7 urine colors that tell us something
Everyone knows that normal human urine is yellow in color, but very often we wonder what it means when the liquid is a completely different color.
Discoloration, cloudiness and appearance of blood in the urine can cause panic and alarm as it makes us think that something is wrong with our body. If you’re curious about what you can learn just by looking at your urine, read on.
What does normal urine look like?
The normal color of urine can vary from translucent yellow to amber, it is due to the pigment urochrome. Urine is a sterile liquid that is excreted from the body and is a product of cellular metabolism.
The color and amount of urine can be affected by certain foods and drinks, as well as many diseases. When urine becomes darker, it is usually a sign that you are not getting enough fluids. But this is no cause for alarm. All you need to do is drink more fluids, preferably water.
The lighter and clearer the urine, the healthier our body is. The light yellow color shows that our body is properly hydrated, and this is typical for those who regularly drink water. However, be careful – urine that is too light can be a sign of overhydration or water intoxication. And increased excretion of clear urine, without adequate water intake, can be a sign of diabetes.
Some may often wonder why their urine clears after drinking too much alcohol. There is a simple explanation for this – alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases the rate of urine excretion. Because drinking alcohol causes you to visit the toilet frequently, your body pulls water from other organs.
The problem is that along with fluids, you’re throwing important electrolytes out of your body. This is why excessive amounts of alcohol make you feel sick or leave you with a bad headache.
Urine Color Abnormalities
Sometimes the urine goes well outside the light yellow to amber color scheme. Here are the possible colors of urine and what they mean:
Green or blue
This is due to something we have ingested. Certain foods, drinks, and medications have the ability to stain urine these colors, especially if they contain blue dye. Asparagus also gives urine a greenish color, they also change its smell.
Red or pink
Some foods that are naturally red can cause these urine color changes. Laxatives and some medications can also cause red urine.
In some cases, however, it is not about coloring, but about blood in the urine. This could be a sign of a medical condition such as an enlarged prostate, bladder stones or even kidney cancer.
Curdy urine
This could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or kidney stones. In men, this may be due to sperm entering the urine.
Orange
Blackberries, beets, rhubarb, and some dyed medications can cause an orange color. Sometimes jaundice and dehydration also turn urine orange.
Frothy urine
Frothy does not affect the color of urine, but gives it a frothy appearance. Too a lot of foam in the urine is usually a sign of too much protein ingestion.
When to seek medical help
Often times, a dramatic change in urine color is due to something we ate or drank. Note any color changes and note when and how often they occur. If we can rule out food or medication as possible causes of the change in urine color, we should call our doctor.
Other symptoms that require medical attention are frequent urination, painful urination, difficulty urinating, passing small amounts of urine with normal hydration, waking up at night due to urges to urinate, pass more urine than usual.
