Nobody talks about urine in polite company, but it says a lot about you. Its odor, consistency, and color are all tell-tale indicators of your lifestyle and well-being, ranging from what you’ve been eating and drinking lately to diseases you might not know you have.
Urine is mostly water (at least 95 percent), but the remainder is a surprisingly complex brew of ingredients that include urea, chloride, sodium, potassium, creatinine and other dissolved ions, plus various inorganic and organic compounds. The most common color of urine is yellow, which is caused by the presence of urobilin, a biochemical waste product generated from the breakdown of old red blood cells.
Possibly dehydrated. Note: A lot of popular sites recommend drinking water to address some of the colors above, but Dena Rifkin MD, a staff nephrologist at UC San Diego Health and assistant professor of medicine, suggests prudence. “I never advise people to examine their urine color for hydration and never would recommend hydrating based on urine color. Instead, ‘drink to thirst.’ The eight glasses of water per day is an urban myth as far as most physicians are concerned and the only people who should be concerned about drinking more are those with a history of kidney stones.”
6. Light orange. Possibly dehydrated, but may also be caused by liver or bile duct problems, consumed food dyes or the excretion of excess B vitamins from the bloodstream. Talk to your doctor.
7. Orange. Some medications, such as rifampin or phenazopyridine, can cause this coloration. Ask your doctor.
8. Dark orange or brown. A possible symptom of jaundice, rhabdomyolysis or Gilbert’s syndrome. Also caused by severe dehydration. See your doctor.
