Let’s be real. When we are in the toilet doing a number one, it is more often than not a routine motion of pee, flush and out the door you go. However, our urine may actually hold more tell tale signs of what’s going on inside our body and the state of our health than you think.
An Education on Urination
First off, let’s start with the basics of what urine is. It is essentially our body’s liquid waste made out of water, salt and chemicals called urea and uric acid. It comes from the kidneys where blood filters through, removing waste, minerals, and other chemical byproducts in the process. Whatever that is not needed for the body gets flushed out in the form of .. you know it, urine. This liquid waste passes through your urinary tract, into the urethra and expelled out of the bladder.
Different Hues, Different Cues
The color of your urine comes from a pigment called urochrome. Before we begin, it is important to note that the color changes depending on the situation – be it your diet, if you are keeping hydrated, or perhaps if you are on medication at that point; there are lots of varying reasons so use this as a guiding reference and if you are still unsure, it is always safer to check with your doctor.
- If your urine is straw coloured or transparent yellow, good for you! Your body is healthy and well hydrated, keep it up and your body will thank you.
- If it is turning a dark yellow you are still healthy but it wouldn’t hurt to knock back a few more cups of H20.
- Once it turns amber or honey coloured though, that signals that your body may be dehydrated so start drinking more water to get back into the safe zone.
- Orange urine may mean that you could have a health condition affecting your liver or bile duct. If it starts to look dark and a bit like maple syrup, you are very likely dehydrated, or may have liver disease. Seek help immediately!
- Other strange colours include pink to reddish, and may or may not be harmless. It could either be because of your diet, or there may be blood in your urine which is alarm bells for kidney disease, urinary tract infection, or prostate problems. Contact your doctor right away.
- Drinking water consistently is definitely beneficial for your body because it regulates your body temperature, clears your bowels, and keeps your skin youthful.
- However, drinking too much and more than your body can take may also pose as a problem. If it turns out that your urine is mostly transparent and has no color at all, you could be filling up your body with too much H20 that can actually cause an imbalance in your electrolyte levels.
- Ultimately, the take away from this is to always drink in moderation and keep your water intake at healthy optimum levels!
References
Davis, K. (2016, May 25). 50 Shades of Yellow: What Color Should Your Pee Be? Retrieved from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/50-shades-of-yellow-what-color-should-your-pee-be.html
Ratini, M. (2016, February, 1). The Truth About Urine. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/ urinary-incontinence-oab/truth-about-urine
Urinary and Kidney Team. (2013, Oct 31). What the Color of Your Urine Says About You (Infographic). Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/10/what-the-color-of-your- urine-says-about-you-infographic