should resolve fairly quickly. If it doesn’t, you will want to get your urine tested for blood, which is another reason your pee might be red.
Bloody urine could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or urinary stones, which are usually accompanied with pain and discomfort. Kidney, ureter and bladder cancers can also cause blood in the urine, and typically don’t have other symptoms, such as pain, associated with the bloody urine.
Although all are important, this is the most serious, and why you should let your doctor know — even if it goes away quickly — because some cancers bleed intermittently.
