Why is the urine gray. Usually, such funds have a similar effect. Atypical urine shade

01.10.2019

Urine is a liquid that is secreted by the body, and with it the metabolic products. Some of them give the urine one color or another. For example, urobilin, urochrome, uroserin, uroerythrin, and the like. Thanks to them, the urine is colored yellow with varying intensity.

Normal urine color ranges from pale to bright yellow, depending on the presence of a pigment called urochrome. The color of the urine may not always be normal. Vitamins can change it to a bright green, carrot color can turn it orange. Porphyria is a disease affecting the skin and nervous system, it changes the color of urine to the color of wine.

Causes of urine discoloration

The color of urine depends on several factors. First, on the metabolism and the amount of metabolites that are excreted, as well as on the volume of fluid excreted by the body. So, unconcentrated urine will always be lighter than concentrated urine. Secondly, from age. Child's urine color will always be lighter than that of an adult. In infants, urine is light yellow, and in newborns, it is almost colorless. But the presence of a reddish tint is allowed for two weeks from the moment of birth. This is due to high levels of uric acid.

What kind of foods you eat also depends on what color of urine you will have in the future. For example, green urine is the result of eating rhubarb or asparagus, pink or even red urine is from beets, and orange is from carrots. If the color of the urine changes during treatment, this may be the result of taking medication, which will most likely be written in the instructions for the medication.

But it should be noted that discoloration of urine more often it still happens as a result of diseases and pathological processes. So:

Dark yellow urine can be a symptom of an acute infection or kidney congestion. In addition, it is observed during dehydration of the body or in the presence of burns.
Pale yellow urine, almost colorless, is a symptom of polyuria of various etiologies (diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus, chronic renal failure of the initial stage).
The color of the urine, which is caused by a high level of urobilinogen as a result of hemolytic anemia, will be dark brown.
Dark colored urine, almost black is observed in acute hemolytic kidney, alkaptonuria or malnosarcoma.
Red urine may indicate that fresh blood has got into it. This occurs as a result of urolithiasis, hemorrhagic cystitis, kidney infarction, or tumors of the urinary system.
Red urine, which is more reminiscent of the color of meat slops, indicates the presence of altered blood in the urine (glomerulonephritis).
The color of urine changes to greenish-brown or dark beer as a result of parenchymal jaundice or the appearance of bilirubin and urobilinogen in the urine.
With jaundice, mechanical urine becomes greenish-yellow.
The presence of lymphatic fluid in the urine will cause it to be milky in color. The reason for this is various pathological processes that are accompanied by lymphostasis in the kidney.
Fatty degeneration of the kidney will lead to the appearance of pus, fats and phosphate crystals in the urine, which will give it a whitish hue.
Colorless or slightly yellow urine most often appears as a result of copious drinking and is the norm. If this symptom is permanent, then it indicates the presence of advanced kidney disease.
If yellow urine, but at the same time there is a sandy sediment, then this is a clear sign that the patient has a tendency to form stones in the kidneys.
Brown urine, which is very similar to the color of strong black tea, signals the presence of liver and gallbladder disease.
Cloudy urine with flakes is a symptom of urethritis, cystitis, kidney inflammation.
If the urine foams (mainly observed in men), then the sperm has entered the urinary tract.

During pregnancy, a woman should regularly visit a gynecologist, and during each visit she is usually assigned a urinalysis to identify possible pathologies in the early stages.

Normal urine color during pregnancy should be yellow, different shades are allowed and considered the norm. After all, the kidneys already have to work on two organisms and the growing fetus gradually begins to press on them.

The urine should not change color throughout pregnancy. Of course, every expectant mother worries about her health and the health of her baby, so she worries at the slightest deviation from the norm. But there is not always a reason to panic. For example, urine that is dark brown does not always indicate pathologies and may be the result of the mother eating something. The normal color will return in a day.

Bright yellow urine can appear as a result of dehydration, when pregnancy is accompanied by severe toxicosis and little fluid enters the body. A very bright color of urine signals chronic dehydration, during which you may not want to drink, but this can lead to the formation of stones in the kidney tissues.

Urine is a product of the basic metabolism of the human body, which is produced by the kidneys as a result of the blood filtration mechanism, followed by the secretion of metabolic products into it. Urine (urine) color reflects the functional state of the kidneys and the whole organism as a whole. Even without a laboratory study, by the color of urine, it is possible to say with a certain accuracy what kind of deviation occurs in the human body. This criterion was the main one in the diagnosis of diseases in medicine before the introduction of the practice of laboratory research.

