In the doctor’s
clinic, you may have seen charts on the wall showing different colors, but it
is not a color comparison chart for pigments on the wall of the house, but it
shows the different colors of urine. The chart has colors ranging from clear to
dark brown, while pale yellow, similar to dry wheat straw, is considered the
best color and the color of urine indicates that your body has Water intake is
adequate, while dark gray color indicates severe dehydration. 

Doctors have
been using this chart for decades, but it doesn’t track many other factors
related to urine. Dr Leila Henbeck is a British pharmacist and CEO of the
Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies. They have shed light on the
color of urine in detail and have explained what color urine can be alarming.
She explains that if the color of urine is dark, it means that you are not
drinking enough water and the body is dehydrated. Dehydration can cause
fatigue, headaches and nausea. 

Urine color health
image by Netmeds.com


Dehydration can
cause more serious problems in very young children and the elderly. These
effects can range from physical, such as lethargy and laziness, to mental, such
as difficulty concentrating. Dark urine can also indicate other medical
problems, including liver failure. The use of certain medicines can also cause
the urine to become dark in color. Orange or brown urine can also be caused by
anti-inflammatory drugs or drugs used in chemotherapy, or jaundice can also
cause orange/brown urine. Jaundice usually occurs when the bile duct, which
carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and collects it, is blocked by a
gallstone, a cyst-like cyst. . If anyone is concerned about the color of their
urine, they should consult their doctor. If the urine is light in color at
first, it’s a good sign that your body is hydrated, says Dr. Heinbeck. 

The NHS
recommends that all people, regardless of gender, age and weight, should drink
6 to 8 glasses of water per day, while the US National Academy of Sciences,
Engineering and Medicine provides more detailed information. It has been stated
that men should drink 3600 ml and women 2600 ml of water daily. This includes
drinks other than water and foods that are high in water, but Dr. Benbeck warns
that clear urine can also be a bad sign. Sometimes if the urine is completely
clear, there is no problem, but if the urine is constantly coming out clear, it
is a message that you should reduce the amount of water you drink. Drinking too
much water can also dissolve electrolytes, which is not good for health. Some
studies have shown that having to urinate 8 or 9 times a day means that your
bladder is overactive. 

Although it can
vary with age, lifestyle and health. If the urine is clear, it can also be a
sign of other problems such as cirrhosis. If you are not drinking much water
but the urine is constantly clear, you should consult your doctor. What does it
mean if you see your urine color instead of green? Hawk-green urine may be
related to your diet. Certain foods and drinks, such as consuming a vegetable
spar, can cause urine to turn pale green, but medical problems can also cause
it. Urine may be dark yellow or greenish if B vitamins tablets are used.
Certain bacterial infections can cause urine to be green or bluish in color,
Dr. Heinbeck said. If a bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, infects the body,
the urine may turn pale green or blue. 

Sometimes
starting new drugs also changes the color of urine because some of the
components of the drugs are also excreted from the body through the kidneys
through the urinary tract. Eating certain foods like rhubarb, beets and
blueberries can also cause the urine to turn red or light pink. But red colored
urine is sometimes a warning sign. Blood in the urine indicates an infection or
other serious problem, Dr. Heinbeck said. Various medical problems such as
enlarged prostate, kidney stones, bladder tumors can also cause blood in the
urine. Certain laxatives and antibiotics can also cause red urine. However, be
aware that if the color of urine has changed due to food or medicine, it should
return to normal after a few days, but if the color persists, especially if it
is dark red due to blood in the urine, or pink or star-like appearance, it
indicates a kidney or bladder disease and the concerned person should inform
his doctor about this situation in time.