Urine Color

Normal urine is usually clear or a light yellow color. However, a few things can change its appearance. For example, eating foods like beets, blackberries, or fava beans can make your urine look pink or red. Similarly, some medications can cause your urine to be unusual colors, such as orange or greenish-blue.

Changes in urine color can sometimes be a sign of a health issue. A milky white color, for example, could be a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI). If your urine appears red, it could indicate the presence of blood in your urine. Blood in the urine can be a sign of kidney stones, some types of cancer, or other medical conditions. It's important to note that a change in urine color alone isn't a diagnosis, but it's a reason to talk to a doctor. They can help determine the cause and recommend the appropriate course of action.

The color of your urine can change depending on how much you drink. Drinking more fluids makes your urine more clear, because the fluids dilute the natural yellow pigments. Drinking less makes your urine a stronger yellow color.

However, urine can also be other colors besides yellow, including:

• Red: Red urine can be a sign of blood in your urine. Blood in the urine is common with urinary tract infections (UTIs) or kidney stones. These problems usually cause some pain. If the bleeding is painless, it could be a more serious issue like cancer. See a doctor right away if you notice blood in your urine.

• Blue: Blue urine can be unusual.

• Green: Green urine is also unusual.

• Orange: Orange urine might suggest a problem with your liver. If your urine is orange and you also have pale-colored stools and yellowing of your skin and eyes, it's important to see a doctor.

• Dark brown: Dark brown urine can also be a sign of liver problems. Again, if you notice this, along with pale stools and yellowing of your skin and eyes, it's essential to see a doctor.

• Cloudy white: Cloudy white urine can sometimes be a sign of a urinary tract infection or other issues. If your urine is cloudy white, see a doctor.

It's important to remember that these are just possible explanations for unusual urine colors. A healthcare provider can properly diagnose the cause and recommend the best course of action. If you have any concerns about your urine's color, it's always a good idea to talk to a doctor.

If you notice any changes in your urine, it's important to see your doctor.

• Blood in your urine: Seeing blood in your pee is a fairly common sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney stones. These conditions often cause pain in your lower back or abdomen. However, if the bleeding isn't painful, it could be a sign of a more serious problem, like cancer. It's crucial to get this checked out right away.

• Dark or orange urine: Dark or orange urine could indicate a liver problem. If you have this, along with pale-colored bowel movements and yellowing of your skin and eyes, it's especially important to see a doctor. These symptoms can signal that your liver isn't functioning properly. Don't ignore these signs. Prompt medical attention is key.

Changes in Urine Color: Causes and Possible Meanings

The color of your urine can change due to various factors, ranging from harmless foods and medicines to underlying health issues. It's important to understand that what one person sees as red, another might perceive as orange. Slight variations in color perception are normal.

Red or Pink Urine:

This isn't always cause for alarm, but it can be a sign of something needing attention.

• Possible Causes:
  • Blood in the Urine (Hematuria): Blood in your urine can stem from several medical conditions. These include, but aren't limited to, an enlarged prostate, benign tumors, kidney stones, kidney cysts, and certain cancers. Even strenuous exercise, like long-distance running, can sometimes cause minor bleeding.
  • Foods: Beets, blackberries, and rhubarb can temporarily tint your urine red or pink.
  • Medicines: Certain medications can alter urine color. For example, rifampin (used to treat tuberculosis) and phenazopyridine (for urinary tract pain) can cause reddish-orange urine. Some laxatives containing senna can also lead to this change.

Orange Urine:

• Possible Causes:
  • Medicines: Phenazopyridine (as mentioned above) and some laxatives, along with sulfasalazine (for inflammatory conditions) and some chemotherapy drugs, can cause orange urine.
  • Vitamins: Some vitamins, such as vitamin A and vitamin B12, can turn urine orange or yellowish-orange.
  • Health Issues: Orange urine, particularly if accompanied by light-colored stools, could indicate a liver or bile duct problem. Dehydration can also make your urine appear orange.

Blue or Green Urine:

• Possible Causes:
  • Dyes: Some food dyes can cause green urine. Dyes used in certain medical tests for the kidneys and bladder can also result in blue urine.
  • Health Issues: Rarely, a condition called familial benign hypercalcemia in children can cause blue urine. Certain types of urinary tract infections (UTIs) may cause green urine.

Green Urine (additional causes):

• Medicines: Indomethacin (for pain and arthritis) and propofol (a sedative used before surgery) can sometimes cause green urine.

Brown Urine:

• Possible Causes:
  • Foods: Consuming large amounts of fava beans, rhubarb, or aloe can lead to dark brown urine.
  • Medicines: Several medications can darken urine, including those used to treat malaria (chloroquine and primaquine), antibiotics (metronidazole and nitrofurantoin), laxatives (containing senna), muscle relaxants (methocarbamol), seizure medications (phenytoin), and cholesterol-lowering statins.
  • Health Issues: Liver and kidney problems, some types of UTIs, internal bleeding (hemorrhage), and a group of disorders affecting the skin or nervous system (porphyria) can all result in brown urine.
  • Extreme Exercise: Severe muscle injury from intense exercise can cause urine to appear tea- or cola-colored. This can indicate kidney damage.

Other Considerations:

• Cloudy or Murky Urine: Urinary tract infections and kidney stones can make your urine cloudy or murky.

Important Note: This information is for general knowledge only and should not be considered medical advice. If you notice a change in your urine color that concerns you, please consult a healthcare professional. They can properly diagnose the cause and recommend the appropriate course of action.

Changes in urine color that aren't from food or medicine might signal a health problem. Several factors can increase your risk:

• Age: As people get older, certain health issues become more common. For example, tumors in the bladder or kidneys can cause blood in the urine. Older men, especially those over 50, may experience blood in their urine due to an enlarged prostate gland.

• Family history: If you have a family history of kidney problems, like kidney disease or kidney stones, you're more likely to develop them yourself. Both kidney disease and kidney stones can lead to blood in the urine. This is because genetic factors can increase your predisposition to these conditions.

• Intense exercise: People who engage in strenuous physical activity, particularly long-distance runners, are sometimes at risk of having blood in their urine. However, any type of intense exercise can potentially cause this. The exertion can damage blood vessels in the urinary tract, leading to small amounts of blood.

Important Note: If you notice a change in your urine color, it's essential to talk to your doctor. This information is for general knowledge and doesn't replace professional medical advice. Your doctor can properly diagnose the cause and recommend the best course of action.

Your doctor will want to know about your health and will give you a physical check-up. They might also order some tests to help figure out what's going on. These tests can include:

• Urinalysis: This test looks at your urine. It can show if there are any problems with your kidneys or urinary system. The urine sample is also checked for germs (bacteria) that can make you sick.

• Blood tests: Some blood tests measure how well your kidneys are working. If your kidneys aren't working right, waste products can build up in your blood. The blood tests can also check for problems with your liver and other health issues, like diabetes.

The color of your urine can change due to various health issues. If your urine color is unusual, it's important to see a doctor. The best treatment will depend on the specific cause of the change. Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss this.

Regarding the email signup: To get updates on health research, tips, and news from Mayo Clinic, you can sign up for their email newsletter. Just enter your email address in the form. If there's a problem with the form, you'll see an error message. Please fix the problem and try again.

Mayo Clinic collects information to personalize their emails and content. If you're a Mayo Clinic patient, this might include your medical information. Mayo Clinic treats this combined information as protected health information, using it only as outlined in their privacy policy. You can unsubscribe from their emails at any time using the link provided in the email.