What color the urine should be is determined by the presence in it of certain substances in a dissolved state, impurities of blood, pus, mucus and other pathological factors. Normal urine is yellow, transparent, without any impurities. The color saturation of urine ranges from light yellow to yellow; in the laboratory, an indicator is still used - straw-yellow urine. Knowing what color the urine should be, and under what diseases it changes, will help to suspect diseases of the urinary system and metabolism in the body.

Physiological causes of urine discoloration

A change in the color of urine can occur not only due to diseases, but also under certain normal conditions of the body:

eating foods containing dyes can color the urine in the appropriate color: beets - pink, carrots - deep yellow;
taking some medications - amidopyrine stains urine red, triamterene - blue-green, acetylsalicylic acid - pink;
the intake of fluid in the body in a volume less than the daily requirement gives a rich yellow color to the urine, while its amount decreases - the concentration of urine;
Excessive intake of fluid into the body, on the contrary, makes the urine very light, almost colorless, its amount increases - dilution of urine.

Pathological causes of discoloration of urine

If you have an altered urine color, the reasons can be of 2 main groups:

reasons associated with the process in the organs of the urinary system (kidneys, bladder, urethra) - nephritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, tumors, etc.
reasons causing a change in the color of urine as a result of general metabolic disorders in the body - jaundice, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells), hyperlipidemia.

Changes in the color of urine with pathology vary widely:

Dark urine - this change is also compared to beer-colored urine, it happens with an increase in the level of bilirubin in the blood (jaundice), which is excreted in the urine, giving it a rich brown color. In the case of obstructive jaundice, when the outflow of bile from the gallbladder is disturbed and it enters the bloodstream, then the urine is bright yellow, with a greenish tint. If parenchymal jaundice occurs, due to the release of bilirubin from the destroyed liver cells, then the color of urine is brown. In addition, the dark yellow color of urine can appear with renal failure and severe dehydration of the body, due to the high concentration of urine. The amount of urine is small.
Red urine - due to the ingress of blood into the urine, this occurs in the presence of kidney stones that damage blood vessels, tumors or injuries of the urinary system. With severe bleeding in the organs of the urinary system, in case of damage to a large vessel, urine becomes completely like blood. Normally, the red color of urine is due to the consumption of large amounts of beets or the use of certain medications. In this case, you should not be afraid; after a short period of time, the color of the urine returns to normal.
The urine is reddish - this color is also compared to the color of "meat slops", this color appears with significant hemolysis - the destruction of red blood cells with the release of hemoglobin from them into the blood and its ingress into the urine, which gives such staining. This is a serious condition, since free hemoglobin in the blood, when filtered in the glomeruli of the kidneys, leads to their pollution and the development of acute renal failure.
Pink urine - may also be the result of blood entering it, but only a small amount - microhematuria in inflammatory diseases of the kidneys or bladder, the initial stage of tumors.
White urine is a sign of lipids entering the urine from the blood during hyperlipidemia (elevated serum free fat). Also, the urine becomes cloudy and opalescent.

The discharge of a large amount of light urine can be a sign of the development of diabetes mellitus in a person. This is usually accompanied by feelings of thirst and nocturia. Nocturia is a state of predominance of nocturnal urination over daytime urine output. In a laboratory study, glucose is determined in the urine, which enters the urine when the blood is filtered in the glomeruli of the kidneys.

Photo: Urine color and pregnancy

Also, with a normal color, the clarity of urine may decrease, it becomes cloudy. It is caused by the presence of undissolved sediment in the urine, which includes:

cellular elements - cells of squamous epithelium when it is exfoliated from the mucous membrane of the urinary tract and bladder and a large number that appear in the urine as a result of inflammation;
cylinders - are protein casts that appear due to a large number, leukocytes or erythrocytes can settle on them;
sediment of salts - insoluble salts are in the urine in the form of sediment, which is the first sign of the onset of stone formation processes in the kidneys.

The color of urine during pregnancy is due to an increased load on the kidneys, since they have to experience a double load, removing metabolic products from the body of a woman and a growing fetus. Therefore, usually the color is more saturated, yellow of various shades. In the case of the addition of an inflammatory reaction in the kidneys, the urine becomes cloudy with a greenish tinge - a high number of leukocytes in it. When such changes appear in the urine, a woman should consult a gynecologist and urologist for further examination and treatment.

