Changes in the color of urine in women. What the bright color says: neon yellow, yellow. What factors determine the color of urine

01.10.2019

If you suddenly began to feel not very 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 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, the saturation of the color 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 vary depending on many indicators.

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

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

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

So, urine can acquire a greenish color if, for example, you use some vitamins. But it becomes bright orange from carrots. In addition, some foods may contain artificial colors, which can also produce unnatural urine tints.

But if the 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 liquid that you drink: the more water you drink, the lighter your urine will be.

In addition, drugs are capable of staining urine, so if you are taking any medications, then this may be a completely natural state.

Changing the color of urine does not cause pain, but if you still experience some kind of discomfort or pain, this may indicate an inflammatory process in the genitourinary system. The following conditions can be associated symptoms:

Frequent urge to urinate
Frequent urination
Elevated temperature
Fever and chills
Abdominal pain
The specific repulsive smell of urine

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

age (often the representatives of the male half after 50 years have bloody discharge in the urine due to dysfunction of the prostate gland)
urinary tract infections
infectious kidney disease
heredity of renal disease
physical overvoltage

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

See also:

Possible colors and the reasons that cause them

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

Normal color of urine of a healthy person

Dark colored urine can cause:

lack of fluid and increased concentration of urochromes
eating certain foods
taking quinine, rifampicin and some other medicines
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 consuming aloe, rhubarb and beans. Also, this color of urine often appears after taking antimalarial medicines and medicines intended for the treatment of urinary tract infections, laxatives, antibiotics. Among the diseases that can give this color are cirrhosis, hepatitis, kidney disease. If a sediment also appears in dark urine, or it becomes, this may indicate the formation of calculi. Often, the urine darkens after the blood transfusion procedure, this happens due to the massive destruction of red blood cells.

If you noticed reddish urine, do not immediately panic. For example, there may be red urine after beets, or perhaps you ate blackberries the day before. If this is true, then you should not worry and worry. Much more serious and dangerous is the condition when blood appears in the urine. It can be caused by problems related to the genitourinary system, kidney stones, 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 urine, and this is a sign of many urological diseases, such as glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, and so on.

Do not postpone the visit to the doctor even if your dark yellow urine... In addition to taking medications, among the reasons may be such a serious illness as hepatitis. In addition, the 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 due to parenchymal jaundice. With this disease, bile pigments appear in the urine - and. If you shake such urine, green foam will definitely appear in it.

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

Green urine may appear from taking medications that contain dyes, as well as from the use of products 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 shade appears when taking medications intended for the treatment of the urinary and genital tract.

Bright yellow urine with sandy sediment may indicate the formation of calculi in the kidneys.

Milky white urine- a sign of bacterial lesions of the urinary system and some infections. When it appears, you should immediately go to the hospital and take the appropriate tests.

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

Medicines that cause discoloration

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

Aspirin (or acetylsalicylic acid) sometimes turns urine pinkish
Rifampicin (used for tuberculosis) - gives brownish-red hues
Metronidazole - also able to stain urine red and brown
Triamterene (a diuretic) makes urine blue-green

Normalization measures

If the color of your urine suddenly changed and became far from natural, but at the same time you feel quite well and no other symptomatology accompanies this condition, wait a day. Perhaps you just ate something wrong, or drank an insufficient amount of liquid.

In the same case, when the changed color of urine becomes commonplace and a chronic course of this condition is outlined, or you began to experience some other alarming symptoms (abdominal pain, you have a fever, and so on), do not hesitate - consult a doctor ...

A specialist will without fail conduct an examination, collect an anamnesis of your life based on your diet, ask about what medications you are taking or have taken, and, of course, will write out directions for tests.

If the color of the urine is really changed pathologically, the cause of this condition must be found out. And only after its determination can the correct treatment regimen be developed and prescribed.

When making a diagnosis, the description of the patient's lifestyle has important indicators.

In order to avoid such problems in the future, you should adjust your drinking regimen and in no case allow your body to become dehydrated. If the urine becomes dark, the first step is to replace 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 endure for a long time if you want to use the toilet - you need to empty the urine regularly and at the first urge. Also, monitor the hygiene of your genitals, regularly undergo preventive examinations, which will help to identify existing problems in a timely manner and eliminate them at the initial stage.

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

Make an appointment with a doctor right now and do not postpone the problem until later.

