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Health
What Pee Says About Your Health
Let's face it - Urine may not constitute polite dinner conversation but it is a major part of your life. And believe it or not, the colour of your urine can provide important insights about your health.
Ideal urine
'Normal' urine ranges from clear to deep amber. Urine gets it's colour from the pigment urochrome. The more fluids you consume, the more diluted your urine becomes causing it to appear light in colour.
Dark Urine
Darker yellow urine usually signifies dehydration. The urochrome is much more concentrated because of the lack of fluids. Generally, increasing your fluid intake can improve this.
Neon yellow urine
Neon yellow urine can certainly catch you off guard but this is typically caused by nothing more than your daily multivitamin. Vitamin B in particular has the ability to cause the fluorescent shading.
Orange urine
Believe or not, consuming large amounts of carrots or squash can actually turn your urine orange. It's the carotene that is responsible for the strange hue. Orange urine can also be caused by certain medications including some blood thinners and laxatives.
Blue/green urine
Asparagus and certain medications can actually cause a slight green colouring in the urine. Also, a rare disorder called familial hypercalcemia can cause bluish urine.
Red urine
There are several causes of red urine. Some aren't serious at all like the consumption of beets, rhubarb and certain medications. While others can be life threatening like lead or mercury poisoning. One of the most common reasons for red urine is the presence of blood. Blood in the urine can be caused by strenuous exercise, a urinary tract infection or something more serious like bladder cancer which is why it is essential to see your doctor if you detect it.
Dark brown urine
Dark brown or tea-coloured urine is sometimes mistaken for bloody urine. Dark brown urine can be a symptom of very serious liver disorders including cirrhosis and hepatitis. It is imperative you get to an emergency room if your urine is tea-coloured for proper testing. Other causes include eating excessive amount of fava beans and certain medications.
Ideal urine
'Normal' urine ranges from clear to deep amber. Urine gets it's colour from the pigment urochrome. The more fluids you consume, the more diluted your urine becomes causing it to appear light in colour.
Dark Urine
Darker yellow urine usually signifies dehydration. The urochrome is much more concentrated because of the lack of fluids. Generally, increasing your fluid intake can improve this.
Neon yellow urine
Neon yellow urine can certainly catch you off guard but this is typically caused by nothing more than your daily multivitamin. Vitamin B in particular has the ability to cause the fluorescent shading.
Orange urine
Believe or not, consuming large amounts of carrots or squash can actually turn your urine orange. It's the carotene that is responsible for the strange hue. Orange urine can also be caused by certain medications including some blood thinners and laxatives.
Blue/green urine
Asparagus and certain medications can actually cause a slight green colouring in the urine. Also, a rare disorder called familial hypercalcemia can cause bluish urine.
Red urine
There are several causes of red urine. Some aren't serious at all like the consumption of beets, rhubarb and certain medications. While others can be life threatening like lead or mercury poisoning. One of the most common reasons for red urine is the presence of blood. Blood in the urine can be caused by strenuous exercise, a urinary tract infection or something more serious like bladder cancer which is why it is essential to see your doctor if you detect it.
Dark brown urine
Dark brown or tea-coloured urine is sometimes mistaken for bloody urine. Dark brown urine can be a symptom of very serious liver disorders including cirrhosis and hepatitis. It is imperative you get to an emergency room if your urine is tea-coloured for proper testing. Other causes include eating excessive amount of fava beans and certain medications.