What the color of urine will tell you

If the color of the urine has changed, then first of all it is necessary to exclude the physiological, normal causes of such a change. To establish the exact cause of the change in the color of urine, its laboratory study is carried out, which begins with a clinical analysis. This study includes macroscopic indicators - color, amount, presence of protein and relative density of urine. If necessary, the presence of glucose in the urine is also determined, which should not be normal. Then microscopy of urine sediment is performed, in which it is possible to determine the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes, cylinders and the nature of salts in the urine. Also, an ultrasound examination of the kidneys is additionally performed if there is a suspicion of the presence of stones or tumors in them.

Any changes in the color of urine should alert a person to their health status and serve as a reason to visit a doctor for consultation and further examination.

1 - kidney; 2 - ureter; 3 - bladder; 4 - urethra; 5 - renal arteries; 6 - renal veins

The urinary system is one of the most important systems of the human body. Urine contains excess water and metabolic products that come from the kidneys. The parameters of this biological fluid can tell a lot about the state of human health, its analysis allows you to make a correct diagnosis in the presence of a disease and prescribe adequate treatment. With this, one of the most important characteristics that even a person without medical education can control is urine color... A healthy person usually has a yellow (straw-like) urine. The color is due to the presence of urochrome in urine, a special pigment that is formed during the decomposition of hemoglobin, which in turn carries oxygen in erythrocytes. In lower concentrations, there are pigments urobilin, uroserin and uroerythrin. However, do not panic immediately if the color of your urine changes. There can be many reasons for this, from the most harmless to a serious illness. In any case, the final assessment of a person's health, and what the color of urine indicates, can only be given by a qualified doctor, who should be contacted at the first signs that alert you.

Products that change the color of urine

If you have a change in the color of urine, first of all, you need to remember what was included in your diet the day before, since many foods can change the color of urine. So, it will be orange in color if you have consumed a lot of carotene, which is found in large quantities in carrots. Crimson urine does not immediately indicate the presence of blood and some kind of pathology, it acquires this color in the case of eating beets, cherries, blackberries, products that contain food additives and dyes. If you drink strongly brewed, rich tea, the urine becomes very dark.

Also, urine can have a dark yellow color in a healthy person in the morning after sleep, since at this time its concentration in the body is very high. The dark color occurs in hot weather, when the body is dehydrated, and during significant physical exertion. If a person is drinking a lot of fluids, they will have clear urine. Studies have shown that urine can change with certain medications. Red urine can be caused by taking rifampicin, sulfonamide, analgin, phenolphthalein, aminophenazone, ibuprofen, aspiric acid, and other drugs. Green, blue color occurs when using methylene blue, saffron yellow when taking nitroxoline, which is used in nephrology. Taking vitamins B and C makes the urine rich yellow. All these natural causes of urine discoloration pass after a short time, otherwise you should be wary.

Discoloration during pregnancy

The color of urine during pregnancy usually does not differ from the color of the urine of a normal healthy person, and expectant mothers should also first of all analyze their nutrition. In addition, some gynecologists do not allow their patients to consume a lot of fluids, as a result of which, naturally, the dark color of urine should not be surprising. If, after a while, symptoms such as light feces, vomiting have joined this factor, then it is necessary to see an obstetrician-gynecologist as soon as possible. However, the color of urine and feces can also change due to certain hormonal changes in the woman's body in position.

If the color of the urine does not return to normal or any additional symptoms appear, this is a serious reason to consult a specialist.

Diseases that change the color of urine

Pale yellow associated with a low concentration of dyes, it happens in diabetes, chronic renal failure. In this case, polyuria can occur, the emission of a large amount of urine per day (more than 2 liters).

Dark brown or beer color caused by a large number of bile pigments - this is one of the signs of viral hepatitis. In this case, agitation of urine leads to the formation of a yellow foam, which is associated with bilirubinuria. In this case, the skin and sclera of the eyes can also become icteric. Also, this color can indicate a disease such as hemolytic anemia. At the same time, the process of hemolysis (destruction) of erythrocytes, which do not have time to fully mature in the bone marrow, is increased. As a result, the increased breakdown of blood cells increases the level of bilirubin and causes the appearance of jaundice.