The natural color of a healthy person's urine varies in all shades of straw. The presence of a dark brown color indicates that pathology or other organs is present in the body. Natural discoloration of urine as a result of medication or specific juices (beets) does not count.

So, the physiological reasons for staining urine dark brown are as follows:

Abundant use of black tea, legumes, beets.
Taking certain medications.
Dehydration as a result of low consumption of clean water, heat.

Such symptoms do not need medical treatment. The lack of water is compensated by sufficient drinking. As for the pathological reasons, there are many of them:

Diseases, for example. At the same time, the level goes off scale in the urine, which gives it such a color.
Infection in the body, extensive burns.
Diseases in which the outflow of urine is difficult.
The movement of stones through the ureters, resulting in wounds and cracks. It is the blood that gives this color in this case.
Metabolic diseases in which an increased amount of iron is excreted through the urine.
Poisoning with some metal compounds.
Pathology of the genitourinary system, when it comes to a man.

The urinary and reproductive systems in men are closely related. If there is a disease of the epididymis or other organs of the male reproductive system, then the urine may be stained in an unhealthy dark brown color. Such cases can also occur due to testicular injury. In any case, if dark urine appears, you should consult a urologist or surgeon.

As for the weaker sex, the appearance of a reddish or brown tint in the urine can be caused by the following reasons:

Breakdown of tumors in the uterus or cervix.
Large fibroids that may also start to disintegrate.

If such signs appear, you should urgently consult a doctor:

Pain when urinating.
Discharge of pus, cramps, blood in the urine.
General weakness, increase. Kidney problems very often raise these numbers, and dramatically.
Low back pain, pulling sensation.
A person may often want to use the toilet, and literally drops of urine are released.

Together with urine of the wrong color, a woman may develop dark brown vaginal discharge, often with an unpleasant odor.

For women, the appearance of dark urine during pregnancy is especially dangerous. Sometimes the liver and kidneys can not cope with the stress. In such cases, the attending physician hospitalizes the pregnant woman in almost 100 percent of cases. Refusing hospitalization is dangerous for both the mother and the child.

What if the urine turns dark brown?

If you notice that the urine has become dark brown, it is necessary to exclude physiological reasons - the use of coloring foods, drinks and medicines. If you've used them, try canceling the intake for a few days and see the result. If everything is in order, then there is nothing to worry about.

Attention! If we are talking about vital medications, then in no case should they be canceled without the consent of the doctor!

If you haven't eaten or taken anything like that, then you need to make an appointment with a general practitioner. The doctor will direct you to take all the necessary tests and carry out. If you have pain or a sharp rise in temperature, you need to call an ambulance and immediately go to the hospital. Treatment in all cases will be selected by the doctor, based on the problem that caused the unhealthy color of urine. The therapist can also refer a woman to a gynecologist, and a man to a urologist, to exclude problems in the genital area.

Useful video: urine color and possible diseases

For inflammation in any area, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. In some cases, warming up will be useful (you cannot use heating pads without permission!). In addition, the doctor will also prescribe a rest regimen, diet and various herbal teas that will help cope with the problem.

Alternative methods can also be used, with the permission of the doctor. But don't forget that they should only be used in tandem with medication!

If everything is left to chance, the consequences can be serious - from chronic liver and kidney diseases to.

To prevent the development of pathologies in such important organs as the kidneys and bladder, it is important to follow some rules:

If you have no restrictions on taking fluids from a doctor, then you need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. It perfectly cleanses the kidneys and removes all waste products. In addition, cranberry and lingonberry fruit drinks are very useful. They not only improve fluid drainage, but also have an antiseptic effect on the urinary tract.
Proper nutrition - limiting alcohol, fatty, smoked and salty.
Keep your lower back and pelvic area warm. Hypothermia is unacceptable. For example, in the winter cold it is necessary to wear warm underwear. This is especially true for young girls who, even at minus 20, like to flaunt nylon tights and thongs.
Regular intake of those medications that the doctor prescribes. Special vitamins will also support the health of all organs.
If unpleasant symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor!

Hopefully you won't be affected by dark brown urine. However, it is best to be sufficiently informed and see your doctor right away.

Urine is diagnosed for the qualitative and quantitative indications of the substances it contains, while the color is compared with a reference scale.

The color is indicated in writing in the diagnosis.

