The toilet bowl may be your first indication that something may be a miss with your health. In fact most doctors today advise keeping an eye on the color of your pee. Although slight changes in hue may be nothing to worry about you should aim for a light lemonade color as a sign of optimal hydration and that fact that everything is functioning normally.
It’s important to note that the color of your pee isn’t always as accurate at predicting true dehydration as other tests such as a blood test. This is according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study examined hydration tests among older adults and found that urine color can be changed a myriad of things, making it challenging to accurately predict hydration.
The yellow hue of urine comes from a chemical by-products that are the result of the kidneys doing their job of processing waste, explains Koushik Shaw, MD, urologist and founder of Austin Urology Institute in Texas. The more dehydrated you are, the more concentrated the urine becomes and the darker the color gets. “A pale yellow color reflects a good balance between over and under hydration,” he says.
However sometimes pee can appear in a surprising rainbow of colors. If you’re not seeing that natural lemonade hue your body might be trying to tell you something. Here’s a quick guide to what different colors of urine might mean.
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If you’ve been eating beets, or maybe blackberries, or even rhubarb don’t panic. Red or pink urine after eating beets is so common it’s even got its own name – beeturia. Some of the compounds responsible for the color of these colorful foods are excreted in the urine after the kidneys do their job. It should clear up by the next day, but if red pee lingers, it could be a sign of a bladder infection or a kidney tumour. If you haven’t recently eaten one of these foods, and especially if you notice any blood clots or other pieces of tissue in your pee, get to your doctor ASAP. Both are extremely rare, but are underdiagnosed, especially by women, since they are more likely to shrug off the incident as a weird period occurrence.
Your skin can turn orange if you eat too many carrots and so can your urine. Overdoing the rabbit food can deliver a massive dose of beta-carotene, which is then excreted in urine. The over the counter UTI treatment phenazopyridine (Pyridium) and the blood thinner warfarin can also result in orange urine. The good news is you know you’re taking these meds and a professional doctor will tell you ahead of time to expect color changes so that you avoid panic. If you see more of a neon or fluorescent orange, though, something could be up with your liver, especially if you notice a yellowish tint to the whites of your eyes. If that happens a doctor’s visit is in order.
A fluorescent yellow in your bowl is probably linked to your vitamin stock in the bathroom cupboard. B vitamins, especially B12, result in this common, but dramatic change in color. It’s no cause for concern, except for the fact that you’re literally peeing money down the toilet.
Once again it could be veggies that are to blame. Some veggies give urine a greenish tint. In some rare instances green urine could however be a sign of a specific form of urinary tract infection called a proteus infection. The bug that causes it can also cause kidney stones, so if you still see green and you haven’t eaten asparagus, it’s time to get along to see your M.D.
A rare genetic condition called hypercalcemia, which involves having too much calcium in your bones, can result in blue urine. However, it’s so rare that you’ll probably never see it. Good news.
Porphyrias are a rare class of disorders that typically involve sensitivity to light and can on the odd occasion lead to brownish urine (due to the way red blood cells are broken down in the bodies of people with the condition). However, if your brown pee is accompanied by abdominal pain, rashes, or seizures, it’s possible you have the genetic condition. Brown urine could also be a sign of something serious, like a tumor. Or if you’re a huge rhubarb or fava bean fan, you might also notice cola-colored pee after you’ve eaten those foods.
Sometimes urine is more concentrated or darker with a UTI that’s why we’re often told to drink plenty of fluids when we have one. But water alone might not immediately lead to better health, especially if your urine becomes a cloudy white color. That could be kidney stones or a really bad infection – in effect you’re peeing out pus. If this happens get to a doctor as soon as possible.
As usual it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you have any concerns check with your medical practitioner. Healthy urine can range from clear to dark yellow, but if it’s any other color in the spectrum and hydration or diet doesn’t fix it, best to get it checked.