If you suddenly begin to feel not quite well, you are constantly unwell, but you do not know where to start the examination and which specialist to contact, pay attention to the color of your urine. He can tell you a lot. The color of the urine of a healthy person is yellow, in some cases – deep yellow, depending on the pigments it contains – urochromes, uroerythrins, urobilins, and so on. In addition, color saturation may depend on the concentration of urine - the greater its specific gravity, the more intense the color. It is noteworthy that the color of the urine of newborn babies (from several days to two weeks) has a reddish tint due to the fact that it contains a lot of urea.

The color of urine can change depending on many indicators

As already noted, the norm is yellow urine. Sometimes clear urine color may be normal. However, in some cases, clear urine can be the cause of diabetes mellitus and some kidney pathologies.

To diagnose a particular disease, urine tests are carried out first. One of its main characteristics is the color of urine, which determines. What a person eats, what diseases he has, and so on.

Remember: unnatural colors of urine are not always an indicator of pathology! Sometimes it depends on the intake of certain foods and medications.

So, urine may take on a greenish color if, for example, you take certain vitamins. But it turns bright orange from carrots. In addition, some foods may contain artificial colors, which can also produce less-than-natural shades of urine.

But if symptoms continue for a long time, you should immediately consult a doctor. You may be developing a serious illness.

So, for what reasons can the color of urine change? First of all, it depends on the amount of fluid you drink: the more water you drink, the lighter the urine will be.

In addition, medications can color urine, so if you are taking any medications, this may be a completely natural condition.

A change in the color of urine does not cause pain, but if you still experience some discomfort or pain, this may indicate an inflammatory process in the genitourinary system. Associated symptoms may include the following conditions:

1. Frequent urge to urinate
2. Frequent urination
3. Fever
4. Fever and chills
5. Abdominal pain
6. Specific repulsive odor of urine

In addition, there are a number of medical factors that can also affect changes in urine:

• age (men over 50 often experience bleeding in the urine due to dysfunction of the prostate gland)
• urinary system infections
• infectious kidney diseases
• heredity of kidney diseases
• physical overexertion

Any of the above factors can cause blood to appear in urine and, accordingly, turn it red.

• See also:

Possible colors and reasons that cause them

What diseases can be judged based on the color of urine? Let's figure it out.

Normal color of urine from a healthy person

Dark colored urine may be due to:

• lack of fluid and increased concentration of urochromes
• eating certain foods
• taking quinine, rifampicin and some other medications
• taking vitamins C and B
• jaundice
• increased number of red blood cells
• copper poisoning
• cirrhosis
• infections
• vasculitis and so on.

Brown urine may appear after eating aloe, rhubarb and beans. Also, this color of urine often appears after taking antimalarial medications and medications intended for the treatment of urinary tract infections, laxatives, and antibiotics. Among the diseases that can give this color are cirrhosis, hepatitis, and kidney diseases. If sediment also appears in dark urine, or it becomes dark, this may indicate the formation of stones. Often the urine darkens after a blood transfusion procedure, this occurs due to the massive destruction of red blood cells.

If you notice reddish urine color, do not immediately panic. For example, your urine may be red after eating beets, or perhaps you ate blackberries the day before. If this is really the case, then there is no need to worry or worry. The condition is much more serious and dangerous when blood appears in the urine. This may be caused by problems related to the genitourinary system, kidney stones, or exercise. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor. After all, a rich red color may appear due to the presence of blood in the urine, and this is a sign of many urological diseases, such as glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, and so on.

You should not postpone your visit to the doctor even if your dark yellow urine. In addition to taking medications, other causes may include a serious illness such as hepatitis. In addition, dark yellow color of urine can be acquired due to dehydration of the body (this occurs with vomiting, diarrhea, heart failure).

Beer-colored urine may be a consequence of parenchymal jaundice. With this disease, bile pigments appear in the urine - and. If you shake such urine, green foam will certainly appear in it.

Lemon-colored urine almost always speaks of a disease such as obstructive jaundice.

Green urine may occur from taking medications that contain dyes, as well as from eating foods with artificial colors. Among the natural products that can turn urine green is asparagus.

After eating carrots or carrot juice, you may experience orange urine. In addition, this tint appears when taking medications intended to treat the urinary and genital tract.

Bright yellow urine with sandy sediment may indicate the formation of kidney stones.

