Seeing foam in the toilet bowl on a regular basis may be a warning sign of kidney disease. Your kidneys might be leaking protein into the urine, which causes foamy-looking urine. It's important to let your doctor know how often you're seeing bubbly urine.
But you should see your doctor if you have persistently foamy urine that becomes more noticeable over time. This can be a sign of protein in your urine (proteinuria), which requires further evaluation. Increased amounts of protein in urine could mean you have a serious kidney problem.
The presence of foam or bubbles in your urine is not an immediate cause for concern if it happens occasionally. A simple explanation for what you're seeing is a high speed of urination. However, if you notice foam in your urine frequently, you should take it seriously and contact your doctor.
While bubbles are clear, foam is more of an opaque shade of white. And foamy urine is often a sign that there is protein in your urine, according to Northwestern Medicine. That could indicate that your kidneys are not functioning properly because they're responsible for filtering and keeping protein in your body.
Dehydration. Not drinking enough water can lead to bubbly urine. If you're dehydrated, your urine may appear foamy because it's more concentrated. It's also likely to be darker than normal.
When your kidneys are failing, a high concentration and accumulation of substances lead to brown, red, or purple urine. Studies suggest the urine color is due to abnormal protein or sugar as well as high numbers of cellular casts and red and white blood cells.
Historically, persistent foamy urine noticed upon voiding is considered a warning sign of kidney disease. Foamy urine is characterized by the appearance and persistence of multiple layers of small to medium bubbles in urine voided into a container, such as a toilet bowl (see Figure 1).
Foamy urine can often result from having a fast urine stream. However, a range of medical conditions may also cause foaming urine. Examples include dehydration, kidney disease, diabetes, and more.
Urine Tests
One of the earliest signs of kidney disease is when protein leaks into your urine (called proteinuria). To check for protein in your urine, a doctor will order a urine test. There are two types of urine tests that can check your protein levels. Dipstick urine test.
Multiple myeloma is a rare type of cancer that forms in the plasma cells of blood, and can lead to extra protein in the urine, causing it to look foamy. It is most common in people over 65 and twice as common in African Americans.
In Stage 1 CKD, the damage to your kidneys is mild. Your kidneys are still working well, but you may have signs of kidney damage or physical damage to your kidneys. Stage 1 CKD means you have a normal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 90 or greater, but there is protein in your urine (i.e., your pee).
“If your urine is very concentrated, a small amount of protein may seem like a lot.” Other factors that can allow extra protein to slip by your kidneys' filters include stress, fever, intense exercise, and even exposure to extreme cold, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Can drinking water reduce protein in urine? No, drinking more water won't treat proteinuria. Drinking more water will make you pee more, so there may be less protein every time you pee, but it won't stop your kidneys from leaking protein.
Long-standing diabetes causes diabetes-related nephropathy. Symptoms don't appear until later stages, but they include swelling, peeing more often, foamy pee, nausea and fatigue. Treatment includes managing your diabetes and blood pressure.
Generally, earlier stages are known as 1 to 3. And as kidney disease progresses, you may notice the following symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, urinating either too much or too little.
Usually there are no symptoms. If the protein loss is heavy, the urine has a frothy appearance, and would most likely be associated with other symptoms e.g. oedema, where there is an excess of water in the body tissues.
If the kidneys are damaged or infected, a person can experience abnormal urination, including clear urination. They may also have other symptoms, such as painful urination or a fever.
Urine Test for Albumin
If you are at risk for kidney disease, your provider may check your urine for albumin. Albumin is a protein found in your blood. A healthy kidney doesn't let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine.
Normally, we shouldn't lose more than 150 mg of protein in 24 hours. While foamy urine is usually nothing to worry about, it could mean that you're spilling too much protein.
Urine and blood tests are used to detect and monitor kidney disease. Currently, the key markers used include abnormal urine albumin levels and a persistent reduction in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Some of the most common kidney pain symptoms include: A constant, dull ache in your back. Pain in your sides, under your rib cage or in your abdomen. Severe or sharp pain that comes in waves.