For the most part, many of us do not think too much of our urine. Some of us don’t even cast a glance into the toilet bowl before we flush. If you feel a little burning when you pee, or notice that it’s coming out a different color than you’re used to, then there may be something to be concerned about.
Taking note of the appearance of your urine is a smart thing to do, because there’s a lot you can tell by looking at it.
The color that comes to mind when urine is mentioned is usually the color Yellow, but as we know, there’s many different shades to each color so now we’ll go into what some of these shades may mean when it comes to the urine your body is producing.
Transparent urine
Transparent urine (urine that is completely clear) is generally not a sign of a problem. It means that you are very well hydrated. In fact, if your urine is consistently clear, then maybe you’re actually overhydrating. You could try drinking a little less water throughout your day; and this will save you some trips to the bathroom and you will still be getting all the hydration you need to ensure your body is running smoothly. Your bladder will thank you.
Brown
With brown urine, it may be bad or not so bad. The not so bad is, it could just be a sign of serious dehydration. To confirm if this is the case, a significant increase in water intake should cause the urine to clear up. If this happens then you just need to make a point to stay properly hydrated.
Failure to do so may have adverse effects on the functions of your body, most notably the kidneys, which are very reliant upon water to properly filter the blood. Inadequate hydration will also have negative effects on your blood pressure, especially if there is a lot of salt in your diet, leading to hypertension, and other serious problems.
Worse still, brown urine can also be a sign of liver disease. If drinking more water doesn’t clear up your urine, go see a doctor.
Dark Yellow
If you have urine that is dark yellow in color, you’re nearing the lower border of what is considered normal and healthy urine. It is not necessarily an indicator of any serious problem, but it does highlight the issue of hydration. So , it is important that you consider drinking more water, and soon. The recommended daily volume is around 4L for men and 3L for women. This can be difficult to achieve for those constantly on the move, but it’s important to try. In this technological age where there’s an app for everything, there are simple apps which you can download on your phone to help track your water intake and let you know when you’re falling short of your goals and also have alarms to remind you to drink water intermittently.
Pale Straw
If your urine is the color of pale straw, then you are doing everything right. Like transparent urine, urine of this color is not indicative of a problem; however, unlike transparent urine, urine of a pale straw shade is also not suggesting that you are overhydrating, either. You should be fine if you make sure to continue to drink the same amount of water daily, and be mindful of any changes in urination such as the frequency of bathroom breaks, changes in urine color, or constant fizzing or frothing, which may indicate a problem.
Pink or Red
Pink or red urine could be harmless, or it could indicate a serious problem. Sometimes it may be a result of your recent diet. If you have been eating a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables such as Beets, blueberries, and rhubarb, as well as certain food colorings, they may cause a red tinted urine. However, if you have not eaten such foods lately, pink or red urine could be an indicator of kidney disease or a urinary infection, or worse. Red urine may also be seen in cases of lead or mercury poisoning.
Orange
Orange urine is similar to brown urine in the sense that it could be caused by a lack of hydration, and pink or red urine, in that it could be caused by a food dye or something else you ate. It’s also similar to both of these other colors in the sense that it could indicate a very serious problem. So, if you are drinking a healthy amount of water, and have ruled out food dyes, you could be looking at a problem with your liver, or your bile duct. Speak to a doctor to find out what’s going on.
Foamy or Fizzy Urine
Even when your urine passes the shade test, foamy or fizzy urine could be an indication of some problems. If this is only an occasional occurrence, there’s nothing to be alarmed about. However, If your urine, even the healthy pale straw or transparent yellow, constantly comes out with foam, then there is likely something wrong, and you should look into it. This is because frequently foaming urine is usually an indicator of problems with the kidneys, or a sign of excessive protein in the diet.
It is best to see a doctor in cases of foamy urine in order to determine the cause and treatment if necessary.
There are some changes in urine that can be caused by medical procedures. These include things like medications or dyes which may alter the color of the urine. Laxatives may also cause some changes.This means that if you are on certain long-term medications, it may not be an indication of a problem. Still it doesn’t hurt to point out any changes to your doctor.
Armed with this information about your urine, you should have some clues about what’s going on in your body. The importance of proper hydration cannot be stressed enough; everything in the body depends on water to function properly.
Still it is important to know that proper hydration and knowing what urine colors mean may not always be enough. There are things in your urine you can’t see that a urine test will pick up. So there’s no harm in doing a urinalysis next time you visit your doctor.