Milky white urine– a sign of bacterial damage to the urinary system and some infections. If it appears, you should immediately go to the hospital and undergo the appropriate tests.

Black urine- a symptom of many diseases, especially such as Maciafava Michelli's disease, alkaptonuria, melanoma.

Medicines that cause discoloration

Many medications can also affect urine and its color. Here are some of them:

1. Aspirin (or acetylsalicylic acid) sometimes turns urine pinkish
2. Rifampicin (used for tuberculosis) – produces brownish-red tints
3. Metronidazole is also capable of turning urine red and brown.
4. Triamterene (a diuretic drug) makes urine blue-green

Normalization measures

If the color of your urine suddenly changes and becomes far from natural, but you feel quite well and no other symptoms accompany this condition, wait a day. Perhaps you just ate something wrong, or didn’t drink enough liquid.

In the same case, when the changed color of urine becomes a common occurrence and a chronic course of this condition is expected, or you begin to experience some other alarming symptoms (stomach pain, your temperature has risen, and so on), do not hesitate - consult a doctor .

The specialist will definitely conduct an examination, collect an anamnesis of your life including your diet, ask about what medications you are taking or have taken and, of course, write out directions for tests.

If the color of urine is indeed pathologically changed, the cause of this condition must be determined. And only after it is determined can the correct treatment regimen be developed and prescribed.

When making a diagnosis, a description of the patient’s lifestyle is an important indicator.

To avoid such problems in the future, you should adjust your drinking regime and in no case allow your body to dehydrate. If the urine has become dark, the first step is to replenish the lost and missing fluid.

In addition, it is extremely important to monitor your sexual health and prevent the development of infections. Also, you should not wait for a long time if you want to go to the toilet - you need to empty your bladder regularly and at the first urge. Also, monitor the hygiene of your genitals, undergo regular preventive examinations, which will help you identify existing problems in a timely manner and eliminate them at an early stage.

And, of course, do not forget about a healthy lifestyle, give up smoking, alcohol, and other bad habits, this will reduce the effect of toxins and chemical elements on the body. Your life should be active and healthy. This will one hundred percent help you avoid many problems and prolong your life for many years.

11

Make an appointment with a doctor right now and don’t put off the problem for later.

Urine is a liquid that the body secretes and with it removes products of internal metabolic processes, etc. These products are the sources of the color of urine. Such as urobilin, urochrome, uroroserine, uroerythrin color the liquid in various shades of yellow. Under normal conditions, the color of urine should not fall outside the yellow range., but sometimes exceptions to the rules arise. Vitamins and their absorption by the body can saturate the urine with a bright green tint, etc.

• directly from the quality of metabolism and the amount of fluid that is excreted from the body;
• age also has an impact on this issue. In children, the color of urine is always weaker than in adults: in newborns, the urine is almost transparent, in infants it is light yellow. But sometimes there may be a slight reddish tint due to increased uric acid levels;
• finally, it depends on what products or drugs are used. It is quite common for urine to change color during illness and drug treatment.

But it is also worth noting the fact that a change in the color of urine is most often evidence of pathological changes and diseases.

Golden yellow urine is normal

Why does my urine appear orange?

Urine is orange or reddish in color if the following conditions are present:

• a large amount of pigment that creates the yellow color of urine: urochrome, urobilinogen, etc.;
• consumption of foods with a high content of dye, by the way, not necessarily yellow. Any dye can produce an orange color when broken down;
• diseases of the urinary ducts and taking medications.

All people produce rich red urine in the morning, especially if the bladder was not emptied before bed. In this case, the reason lies in hormonal conditions.

Another reason for orange urine is dehydration. Dehydration, that is, a deficiency of metabolic water, can be caused by intense physical activity, prolonged lack of moisture intake, heat, etc. Increased concentration of urine occurs due to the fact that the kidneys are trying to compensate for the lack of moisture.

Abnormal shades of urine

Urine color is red

Absolutely any person will be surprised and even frightened if the urine takes on a red tint, especially if the color is rich. As a rule, this phenomenon is a sign of a disease in which blood or hemoglobin has entered the urine. Such diseases include:

• glomerulonephritis;
• the appearance of kidney stones;
• oncology of the bladder or kidneys;
• hemoglobinuria;
• hemophilia;
• bruises of the lower back or genitals.

