How To Tell If The Color Of Your Urine Is Normal

If your urine is normal it will range in color from deep amber to a pale yellow depending on how concentrated or diluted your urine is.

Urine is made up of waste products and excess water that are filtered out of your blood by your kidneys.

The breakdown of hemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells, creates a pigment in your urine called urochrome,

Discolored urine is often normal:

If your urine is discolored it may be caused by foods, food dyes or medications. Some of the dyes used in sugary cereals might show up in your child's urine. But changes in urine color may also be caused by health problems so be sure you don't just dismiss it as harmless.

The color of your urine may not always look normal. B- complex vitamins can turn your urine an eye-popping green color and carrot juice can sometimes tint it orange. A disease that affects your skin and nervous system, called porphyria, earned its name and reputation by turning urine into the color of port wine.

Changes in urine color are usually harmless and temporary as a result of eating some foods, prescription drugs or supplements. You need to be aware, however, that a serious illness or infection can be indicated by the color of your urine.

Do You Drink Enough Water?

Depending on the amount of water that you drink, normal urine color can vary. The more water you drink the clearer your urine will appear because fluids will dilute the yellow pigment in urine. The color becomes more concentrated when you drink less water and if your urine is an amber color you might be experiencing severe dehydration.

There are times when urine can turn different colors far beyond what is normal, including blue, red, dark brown, green, and even cloudy white.

Symptoms of Urinary Infection:

Most color changes occur without other signs and symptoms, but a urinary infection might cause a burning pain or a strong and pesistent urge to urinate. You can get chills, sweats and fever, abdominal pain, or strong-smelling urine. Normally, urine doesn't have an odor or has very little odor.

Cloudy or murky urine:

Kidney stones and urinary tract infections can cause urine to look cloudy.

Whether you react or not to eating foods that discolor the urine depends on your own body chemistry, your state of dehydration, and the amount of food or medication you take. Berries, rhubarb and asparagus, for instance can discolor your urine and some medications make it more likely that you would have harmless color changes in your urine. Keeping a watchful eye on the color of your urine can alert you to early signs of physical problems.


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Kerry Coates runs the popular website http://www.GNLD-NeoLife.com and enjoys writing articles on diverse topics related to health and wellness. Her website contains useful information on home remedies, vitamin supplements and natural cures. You can also visit Kerry Coates' blog for more fitness, vitamin supplement and nutritional articles like this one.