Brown color may indicate the presence of cirrhosis of the liver or poor kidney function, which are not able to efficiently remove toxins. Brown urine in older men sometimes indicates the formation of a prostate adenoma. In this case, an urgent consultation with a urologist is required.

Red urine, like blood, appears if erythrocytes are present in urine that have come directly from blood vessels due to trauma, kidney tumors, urethritis, cystitis,. The color saturation depends on the amount of blood that has entered the urine. In the case, which mainly women are susceptible to, in addition to blood in the urine, all kinds of films, pus, clots of mucus are observed, in addition, there is a strong cutting pain in the lower abdomen and from the kidneys. With pyelonephritis, additional headaches appear, an increase in pressure and body temperature, and swelling.

Pink color urine gives urobilin in chronic hepatitis. A changed dark purple or even black urine color is a sign of significant hemolysis of erythrocytes due to severe poisoning with poison, drugs, blood transfusion of another group, melanosarcoma. In the medical literature, there is such a color of urine as the color of "meat slops", this is the shade that water has after washing meat, it is red, but with a dark, dirty tint. This color is a sign.

Blue in diseases it is quite rare, however, such a shade can occur, but not due to damage to the genitourinary system, but due to internal infections, for example, pseudomonas. The blue color of body fluid can sometimes be found in children with familial hypercalcemia. This is a hereditary disease in which the level of calcium in the blood is significantly higher than normal.

Clarity of urine

An important symptom of the disease, in addition to color, is the smell of urine. In a healthy person, it is odorless, or smells insignificantly. Also, an important indicator is the clarity of urine. Normally, opaque urine occurs only in a newborn, and even then for only a few days, then in a person without pathologies it is always transparent. Very rarely, clouding can occur in a healthy body when eating protein products, in too hot weather, after a sauna, while after a while the urine becomes transparent. However, most often cloudy urine occurs when it contains a large amount of salts and the presence of bacteria. Before going to the doctor, it is possible to determine the cause of the clouding of urine. It is necessary to collect and put a container of urine for a while. If cloudy urine is caused by the presence of salts, then they will soon settle to the bottom, as a result of which there will be a clear border between the clear, light urine at the top and cloudy at the bottom. If the cloudy urine is of bacterial origin, then there will be no clear separation. Also, cloudy urine can be in the presence of fats, mucus, an increased number of red blood cells, leukocytes and cylinders. Clouding may also indicate the progression of prostatitis in men. It should also be remembered that turbidity can be due to the precipitation of salts that are naturally found in urine, due to its long exposure to the open air. Therefore, if there is a need to pass urine for analysis, then it is necessary to bring the urine collected in the morning to the laboratory no later than 3-4 hours later.

Additional symptoms of the disease

Additional symptoms to look out for when the urine color changes are constant thirst, fever, poor appetite, yellowing of the sclera and skin, severe pain in the right hypochondrium or in the lumbar region, frequent urination accompanied by pain, increased blood pressure, light discolored stool, weight loss, weakness, headache.

If you have all of these additional symptoms, you must urgently consult a doctor for medical assistance.

Fine urine color ranges from pale to bright yellow, as a result of the presence of a pigment called urochrome, the color also depends on whether the urine is concentrated or liquid.

May not always be normal. Vitamins can change the color of urine to bright green; carrot color can turn it orange. Porphyria is a disease affecting the skin and nervous system, it changes the color of urine to the color of wine.

Most of the changes urine color is temporary and does not cause serious consequences, develops as a result of the use of certain foods, dyes or drugs. Sometimes, however, changes in the color of urine can indicate an infection or other serious illness. Tell your doctor about the changes urine color that do not seem to you to be related to food or medication.

Symptoms when urine changes color

Varies depending on how much fluid you drink. Yellow pigments are dissolved in the liquid, so the more you drink, the lighter your urine becomes. When you drink less, the color of the urine becomes more concentrated, and severe dehydration can lead to the formation of amber-colored urine.

Sometimes the urine may take on a color that is far from normal, such as being red, green, blue, dark brown, and white.

Symptoms of urinary infections

Majority color changes are not painful and go away without other symptoms. If the discoloration of your urine is due to a urinary tract infection, you may experience:

a strong, constant urge to urinate
increased urination
fever, chills, sweating
abdominal pain
strong urine odor (normal urine should be odorless or slightly odorless)

When to see a doctor:

if you have visible blood in your urine
if you have a discoloration of your urine that is not related to food, medication, supplements, or dyes.
if the color of your urine is dark brown, especially if you have light stools, and the sclera of the eyes and skin are yellow, which indicates serious problems with your liver. In this case, you urgently need medical attention.