Glomerulonephritis may be an independent disease or one of the complications caused by lupus erythematosus. In the acute form, vascular permeability occurs to a large extent, which results in deterioration of filtration and the entry of red blood cells into the urine. In this case, the urine can have both a red color and the color of raw meat.

One of the manifestations urolithiasis- formation of stones in the kidneys. Very often, through the blood supply they can enter the bladder or ureter. If concretions (stones) have a sharp surface, it will injure the mucous membrane, and blood particles will get into the urine. Often the appearance of symptoms of rapid renal colic.

Bladder cancer for a significant period of time it may not cause any symptoms at all. When the upper films of the tumor decompose, blood can enter the urine. The symptoms that accompany this case are fever, weight loss and difficulty urinating.

Important:If you notice your urine is red, it is better to see a therapist as soon as possible, who will prescribe additional examinations and tests.

Dark colored urine

As a rule, the lightness or darkness of the color is affected by the amount of liquid consumed: the more liquid, the lighter the color. In addition, dark color can be caused by exposure to toxins and the cause of certain diseases.

Diseases and conditions causing dark urine:

• an increase in the number of urochromats, which give a dark color as a result of dehydration;
• consumption of pharmacological drugs such as quinine, rifampicin, nitrofurantoin and metronidazole;
• additional or increased intake of vitamins C and B;
• cholelithiasis complicated by hepatitis;
• excess of the normal number of red blood cells;
• mercury vapor poisoning;
• tyrosinemia;
• urinary tract infection;
• urinary cavity cancer;
• stones in the gallbladder;
• kidney disease, including kidney stones and cancer;
• hemochromatosis caused by excess iron;
• liver and pancreas cancer;
• vasculitis;
• alcoholic and viral hepatitis;
• glomerulonephritis;
• bile duct cancer;
• Goodpasture's syndrome;
• dietary factors;
• schistosomiasis.

In addition, black urine color can occur with mechanical damage to the liver.

Cloudiness in dark urine

If the dark color of the urine is accompanied by the presence of turbidity, then this most likely indicates a kidney stone. If there is such a symptom, then you need to contact a nephrologist as soon as possible. If the sharp change in urine color was short-term, then this fact should not be a cause for concern. But a preventive urine test in a clinic will not be superfluous.

The main thing is to ensure that the color change is not accompanied by the following processes:

• constant desire to “go small”;
• heat, fever, excessive sweating;
• pain in the lower abdomen;
• urine has a strong smell of acetone.

If there is at least one similar symptom, then you should not self-medicate and wait until the symptoms go away on their own. Timely initiation of therapy will make it possible to identify possible preconditions and begin measures to effectively eliminate them.

Dark urine during pregnancy

Pregnant girls should not immediately panic if the color of their urine becomes dark. During pregnancy, even the most harmless factor can lead to this effect. Very often, dark urine in pregnant women is noticed after sleep, when the morning bladder emptying occurs. The color change in this case occurs with increasing concentration. The following urinations reduce the concentration and, as a rule, the urine becomes significantly lighter. If the urine does not change color to a lighter color, it is better to consult a health visitor.

Brown urine

Brown urine may appear as a result of eating large amounts of beans or rhubarb. The same effect can be caused by the use of most anti-malaria drugs, as well as inflammatory processes in the urinary tract itself. Sulfur or cascara, which are contained in antibiotics or laxatives, give a stable brown color to urine.

Saturated brown color of urine can occur with diseases that are associated with liver damage: cirrhosis or hepatitis, and it also indicates improper functioning of the kidneys, which cannot cope with the removal of toxins.

Pink urine

Saturation of urine with a pink color in a healthy person can occur when consuming the following foods:

• Red beetroot,
• black currant (if there is an acidic urine reaction),
• rhubarb (alkaline reaction),
• carrots in very large quantities,
• blackberry,
• cherry,
• products with added red food coloring (lemonade, candies, etc.).

In addition, urine may turn pink after consuming pharmacological drugs, which include:

• aspirin acid;
• ibuprofen;
• purgen or phenolphthalein agents;
• aminophenazone;
• rifampicin, etc.

