Together with urine, not only metabolic products, but also toxins are excreted from the human body. The color of this physiological fluid is of particular importance. This is a kind of indicator that can characterize the condition of many organs, including the urinary system. Hue allows you to determine not only the presence of pathology in the body, but also to determine its nature. If any deviations occur, many ask the question of what color should a healthy urine be?
What may affect the color of the liquid
To answer the question of what color urine should be, factors that can change it should be considered. Among these should be highlighted:
- The use of certain medications.
- Pigment concentration.
- The use of certain products.
- The intensity of all metabolic processes.
- Drinking mode.
What determines the color of urine
So, what color should the urine of a healthy person be? A normal shade is formed due to certain pigments: uroeoitrin, urobilin, urolysin, urochrome, and so on. The intensity of the color of urine depends on the concentration of these substances.
In this case, one should take into account how much fluid a person consumes per day. Drinking regimen is of particular importance. If a person consumes water in large quantities, then urine will be lighter, since the concentration of pigments will be significantly reduced. If large fluid loss occurs, for example, increased sweating, then the urine will be darker. After all, the concentration of pigment will increase.
It is worth noting that the level of vasopressin also affects the shade. This hormone is synthesized in the pituitary gland at completely different times of the day. It also affects the color of urine. It is worth considering that the hormone in large quantities is produced at night. That is why in the morning urine has a darker and brighter shade.
Light color of urine and pathology
Now you know what color urine should be in the absence of pathologies. However, a shade of urine may indicate the development of certain diseases:
Pale yellow urine contains a small amount of coloring components. This shade occurs in certain diseases, for example, with chronic kidney failure, diabetes and diabetes insipidus. In addition, polyuria can be noted - a large number of urine secretions. This indicator can reach up to 2 liters during the day.
The milk color of urine takes when pus, lymph, lipids and phosphates get into it. Similar phenomena often occur in diseases such as urolithiasis, fatty degeneration of the kidneys, nephrosis, cystitis, pyelonephritis.
Color of urine during dehydration
What color should urine be during pregnancy? Many believe that the shade of urine in such cases does not change. However, this is not the case. During pregnancy, many women experience such an unpleasant phenomenon as toxicosis. In this case, a large loss of fluid occurs. As a result, urine can take on a dark yellow color. Also, urine can be of this color with diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and a stagnant kidney.
Increased pigment concentration
What color should urine be with an increase in the concentration of a particular coloring matter. With an increase in the amount of urobilinogen, urine becomes dark brown. Most often, this phenomenon is noted with the development of hemolytic anemia, which often occurs due to a snakebite, heavy metal poisoning, under the influence of hemolytic poisons, as well as hypersplenism.
With an increase in the concentration of bilirubin and urobilin, urine acquires the color of dark beer or tea. Most often, the concentration of these substances increases with obstructive jaundice, cirrhosis, hepatitis and other liver lesions.
Dark urine
In some cases, urine may turn black. A similar phenomenon occurs as a result of the development of diseases such as acute hemolytic kidney, alkaptonuria, melanosarcoma.
Why is urine red or pink
Urine turns red or red when blood enters it. With glomerulonephritis, heart attacks of kidney tissues, tumors of the bladder and kidneys, erythrocyturia often occurs. In addition, blood can be excreted in the urine during the development of kidney stone disease. In this case, the mucosa of the pathways is severely damaged during the passage of calculi.
In some cases, pink urine is considered normal. This phenomenon often occurs when eating beetroot dishes.
Drugs that affect the shade of urine
What color should urine be with certain medications? So that staining of urine does not cause panic, you should know which drugs have a similar side effect. Redness often occurs with the use of anti-TB drugs, santonin, sulfazole, phenolphthalein, amidopyrine, antipyrine and so on.
It is worth noting that pink urine becomes with unlimited intake of acetylsalicylic acid. Riboflavin may also affect urine color. As a result of the use of this substance, urine acquires an orange tint. In the same way, the consumption of certain vitamins can affect urine.
When taking triamteren and methylene blue, urine may acquire a blue-green color.
When to visit a doctor
If you do not know what color urine should be in a baby, an adult, or a pregnant woman, then if you have any abnormalities, you should consult a doctor. Before this, it is recommended to remember what you used the day before and what medicines you took. If all is well, then after some time, urine will acquire a normal shade. This indicator is restored quite quickly. If the color does not change for several days, then you should immediately consult a doctor. It is worth noting that with the development of some diseases, not only the color of urine can change, sometimes symptoms accompanying the ailment occur.
What should alert
So, what color should be the urine of pregnant women and a healthy person - figured out. However, there are signs that should alert. Such symptoms include dry mouth and thirst; itchy skin; yellowing of the sclera and skin; pain in the right hypochondrium and lower back; weakness and headache; painful and often urination; change in the amount of urine; weight loss; discharge of colorless feces; increase in pressure.
If at least one of the signs has arisen, you should contact the clinic and undergo a thorough examination.