Is brown urine abnormal or normal? Causes of brown urine: pathological and natural factors

13.08.2019

In men, the cause of the disease? The reasons for such a symptom should be sought in physiological changes. Some of them can be dangerous and pose a real threat to the patient's health. Changes in urine color can occur at any age.

The color depends on many factors. The clarity and color of urine is influenced by the substances it contains. According to the norm, the color of a man's biological material can be from light yellow to dark brown.

Non-pathological causes

Pathological causes are not always provocateurs of hyperchromia (darkening). You can notice the color change in the morning. During sleep, the maximum concentration of pigments is reached in urine, which contribute to the fact that the urine becomes dark.

Another common reason for the darkening of the biological material in men is dehydration.

This happens during prolonged physical exertion or under the influence of high temperatures. At these times, sweating increases, which causes moisture loss. Not drinking enough fluids can also lead to dehydration. In the case of loss of moisture by the body, a decrease in urine production occurs, leading to a supersaturation of the coloring pigments contained in it.

Sudden darkening of urine often occurs due to the food that the person has eaten the day before. The pigments in food can color the liquid, making it darker, or change color altogether. Some drugs have the same effect: Lysol, Activated carbon, Naphthol, Salol and others. When urine darkens, do not immediately panic. It is necessary to analyze what a person ate, consult a doctor, and only then make a decision on further actions.

Pathological factors of color change

Dark urine in men often appears due to dehydration due to disruption of the normal functioning of the digestive tract (vomiting, diarrhea). Many reasons can provoke such malaise, but most often it happens when poisoning.

Darkening of urine is one of the symptoms of prostatitis. This pathology develops gradually and for a long time it may not manifest itself in any way. in men, it can be the first symptom of the disease. Men over 40 are at risk. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, the disease can be quickly cured.

The following problems can be attributed to urine hyperchromia:

liver disease;
drug, alcoholic or viral hepatitis;
blockage of the bile ducts (gallstone disease);
urolithiasis disease;
violation of the outflow of bile, which are provoked by the presence of neoplasms in the liver or pancreas;
kidney disease;
diseases of the bladder;
cystitis;
glomerulonephritis;
a tumor in the kidney;
poisoning of the body with copper;
hemoglobinuria;
pathology of the reproductive organs (trauma, inflammatory processes).

In men, other symptoms can also be observed when the color of the biological fluid produced by the kidneys becomes dark due to the development of a pathological process.

Urination may be accompanied by pain. At rest, a man often has a fairly strong feeling of discomfort in the lumbar region and sacrum. Additionally, the body temperature may rise and symptoms of fever occur.

With inflammatory processes or narrowing of the lumen of the urethral canal, discharge uncharacteristic for a man appears from the genitals.

It can be mucus mixed with pus or blood. Any warning symptoms cannot be ignored. In any case, a doctor's consultation is required, otherwise there may be irreversible consequences.

Problem solving methods

In cases where, before changing the color of urine, a man consumed alcohol, dyed food, drank tea, took medications, etc., the condition will return to normal as soon as the coloring pigment is removed from the body. Such changes are not considered dangerous and are not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, therefore, they do not require treatment.

If the body is dehydrated, regardless of what triggered the source of the problem, the patient is indicated for rehydration therapy. Delivery of fluid to the body can be carried out by the oral route or by intravenous administration of special solutions.

If the color of the liquid turns brown, it develops an unpleasant odor, or the person experiences other symptoms that negatively affect the quality of life, it is necessary to seek medical help.

Attempts to cope with the existing pathology on their own can lead to serious complications and long-term treatment. Some diseases, if not started on time, can be fatal.

To make a diagnosis, a number of laboratory tests are required, which will make it possible to assess the state of health. Further treatment will depend on the pathology that affected the color of the urine. The patient can be treated on an outpatient basis, following the doctor's recommendations, or he is hospitalized for successful treatment.