Pathologies of the urinary tract, which are characterized by the appearance of pink urine:

• cystitis;
• glomerulonephritis;
• vasculitis with kidney damage;
• urolithiasis disease;
• oncological diseases of the bladder, ureters, kidneys;

The pink tint of urine is caused by a small amount of blood, similar to the red color. Saturation depends on the amount of blood that is present in the urine. Cystitis - the reason that women twitch is very common. The hemorrhagic form of the disease, in addition to the pink color of the urine, is accompanied by a strong increase in temperature and pain in the kidneys and lower abdomen. In addition to blood, there may be clots of mucus, pus or films in the urine.

Pyelonephritis is a disease in which inflammation of the urinary canal occurs, vascular permeability increases, and blood cells enter the urine. Pink urine is accompanied by the usual symptoms of toxic damage: general inflammation of the mucous membranes, headaches, fever, etc. Also, with the disease, high blood pressure is diagnosed, resulting in swelling.

Important: If there are any signs of inflammatory processes, then it is advisable to consult a doctor who will identify all the causes of the disease and methods of combating them. Self-medication in this case can lead to serious complications and longer treatment.

Foods that turn urine pink

Blue color of urine

A greenish or blue tint to urine is a very interesting and rare case. The appearance of this color is mainly associated not with damage to the genital or urinary organs, but with the presence of infections or internal metabolism. A striking example would be a violation of tryptophan metabolic processes or the presence of pseudomonas infection. Tryptophan is an amino acid compound that is present in large quantities in salmon, tuna, chicken breast, turkey, shrimp, and beef. Blueish urine is a rare pathology, but it should not cause concern; as a rule, this phenomenon goes away on its own.

Other reasons include:

• Contrast agents used to detect kidney stones may turn the urine blue or light blue. Additionally, eating food coloring will have the same effect.
• The use of tetracycline antibiotics can cause a similar reaction in diabetics.
• Pseudomonas disease (Pseudomonas - lat.)

If there is a change in the color of urine, then to determine the cause, it is first necessary to exclude all possible external and physiological prerequisites. To more accurately determine the causes, urine analysis will be required in a clinical setting using specific chemicals. The cumulative study will allow us to draw conclusions with great confidence about a person’s health based on the color of urine.

Containers for urine donation

Video about urine analysis and color with Elena Malysheva

Normal urine is light yellow to straw yellow in color due to various pigments, including urobilin and urochrome. A change in its color can be caused by numerous diseases, not always associated with pathologies of the urinary system.

But in some cases, this situation is caused by completely physiological natural factors. Dark colored urine in women, the reasons for which, as mentioned above, can be different, always requires consultation with a doctor. Urine formation is a complex physiological process that occurs in the functional cells of the kidney - nephrons. With two-stage filtration, all substances necessary for the life of the body are absorbed. At the same time, excess fluid, ions, and certain toxins are removed.

In the process of urine formation, the kidneys perform the following functions:

• adjustment of the concentration of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl- ions, bicarbonates, phosphates, etc.;
• restoration of acid-base balance, releasing either hydrogen ions or carbonates;
• control of extracellular fluid volume;
• regulation of blood pressure;
• removal of metabolic end products;
• removal of residues of certain medications and poisons.

That is why it is very important to find out the reason for the appearance of dark urine in women, since in some cases such a symptom usually appears in the later stages of pathologies, when treatment should be started urgently. Freshly excreted urine should be clear, straw-yellow. Certain deviations are allowed.

So, the varieties of the norm are:

• short-term changes in the natural physiological shade as a result of dietary habits, excessive or, conversely, insufficient fluid intake, dehydration;
• course of treatment with certain drugs.

In the morning, when you first empty your bladder, very concentrated urine comes out due to the accumulation of salts and pigments. If it then returns to a normal shade, there is nothing to worry about.

A common cause of change in urine color is non-compliance with the rules for collecting analysis. The fact is that urine pigments are oxidized under the influence of light. In other words, if the patient collects the test in a transparent container and leaves it for a long time in a place exposed to direct sunlight, the urine darkens naturally.

The pathological cause of dark urine in women and men in the vast majority of cases is hematuria, that is, the appearance of blood (or rather, red blood cells). In this case, urine takes on the brown tint of dark beer or meat slop. Hemoglobinuria is much less common. As a result of intravascular hemolysis, free hemoglobin is released by the kidneys. In some people, a similar phenomenon can be observed when overworked from intense and prolonged physical activity, running, etc.

