There’s a lot you can tell about your health simply by checking the colour of your pee.
Urine is a handy barometer for what’s going on inside you. It’s common knowledge that your pee should be something close to a light lemon colour, but can range from pale to darker yellow depending on what you’ve eaten and your hydration levels.
However, your urine could also be many other colours, indicating different health issues or something less worrisome. Here’s a brief rundown of what your pee says about you.
Red pee
Chances are that you ate beetroot, rhubarb or dark berries, so if you have, don’t worry. If you haven’t eaten any of these foods, you should see a doctor, especially if you notice small blood clots or other foreign matter in your pee.
Orange pee
Again, you may have eaten too many orange foods, such as carrots. Or, if you take the common urinary tract infection (UTI) medicine called phenazopyridine or the popular blood thinner warfarin, your pee may come out orange. If it’s a little brighter, say fluorescent, then you may have a problem with your liver. Another way to check this is to see if the whites of your eyes have a yellow tinge to them.
Neon yellow pee
This may be because you’ve taken too many vitamin supplements. Any B vitamins, especially B12, can change your pee to a neon yellow, so don’t freak out too much.
Green pee
Green veggies can change the colour of your urine, but if you’ve not eaten them, then it could be a sign of a nasty UTI called proteus infection. This infection can also lead to kidney stones, so it’s best to check it out with your GP.
Blue pee
Believe it or not, your pee could also turn blue, but only if you have too much calcium in your bones. It’s a rare occurrence but quite possible.
Brown pee
People with Porphyria, which is a rare light sensitivity disorder, often have brown urine. Again, it’s a rare condition, but if you have abdominal pain, rashes or seizures when you urinate, you need to see your doctor. Brown pee could also be a sign of a tumour, though it could also be a symptom of eating too much rhubarb or fava beans.
Cloudy white pee
This could be a sign of UTI, kidney stones or some other unpleasant infection. The cloudiness is most likely pus, so you should get to a GP quickly.
If you notice any of these colours in your pee, try drinking more water to see if it clears up. If the extra hydration doesn’t clear up the colour problem, and you are still worried, you should see your doctor.
Read more at www.prevention.com
Do you check the colour of your pee? Were you aware that it could tell you so much about your health?
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