Causes of urine discoloration

Urine is made up of excess water and waste products that are filtered out of your blood by the kidneys. The yellow color of urine is due to the presence of urochrome, a pigment that is produced during the breakdown of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in erythrocytes.

Discoloration of urine often caused by drugs, certain foods, and food colors. For example, dyes used in small amounts in sweets can be found in the urine of children. In some cases, however, changes in urine color can be caused by health problems.

Conditions that can lead to discoloration of urine:

Red or pink urine

While it is alarming to have this condition, having red urine is not necessarily associated with serious problems. The causes of this condition include:

Blood. The presence of red blood cells is the main cause of red urine. Usually, bleeding is not serious and occurs without accompanying symptoms. Factors that can cause blood in the urine, medically called hematuria, include urinary tract infections, an enlarged prostate gland, kidney or bladder stones, kidney disease, and sometimes kidney or bladder cancer.
Food. Beets, blackberries, and rhubarb pie can turn your urine red or pink.
Medications. Some herbal laxatives. Prescription medications can have the same effect, including antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, thioridazine, the anesthetic propofol (diprivan)
Toxins

Chronic lead and mercury toxicity can cause the urine to turn red. This may be the result of a high excretion of porphyrins, the same pigments that discolor the urine of people who have porphyria.

Orange urine

Causes that can cause orange urine

food products and additives. Most often it is vitamin C and carrots, carrot juice. The high levels of carotene, orange pigment in carrots and other vegetables also change the color of your soles and palms.
Medicines that can give the urine an orange color: antibiotics (rifampicin), warfarin (coumadin), phenazopyridine (pyridine), some laxatives and chemotherapy drugs.
dehydration. Drinking too little fluids can result in concentrated urine containing urochrome.

Blue and green urine

food. Asparagus can give urine a greenish tint and characteristic odor.
medications. Many medications cause blue urine to form, including amitriptyline, metindole (indocin), tagamet, the antiemetic drug penegran, and some multivitamins. Dyes used in some pain medications (urised) can cause blue urine.
diseases. Familial hypercalcemia, a rare inherited disorder that causes high levels of calcium in the blood, is sometimes called "blue syndrome" because children with this disorder have blue urine.

The urine is dark brown or tea-colored.

Food Eating a lot of beans, rhubarb, and aloe can cause dark brown urine.
medicines. Many medications can darken the color of the urine, including the antimalarial drugs chloroquine and primaquin, the antibiotic metronidazole, nitrofurantoin, which are used to treat urinary tract infections, laxatives containing cascara or hay, and metoclopramide.
medical problems. Liver dysfunctions, especially hepatitis and cirrhosis, a rare hereditary disease, tyrosinemia, can cause dark brown urine. Also acute glomerulonephritis, kidney disease, in which the kidney's ability to remove excess fluid and toxins is impaired.

Cloudy or dark urine

Urinary tract infections or kidney stones can make the urine dark or cloudy.

Risk factors

By eating foods that can affect the color of your urine, such as berries, asparagus, rhubarb, using certain medications, changes in the color of your urine will not harm you. The reaction of your body to these foods depends on the amount of consumed foods and medicines, as well as on the characteristics of your metabolism.

Factors related to medical problems that may accompany urine discoloration:

age. Many men over 50 may have blood in their urine due to prostate adenoma.
floor. More than half of women periodically develop a urinary tract infection, in which there is an admixture of blood in the urine. In men, the condition is likely to be associated with bladder stones or kidney stones.
recent infection. Inflammatory changes in the kidney after a bacterial or viral infection (post-infectious glomerulonephritis) is one of the common reasons for the presence of blood in the urine of children.
family history. A family history of kidney disease increases the likelihood of these problems in relatives. These conditions can cause the presence of blood in the urine.
strenuous physical activity. This is one of the leading causes of blood impurities in the urine. Long-distance runners can often have blood in their urine, and it can happen to anyone who does vigorous physical activity.

Preparing for your treatment

You will probably first see your family doctor or general practitioner. However, in some cases, you may initially see your urinary tract doctor (urologist).