Going to the toilet, you suddenly notice that not, as usual, a weakly colored liquid has got into the toilet, but therefore frightening? Do not rush to panic that the urine is dark brown, the reasons can be very different. Let's consider what caused this.

Perhaps you just drank little liquid yesterday, and this caused an increase in the level of urochrome - a substance that is always present in the fluid excreted from the body through the kidneys and causes it to darken. The level of urochrome can also be affected by increased sweating (for example, under heavy exertion, and even in the heat). However, if the urine is dark brown, this cannot be explained by the level of urochrome alone. Remember what you ate the day before, what drugs you used, because some of them can cause a similar effect:

Beets can give a reddish tinge (as if with blood) if you ate, for example, a lot of salad from it;
Also brown urine can be due to the high consumption of legumes (beans, beans, peas, soybeans) crops or rhubarb;
Aloe preparations in large quantities also have a similar effect;
The use of medicines, which contain substances such as phenol, lysol, cresol, naphthol, salol;
Even activated charcoal causes brown urine for a short time;
Perhaps you suffer from constipation and use pills, drops with hay or caskura. Because of what, a similar effect can also occur;
Other causes of brown urine can be found in some antibiotics, medicines used to treat malaria;
Foodstuffs that are bright with dyes, especially drinks, and even strong black tea, the use of beef;
Surgical intervention performed. Usually, after laparoscopy, the urine is brown, but then it takes on a normal color.

In all of the above cases, the keyword is not for long! That is, an unusual color - one or more times, and then everything returns to normal, especially if you drink enough water.

When health is at stake

But if your urine is brown, and none of the above has happened to you, you can suspect that not all is well with your health. Namely:

Serious kidney disease, in which they cannot fully function (infections, inflammation);
If the urine is brown, it may indicate pathological changes in the liver, for example, the presence of hepatitis or cirrhosis;
Various jaundices, including those caused by gallstones;
In case of poisoning with toxins, the body cannot cope with their elimination on its own, it urgently needs the help of a doctor;
Food poisoning causes dehydration of the whole body and how;
Even if no other symptoms are observed, constantly (or at frequent intervals) dark urine can be one of the side signs of the development of cancer.

Women Health

In women, a symptom of dark urine may indicate any pathology in the field of reproductive health. These include:

Hormonal changes in the female body during pregnancy. However, this cannot be attributed only to bearing a child. Only special examinations will be able to answer the question: why the urine darkened sharply, acquired one or another shade;
Genital tract infections (including sexually transmitted diseases);
Various tumors, cysts, fibroids;
Oncology.

You need to see a doctor immediately if other symptoms are present:

Increased constantly or intermittently temperature throughout the day or two. Fever.
The bladder requires frequent emptying.
When urinating, you feel pain, burning.
Pain in the lower abdomen, in the abdominal cavity;
Not peculiar and unusual to you, an unpleasant smell of urine.
Nausea, urge to vomit.

Dark urine in men

If you have repeatedly observed that your body secretes dark urine, you need to find an answer why this is happening. Often in men, brown urine is an indicator of emerging inflammation in the urogenital area and prostate.

Here you should also take into account the fact that not only urine, but also seminal fluid passes through the urethra in men. So the fact that a man has brown urine can give clues about his health:

Prostatitis is one of the most common causes of this symptom;
BPH;
Pathological processes, seminal ducts;
Infectious diseases of bacterial origin (and others);
Sexually transmitted diseases, including those that have not been treated, which especially often happens when a friend "prescribes" treatment, for whom "it was, it is being treated in an elementary way";
Genital trauma.

Remember! The fact that suddenly your urine has changed its usual light yellow color to dark is not a reason to diagnose yourself on your own. And even more so - to prescribe treatment! Only a doctor, moreover, on the basis of urine, blood tests, if necessary, cytological and other studies, can make the correct diagnosis. And already on this basis - to prescribe treatment. Therefore, if you find that your urine has turned dark brown, hurry to the doctor! Remember that a disease that is recognized on time is always easier to heal and goes away much faster!