Sometimes even the shade of urine can suggest the nature of the pathology:

• a light brown color, especially if a flocculent sediment or cloudiness is clearly visible, usually indicates a urinary tract infection;
• a brown tint with an admixture of red often appears when the epithelium of the ureters, urethra or directly to the kidneys is damaged due to the passage of a stone or injury;
• a dark brown color is noted against the background of an inflammatory or tumor process in the kidneys; if there is an admixture of a green tint, liver pathology is suspected.

It is extremely rare that urine turns black. Almost always, this symptom indicates a very serious damage to the urinary system, often a tumor or hereditary disease. However, all these pathologies rarely occur without a pronounced clinical picture. A urine color that is too light is also considered a deviation from the norm. This is usually a sign of impaired filtration capacity of the kidneys, which often occurs in diabetic nephropathy.

For medical reasons, a two-glass test is performed to determine the cause of dark-colored urine in women. Its essence is as follows. The patient is asked to urinate in two containers in turn, and it is important that the stream of urine is continuous. If the shade is changed only in the first portion, this usually indicates damage to the urinary tract, more often the ureters. Brown color in both jars indicates a more serious pathology. If dark or red clots or flakes are detected in the urine, the patient is urgently hospitalized.

This symptom sometimes appears with bleeding and rupture of blood vessels surrounding the genitourinary system. Darkening of urine is a rather bad symptom during pregnancy, unless of course it is associated with eating certain foods. The fact is that when carrying a child, the load on the kidneys increases, which is why regular laboratory tests are so necessary to evaluate their work.

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Women with chronic or previous pathologies of the urinary system are at risk. Timely identification of the cause of dark urine in a pregnant woman plays a very important role. Sometimes serious disturbances in kidney function are a direct indication for premature birth; they can negatively affect the intrauterine development of the fetus. But early treatment and the use of modern antibiotics can improve the situation.

If there is a change in the color of urine during pregnancy that is not related to diet, you should urgently consult a gynecologist and nephrologist.

When contacting a doctor with similar symptoms, they always give a referral for a general clinical urine test. This study is simple to perform, is performed quickly and provides basic information that allows you to make a preliminary diagnosis and determine the direction of further examination of the patient.

What do the numerous points on the form with the analysis result mean:

1. Amount of urine. There are no standards as such for this indicator; in this column, the laboratory assistant indicates the volume of urine transferred for research. But if a person has difficulty passing urine in the morning, this indicates either extreme dehydration or severe kidney damage.
2. Color. As mentioned above, normally it should be yellow.
3. Transparency. Cloudy urine is sometimes the result of a violation of the rules for taking the test. However, this often occurs with concomitant leukocyturia.
4. Relative density. This is an indicator that determines the concentration function of the kidneys, in other words, their work during the filtration of primary and secondary urine. Density increases with the appearance of sugar, leukocytes and other formed elements. Normally it is 1.010 - 1.020.
5. pH reaction. Normally, urine has a slightly acidic reaction with a pH value of 4.0-7.0. A change up or down usually occurs with metabolic disorders, which increases the risk of developing urolithiasis.
6. Protein. Normally, this figure does not exceed 0.033 g/l; proteinuria always indicates renal pathology.
7. Glucose. A healthy person should not have it, but the permissible limits are up to 0.8 mmol/l. Typically, exceeding this value occurs due to diabetes mellitus or excessive consumption of sweets at night or in the morning before the test.
8. Ketone bodies, are indicators of the correct course of metabolic processes in the body. Normally they are absent. A positive result is possible with prolonged fasting, vomiting, intoxication, diabetes, and damage to the pancreas.
9. Bilirubin. It is one of the main components of bile. It gets into the urine only in case of liver pathologies.
10. Urobilinogen. Also synthesized by liver cells. Positive results in the analysis usually indicate intestinal diseases.
11. Hemoglobin. Normally, it is located inside red blood cells and takes part in oxygen transport. But with the massive breakdown of red blood cells, it does not have time to be transformed in the liver and spleen, which causes it to be excreted through the kidneys. It appears in urine in cases of severe poisoning, blood transfusion, injuries accompanied by rupture of organs and muscle tissue, and burns.

Clinical analysis to identify the causes of dark urine in women or other pathologies always includes microscopic examination of the sediment. To do this, the urine is allowed to settle for 1-2 hours, then the settled elements are collected with a pipette. The resulting liquid is placed in a centrifuge, and the dry sediment is examined under a microscope and the cells within the field of view are counted (in the form they are abbreviated as p/z).

