Regular urine color ranges from clear to pale yellow. But certain things can change the color. Foods such as beets, blackberries and fava beans can turn urine pink or red, for example. And some medicines can give urine vivid tones, such as orange or greenish-blue.
The most optimal color for your urine is a pale yellow. If it is a darker yellow or orange, it can mean you are becoming dehydrated. An orange urine could indicate a serious liver condition. Darker brown can be caused by foods or medication.
If your urine is cloudy, brown, blue, or green and doesn't return to a pale straw color, schedule an appointment to speak with a doctor.
Is clear urine always a good thing? In most cases, clear urine is a sign that you're well hydrated. And that's a positive thing because good hydration helps your body function at its best. But, in some cases, clear pee may mean that you're drinking too much water and you're too hydrated.
Normal urine color ranges from pale yellow to deep gold. Urine that's abnormally colored may have tints of red, orange, blue, green, or brown.
If you have diabetes insipidus, you'll continue to pee large amounts of watery (dilute), light-colored urine when normally you'd only pee a small amount of concentrated, dark yellow urine.
When kidneys are failing, the increased concentration and accumulation of substances in urine lead to a darker color which may be brown, red or purple. The color change is due to abnormal protein or sugar, high levels of red and white blood cells, and high numbers of tube-shaped particles called cellular casts.
An occasional clear pee isn't a big deal. But if it's an ongoing issue you may be lowering salt and electrolyte levels below what your body needs. What if your urine is clear and you're not knocking back glass after glass of water? That may signal an underlying kidney problem or diabetes.
White or milky.
This may be caused by an overabundance of certain minerals, such as calcium or phosphate, a urinary tract infection or excessive proteins. Consult your doctor.
Clear to light yellow urine
Congratulations, you're well hydrated! Light yellow to clear urine means you're giving your body the fluids it needs. “When you're healthy and hydrated, your urine color should actually have very little color to it, from light yellow to clear,” Dr. Wolach said.
Some liver and kidney disorders and some urinary tract infections can turn urine dark brown.
Cloudy or milky urine is a sign of a urinary tract infection, which may also cause a bad smell. Milky urine may also be caused by bacteria, crystals, fat, white or red blood cells, or mucus in the urine.
Clear to yellow urine falls within the normal, healthy range, Clayman says. Odd colors such as blue or orange are usually the result of medications such as certain antibiotics, antidepressants and laxatives. But there are two colors you should never ignore: dark brown and red.
The more water you drink, the clearer your urine looks. As a general rule of thumb, it's usually a good sign for your health when the color of your urine is a pale shade of yellow or clear. Dark yellow urine can be normal, but it might mean you need more fluids.
Clear urine tends to indicate that a person is well hydrated. It could also suggest that they are too hydrated. If a person has consumed a lot of liquids during the day, they may have too much water in their system.
For most people, the normal number of times to urinate per day is between 6 – 7 in a 24 hour period. Between 4 and 10 times a day can also be normal if that person is healthy and happy with the number of times they visit the toilet.
Normal urine is usually salty and somehow bitter. A sweet tasting urine may be the first sign we have of diabetes. Jaundice makes urine taste as bitter as gall.
Foamy, frothy or bubbly urine.
Dark yellow urine might indicate that you have a severe infection, an underlying kidney condition or it could additionally mean that you are dehydrated: Temporary conditions or medication affecting the liver and kidneys can also sometimes cause this effect.
Urine naturally has some yellow pigments called urobilin or urochrome. The darker urine is, the more concentrated it tends to be. Dark urine is most commonly due to dehydration. However, it may be an indicator that excess, unusual, or potentially dangerous waste products are circulating in the body.
Most people have two kidneys, one on either side of the spine under the lower ribs. They are bean-shaped and reddish brown in colour.
“Diabetes starts as a silent disease, advancing painlessly, almost imperceptibly,” says Dr. Ferrer, who sees 25 to 30 diabetic patients per week. “It mainly attacks the small blood vessels, damaging the kidneys, eyes, and nerves.” It can also affect larger blood vessels.
Medium-dark yellow urine is often an indication that you are dehydrated.