Almost always, our body itself prompts that not everything is in order with it. It remains for a person to pay attention to these signals in order to take timely measures to correct the situation. Of course, you do not always need to panic about a change in the color of urine or the appearance of painful sensations in the stomach or colic in the intestines. Sometimes this is not a disease, but flaws in the diet.

But, nevertheless, if any negative sensations are repeated more and more often, they may indicate the presence of a certain disease. In this case, it is better not to risk your own health, which, as you know, cannot be bought for any money. You need to see a doctor, be examined and, if necessary, undergo a course of treatment.

It is to such alarming symptoms that discharge and urine of a red-brown color can belong. Precisely "can", since they do not always indicate the development of pathology. However, in some cases, they should alert you. Let's figure out when these phenomena are safe, and when they are a reason to see a doctor:

Brown discharge

Discharge brown or red-brown in women is most often not a pathology. Usually they are associated with the aging process of the cells of the endometrium of the uterus, intrauterine tissues. This has nothing to do with the woman's age. For example, in the event of a delay in menstruation, the subsequent discharge will be exactly brown. It's just that while the delay lasted, the intrauterine tissues had already “aged”, so now the discharge is like that.

However, in some cases, for example, if these phenomena are repeated too often, they may indicate the possible development of a dangerous disease. For example: brown, red-brown discharge is a symptom of cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease. Also, such discharge sometimes speaks of the onset of premenopause or menopause. They are often a symptom of certain sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, papilloma virus.

If you have brown, reddish-brown discharge, the best way to dispel your doubts is to see a doctor.

Discoloration of urine

If everything is in order with the health of the body, the color of urine is always light, but it looks transparent. Its shade ranges from pale yellow to bright yellow. It depends on the amount of urochrome pigment, as well as on the concentration of urine.

But its shade can change under the influence of many factors and they are not always a pathology. For example, the color is influenced by the intake of vitamin preparations, the use of certain products, for example, beets or carrots, which color it orange or pink. Also, the shade may change under the influence of taking certain medications. But sometimes its color changes under the influence of infection or due to the presence of a dangerous disease.

Dark brown urine

Occasionally, the urine may take on the color of a tea brew. Most often, the cause is the food that a person has consumed. For example, eating beans, rhubarb, aloe, etc. can give brown color. In this case, there is no need to worry. By changing your diet, you can easily get rid of this problem.

Certain medicines can cause darkening of the skin. For example, antimalarial drugs - chloroquine, primaquin. Some antibiotics, in particular metronidazole, nitrofurantoin. Laxatives that contain cascara, senna or metoclopramide. After drug withdrawal, the color will return to normal.

But dark brown, reddish brown urine can be caused by diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, acute glomerulonephritis. Or some dysfunction of the kidneys, when they become unable to effectively remove excess fluid and waste. Cloudy, dark, brown urine may indicate the presence of an infectious disease (or stones) in the urinary tract.

It should be noted that in men with prostate adenoma or stones in the bladder, kidneys, the shade of urine often changes because of the admixture of blood. In women, there may also be an admixture of blood in the urine. This is often triggered by an infection of the urinary tract or urolithiasis.

Dark brown urine may be due to a recent infection (bacterial or viral). This pathology is called postinfectious glomerulonephritis. It is found in both sexes, as well as in children.

It should also be noted that there is such a thing as a family history. So, it is precisely this history of renal disease that often increases the likelihood of similar problems in relatives.

Often, blood in the urine, which changes its normal color to reddish-brown, appears after very intense physical exertion. Such strenuous physical activity is often the cause of the change.

In any case, if you notice any changes not related to the use of certain foods or medication, if blood spots appear in the urine, or it changes color to dark brown, red-brown or some other shade, becomes cloudy, do not risk your own health, consult a doctor.

Brown urine causes real panic in many, as it can indicate serious pathologies. Consider the reasons for this phenomenon, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Minor changes in urine color are considered normal. Darker urine in the morning is associated with an increased concentration of urochrome. With plenty of drink, it changes color to bright yellow. But in some cases, the change is caused by pathological or physical conditions.