1. Red blood cells. It is their presence that gives urine its brown color. Normally, their number should not exceed 3.
2. Epithelial cells. In women, they often enter the urine from the vagina, so this indicator is not considered as a diagnostic criterion.
3. Cylinders. Normally, the presence of single hyaline cylinders is allowed; the appearance of waxy, erythrocyte, granular and epithelial casts is a sign of a pathological process in the kidneys.
4. Salt. Normally there are none. Their presence is the main symptom of uric acid diathesis or urolithiasis. Less often they are detected in inflammatory processes of the urinary system. In laboratories equipped with modern equipment, when salts are detected, their chemical composition is determined.
5. Bacteria. They should not be in the urine. Pathogenic microflora is excreted in urine in case of infection in any part of the urinary tract. Often microorganisms enter the urine from the vagina during vulvovaginitis.
6. Fungal flora. Fungi are found in urine during fungal infections of the genitourinary system.

Despite the abundance of information on deciphering a general urine analysis and determining the causes of dark-colored urine in women, a specialist must interpret the results of the study. Self-medication is unacceptable, as it can lead to worsening of the condition.

Dark urine in a woman: causes, diagnostic methods and possible treatment options

Brown urine is not always a reason to worry and see a doctor. The cause of dark urine in women may be completely physiological factors.

This is an incorrect drinking regime. The less fluid enters the body, the more saturated the color of the urine.

Intense exercise, living in a hot climate and other reasons that contribute to dehydration (vomiting, diarrhea, fever). Increased sweating contributes to increased fluid loss, and if it is not compensated by sufficient water consumption, the color of urine becomes dark yellow, especially noticeable in the morning, immediately after waking up. A long course of treatment with antimalarial, antituberculosis drugs, antibiotics from the nitrofuran group, laxatives, B vitamins and ascorbic acid, rifampicin, metronidazole, phenyl salicylate.

Excessive consumption of certain foods during the day before the test. So, the cause of dark urine in women can be beans and other legumes, beef, beets, carrots, rhubarb, natural black tea and coffee. In addition, many confectionery products (and not only) contain a large amount of dyes that affect the color of urine.

Naturally, dark urine in women, regardless of the cause, causes concern. A completely reasonable question arises: what to do in such a situation. If these symptoms are not related to diet and medications, you should pay attention to other clinical signs. This:

• severe febrile fever (body temperature above 38.5°), rising in the evening;
• strong unpleasant odor of urine;
• pain in the lumbar region of various types, aggravated by tapping the edge of the palm on the back above the kidneys, sometimes they can radiate along the ureter to the lower abdomen;
• discomfort in the liver area, yellow tint of the skin and sclera;
• weakness and malaise;
• disturbance of urination (frequent urge with the release of urine in small portions, or vice versa, difficulty passing urine).

If a change in urine color is accompanied by a similar clinical picture, you should immediately consult a doctor. If the fever increases, it is recommended to call an ambulance.

In the future, the doctor prescribes examinations to make an accurate diagnosis and identify the cause of dark urine in women. First of all, this is a study of urine using the method of Zimnitsky, Nechiporenko and other tests. Ultrasound diagnostics is very informative. It determines changes in the renal parenchyma during the inflammatory process, the presence of stones, and deviations in the anatomical structure of the urinary system. Additional diagnostic measures are possible using contrast agents and tomography.

Be sure to do a clinical blood test, a study of liver enzymes and other biochemical indicators. It should be immediately noted that it is not the dark color of urine that is treated, but the cause that caused it. The specific treatment regimen depends on the diagnosis. Bacterial infections of the kidneys and bladder can be treated with long-term antibiotics. Therapy for urolithiasis is very complex.

Sometimes medicinal dissolution of stones is possible; in the presence of large formations, surgical removal is indicated, and the use of folk remedies is effective to prevent relapse. Autoimmune glomerulonephritis is treated with hormonal drugs, and in severe cases, cytostatics are indicated.

When dark urine appears in a woman, the reasons for which are varied, this almost always serves as a reason for a comprehensive examination by a nephrologist and gastroenterologist. This is especially important during pregnancy. Attempting self-treatment may worsen symptoms and cause irreversible consequences. Modern methods of therapy can eliminate all symptoms of the disease with minimal consequences.

