Humans tend to secrete various bodily fluids and urine plays a crucial role in revealing the health status of a person. Dr Saurabh Mittal, Sr. Consultant- Advance Urology, Andrology and Kidney Transplant, Primus Hospital told Financial Express.com that the colour of your urine provides crucial information about your health.
“Normal urine color ranges from pale yellow to deep amber, and changes in color can indicate various medical conditions. For example, if your urine is dark brown or black, it may be a sign of liver disease, while pink or reddish urine could indicate the presence of blood, potentially signaling a urinary tract infection or kidney stones. Green or blue urine could be a result of medications or certain foods, while cloudy or foamy urine may suggest an infection. Monitoring your urine color regularly can help you identify potential health issues and seek prompt medical attention if necessary,” Dr. Mittal told Financial Express.com.
However, it is important to note that changes in urine colour do not always indicate a serious medical problem and can sometimes be caused by harmless factors such as hydration levels and diet, Dr. Mittal emphasised.
‘Colour of urine may also change without medical condition’
According to Dr. Sunita Kapoor, Director and Consultant Pathologist at City X-ray & Scan Clinic, pathological conditions can lead to a change in colour of urine.
“But sometimes, the colour of urine can also change without any underlying illness. For example, you may pass a red urine after consumption of items like Beetroot, black berries or even after medicines like Rifampicin. Consumption of Vitamin B can give a greenish tinge to the urine,” Dr. Kapoor told Financial Expres.com.
Dr. Hyacinth Peninnah Paljor, Senior Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad told Financial Express.com that normal urine color ranges from clear to pale yellow, depending on the amount of water consumed. Unusual urine colors may result from certain foods, medications, and underlying medical conditions.
Other parameters for urine testing
Dr. Shalabh Aggarwal, Consultant Urology, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram revealed that gross parameter which can be examined at home is the smell of the urine.
“So, urine typically has a slightly ammoniacal smell, which is very strong that may suggest the infection. Sometimes this can also represent glucose leakage in the urine,” Dr. Aggarwal told Financial Express.com.
The colour of the urine is the most important feature that we can see while doing a urine examination also it can be done at home also at a certain point in time when we did not have an advanced test, he revealed.
Urinalysis: Colour and Case
Red coloured urine happens when there is a passage of red blood cells in the urine due urine infection or kidney stones. It may also happen in some cases of poisoning like due to lead or mercury. Red or pink urine can also be caused by foods such as beets, blackberries, rhubarb, medications like rifampicin or phenazopyridine, or medical conditions including kidney stones, urinary tract infections, red due to blood or cancers of the urinary tract.
Dark brown or yellow urine may indicate a problem in liver or bile duct.
Tea-coloured urine could indicate inflammation of the kidneys.
A turbid/ cloudy urine happens due to urine infection.
Blue or green urine can be caused by food dyes or dyes used for kidney and bladder tests, certain medications like amitriptyline or triamterene, or medical conditions such as familial benign hypercalcemia in children or urinary tract infections with certain bacteria.
Orange urine may indicate liver disorders with jaundice, which is also associated with pale stools and yellow skin and eyes.
Dark brown or cola-colored urine can result from certain foods like fava beans, aloe or rhubarb, medications such as chloroquine, metronidazole, or nitrofurantoin, or medical conditions including liver and kidney disorders or Porphyria, a group of diseases that affect the skin and nervous system.
Cloudy white urine may indicate urinary tract infections or kidney stones.
Brown colour urine is because of certain medicines like TB Medicines or certain other tablets.
White colour urine or milky urine can be because of the condition Chyluria where there is a secretion of lipids or fat in the urine it can also be due to certain infections in the kidney which can give milky colour.
Dr Sharad Malhotra, HOD, Gastroenterology, Akash Hospital, Delhi and Associated with THIP (The Healthy Indian Project) told Financial Express.com that if changes in urine colour happen after exposure to sunlight then it may diagnose disease like porphyria’.
According to Dr Sanjay Gupta, Senior Consultant – Internal Medicine, Paras Health, Gurugram, it is crucial to talk to your healthcare provider if you observe any significant changes in the color or frequency of your urine.
“Regular urine analysis can be beneficial in detecting any underlying health conditions, and prompt medical attention can help manage and treat any potential medical problems related to your urinary health,” Dr. Gupta told Financial Express.com.