In contrast to the 19th century, current diagnostic methods have made great strides forward, they do not judge the patient's health level by the color of his urine, a person himself is able to determine the fluctuation in the shade of his urine.Discoloration of urineshould alert the patient and induce him to seek medical advice.

What is the normal color of urine

Normal urine colordetermined by the state of transparency, color and saturation. To determine,what color should urine be in a healthy personit is imperative to take into account his diet, what medications he takes and in what quantity. The color intensity of urine is determined by the concentration of substances dissolved in it per the total volume of urine.

The color will be less intense if a person consumes liquid in the absence of renal pathologies or other serious diseases that disrupt metabolic processes in the body.

The standard composition of urine includes about 150 components.What does the color of urine say?a healthy person? - about the presence of pigments: the presence of urochrome, uroerythrin, urosein, stercobilin. These pigments color the urine in different shades of yellow. The color saturation is enhanced by the components: mucopolysaccharides. If the content of mucus and salt in urine is increased, then the transparency decreases, the color is dimmer.

The color of urine is usually inferred from a sample taken in the morning on an empty stomach. It is necessary to pass the test within two hours after urination, in extreme cases, no later than four hours. After two hours, fermentation of the components begins in the urine, due to which its color and degree of transparency change.

Reasons for changing the color of urine

Causes of urine discolorationlies in some of the body's processes:

increased intensity with thyrotoxicosis (chronic increase in thyroid hormones in the human body);
the amount of urine excreted and the frequency of urination;
age - color of urine in babiesalmost transparent, in children - a light shade;
food preservatives and colorants, including vegetable origin;
taking medications;
trauma to the urinary system;
hepatic pathologies, dysfunction of the gallbladder or bile duct;
blood diseases;
hereditary violation of the body's metabolic processes.

If the color of urine has changedtowards a milky-white hue, this is a sign of hiluria disease. An improper connection between the lymph duct and the bladder can be caused by:

With pyonephrosis (the presence of an abscess in the kidney), there is a change in shade towards three layers: a white thick substance - at the top, milky white - in the middle, below - salts, fats sediment.

If the urine remains white for a long time, then this is a sign of diabetes, both sugar and insipidus, as well as chronic renal failure.

Pink and red urine, which means

Red urine is an indicator of several facts:

excess pigment levels such as urochrome or urobilinogen,
consumption of preservatives, dyes, for example, products from fresh carrots or oranges,
lack of fluid in the body, especially with profuse sweating, for example, at the time of physical labor, in a bath or in the heat,
taking medications: Chloroquine, Riboflavin, Furagshin.

Pink and red urine

The pink hue of urine is given by the use of beets, or too much carrots, as well as red dyes, meat preservatives, lemonade, sweets, from vegetable: blackberries and cherries, black currants, rhubarb. With the influence of medications, the pink tint of urine is due to the intake of Aspirin, Ibuprofen, painkillers.

A pink-reddish tint indicates an excess of erythrocytes, hemoglobin decay, bilirubin component in urine, i.e. on the beginning of the development of hematuria. Hematuria develops with cystitis, the presence of calculi in the kidneys, tumors of the urinary system, pyelonephritis, systemic vasculitis. With such a dangerous shade of urine, accompanying symptoms usually appear:

pain in the lumbar region,
high temperature
cramps when urinating and urinary frequency,
swelling
high blood pressure,
atypical urine smell.

In representatives of the stronger sex, over sixty, the root cause of hematuria is usually a prostate adenoma, tumor formations in the bladder. When analyzing urine, substances are detected: erythrocytes, mucus, bacteria, protein, epithelium, leukocytes, salt. At the same time, mucus or pus is visible without a microscope, the presence of fibrin filaments is possible, also during visual examination.

Red urine with a burgundy tint is a sign of profuse bleeding in the urinary tract. This may be a consequence of damage to the mucous membrane during the movement of calculus, movement of the tumor, injury to the kidneys or genitals, hemophilia. In the presence of calculi in the kidneys, bleeding is more often caused by oxolate stones, because they usually have sharp edges. Also, the urine turns red when exposed to renal colic. Blood in the urine is a dangerous sign. blood clogs the ureter and can cause severe retention, which is harmful.