A change in the color of urine is an easily detectable sign that may indicate the development of a disease in the body. But sometimes it can be the result of taking certain medications or eating brightly colored foods.

In the latter case, it is quite easy to find out by asking the patient, but in the rest, a more detailed examination is required. The diagnostic search program is formed taking into account the existing shade of urine, which allows us to assume the most likely factor.

Causes of dark urine in men and women

The reasons for the dark color of urine can be very diverse and the character determines one or another shade. In most cases, pathological changes in urine in men and women are the same, except for specific cases of dysfunction of the genital organs or injuries. And, of course, the period of pregnancy in women.

We will dwell on these features separately - first we will consider general factors that do not depend on gender.

Cause of dark brown urine lies in the destruction of red blood cells (hemolysis), in which a large amount of urobilins is formed from hemoglobin. It is they who give the characteristic shade.

Hemolysis can develop as a result of hereditary or acquired factors. Hereditary factors are abnormalities in the structure of hemoglobin or the membrane (sheath) of red blood cells.

These features cause increased deformation of red cells, as a result of which they are destroyed in the vascular bed, causing the subsequent release of hemoglobin from them.

Such events develop if a person has certain hereditary diseases:

• sickle cell anemia (red blood cells are shaped like a sickle);
• spherocytosis, acanthocytosis, etc.
• thalassemia (change in the number of hemoglobin chains in 1 red blood cell);
• enzymopathies (enzyme defects that cause a shortening of the life of red blood cells).

The causes of acquired hemolysis may be:

• autoimmune anemia (destruction of red cells is associated with their damage by antibodies);
• mechanical injury of red blood cells during physical activity (marching hemoglobinuria);
• malaria (malarial plasmodium directly initiates the death of blood cells);
• toxic substances of hemolytic action;
• acute infections;
• increasing the function of the spleen, which normally destroys red blood cells.

Dark yellow urine usually indicates states of dehydration or states of fluid leaking into the intercellular space, in which the concentration of urochromes (substances that give urine a yellow color) increases in it. This mechanism occurs when:

• edema syndrome;
• burns;
• vomiting;
• diarrhea.

Taking B vitamins or Furagin (a drug used to treat kidney and bladder infections) causes yellow-orange urine to appear. To restore normal coloring, it is enough to stop taking the pharmacological agent.

Dark red urine indicates the presence in it of some substances of exogenous (external) origin. They usually appear due to:

• taking sulfonamides;
• taking Metronidazole;
• taking medications based on bearberry (most often used to treat urinary infections);
• poisoning with phenol-containing substances.

Phenol surrounds us everywhere. This poison can be found in furniture (in fiberboard and chipboard, its release increases with increasing ambient temperature), carpets, toys, clothing, building materials, cosmetics and household chemicals. It is also present in food products.

There is especially a lot of it in liquid smoke, used as a smoking substitute. Fruits and vegetables can also contain phenol, because... it is used for processing to prevent decay processes. Therefore, it is recommended to wash them thoroughly (especially those collected out of season).

In some cases, the urine may turn black. The reasons for this may be:

• nocturnal hemoglobinuria (usually the main cause of dark urine in the morning)
• melanoma (a malignant tumor that affects the skin).

Beer-colored urine appears when hepatocytes are damaged caused by viral hepatitis or alcoholic liver damage. With these diseases, it is not able to metabolize bilirubin, and it appears in large quantities in the blood, from where it is filtered in the kidneys.

Reddish urine usually indicates certain dietary habits of a person. So, it appears when eating a large amount of beets, carrots or blueberries. Another cause may be taking aspirin or antipyrine.

At the same time, it should be distinguished from bright red urine caused by renal colic or renal infarction. The diagnostic criterion will be the detection of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the urinary sediment, which indicate colic or circulatory disorders.

Dark cloudy urine- This is a sign of an inflammatory process. The lack of transparency indicates the presence of various impurities in it. These could be bacteria, dead white blood cells, or desquamated epithelial cells. Microscopic examination of urine helps to detect these elements.

Features of dark urine in men

Specific reasons for the appearance of dark urine in men are:

• damage to the prostate gland;
• epididymitis - inflammatory lesion of the epididymis;
• traumatic injury to the scrotum.

Otherwise, the symptoms and causes of color changes in urine in men and women are the same.

