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| Blood in the urine Photo source |
Normal urine color is considered from pale yellow to saturated amber color. This is due to a pigment and depending on how diluted or concentrated is the urine. The urine color can be changed by certain compounds in foods and medicines.
Among the foods that can change the urine color are beets, berries, blueberries etc. Drugs alter the urine in brighter colors - raspberry red, lemon yellow and orange.
The presence of an unusual color is an indicator of infection, for example - dark purple. This color is characterized by a rare inherited disease of the red blood cells.
Symptoms
The typical urine color varies depending on how much water you drink. Urine may look very clean, because the liquids can dissolve the yellow pigments in it. If you drink less, the color becomes more concentrated. When you are dehydrated the urine may become amber-colored.
In some special cases the urine can be in shocking colors such as red, blue, green, dark brown or cloudy white.
When to search for a doctor?
Urine color-causes
Colorless urine
Urine without color can be caused by drugs, certain foods or other types of colorants.
Red or pink urine
The shocking color (red) is not always a sign of serious illness. Red or pink color may be caused by:
Bleeding - caused by a urinary tract infection, enlarged prostate, cancer and non-cancerous tumors, kidney cycts, bladder stones
Food - beet, blackberries and other fruit can turn urine in red, pink and other colors
Medicines - Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), certain antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis, can turn urine red
Toxins - lead poisoning or mercury also can color the urine
Orange urine
This color can be caused by:
Drugs - rifampin; inflammatory drug sulfasalazine (azulfidine); Phenazopyridine (pyridine), drugs that create discomfort to the urinary tract, some laxatives, and some chemotherapy drugs
Health problems - orange urine can be caused by problems with the liver and gallbladder (especially if you have light stools). Orange color may be caused by dehydration.
Blue or green urine
It can be a result of:
Dyes - some food dyes can cause this color. Some dyes (used for tests of the kidneys and bladder) can turn urine blue.
Medicines - a number of drugs can produce blue or green urine, such as amitriptyline, indomethacin (Indocin) and propofol (Diprivan).
Health problems - for example, blue diaper syndrome is a rare family disease in children – they have blue urine. The green color of urine occurs when there is an infection of the urinary tract caused by a certain type of bacteria.
Dark brown urine
Consumption of certain foods, certain types of beans, rhubarb or aloe can cause dark brown urine. Some types of medications can also cause dark brown urine, these are: metronidazole, nitrofurantoin and various antibiotics, laxatives, methocarbamol - muscle relaxant.
Various hepatic and renal diseases may change urine in brown and some urinary tract infections, as well. Cloudy urine can be caused by infections of the urinary tract and kidneys.
Risk factors
Age - tumors of the bladder or kidney may lead to blood in the urine. Men over 50 are most affected. They can have blood in the urine due to an enlarged prostate. Women most often suffer from urinary tract infections, so they are not insured, though.
Family history
Family members who suffer from a kidney disease are prone to blood in the urine.
Many exercises ( weightlifting) can also lead to appearance of blood in the urine.
Important questions helping to understand how serious the illness is
1. What is the color of your urine?
2. Do you have blood clots in the urine?
3. When did you first noticed the unusual color of the urine?
4. Do you notice an unusual smell of the urine?
5. Does the urinating is more or less than usual?
6. Do you feel pain when urinating?
7. Do you have a change in appetite?
8.What other symptoms do you experience?
9. Do you have any allergies?
10.What medications do you take?
Among the foods that can change the urine color are beets, berries, blueberries etc. Drugs alter the urine in brighter colors - raspberry red, lemon yellow and orange.
The presence of an unusual color is an indicator of infection, for example - dark purple. This color is characterized by a rare inherited disease of the red blood cells.
Symptoms
The typical urine color varies depending on how much water you drink. Urine may look very clean, because the liquids can dissolve the yellow pigments in it. If you drink less, the color becomes more concentrated. When you are dehydrated the urine may become amber-colored.
In some special cases the urine can be in shocking colors such as red, blue, green, dark brown or cloudy white.
When to search for a doctor?
- if you see blood in the urine (this is a sign of a urinary tract infection)
- painless bleeding (serious infection, tumor)
- if urine is dark-brown (if accompanied by pale stools and yellow skin and eyes, it is a sign that your liver doesn’t work properly)
Urine color-causes
Colorless urine
Urine without color can be caused by drugs, certain foods or other types of colorants.
Red or pink urine
The shocking color (red) is not always a sign of serious illness. Red or pink color may be caused by:
Bleeding - caused by a urinary tract infection, enlarged prostate, cancer and non-cancerous tumors, kidney cycts, bladder stones
Food - beet, blackberries and other fruit can turn urine in red, pink and other colors
Medicines - Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), certain antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis, can turn urine red
Toxins - lead poisoning or mercury also can color the urine
Orange urine
This color can be caused by:
Drugs - rifampin; inflammatory drug sulfasalazine (azulfidine); Phenazopyridine (pyridine), drugs that create discomfort to the urinary tract, some laxatives, and some chemotherapy drugs
Health problems - orange urine can be caused by problems with the liver and gallbladder (especially if you have light stools). Orange color may be caused by dehydration.
Blue or green urine
It can be a result of:
Dyes - some food dyes can cause this color. Some dyes (used for tests of the kidneys and bladder) can turn urine blue.
Medicines - a number of drugs can produce blue or green urine, such as amitriptyline, indomethacin (Indocin) and propofol (Diprivan).
Health problems - for example, blue diaper syndrome is a rare family disease in children – they have blue urine. The green color of urine occurs when there is an infection of the urinary tract caused by a certain type of bacteria.
Dark brown urine
Consumption of certain foods, certain types of beans, rhubarb or aloe can cause dark brown urine. Some types of medications can also cause dark brown urine, these are: metronidazole, nitrofurantoin and various antibiotics, laxatives, methocarbamol - muscle relaxant.
Various hepatic and renal diseases may change urine in brown and some urinary tract infections, as well. Cloudy urine can be caused by infections of the urinary tract and kidneys.
Risk factors
Age - tumors of the bladder or kidney may lead to blood in the urine. Men over 50 are most affected. They can have blood in the urine due to an enlarged prostate. Women most often suffer from urinary tract infections, so they are not insured, though.
Family history
Family members who suffer from a kidney disease are prone to blood in the urine.
Many exercises ( weightlifting) can also lead to appearance of blood in the urine.
Important questions helping to understand how serious the illness is
1. What is the color of your urine?
2. Do you have blood clots in the urine?
3. When did you first noticed the unusual color of the urine?
4. Do you notice an unusual smell of the urine?
5. Does the urinating is more or less than usual?
6. Do you feel pain when urinating?
7. Do you have a change in appetite?
8.What other symptoms do you experience?
9. Do you have any allergies?
10.What medications do you take?
