Did you know that the color of your urine can tell you a lot about your health?
Here’s the thing with urine: it’s a byproduct of your kidneys doing their job. They filter out waste and other impurities from your bloodstream, so that your body can use the clean blood to keep you alive and well. The waste products get stored in your bladder, then released as urine when you go to the bathroom. By checking the color of your urine, you can determine whether or not your kidneys are functioning properly, and if they’re getting rid of all of the unwanted materials in your body. Urine is a bodily fluid which is made by the kidneys, stored in the bladder, and excreted through the urethra. Although urine is 95% water, the remaining 5% consists of wastes and byproducts that the kidneys have removed from your blood stream. This includes urea, uric acid, creatinine, various salts and ammonia.
Here’s what the color of your urine typically means:
* Clear: Congratulations! You’re drinking enough water and not overdoing it on the coffee. Your pee should be clear—it’s rarely completely clear, but it shouldn’t have any color to it. If you’re drinking enough water, your kidneys will filter out most of the byproducts from your blood and turn them into urine, which is yellow because of urochrome (also called urobilin). But if you’re drinking plenty of water, the urochrome won’t be concentrated enough to color your urine.
* Pale Yellow: Also normal! Your kidneys are filtering a little bit more urochrome than they do when your urine is clear, but it’s still not enough to tint it yellow. You should stay hydrated if you want to maintain this kind of pee color.
* Bright Yellow: A little too much urochrome in here. You should probably drink some water. The good news is that bright yellow urine is usually not an indication that anything is wrong with you—it
* Pink or red urine can be caused by foods or medications that contain pigments like beetroot or blackberries and some laxatives. It could also mean blood in the urine, which can be caused by a urinary tract infection, kidney stones, or gallstones.
*Orange urine can be caused by various foods or medications or be a sign of potential liver problems.
*Blue or green urine can be caused by medications that contain blue dyes like some antidepressants and antipsychotics, but it can also be caused by food dyes like those in blue Gatorade or artificially-dyed candy.
Blue or green urine can be caused by a condition called familial benign hypercalcemia. This is a genetic condition that affects calcium levels in your body. Moderate calcium levels in your body may show up as a change in the color of your urine. Many people with this genetic condition don’t have noticeable symptoms.
So remember: don’t underestimate the power of your pee! If you notice changes in the color of your urine, consult with a doctor.
Desert Sky Urology is a urology clinic in Chandler, AZ. If you’re looking for the best urologist in Chandler, Phoenix and Gilbert, Arizona or if you’re looking for a top Arizona urologist, we have Dr. Byrne. Call Desert Sky Urology today!