The main reason for dark urine in a woman during pregnancy is (vomiting). It leads to dehydration of the body and the concentration of dyes in the urine is higher than normal. These urochromes lead to the darkening of biological fluid.

Examination of urinary sediment during toxicosis can also reveal the presence of acetone. Other signs are:

• repeated vomiting;
• dry mucous membranes;
• constant nausea;
• decreased blood pressure;
• increased heart rate;
• slight rise in temperature;
• acetone odor from the mouth, etc.

Toxicosis is not the only cause of dark urine in a pregnant woman. A similar mechanism occurs in food poisoning (infections).

All of the factors listed above should also be excluded. Changed urine color during pregnancy should always be alarming and prompt a detailed examination.

What to do when urine takes on an unusual color? - The reason for this condition should be found out. To do this, you need to adhere to a certain algorithm (a person can perform its initial stages independently):

1. Analyze your diet to see if it contains foods with bright colors (beets, blueberries, carrots, etc.).
2. Analyze whether medications are being taken, especially antibiotics (Metronidazole), sulfonamides, Aspirin or other non-steroids.
3. Assess whether there are associated symptoms (vomiting, fever, diarrhea, etc.).
4. Is it possible to identify a provoking factor - pregnancy, burns, poisoning, etc.
5. Take a urine test for microscopy.
6. If a microscopic examination does not reveal any abnormalities, then it is necessary to conduct a biochemical analysis of urine (assesses the presence of certain chemicals, including toxic ones).
7. Get a blood test to check for possible anemia.

The last 3 points of this algorithm are the doctor’s task. Therefore, if the color of your urine changes, you should consult a specialist. Contact must be made immediately in the following situations:

• pregnancy;
• temperature increase;
• repeated vomiting;
• painful urination;
• the appearance of yellowing of the skin;
• development of swelling;
• massive burns.

If physiological (morning increased concentration of urine), iatrogenic (due to medication) or nutritional causes are excluded, then treatment is carried out. It depends on the underlying disease and is prescribed by the appropriate specialist.

Abnormalities in the color of urine do not always indicate problems in the body. But if there are no natural reasons for such an incident, then the changes can be attributed to a sign of some disease.

In general, color index is a characteristic that is paid attention to in laboratory studies. Urochrome is a pigment that gives urine a yellowish tint. It may vary from a light yellow tone to and this is normal. In this case, the urine should not have foreign impurities and be cloudy.

What changes color

It may depend on the coloring pigments contained in our food (legumes, beets, carrot juice, brightly colored berries), and, of course, on some components of medications.

If it is the wrong color, such as green, pink, orange or blue, it does not always indicate a disease. Such changes can be caused by medications or laxatives taken by the patient. If you pay attention to the instructions for medications, there is always a warning about this effect. After stopping the medication, the color quickly returns to normal.

Dark urine: causes

Brown urine is actually quite common. In order to correctly identify the cause, you will need to more accurately determine its shade. Urine may be light brown, slightly cloudy, dirty-cloudy, dark in color, the color of beer or tea.

Dark urine: natural causes

— Eating black tea, legumes, rhubarb, aloe.

- Treatment with laxatives, as well as medications “Rifampicin”, “Metronidazole”, “Nitrofuran”. These medications turn urine dark brown.

- Light brown color may occur due to dehydration. The person is constantly thirsty and rarely goes to the toilet to urinate. Here you need to monitor your bladder.

Dark urine, pathological causes

- Problems with liver function. The color of urine in hepatitis and cirrhosis changes under the influence of dark pigments such as bilirubin and biliverdin. It takes on a dark beer hue. Another is the appearance of yellow foam when shaking urine.

- Problems with kidney function. Dark urine, the causes of which lie in urolithiasis, may appear due to the ingress of blood particles into it. Tumors and inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system (polycystic kidney disease) can give it purulent-brown dark shades.

- Infections. Brown urine mixed with blood can be observed in diseases such as urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis and others.

Additional symptoms

The following symptoms are alarming and require consultation with a specialist:

- Temperature fluctuations for several days, fever.
- Increased urge to urinate.
- It is painful or difficult to urinate.
- Bad and harsh
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Pain in the abdominal area.

Such symptoms and dark urine, the analysis of which will help identify the cause of the condition, become a reason to visit a therapist, urologist or nephrologist.