Brown urine often says that the body often lacks fluid, a person just needs to consume more fluids per day. Dehydration is much more dangerous for children. In adults, urine may darken as a result of taking laxatives, nitrofurans, an excess of vitamins B and C in the diet, and antibiotics. A brown tint of urine also appears with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, with viral hepatitis, tumors of the liver, pancreas, with hemochromatosis, with infections of the urinary system, kidney pathology.

When hematuria occurs due to the ingress of red blood cells into the urine, it takes on a brown tint due to the conversion of red blood cells into hematin under the action of uric acid.

Black urine indicates a violation of the liver, or rather its tissues. Liver tissue is usually affected by:

varieties of hemolytic anemia,
chromosome pathology, which is more common in males,
malignant tumors.

With chromosomal pathology, urine turns black when interacting with air.

In the process of gestation, the urine darkens in the morning, and during the day it has a calm yellow tint. Fluctuations in the color of urine during gestation are associated with surges in hormones.

Greenish shades of urine appear less often than others, they are manifested due to the consumption of phenacetin, which paints urine in a tea-colored shade, Amitriptyline, which paints it blue-green. Or an individual reaction of the body to some vitamins of artificial origin. People with congenital metabolic dysfunction usually have a bluish color in their urine.

In addition to the liquid component of urine, urine sediment can also stain.

A fawn-colored sediment indicates:

an excess of uric acid, while the sediment gives off a yellowish tint,
overabundance of urates, brick-colored sediment,
purulent impurities, in which the sediment is green,
erythrocytes, which stain the sediment red.

Atypical urine shade

If an atypical shade of urine is detected with a visually healthy state of the body, you should pay attention to the daily intake of the amount of fluid and the diet.

In this case, it is necessary to observe the change in the color of urine for a couple of days. A periodic change in the shade of urine may indicate the presence of any chronic disease, latent course.

A change in the color of urine is difficult to notice visually, unless the shade becomes completely atypical, so it is better to pass urine for laboratory analysis.

Microscopic examination allows you to determine the cause of the staining of the urine and prescribe the correct treatment.

The final diagnosis of human health based only on the results of the urine test is not made, additional diagnostics are required.

If a woman's body is working normally, then the urine sediment (urine) has a light yellow color, its shade can vary from straw to golden. First of all, it depends on water loads during the day, that is, the volume of water you drink, as well as on the intensity of the physical activities performed, which determine the amount of fluid lost with sweat.

As a rule, very few women pay attention to how the color of their urine changes depending on the time of day, if there are no other complaints. Physiologically, it is arranged that in the morning a portion of urine always has a brighter color, since a sufficient amount of pigment substances accumulates in it during the night (they affect the color of urine).

When the color of the urinary sediment acquires a shade that significantly distinguishes it from the natural one, it is worth seeking help from a specialist. Dark urine in women may indicate a number of diseases, sometimes very serious, that require appropriate treatment.

Main reasons

Natural factors

The color intensity of urinary sediment is primarily determined by the amount of bile pigments (urobilinoids) contained in its composition. However, there are a number of natural reasons due to which the urine darkens, redness, or it turns bright yellow. The following factors can be distinguished

Taking a certain group of medicines. In such cases, a change in the color of urine is the result of a biochemical transformation of a substance in the human body, which is absolutely safe for a woman. In order not to mislead yourself and your doctor, you should carefully read the instructions for all medications you take.

This symptom is indicated under the heading of side or undesirable effects in the following medicines:

antimalarial drugs;
anti-tuberculosis drugs;
anticancer medicines;
preparations based on aloe juice or senna herb;
antimicrobial agents from the nitrofuran group;
vitamin complexes containing vitamins of group B and C;
laxatives and others.

Increased physical activity, work in difficult conditions or intense sports. In this case, the body loses excess moisture through sweat, which increases the concentration of bile pigments in the urinary sediment. If you normalize the volume of fluid you drink, then the color of the urine very quickly returns to normal.

The use of certain foods in the diet that can affect the color of urine. This is due to the content of natural dyes in them. We are talking about beets, carrots, blackberries, legumes, asparagus and others. Drinking drinks that contain a lot of artificial colors can often contribute to the appearance of dark urine.

The change in the color of urinary sediment directly depends on what a person eats, and how much dyes are contained in the food consumed

Violation of the diet, sleep and rest, frequent overwork or other psycho-emotional stress. All of the above factors can indirectly affect the disturbance in the functioning of the organs of the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract and other structures of the body. If these conditions are not normalized and corrected in time, they can greatly contribute to the development of more serious disorders.

