While the color of your urine is often just a reflection of how much water you’ve had to drink, it can also serve as a “biomarker” for underlying health issues.
Here is a guide to what different urine colors can indicate about your health:
- Yellow to Amber (Normal)
- Clear/Pale Yellow: Indicates you are well-hydrated.
- Dark Yellow/Amber: Usually a sign of dehydration. Your urine is more concentrated because your body is trying to save water.
- Neon/Bright Yellow: Often caused by B-vitamin supplements (specifically B2/Riboflavin).
Red or Pink
- Food/Medication: Beets, blackberries, or rhubarb can cause this. Medications like Rifampin (for TB) or Phenazopyridine (for UTI pain) also turn it red/orange.
- Medical Concerns: This is often a sign of blood in the urine (hematuria), which can be caused by:
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- Kidney or bladder stones
- Enlarged prostate
- In rare cases, kidney or bladder cancer.
Orange
- Dehydration: Severe lack of water.
- Liver/Bile Problems: If your urine is orange and you also have pale stools or yellowing of the skin/eyes (jaundice), it may indicate a problem with your liver or bile duct.
- Dark Brown or “Cola” Colored
- Liver Disease: Can be caused by a buildup of bilirubin due to hepatitis or cirrhosis.
- Muscle Breakdown (Rhabdomyolysis): Intense exercise or injury can cause muscle fibers to die and enter the bloodstream, turning urine very dark. This is a medical emergency.
- Food: Eating large amounts of fava beans or aloe.
Blue or Green
- Dyes & Meds: Often caused by food dyes or medications like amitriptyline, indomethacin, or propofol.
- Infection: A specific bacterial infection (Pseudomonas) can sometimes turn urine greenish.
- Rare Genetic Condition: “Blue diaper syndrome” (familial benign hypercalcemia) can cause blue urine in children.
Cloudy or Milky
Infection: Usually a sign of a UTI or kidney stones.
STIs: Some sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea or chlamydia can cause cloudiness.
Protein: If the urine is also very foamy, it could indicate protein leakage, which is an early sign of kidney disease.
Summary Table
Color Most Common Cause Potential Disease/Concern
Clear Over-hydration Diabetes (if accompanied by extreme thirst)
Red/Pink Food (Beets) UTI, Kidney Stones, Cancer
Orange Dehydration Liver or Bile Duct issues
Brown Severe Dehydration Liver failure, Muscle breakdown
Cloudy Normal variations UTI, Kidney stones, Kidney disease
[!IMPORTANT]
When to see a doctor: If you see visible blood in your urine, or if you have dark brown/orange urine along with pale stools and yellow skin, you should consult a healthcare professional immediately.Would you like me to help you find a list of common medications that are known to change urine color?