Here is some information to help you prepare for your doctor's appointment:

you should be aware of any restrictions. When you go to the doctor, be sure to meet all restrictions before diagnostic tests.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor:

What can you do:

be informed of the required restrictions. Before visiting your doctor, learn how to prepare for possible diagnostic tests.
write down any symptoms, including even those that may seem unrelated to the reason for your visit.
Make a list of key health information, including any other medical conditions you are being treated for, all medications, supplements, vitamins you are taking.
make a list of questions you want to ask your doctor. Take some paper and a pen with you to jot down the information you need.

There are several basic questions that are commonly asked when urine changes color:

What are the possible causes of my symptoms?
What research do I need? Does this research require any special training?
Are my symptoms temporary?
Will i need treatment?
What treatments are there?
Do you have any brochures or other printed material¸ that I could take with me? What websites do you recommend visiting?

You can also ask questions during the consultation if something is not clear to you.

What will your doctor be interested in?

The doctor will probably ask you questions. Be prepared to answer them so that you have more time for the points you want to discuss.

The doctor may ask:

What color is your urine?
Do you have blood in your urine or blood clots?
When did you first notice the change in urine color?
Does it happen all the time or intermittently?
Does your Urine smell unusual?
Do you have frequent or frequent urination?
Do you have pain when urinating?
What other symptoms do you have?
How has your appetite changed?
Do you feel more thirsty than usual?
Have you had any problems with urination before?
Do you have any allergies?
What medications do you take?

Research and diagnostics

In addition to your medical history and physical exam, your doctor may order additional examinations for you, including:

Analysis of urine. A general urine test is the first step in the examination. With this examination, you can find an admixture of red blood cells, an increase in the level of protein, which may indicate a violation of the release of metabolic products, which can lead to stone formation. Your urine is also tested for bacteria or infection.
blood test. It is prescribed to determine the level of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen - waste products that are in your bloodstream with impaired kidney function. With this study, an increase in the level of liver enzymes, diabetes mellitus can also be detected.
other studies. You may have other tests depending on the results of your medical history, physical examination, urinalysis. The most common reason for continuing further research is the presence of red blood cells in the urine.

Treatment and medications

If the color of urine is abnormal, there is no specific treatment, the doctor will prescribe you treatment aimed at eliminating the cause.

Lifestyle and regimen

When you are dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated and darker in color. If you notice this, then you need to increase your fluid intake. Make sure you drink enough fluids every day to keep you healthy.

Prophylaxis

It is necessary to prevent changes in urine color caused by vitamin supplements, medications, food.

To prevent diseases that can cause discoloration of your urine, you may need to do the following to reduce your risk.

Urinary tract infections

Measures to prevent urinary tract infections:

drink more fluids
urinate when you feel the urge to urinate and immediately after intercourse.
wiping after urinating from front to back.

Kidney stones

Preventive measures for kidney stones:

drink more fluids
Limit salt, protein, and foods such as spinach and rhubarb.

Kidney and bladder cancer

Preventive measures for kidney and bladder cancer:

quit smoking
avoid exposure to toxic chemicals
drink more fluids
Maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy foods, and exercise.

The article is for informational purposes only. For any health problems - do not self-diagnose and consult a doctor!

V.A. Shaderkina - urologist, oncologist, scientific editor

Urine or urine is a waste product of the human body, which is formed in the kidneys from the blood through filtration and reabsorption processes. Urinalysis is of great value in the primary diagnosis of renal disease. One of its indicators, determined in the laboratory, is color.

Normally, urine should be transparent and have a straw-yellow color, while its shade changes during the day depending on the amount of fluid consumed. It is this color of urine that is due to the presence in its composition of various yellow pigments, mainly urochrome.

Dark urine or other changes in its color, if they are not associated with the use of certain drugs or food, are considered a sign of disorders in the functioning of the urinary system.

Causes of the appearance of dark urine

A person who discovers changes in the usual color of urine in himself begins to seriously worry about his state of health, and tries to find out why the urine has become dark in color. Darkening of urine can be temporary or persist for a long period. In the latter case, there really is cause for concern, since most often it is associated with certain pathologies of the kidneys and other organs. The reasons for the change in the color of urine to the dark side are divided into natural and pathological.

Natural factors

Natural factors for darkening the color of urine include the following:

consumption of a small amount of liquid;
increased physical activity;
heat;
taking certain medications;
eating certain foods.