Not drinking enough drinking water or other fluids throughout the day. The human body is designed in such a way that a certain amount of fluid is needed for its life. It is consumed in the process of biochemical reactions and not only. If the water intake becomes insufficient, then the body consumes it from its own "reserves". Thus, the content of the liquid component in the excreted urine decreases, and the concentration of bile pigments increases, which explains the change in its shade.

Water is an irreplaceable and vital substrate for all processes occurring in the body, therefore, if it is insufficiently used, it malfunctions

Diseases of the urinary tract

The process of urine formation begins in the glomerular apparatus of both kidneys, so if it changes its color, then one of the following diseases can be suspected in women:

urolithiasis (the movement of a stone through the urethra leads to damage to its walls, which leads to the appearance of blood traces in the urine);
acute pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis or exacerbation of their chronic forms (there is an inflammatory component, the filtration capacity of one or both kidneys is impaired, leukocytes, protein, cylinders and other components appear in excess in the analyzes);
acute cystitis or its exacerbation (the color of the urinary sediment changes, it becomes cloudy, dark yellow, if there are hemorrhagic changes in the walls of the bladder, then traces of blood appear);
cystic degeneration of one or both kidneys (polycystic disease leads to a pronounced disruption of the organ's work, up to its complete "shutdown" from the life process);
tumor growth in the tissues of the kidney.

Reproductive system diseases

Do not forget that urinary sediment in women can change its color due to inflammatory and other pathological processes in the pelvic organs:

sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, trichomoniasis and others, they lead to the release of pathological abundant inflammatory secretions from the lumen of the vagina and urethra);
diseases of the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes;
oncological processes in the uterus or its cervix (when the structure of the organ is destroyed, blood from the lumen of the vagina enters the urine).

In women of reproductive age, it is worth looking for the cause of this symptom in diseases of the pelvic organs.

Diseases of other organs

If we are talking about brown urine (the color of "dark beer"), then this prompts the doctor to think about diseases of the liver and biliary tract, such as:

viral hepatitis;
alcoholic, toxic or drug damage to liver cells;
cirrhotic degeneration of an organ or tumor growth of another nature;
bend of the common bile duct or stones in its lumen.

Also, the cause of dark urine is the massive destruction of red blood cells in hemolytic anemia or toxic poisoning of the body with copper vapor.

Pregnancy

Hormonal, anatomical and other changes in the body of a pregnant woman, one way or another, affect the work of all her organs. With the growth of the fetus, the load on the kidneys, liver, and other life support systems increases. The enlarged uterus gradually presses on the urinary tract, which leads to a violation of the natural outflow of urine, as a result of which, a violation of the emptying of the bladder is possible. In this case, urine can change its color to a brighter one (it becomes very yellow).

A woman at any stage of pregnancy should very closely monitor the state of her body and regularly take all the necessary tests

Pregnant women are prone to non-adherence to diet and fluid intake. Most often, they eat fatty, fried foods, while consuming an insufficient amount of liquid.

Also, during the period of bearing a child, darkening of the urinary sediment may indicate a different degree of toxicosis. This is due to dehydration of the body against the background of frequent vomiting.

What symptoms require immediate medical attention?

You should not postpone a visit to a specialist if, in addition to a change in the natural color of urine, the following pathological symptoms occur:

pain syndrome of different localization (lumbar region, upper or lower abdomen, right hypochondrium, etc.);
the act of urination becomes painful, it is accompanied by a burning sensation or a feeling of cramps, there is constant discomfort;
unpleasant discharge appears from the lumen of the vagina or urethra, which is accompanied by a smell, the woman is worried about the constant itching in the intimate area;
the color of the skin, sclera of the eyes and visible mucous membranes changes;
body temperature rises, unmotivated weakness and apathy appear, working capacity decreases;
urinary sediment takes on not only a different shade, but also an unnatural odor.

The urge to urinate becomes more frequent, and going to the toilet does not bring adequate relief, there is a feeling of an empty bladder

Diagnostic principles

You need to understand that any deviation in the work of the body requires timely diagnosis. Even if you think that there is nothing dangerous in your health condition, it is better to go to the doctor's office in order to undergo a minimal examination and understand why the urine has changed its color.