A dark shade can be caused by overuse of aloe, legume, or rhubarb-based preparations.
Various laxatives that contain hay grass or caskura, antibiotics, antimalarial medicines, also provoke changes in the color of the fluid excreted by the body.
In some cases, prolonged abstinence from urination and drinking inadequate amounts of fluids causes a dark color of the biological fluid produced by the kidneys.

But the situation is much worse if all of the above factors are absent. In this case, the dark color of the urine can occur with serious diseases of the kidneys and liver.

As a rule, dark urine in men is a consequence of an excess intake of urochrome. The more the substance is produced by the kidneys, the darker the urine takes on. In addition, a color change entails the use of certain foods, medicines and all kinds of pathologies of internal organs.

Natural Causes of Darkening Urine

In the morning, any person notices a slightly darker shade of urine - this is not a reason to run to the doctor and find out why the urine is dark yellow in men. At night, the concentration of urine increases, all the fluid collects in the bladder, which leads to a discoloration. The longer a person endures, the darker the urine will be.

The second reason is low fluid intake. Failure to comply with the drinking regime leads to the accumulation of urochrome, which causes discoloration. And a few more natural factors for darkening the liquid:

Reception of herbal decoctions. Hay, buckthorn, cascara change the shade of urine towards darkening;
Red-brown, brown color appears due to beets eaten in large quantities;
Red meat, soy, beans, beans, carrots - urine changes under the influence of natural dyes and artificial additives.

To normalize the color of urine, it is enough to revise the diet, drinking regimen and give up coloring products. Natural reasons also include a number of negative factors that affect the shade of the secreted fluid:

Blood transfusion with incompatibility of Rh factors;
Dehydration due to diarrhea, alcohol;
Strong physical activity;
Poisoning with heavy copper salts;
Lack of personal hygiene;
Colds, prolonged exposure to the sun, in the bath, changes in body temperature;
Hypothermia;
Hypervitaminosis.

As you can see, dark urine in men is not always a sign of disease. But if the color change is accompanied by other negative factors, this is a reason to suspect the development of the disease.

Diseases that lead to dark urine

The standard is yellow urine without flakes, sediment, turbidity and blotches. Any deviation from the standard is a sign of disorder in the functionality of organs. The doctor always recommends passing urine for analysis to determine the pathology, cause and subsequent treatment. Pathologies leading to a color change can be divided into several groups.

Liver disease

These include:

Pathologies are determined not only by the change in the shade of the liquid, but also by the foam - if you shake the urine, it takes on a clear resemblance to beer: the foam is yellow, and the liquid itself is brown.

Kidney disease

Inflammation of the kidneys leads to a change in the tone of urine and the fact that a cloudy sediment appears. The reason may lie in the following diseases:

Glomerulonephritis;
Pyelonephritis;
Kidney stone disease;
Cystitis;
Bleeding.

The color changes due to red blood cells entering the liquid. A brown or dirty brownish tint appears if pathologies are aggravated by purulent discharge.

Lesion of the genitals

Pathologies of this type develop due to:

Cancer in the testicles;
Prostate adenomas;
Prostatitis;
Stone formation or sand in the urethra;
Inflammatory process in the testicles;
Orchite.

Injury to the groin area can cause darkening of urine or urine becomes reddish, and the color change does not always appear immediately, but much later, when the pathology has already been treated, but the inflammatory process is still going on inside.

Other diseases

There are diseases that do not affect the genitourinary system, but due to which brown urine is formed:

Lupus erythematosus;
Late cutaneous porphyria;
Malaria;
Endocarditis;
Hemolytic anemia.

Do not be afraid to find a change in the color spectrum, amber yellow urine is the standard, but even if a man's urine is brown, it is not a sign of a serious illness. Only a specialist can diagnose the disease.

