- Your pee can offer a lot of insight into your health.
- The color of your urine can vary, and may indicate a health care concern.
- Fruits, vegetables, and medication can alter the color and scent of your urine.
For most people, using the restroom is of little concern or consequence. Usually, it isn't until you notice that something looks, feels, or smells "off" that you start paying attention to your pee. Variations in the color, odor, or frequency of your urine can indicate anything from harmless dietary issues to a life-threatening illness.
As odd as it may sound to examine your urine, it's important to pay attention to what comes out of your body in order to maintain your health.
Here are some things you can learn from your pee that may warrant a trip to the doctor.
If you've ever used the restroom and noticed that your pee is dark, it could be a sign you're dehydrated. According to UC San Diego Health, dehydration can cause your urine to be amber or honey-colored. Although dehydration is the result of losing more fluids than what you take in, UCSD nephrologist Dr. Dena Rifkin notes that you shouldn't base your water intake solely on urine color: You should drink to qunch your thirst.
But, what about all those time you were told to drink at least eight glasses of water per day? Rifkin says this is an urban myth, and it's supported by others.
In an article for The New York Times, Adam E. Carroll, a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine writes that there is no formal recommendation on how much water individuals need. The amount can vary based on a person's diet, location, body size, and activity level.
Frequent urination is a common symptom of early pregnancy. According to Healthline, this is most often caused by an increase in hormones, specifically human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and progesterone. Additionally, your body begins to produce more fluids during pregnancy which the kidneys will need to flush out.
Many women also notice changes in the way their pee smells during pregnancy. Women's Health reports that pregnancy hormones may cause your urine to have a more pungent odor, particularly during the first trimester. These hormones are also attributed to what Pregnancy magazine calls your new "bionic sense of smell" which may make subtle changes in urine odor much more obvious to a mom-to-be.
You're on a veggie (or fruit) kick
You may have noticed that after eating certain foods your pee may have different odor. But, what you may not realize is that eating a lot of a particular food can also change the color of your urine.
According to Harvard Health, 10 to 14% of the population experience a phenomenon known as "beeturia" in which eating beets turns their urine pink or red (occasionally mistaken for blood). This is caused by anthocyanin, a plant pigment also found in blackberries. Other foods that may cause urine discoloration are rhubarb, fava beans, and aloe which can turn you pee brown. Carrots and carrot juice could give your pee an orange tint, and asparagus can turn it a shade of green.
You're taking meds
Discoloration of your urine may also be caused by medication. Harvard Health lists senna, chlorpromazine, and thioridazine as common culprits for reddish pee. Rifampin, warfarin, phenazopyridine (often used to treat pain associated with a urinary tract infection), and vitamin C can make your pee a bright orange color.
Pills that contain blue dye such as amitriptyline, indomethacin, cimetidine, and promethazine may turn your urine blue or green. The malaria medications chloroquine and primaquine and the antibiotics metronidazole and nitrofurantoin can give you dark brown or tea-colored pee.
You're drinking too much water
Normal urine can vary in color from pale straw to dark yellow. Harvard Health explains that the yellow color of urine comes from urochrome, a product of the breakdown of hemoglobin. Its concentration is in proportion to the amount of waste to water in your urine. The more water you drink, the lighter your pee will be and the more often you will have to go to the restroom.
The average person pees four to eight trips per day, producing about six and a half cups of urine. If you go much more often or notice that your pee is almost transparent, it could be a sign that you are overhydrated. UC San Diego Health notes that drinking an excess amount of water can dilute your body of essential salts such as electrolytes, and create a dangerous chemical imbalance in the blood, also known as water intoxication.
A condition known as hyponatremia can occur when the sodium level in the blood is below normal. According to the National Kidney Foundation, when the sodium level in your blood is too low, your cells can take in extra water making them swell. This swelling is especially dangerous in your brain which, when swollen, can lead to coma or death.
A study in the Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism found that the water excretion rate of a healthy adult is a little over five gallons per day, but not more than 27 to 34 ounces per hour. Therefore the average person with normal renal function should not drink in excess of 34 ounces of water per hour, or the equivalent of two 16 oz. bottles of water. Talk to your health care provider if you are unusually thirsty, because this could be a sign of a health concern.
You need to see a doctor
Blood present in your urine, a condition known as hematuria, can mean that you are experiencing an infection or tumor of the urinary tract. It can also indicate kidney stones or prostate problems, according to UC San Diego Health. It's not uncommon for your urine to also look cloudy or murky in these instances. Pain is typical with these kinds of infections and stones, however Mayo Clinic warns that bleeding without pain may be a sign of a more serious problem such as cancer.
Although less common, another critical cause of blood in the urine is chronic mercury or lead poisoning. According to the New York State Department of Health, people may experience mercury poisoning from eating fish that contains methylmercury which is a form of organic mercury. Mercury poisoning can also come from skin contact with mercury or substances containing mercury, such as some skin lightening creams, or from breathing air containing elemental mercury vapor.
Lead poisoning can cause damage to all organs, including the kidneys, which is where your urine is formed. The National Kidney Foundation suggests that this kind of kidney disease, also known as lead-related nephrotoxicity, is caused from exposure to lead found in old paint and paint scrapings, water pipes, soil contaminated by car exhaust, and toys made in some foreign countries or those made before 1976. Some towns in the US have also been found to contain unsafe levels of lead in their drinking water. You should always visit a healthcare professional if you suspect that there is blood in your urine.
In addition to color changes, unusual urine odor can indicate other medical conditions or diseases, according to Mayo Clinic. These include a bladder infection, cystitis (bladder inflammation), diabetic ketoacidosis, maple syrup urine disease (a rare genetic disease that causes difficulty breaking down certain amino acids), and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.