Color of the urine
The color of the urine can vary greatly. A completely healthy urine should appear bright and almost colorless to yellowish if possible. This indicates that the proportion of pure water is high and indicates that the body is sufficiently supplied with water.
The usual yellow color results from the breakdown and excretion of components of hemoglobin, our red blood pigment. The less the urine is diluted by water, the more intense the coloration of the urine appears. The urine can sometimes assume a yellow-orange color.
Yes, the color of the urine can give important clues. Normally, the urine should be clear and bright. Depending on what you eat and how much you drink, the color of the urine can vary from clear-light to clear-brown.
However, if the color of the urine is “different” and does not return to normal after a few visits to the toilet, this provides important information about possible illnesses. A clear diagnosis cannot be made based on the color of the urine. This requires a test using a urine strip (U-Stix) and, if necessary, further diagnostics.
For example, cloudy light or pinkish urine can indicate a urinary tract infection and very dark urine can indicate possible liver disease or gallstones. The following are the causes that the changed color of the urine could indicate: Red urine: A reddish color often indicates that there is blood in the urine. This can happen, for example, through injuries to the urinary tract.
In some people, however, the consumption of carrots or beetroot can also cause the urine to turn reddish. Brown urine: Brown urine is a symptom of some liver diseases. These include jaundice, the “icterus”.
In jaundice, the bile pigment “bilirubin” can no longer be adequately absorbed by the liver and is increasingly absorbed into the blood. The kidney filters it out of the blood and thus colors the urine brownish. Whitish urine: A whitish discoloration of the urine is also possible.
This is often accompanied by cloudiness. In many cases, the cause is an infection of the urinary tract. An inflammation of the kidneys can also cause this.In an infection, inflammatory secretions, which also include white blood cells, accumulate.
They cloud the urine whitish. Very light urine: Very light urine can indicate excessive fluid intake. In rare cases, however, diabetes insipidus may also be behind the infection.
This is a hormone deficiency disease. In this case, however, those affected also have a strong feeling of thirst. In diabetes insipidus, the kidney excretes far too much of the originally filtered urine, resulting in a lack of water in the body.
This can also occur due to the defective regulation of hormones or the intake of medication. Other discoloration of the urine: Many medications can also discolor the urine, as can food. If a discoloration of the urine is noticed, this does not primarily mean that a disease is the cause.
If the discoloration does not go back on its own, a doctor should be consulted. This doctor can determine the cause with further diagnostic methods.
- Red urine: A reddish color often indicates that there is blood in the urine.
This can happen, for example, through injuries to the urinary tract. In some people, however, the consumption of carrots or beetroot can also cause the urine to turn reddish.
- Brown urine: Brown urine is a symptom of some liver diseases. These include jaundice, the “icterus”.
In jaundice, the bile pigment “bilirubin” can no longer be sufficiently absorbed by the liver and is increasingly absorbed into the blood. The kidney filters it out of the blood and thus colors the urine brownish.
- Whitish urine: A whitish discoloration of the urine is also possible. It is often accompanied by a cloudiness.
In many cases the cause is an infection of the urinary tract. An inflammation of the kidneys can also cause this. In the case of an infection, inflammatory secretions accumulate, which also contain white blood cells.
They cloud the urine whitish.
- Very light urine: Very light urine may indicate excessive fluid intake. In rare cases, however, diabetes insipidus may be behind it. This is a hormone deficiency disease.
In this case, however, those affected also have a strong feeling of thirst. In diabetes insipidus, the kidney excretes far too much of the originally filtered urine, resulting in a lack of water in the body. This can also occur due to the defective regulation of hormones or the intake of medication.
- Other discoloration of the urine: Many medications can also discolor the urine, but also food.
If a discoloration of the urine is noticed, this does not primarily mean that a disease is the cause. If the discoloration does not go back on its own, a doctor should be consulted. This doctor can determine the cause with further diagnostic methods.
There are several causes that make urine appear darker.
The causes can be harmless and temporary, but they can also indicate serious illness. The following are possible causes of darkening of the urine:
- Reduced fluid intake: The color of the urine depends, among other things, on the amount of fluid absorbed. The more you drink, the less concentrated and the lighter your urine is.
On the other hand, if you drink little or your body loses a lot of water as a result of diarrhoea, heat or sport, the concentration in the urine increases. This makes the urine appear dark. If this cause is right for you, you can normalize the color of the urine by drinking a sufficient amount.
- Medication: Brown to black urine often occurs as a side effect of Parkinson’s pills such as L
Normally the fresh urine should be clear.
However, if the urine is cloudy, this usually indicates harmless diseases. In most cases, cloudy urine is caused by a simple urinary tract infection.
- Cloudier: If the urine is cloudy, there are probably white blood cells (leukocytes) or bacteria in the urine.
This can be a sign of a urinary tract infection and in some cases requires antibiotics to be taken.
- Cloudy reddish-brown: If you have cloudy reddish-brown urine, the urine probably contains small amounts of blood, i.e. red blood cells. This can also indicate a simple urinary tract infection. In very rare cases, however, bladder or kidney cancer may also be behind it.
- Cloudy – milky: If the urine is cloudy – milky, fats could be contained in the urine. This occurs, for example, with kidney dysfunction, but can also have other rare causes.A medical clarification is recommended.
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