Medicines that stain the urine

Sometimes the urine retains its hue, but the yellow color becomes more vivid. If the urine is yellow, the cause in men may be hiding in the intake of prescribed medications. For example, vitamins A, B, Nitrofuran cause severe yellowing of urine. But activated charcoal, Metronidazole, Aspirin, antibiotics can lead to the appearance of dark urine in men. It is especially important to pay attention to the appearance of additional signs: a rash, pain during the evacuation of fluid should alert and serve as a reason to see a doctor. Also, a specialist should be visited if the medications are no longer taken, and the urine has not restored its normal yellow tint.

When do you need to see a doctor urgently?

What if the change in shade is a concern? Establish the reason: exclude provoking natural factors, monitor the change in shade during the day. The next morning, collect urine in a jar: the appearance of mucus, turbidity, blood is clearly a reason for a visit to the doctor. The following factors require an immediate visit to a urologist:

Black, orange, red and other altered colors last for more than two days and do not depend on natural causes, time of day and the amount of drinks;
Skin rashes appeared on the chest, abdomen, groin;
The penis reddened, itching, burning appeared;
Urination is painful;
The feeling of an incompletely empty bladder lasts more than 2 days;
The portion of fluid has decreased or increased significantly, but there are no provoking factors;
Pain in the lower back, groin, legs, perineum, pubic region.

If a man experiences any of the signs, see a urologist immediately! The doctor will send you for tests, which will determine the cause of the problem, as well as possible ways to eliminate it. Diagnostic procedures are not limited only to urine analysis, ultrasound, X-ray and other instrumental studies are prescribed and everything that the specialist considers necessary.

Treatment for dark urine

Any therapy begins after the diagnosis is made:

If the problem is in the liver, then a course intake of anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective drugs is prescribed. A course of disinfection procedures is carried out: drip solutions of glucose, ascorbic acid. Microcirculation of cells is restored to accelerate regeneration processes, normalize fat metabolism: Heparin, Carsil, Eslidin and other drugs will help to cope with the problem. In case of cancer, a number of studies are carried out to determine the possibility of surgery. Additional symptoms: lightening of feces, increased body temperature.
When kidneys fail, antibiotic treatment is required, as well as determination of the presence of calculi. If stones are obstructed, surgery is possible. Certain renal pathologies cause pus to drain, which is usually the cause of cloudy urine in men. If the urine is red in men, then glomerulonephritis is possible - damage to the glomeruli. Additional symptoms: back pain, impurities and sediment in the secreted fluid. The movement of stones leads to hematuria - blood clots and drops in urine, which is a factor in the color change.
Stagnation of urine due to inflammation of the prostate gland is always dark urine in men. A course of antibiotics, antibacterial drugs, rehabilitation therapy and the disease is cured. However, it is important to prevent the chronic development of prostate pathologies in order not to treat infertility and complete loss of sexual function later.
Bladder diseases the urethra is characterized by the discharge of pus, blood, mucus. If cloudy urine is found in a man, the reasons may lie precisely in diseases of this type. Additional symptoms: burning sensation, discharge from the urethra, redness of the penis. There are a lot of provoking factors: from STDs to banal hypothermia, therefore, treatment is prescribed only by a specialist based on the collected anamnesis and research. Antibiotic therapy and antispasmodics are prescribed.

Injury to the penis will lead to rupture of internal tissues, and, consequently, to a change in the tone of urine. It may be a red or even black liquid due to a large amount of blood, orange due to the development of pathogenic microflora due to the development of urethritis, or a pale yellowish liquid due to a violation of the functionality of internal organs.

If a man has brought himself to dehydration, a drip intake of solutions is prescribed to restore the level of salts and water in the tissues of the body. Diagnosing tumors requires constant monitoring of the process and dynamics of cell degeneration. Benign formations can be removed surgically, malignant ones can be treated with radiation, chemotherapy.

Important! Sometimes in the morning a man's urine is almost black, and during the day the shade normalizes. This is a sign of low fluid intake - the drinking regime should be reviewed: at least 2 liters per day, including soups and other liquids.