Causes. Abnormal urine color may be caused by infection, disease, medicines, or food you eat. Cloudy or milky urine is a sign of a urinary tract infection, which may also cause a bad smell. Milky urine may also be caused by bacteria, crystals, fat, white or red blood cells, or mucus in the urine.
Bright yellow pee, even as dark as amber, may be harmless, but it could be a sign that you're a little dehydrated or taking more vitamins than your body needs. You may want to check with your provider on what vitamins your body doesn't need as much so you can cut back.
"The colour of urine can be a marker of underlying kidney disease and general health. Clear to yellow urine is normal and indicates normal kidney function, while odd colours such as orange or blue may be due to certain medications such as laxatives, antidepressants and antibiotics.
If there is bilirubin n your urine, it may be an early sign of a liver condition. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that your body makes during the normal process of breaking down red blood cells. Your liver uses bilirubin to make bile, a fluid that helps you digest food.
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.
As a general rule of thumb, it's usually a good sign for your health when the color of your urine is a pale shade of yellow. If you have urine that resembles another color, you should be aware that this is not normal. Abnormal colored urine may look clear, orange/brown/amber, pink/red, or even green/blue.
If it's clear or straw-colored, then you're drinking sufficient fluid. If it becomes dark yellow or brown, then you are likely somewhat dehydrated,” says UCI Health urologist Dr. Ralph Clayman, a pioneer in the minimally invasive treatment of kidney disease.
Transparent and lacking in color
Transparent, colorless urine could also be a sign of some other health disorders, including diabetes and kidney disease, or from taking diuretic medication.
What causes dark urine? Dark urine can be a sign of dehydration, jaundice, infections, and other health conditions. Certain medications and foods such, as rhubarb or beets, can also change the color of urine. Urine consists of excess water and waste products that the kidneys filter from the blood.
Most UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, which normally live in the colon. The most common symptoms of UTIs include changes in urination such as frequency, pain, or burning; urine looks dark, cloudy, or red and smells bad; back or side pain; nausea/vomiting; and fever. Antibiotics are used to treat UTIs.
Bright yellow urine is harmless, and is just a sign that you are taking more vitamins than your body needs. You may want to check with your doctor on what vitamins your body does not need as much of so you can cut back.
Riboflavin is a member of the B family of vitamins (B complex). It's a water-soluble vitamin. Excess amounts are excreted through your kidneys. It makes the urine bright yellow.
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.
Blood Tests. Because your kidneys remove waste, toxins, and extra fluid from the blood, a doctor will also use a blood test to check your kidney function. The blood tests will show how well your kidneys are doing their job and how quickly the waste is being removed.
“It's estimated 50 percent of UTIs can be treated by drinking a significant amount of fluid alone," says Felecia Fick, a Mayo Clinic urogynecology physician assistant who was not involved in the study. "The extra you're drinking is flushing out the bacteria that are present in the urinary tract."
Pain or burning while urinating. Frequent urination. Feeling the need to urinate despite having an empty bladder. Bloody urine.
UTIs can be found by analyzing a urine sample. The urine is examined under a microscope for bacteria or white blood cells, which are signs of infection. Your health care provider may also take a urine culture. This test examines urine to detect and identify bacteria and yeast, which may be causing a UTI.
If you have diabetes insipidus, you'll continue to pee large amounts of watery (dilute), light-colored urine when normally you'd only pee a small amount of concentrated, dark yellow urine.