Before you flush, check out your pee. As silly as it sounds, it’s important to look at your urine each time you go to the bathroom to see if the color of your pee indicates urine trouble.
Sometimes odd-colored urine or smelly pee are just weird side effects of what you ate. Other times, urine color indicates health concerns.
Learn more about the different urine colors and what they mean below. If your urine color is abnormal, it should resume to a normal, healthy color after a few days. If you don’t notice a change, it’s important to talk with your provider about possible health concerns.
Download Urine Trouble Graphic
Clear urine
“If your first urine of the day is clear, you may be overhydrated,” said Brianna Czaikowski, Marshfield Clinic Health System urology nurse practitioner. “Your first urine should be yellow, a sign you’re getting rid of toxins.”
If your urine is clear, you should drink less water until you notice a color change. The average adult needs 84 ounces of water daily. Too much water affects electrolyte levels and might cause you to feel sick.
Clear urine also may indicate liver trouble, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis. If you haven’t been consuming a lot of water and continue to have clear urine, talk to your provider.
Transparent yellow urine
This color means you’re healthy and properly hydrated. Continue your healthy hydration habits.
Dark yellow urine
“Dark yellow urine isn’t necessarily a bad sign, but dehydration is near,” said Czaikowski.
Certain antibiotics can also make your urine dark or amber color. It’s encouraged you drink water every half hour to ensure proper hydration.
Orange urine
Orange urine means you’re showing signs of dehydration.
“However, orange could also mean you have a liver condition,” said Czaikowski. “Bile may be getting into your bloodstream because of bile duct or liver issues. Increase your water intake to see if your urine changes to a yellow color.”
Certain medications, such as AZO, can also turn your urine orange.
If you continue to notice orange urine, contact your health care provider.
Cloudy white urine
Cloudiness might be caused by blood or pus, or for women, may be caused by vaginal mucus. If you’re noticing strange symptoms, like itching or soreness, contact your provider.
It could also be a sign of a urinary tract infection, dehydration or, if you are pregnant, may indicate preeclampsia. If you are pregnant and notice cloudy urine, immediately call your provider.
Blue or green pee
“It’s possible a new medication could cause these colors in urine,” said Czaikowski. “It’s a good idea to talk to your provider whether your medications can be causing blue or green urine as a side effect.”
Some foods containing large amounts of dye could also cause blue or green pee
Pink or red urine
Rhubarb, beets and blueberries can cause pink and red urine. This could also be a sign of blood in your urine, which could signal health trouble. If you haven’t changed your diet or ate some of these foods recently, talk to your provider.
If you are on blood thinners, this can be a sign your medication needs to be adjusted. Contact your provider for follow up.
Dark brown or maple syrup-colored urine
This could be a result of severe dehydration or liver disease. Immediately hydrate with water and talk to your provider if brown urine continues.
If you have eaten large amounts of rhubarb, aloe or fava beans, you may notice dark brown urine.
Light brown or honey-brown urine
This is a sign you are dehydrated. Start drinking water immediately and monitor your urine for color changes.
Foam or fizz in urine
“Occasional foamy urine isn’t a concern,” said Czaikowski. “However, if you notice this frequently, your protein intake may be too high.”
You also may notice this in your first morning urine. This is normal, but shouldn’t persist throughout the day.
Download What Your Urine Says About Your Health Handout
What happens when I see my provider for urine concerns?
Talk to your provider about a urinalysis if you notice anything unusual in your urine.
At your appointment, you’ll have a microscopic urinalysis. You provide a urine sample, which is then examined under a microscope. Microscopic urinalyses see cells from your urinary tract, blood cells, crystals, bacteria, parasites and cells from tumors.
Your urine sample helps your provider determine next steps.
How long should I wait before seeing my provider?
“For concerning colors, you can give yourself about a week to see if there’s a change,” said Czaikowski. “It doesn’t hurt to go in sooner or call your provider before then if you’re worried.”
If you have urine concerns, talk to a Marshfield Clinic Health System provider.
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