Urine Colour Chart Explained: What Your Urine Colour Says About Your Health

You might have noticed that the colour of your pee keeps changing, but what if we told you that your urine can give you valuable information about what's going on in your body? You can look at the colour and clarity of your urine using a urine colour chart, which can tell you if you’re dehydrated, have a poor diet, or even have some medical issues. Let's get into this world of colour and what each one can reveal about your health.

A urine colour chart is a simple but powerful tool that could help you understand your body better. The colour of urine can reveal the hydration level of the body, diet, medications, and possible health conditions.

In general, light yellow is normal and indicates adequate hydration, while darker shades may suggest that your body is dehydrated or has other issues that require medical attention. Identifying the colour of your urine can help you take care of your overall health proactively.

Pale Yellow to Amber: Regular Urine Colours

• Very pale to light straw colour: Healthy, even better after a good night's sleep, or after drinking an adequate amount of water.

• Medium yellow: Still healthy, but consider drinking more water during midday.

• Amber or honey: Can indicate dehydration or concentrated urine, which means that you’re severely dehydrated and need to drink more water consistently.

Pink or Peach Urine: Should I worry?

• This usually happens as a result of food dye or eating beets, berries, or if you’ve eaten foods that contain strong dyes.

• It can indicate blood in urine (haematuria) or could be an early warning sign of a problem with the kidneys or your urinary tract.

• If you notice pink or peach-coloured urine and haven't eaten recently, consult your doctor for testing.

What Does Purple Colour Indicate? Is this Normal or Serious?

• Purple urine bag syndrome is rare, but it typically occurs due to a bacterial infection in the urinary catheter.

• It's not usually dangerous, but it indicates an infection and bacterial breakdown of urinary compounds.

• You need immediate medical attention to treat the actual infection if you notice purple pee.

Green or bluish-green urine: What does this mean?

• This could be due to certain food dyes, green vegetables, or medications like propofol or indomethacin.

• On rare occasions, this oily green urine may indicate a bacterial infection, which you need to get checked.

Dark brown to orange urine: What you need to know

• Dark brown can mean severe dehydration or liver issues. Bilirubin is stored in the liver and can lead to very dark urine.

• Orange urine can be caused by certain supplements, such as high-dose vitamin C, specific medications, or foods containing carotene.

• If the colour still doesn’t change after drinking enough water, then seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Uncommon colours: Does my eye colour or diet affect my urine colour?

• Although eye colour does not impact or change urine colour, your diet certainly does.

• Rhubarb makes urine pink, asparagus typically makes it greenish, and berries can also significantly change the colour of the urine.

• Generally, consider what you have eaten recently before worrying, but if the unusual colour still doesn’t go away after a while, consult your doctor immediately. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Pregnancy comes with different hydration needs and colourful surprises, some harmless, some that need to be checked out.

Is there a best colour during pregnancy?

• A light lemon-yellow hue is best in the sense that it indicates your body is hydrated and your kidneys are functioning well.

• A dark yellow or pungent smell indicates that you’re dehydrated. You should aim to drink 8–12 cups of fluid daily.

• If the colour is consistently different, such as pink, orange, or greenish, you should have it checked because it could suggest an issue that needs to be addressed.

• Pregnancy increases blood volume as well as the filtration burden on the kidneys. Hence, monitoring your urine during pregnancy is all the more important!

Many things can change the colour of your urine, such as:

• Medications: Various medications can alter the colour of urine, including antibiotics such as rifampin, laxatives, painkillers, and dietary supplements.

• Metabolic disturbances: Disorders, like alkaptonuria or porphyria, can lead to "dark" coloured urine.

• Exercise: Muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) causes very dark brown urine and requires immediate medical attention.

• Liver or hematologic conditions: Conditions such as jaundice, haemolytic anaemia, or hepatitis would also change urine from orange to dark brown.

If you notice a colour change of any kind, first check if it’s due to food or medications. If you experience persistent or unexplained colour changes, please consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Seek immediate medical attention if you see these kinds of changes in colour in your urine:

• Red, pink, or cola-coloured urine without any explanation
• Dark brown or black urine with fatigue or yellowness to the skin or eyes can indicate jaundice
• Persistent cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Purple urine (in catheter users)
• Painful urination, urgent or frequent need to pee

All of these are warning signs of urinary tract infections, liver or kidney disease, metabolic disorders, or infection. So, do not wait to get medical care, or it could lead to severe repercussions.

Checking your urine colour with a urine colour chart is an easy and non-invasive way to monitor your hydration and health regularly. Most urine colour changes are due to factors related to diet or the result of dehydration; however, weird colours, especially those associated with other symptoms, should be followed up with healthcare professionals.

Simple observations and occasional checks can significantly reduce the stress and fear about daily health management; after all, prevention is better than a cure.

Q. What does a urine colour chart tell you about your health?

A. It can help you identify hydration levels, the impact of diet and lifestyle choices, and potential health concerns, such as liver or kidney conditions.

Q. What does the pink or peach colour of urine mean?

A. It could be associated with foods, medications, or blood in the urine. Consult a doctor if the issue persists.

Q. Does urine colour provide early signs of pregnancy?

A. It is not very reliable. Your urine may change colours during pregnancy, but do not rely on urine colour alone for pregnancy testing, especially if the colour is not normal. Take a pregnancy test and consult your doctor before taking any action.

Q. Is purple urine bad?

A. Purple urine is uncommon, but it could be a sign of infection in someone using a catheter and should be checked by a healthcare professional.

Q. Why is my urine bluish or green?

A. Bluish or greenish urine may indicate the use of certain medications, food colouring, or a rare infection. Contact a doctor if the problem persists.