The list of basic laboratory and instrumental studies includes:

general urine analysis;
urine according to Nechiporenko;
Zemnitsky test;
general blood analysis;
biochemical blood test, with the determination of the level of creatinine, urea, liver enzymes and other indicators (if necessary);
Ultrasound of those structures and organs in the work of which the doctor suspected a violation (liver, pancreas, kidneys and others);
other studies if indicated (EGD, CT or MRI).

With any change in the color of urine, it is sown on nutrient media in order to establish a possible causative agent of one or another inflammatory process

Treatment

Therapy for each specific condition has its own characteristics, because it is necessary to treat a disease, not a symptom.

If the cause of dark urine lies in "natural" factors, then their correction very quickly eliminates this symptom. It is necessary to normalize the drinking regime, exclude the use of foods and drugs that can affect the color of urine.

Diseases of the liver, kidneys and other organs are treated with appropriate groups of drugs (antibacterial, antiviral, and others). When it comes to oncological processes, anticancer agents are the basis of therapy.

Often it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention if the change in the shade of the urinary sediment is associated with stones in the biliary tract or in the urinary tract.

Toxicosis of mild pregnant women is corrected on an outpatient basis by the appointment of an appropriate diet and a number of other recommendations. A moderate and severe condition requires hospitalization in a hospital, where the woman is given the necessary infusion therapy (to replenish fluid in the body).

Conclusion

Based on all of the above, it becomes clear that any state of the body that distinguishes it from "normal" requires a certain diagnosis, because this may be hiding a serious disease. To protect yourself from unpleasant consequences, promptly seek help from medical institutions.

A change in the color of urine is a symptom that is easily detectable by a person and may indicate the development of a disease in the body. But, sometimes - it can be the result of taking certain medicines or eating brightly colored food.

In the latter case, it is quite simple to find out by asking the patient, and in the rest, a more detailed examination is required. The diagnostic search program is formed taking into account the available 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 nature determines one or another shade. In most cases, pathological changes in urine in men and women are the same, except for specific cases of abnormalities in the functioning 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 (membrane) of erythrocytes.

These features cause an 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 some hereditary diseases:

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

Acquired hemolysis can be caused by:

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

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

edematous syndrome;
burns;
vomiting;
diarrhea.

Taking vitamins from group B or Furagin (a drug for treating kidney and bladder infections) causes the urine to appear yellow-orange. To restore normal staining, it is enough to cancel the administration of 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 drugs based on bearberry (most often used to treat urinary infections);
poisoning with phenol-containing substances.

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

It is especially abundant in liquid smoke used as a substitute for smoking. Fruits and vegetables can also contain phenol. it is used for treatment in order 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 color in urine appears with damage to hepatocytes caused by viral hepatitis or alcoholic liver damage. In these diseases, she 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 a person's eating habits. So, it appears when eating a large amount of beets, carrots or blueberries. Another reason may be taking aspirin or antipyrine.

At the same time, it should be distinguished from bright red urine due to renal colic or renal infarction. The diagnostic criterion will be the detection of erythrocytes 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 can 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 - an 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 cause of 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 darkening of the biological fluid.

The study of urinary sediment in toxicosis can reveal the presence of acetone. Other signs are:

repeated vomiting;
dry mucous membranes;
persistent nausea;
decrease in pressure;
increased heart rate;
slight rise in temperature;
acetone breath, etc.

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

All of the above factors should also be excluded. The changed color of urine during pregnancy should always be alarming and be the reason for a detailed examination.

What to do when urine takes on an abnormal color? - It is necessary to find out the reason for this condition. To do this, it is necessary to adhere to a certain algorithm (a person can perform its initial stages on his own):

Analyze the food ration - if it contains foods with a bright color (beets, blueberries, carrots, etc.).
Analyze if medications are being taken, especially antibiotics (Metronidazole), sulfonamides, Aspirin, or other non-steroids.
Assess if there are accompanying symptoms (vomiting, fever, diarrhea, etc.).
Is it possible to identify a provoking factor - pregnancy, burns, poisoning, etc.
Pass a urine test for microscopy.
If microscopic examination does not reveal abnormalities, then it is necessary to conduct a biochemical analysis of urine (assesses the presence of certain chemicals, including toxic ones).
Get a blood test to check for possible anemia.

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

pregnancy;
temperature increase;
repeated vomiting;
soreness of urination;
the appearance of yellowness of the skin;
development of puffiness;
massive burns.

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