In addition to the above reasons, it should be borne in mind that the color of urine changes during the day. Usually the darkest urine is in the morning. The reason for this is its concentration during the night when the person is asleep and does not drink liquid. The same is observed with the consumption of small amounts of fluids during the day or increased sweating during sports training or in hot weather. All these changes are associated with an increase in the concentration of urochrome in the excreted urine.

Foods that affect the color of urine include legumes, rhubarb, beets, beef, blueberries, carrots, etc. Changes in urine color to the dark side are often observed in people who constantly drink concentrated black tea and coffee. In the case of these reasons, some time after the appearance of dark urine, its color is restored to normal, if you stop using such products.

Of the drugs that lead to darkening of urine, include those that contain in the composition:

acetylsalicylic acid;
cephalosporins;
sulfonamides;
rifamycins;
riboflavin;
metronidazole;
derivatives of nitrofuran;
ascorbic acid.

Important: After collecting a general analysis of urine, it must be taken to the laboratory as soon as possible or put in a dark place, since dark urine forms with prolonged standing. The reason for these changes is the oxidation of bilirubinoids under the influence of light and oxygen in the air.

Pathological conditions

A change in the color of urine may indicate the course of pathological processes in the body. These include:

liver pathologies - hepatitis and cirrhosis;
diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts - cholelithiasis, cholestasis;
tumor processes in the liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc .;
hemolytic anemia;
kidney disease -,;
urinary tract infections;
intoxication with copper salts;
metabolic disorders - porphyria, tyrosinemia, hemochromatosis;
dehydration.

With the discharge of dark yellow urine, the cause is most often urolithiasis, as a result of which there is an increased concentration of salts in the secreted fluid. If a green tint is observed, then this indicates hepatitis. The dark yellow color of urine is also characteristic of the state of dehydration of the body, infectious processes and congestion in the kidneys.

With urolithiasis, urine may be cloudy and contain blood impurities

The reason for which lies in the pathologies of the liver or gallbladder, due to the high content of bile pigments in it - bilirubin and biliverdin. Such changes are associated primarily with disturbances in the outflow of bile.

Or the color of meat slops is observed when erythrocytes enter it, which is typical for inflammatory diseases of the urinary system, hematuria and hemoglobinuria.

Important: If you detect changes in the normal color of urine that are not associated with natural factors, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Urine color during pregnancy

Change occurs for the same reasons as for ordinary people. However, in addition to this, there are other factors that are characteristic only of such a condition. One of them is early toxicosis, in which pregnant women develop dehydration due to the loss of large amounts of fluid and nutrients during vomiting. In the event of severe toxicosis, a woman needs an obstetrician-gynecologist's consultation.

Vitamins taken by the expectant mother can affect the color of urine

Advice: To avoid or minimize changes in the color of urine during pregnancy to the dark side due to toxicosis, a woman needs to consume at least 2.5 liters of liquid during the day.

In pregnant women, the load on the entire body, including the liver and kidneys, increases greatly. In the later stages, when the uterus reaches a large size and begins to exert significant pressure on the surrounding organs, women may experience stagnation of bile due to a violation of its outflow. This is accompanied by an increase in the blood and urine levels of the bile pigment bilirubin, which gives the urine a dark yellow color. After childbirth, the condition usually returns to normal by itself.

Also, during pregnancy, various kidney pathologies often occur, for example, gestational pyelonephritis. Its symptom is an admixture of pus, mucus and the appearance of turbidity in the urine. In this case, the urine takes on a greenish tint. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
In general, if during pregnancy, a change in the color of urine is observed only for some time and is not accompanied by other symptoms, then there is no cause for concern.

What to do if dark urine is found?

Dark urine is not always a reason to visit your doctor. Its color may be due to the physiological characteristics of the body, the intake of certain medications and food. In this case, the color of the urine comes back to normal over time by itself. If the urine is dark in color, accompanied by an unpleasant odor, the presence of turbidity in it, as well as other pathological symptoms, then it is necessary to consult a specialist. These symptoms include:

yellowness of the skin, mucous membranes and sclera;
increased body temperature;
headache;
itchy skin;
general weakness;
pain in the lumbar region;
nausea, vomiting;
painful frequent urination.

If any of these signs are found, the doctor will prescribe tests and examinations to determine the cause of dark urine and select methods to eliminate it. Do not ignore these symptoms or self-medicate. It can lead to the progression of the disease and the development of serious consequences for the body.