Urobilinogen is a bile pigment excreted in the urine. The name itself comes from the Greek word uron - urine, Latin bilis - bile, and Greek genesis - origin.
How is the formation of urobilinogen?
Most of the urobilinogen (80%) is formed from red blood cells, more precisely, from bilirubin, which, in turn, is synthesized from hemoglobin. In fact, urobilinogen is a product of the disposal of red blood cells.
How does this happen? Hemoglobin molecules, having served their term, are utilized. First, indirect bilirubin is synthesized from them , which undergoes a series of transformations in the liver. As a result, direct bilirubin is synthesized , which, together with bile, enters the intestines. There, this substance, with the participation of microflora, undergoes further transformations. As a result of multiple biochemical reactions, a number of intermediate substances are obtained. Some of them, for example, such as stercobilinogen and mesobilinogen, are absorbed back into the blood through the portal vein system.
Further, these substances are again excreted through the liver along with bile, but a small part of them is excreted in the urine - this is approximately 4 mg per day.
Urobilinogen in urine
What does it mean? Urobilinogen is a colorless substance. But standing out with urine in the air turns into urobilin. Therefore, urine containing urobilinogen darkens after a while in the air.
Urobilinogen in urine - what does it mean? Normally, a small amount of this product of the final decay, which has served its term of hemoglobin, is found in everyone. But its content in urine in high concentrations is, most often, a sign of pathology.
Urobilin and urobilinogen are the so-called urobilin bodies or urobilinoids. What does urobilinogen in urine mean and how to determine it?
How to determine urobilinogen in urine?
To do this, you need to pass a general urine test. This indicator is included in this study. Urobilinoids are normally found in urine in very small quantities, they are practically not determined. The possible presence of pathology is evidenced by a positive reaction to this substance. It can be from weakly positive, which is denoted by "+", to sharply positive "+++".
Urobilinogen is a colorless substance, but when reacted with oxygen it is converted to urobilin, darkens and becomes dark yellow. Therefore, in freshly collected urine, the level of urobilinogen is determined, and if it stands in the air for more than an hour, then urobilin is determined.
UBG - urobilinogen content. Decryption
In modern laboratories, urine tests are often performed on urine analyzers. In this test result, UBG refers to the content of urobilinogen in the urine. Traces of urobilinogen are necessarily found in any normal urine.
The level of this indicator increases with hemolytic jaundice, i.e., the destruction of red blood cells directly in the bloodstream, as well as with toxic lesions of the liver, chronic and acute inflammatory processes that occur in its tissues. Intestinal diseases (constipation, enteritis, food poisoning) also cause an increase in the level of urobilinogen in the urine. But its complete absence is observed with mechanical subhepatic jaundice, that is, with a complete blockage of the bile duct by stone. Thus, the complete absence of urobilinogen in urine in adults means the cessation of the flow of bile into the intestines. The exception is newborn babies who are breastfed for up to three months, because at this age urobilinogen from bilirubin is not yet restored due to the lack of necessary microflora in the intestine.
The norm of this indicator is 5-10 mg / l.
Urobilinogen in the urine. What does it mean?
The norm of this substance in the study of urine is "-". Its so few that the study shows a negative result. A condition in which urobilin levels increase is called urobilinuria.
Urobilin in urine - what does it mean? We list the pathologies in which this indicator is increased. This is, first of all, acute or chronic liver pathologies, conditions in which the destruction of red blood cells and a violation of the normal functioning of the intestine occur. Namely:
- Hepatitis or cirrhosis.
- Liver tumors are benign or malignant.
- Congestion in the tissues of the liver.
- Hemolytic anemia, in which there is a breakdown of red blood cells - red blood cells.
- Chemical poisoning in which the breakdown of red blood cells occurs. In this case, hemoglobin freely enters the blood plasma. This leads to an increased formation of bilirubin, which is excreted in the bile. And as you know, urobilinogen is formed from bilirubin.
- Acute or chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
- Parasites.
- Chronic constipation.
- Intestinal obstruction.
An increase in urobilin bodies is not an obvious pathology, but only its possible presence. In some conditions, a mechanism is triggered in which excess bioslag is discharged into the intestine, for example, with diarrhea. As a result, an additional load on the kidneys is carried out, in this case, urobilinogen is detected - "traces" in the urine. What does it mean? Just that the kidneys do a good job. In severe conditions, this indicator increases to a large extent.
Causes of the absence of urobilinogen in urine
The complete absence of urobilinogen in the urine may mean that the bile duct is blocked. At the same time, the flow of bile into the intestine, and hence bilirubin, its integral component, stops. And as you know, urobilinogen is formed from bile. If bile is absent in the intestine, then the formation of urobilinogen does not occur.
What to do?
Urobilinogen in urine - what does it mean? What to do in this situation? First of all, no need to panic. Negative emotions and emotional imbalance lead to stagnation in the body, which will further exacerbate the situation. With a sharply positive reaction to urobilin bodies, it is necessary to consult a doctor and possibly undergo additional studies that will help to find out the true cause of this situation.
Sometimes people who, due to some life circumstances, do not sleep at night (for example, night shifts at work), the reaction to urobilinoids can be weakly positive. In this case, observing the daily routine will correct the situation. The liver is especially active from 21 hours to 3 hours, provided that at this time a person is in a calm state. Therefore, a night's sleep helps to establish the work of this body.
An active lifestyle and feasible physical activity favorably affect the work of the whole organism, and water procedures contribute to the removal of unnecessary toxins through the skin.
With an increased content of urobilin bodies in the urine, a milk-vegetable diet can be advised. It will help to improve bowel function.
Infusions of medicinal herbs will also help bring the body back to normal, improve bowel function and remove excess toxins. These are bitter herbs, for example, immortelle, wormwood, elecampane, tansy, milk thistle. To prepare the medicinal infusion, take one large spoonful of dry raw material of any of the listed herbs and pour 0.5 l of boiling water, insist for at least half an hour, then filter. It should be taken before meals in 1/4 cup.
Urobilinoids in the urine of a child
Normally, urobilinogen for up to three months in healthy newborns who are breast-fed is not determined. This is due to the fact that in the intestine there is no process of restoration of bilirubin to stercobilinogen (urobilinogen) due to the absence of intestinal flora. Therefore, in newborns, urine is almost colorless.
Urobilinogen in urine - what does it mean in a child? The increased content of this indicator in children, as well as in adults, may indicate a possible pathology. But perhaps this is a temporary condition, for example, with an intestinal upset. To find out the exact cause, you need to contact a pediatrician. Only after additional research is it possible to determine what urobilinogen means in the urine of a child.
Urobilinoids in urine during pregnancy
Pregnant women, after registration, must undergo a general urine test before each visit to the doctor. During the period of bearing a child, all systems and organs of a woman are subjected to additional stress. Therefore, for the timely detection and treatment of any pathology, it is necessary to monitor the state of health during pregnancy.
Urobilinogen in the analysis of pregnant urine should be in acceptable quantities, i.e. only its traces should be detected, or in a quantitative content of 5 to 10 mg per liter. The complete absence or increase of such an indicator as urobilinogen in the urine - what does it mean during pregnancy? This is an occasion to conduct additional research to detect a possible pathology.