Urine Colors Explained

Clear, colorless urine

Urine as clear as regular water indicates that you are drinking more than the recommended daily amount. Drinking enough water is a good thing, but drinking too much water can rob the body of electrolytes. However, the occasional clear urine is nothing to worry about. You need to cut down on the amount of water you are drinking.

Urine is light yellow to amber in color.

This is the most "typical" urine color. Light yellow urine is a good sign that your body is sufficiently hydrated and in a normal state.

The reason urine is a pale yellow to amber (orange-yellow) is due to the presence of a pigment called 'urochrome' - a natural pigment the body produces when hemoglobin (the protein that transports oxygen in cells) erythrocytes) are broken down. The color of the urine will depend on the dilution of this pigment. As you drink more and more water, this pigment becomes more dilute, giving urine a pale yellow color. Conversely, drinking less water will concentrate the urine; severe dehydration can make the urine an amber color.

Urine is pink, light red.

Red or pink urine indicates that you have eaten certain fruits or foods with a natural dark pink or bright red pigment, such as beets, blueberries, etc.

However, if the urine remains the same color in the following days, it is no longer food coloring. Still, it could be a symptom of hematuria and related to several health problems such as an enlarged prostate gland, paralysis, kidney stones, tumors in the bladder and kidneys. In this case, see a doctor for a timely diagnosis and relief of anxiety.

Orange urine

Orange urine indicates that you are drinking too little water. In addition, orange urine also indicates that you may have a problem with the bile duct or liver. Adult-onset jaundice can also cause orange urine.

Blue or green urine

Blue or green urine is rare, mainly related to a certain food in your diet (for example, eating too much asparagus can make urine green), or maybe due to the dye used in tests performed on the kidneys or bladder.

However, if the urine is unusually blue and you have not eaten any colored foods before, see your doctor for a prompt diagnosis because the urine is blue/green in some cases. It also warns of proteus infection – a urinary tract infection that causes kidney stones.

Dark brown urine

Urine that is dark brown like the color of tea indicates that your body is dehydrated. In addition, brown urine can also be caused by a side effect of certain medications, including metronidazole (Flagyl) and chloroquine (Aralen), or from eating large amounts of rhubarb aloe or fava beans.

Suppose your condition doesn't improve after rehydration. In that case, you should be on the lookout for a condition called porphyria, which causes a build-up of natural chemicals in the blood that gives urine it's color brown or rusty. Dark brown urine can also be a sign of liver disease caused by bile passing into your urine.

Opaque white urine

Cloudy urine can signify a urinary tract infection or a symptom of certain chronic diseases and kidney disease. Cloudy, foamy, or bubbly urine indicates a serious medical condition, including Crohn's disease or diverticulitis. In some cases, the urine is foamy, and the doctor cannot determine the cause.