What the colour of your urine reveals about your health

Your urine can tell you a lot about yourself and your health. In particular, if you have a healthy diet, suffer from diseases or eat too much sugar.

1 / 10
You have a urinary infection
One of the first signs of a urinary tract infection is a strong smell of ammonia, which resembles the smell of sulphur. The bacteria that cause the infection produce this unusual smell. It can also make your urine look cloudy or stained with blood. If you think you may have a urinary tract infection, talk to your doctor right away. Antibiotics will be very effective in overcoming this problem and may prevent recurrence in the future.

2 / 10

Your urine may indicate that you have a healthy diet
If you are among the 50% of the population who have a rather fragrant urine when you eat asparagus, you know that what you eat can change the way your urine looks. These green stems are not the only plants that can change the colour or smell of your urine. A strong coffee will give it a vanilla scent, rhubarb and blueberries will give it a purple or pink color. Beets, on the other hand, may frighten you by tinting your urine a dark red that looks like blood to me.

3 / 10

Your training was far too intense
Extreme training and endurance races, which are very popular, have led to the return of a rather rare disease, rhabdomyolysis. This disease is characterized by very dark urine, which is reminiscent of cola. Rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscles are damaged beyond their ability to repair and regenerate, very often as a result of very intense exercise. This can happen especially if you are not warmed up enough, or if you return to exercise after a long break.

If your urine suddenly changes color and becomes very dark (like black tea) and you are experiencing severe and sudden muscle pain, call your doctor immediately. This condition can be fatal if not treated immediately.

4 / 10

Your urine may indicate an overdose of sugar on you

Sweet treats of course have an effect on your waist circumference. A large amount of sugar in your body can also increase the frequency of urination. If you notice that you go to the bathroom more often or if you notice other signs that you are consuming too much sugar, you may want to have your blood sugar levels checked, according to Muhammad Shamin Khan, a medical urologist. Not only can urination frequency be a problem, but a high sugar level in your urine or a fruity smell can also be a warning sign of diabetes.

5 / 10

You have liver or pancreatic disease
If you notice orange-coloured urine from time to time, there is no problem on the horizon (you probably ate a food with a lot of food colouring). However, if your urine has a chronic amber to orange tint, it may be a sign of liver disease. This strange color is caused by a high bilirubin level, resulting from inflammation of the liver or abnormalities in the cells of this organ. It could also indicate a blockage of the bile ducts and possibly jaundice. Your urine is usually not the only symptom; jaundice can give the skin and whites of the eyes a yellow or orange hue.

6 / 10

You have an iron deficiency

Nothing is more alarming than looking in the toilet bowl and seeing red. Bright red urine requires an immediate call to your doctor. This could mean, for example, kidney infection, kidney stone or even cancer. However, if your urine is slightly red, you may only have a slight iron deficiency or other health problem. A study published in the Journal of Current Surgery also showed that red urine can indicate that your body has difficulty metabolizing iron. Consult your doctor, and if you need to eat more iron, treat yourself to a good steak for dinner!

7 / 10

You have prostate problems
If you constantly need to go to the bathroom, this may be one of the first signs of an enlarged prostate. In men, the prostate gland surrounds the urethra. With growth and age, the gland can put pressure on the small tube. This can make urination very uncomfortable. Even if your instinct is to drink less water (to urinate less often and feel this unpleasant sensation less often), dehydration will only make the problem worse. Instead, stay well hydrated and make an appointment with a urologist right away.

8 / 10

You have a sexually transmitted infection
Gonorrhea and chlamydia are currently reaching epidemic levels around the world, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One of the reasons for this rapid transmission is due to the absence of visible early symptoms for some sexually transmitted infections. However, your urine can provide clues.

A blurry or thick urine can be a sign of several infections, according to the CDC, especially for these two “invisible” STIs: chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other possible causes of blurred urine include vaginal or urinary infections. Regardless of the type of infection, blurry urine is a topic you should discuss with your doctor as soon as possible.

9 / 10

Your kidneys are begging you to help them
It is the kidneys that produce urine. It is therefore not surprising that they communicate their needs to us through the colour of our urination. Blood in the urine is an important sign that something is not right. Heavy foaming urine is another subtle sign of kidney distress. Most often, foaming urine means that you are urinating with a lot of pressure. However, constantly foaming urine can be a sign of excess protein. The presence of this foam may be a symptom of renal dysfunction. This phenomenon is called proteinuria and should absolutely be checked by your doctor without delay.

10 / 10

You have multiple sclerosis
Having a full bladder, but not being able to urinate can be a real torture. Do you frequently find yourself in the bathroom without being able to urinate? This could be a sign of problems in your nervous system. In fact, not being able to urinate is one of the first signs of autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, according to Clifford Segil, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.

Article from Rd.com: 10 Things Your Pee Reve

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