Changes in the odour, colour and consistency of your urine can give you important clues about your health. Your urine can tell how much you’ve been drinking, what you’ve been eating and what diseases you could have.
Urine is not only waste. It is a window into the inner workings of your body and functions as an “early warning system” for detecting health problems. That’s because many of the substances in your body such as yeast, bacteria, sugar and excess protein eventually make their way into your pee.
Normal colour ranges from pale yellow to deep amber.So, before you flush and send important information down the toilet, here are a few urine colour changes to look out for, and what they might be saying about your health…
1. Dark brown or deep red
You may have been eating fava beans, rhubarb or aloe. Antibiotics, some anti-malarial drugs and muscle relaxants. Kidney and liver disorders as well as urinary tract infections such as hepatitis cause these colour changes.
2. Red or pink
Enlarged prostate, urinary tract infections, cancerous and non-cancerous tumours, long-distance running, kidney cysts and kidney or bladder stones can cause blood in urine. Furthermore, antibiotics used for TB, urinary tract discomfort and laxatives as well as foods such as blackberries, beetroot and rhubarb can cause these colour changes.
3. Bright yellow / orange
Multi-vitamins and anti-inflammatory drugs usually cause these colour changes. It’s important to note though that liver or bile duct problems cause bright yellow urine. If this is the case, you’ll also have light-coloured stools. Orange urine also means that you’re dehydrated. If your urine is very pale, it means that you’re either drinking a lot of fluid, or you’re taking a diuretic.
4. Blue or green
If you eat brightly coloured food with dyes, it can cause your urine to be green. However, urine sometimes turns green when you have urinary tract infection because of the bacteria. Medications can also produce blue or green urine. Children with blue diaper syndrome – a rare inherited disorder have blue urine. Green u
5. Cloudy or murky pee
Urinary tract infections and kidney stones are the major cause of cloudy urine.
6. Foaming or fizzing pee
No… you didn’t drink too much soda. Fizzing or foaming pee is caused by kidney problems or excessive protein.
You have to try to keep your urinary tract happy by drinking enough water every day. Furthermore, try to limit your alcohol and caffeine intake, which can irritate your bladder lining. And, if you need to go… Go!
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