18.04.2021

Normal urine color. Why is urine dark yellow


With dark urine in a woman, the causes may lie in some diseases. But do not be afraid: you may have taken medication before that that affected the color of your urine. Even brightly colored foods affect this factor. Therefore, in the doctor's office with a woman, a preliminary conversation on this matter will be held, and only then an examination is scheduled.

What does brown urine mean

If the change in the shade of urine is slight, it is not so scary. In the morning, there is a darkening of the urine, as it contains a large amount of urochrome. When a person drinks a lot, his urine becomes bright yellow.

But in some cases, a change in the color of urine in a person, especially in women, indicates an inflammatory process that has begun.

Brown urine can indicate kidney disease.

Therefore, even if you do not feel any symptoms other than darkening, still seek medical help.

If the urine is dark for natural reasons, then the following can contribute to this condition:

  • a small amount of fluid consumed;
  • increased physical activity;
  • high concentration of urine, especially in the morning;
  • eating specific foods such as beef, black tea, beans, rhubarb;
  • long-term use of drugs, such as vitamins of groups B and C;
  • elevated air temperature.

Possible diseases

But the most dangerous if it appeared due to various ailments:

  • Kidney damage, especially in the presence of urolithiasis, when blood appears due to tissue injury by stones. When tumors form in the kidneys or polycystic disease begins, then the urine becomes brown, resembling meat slops.
  • Kidney diseases, when various pigments, such as bilirubin, are released into the blood and urine. The characteristic pigmentation is present in jaundice.
  • Urine can change with ailments such as cystitis or urethritis, glomerulonephritis or pyelonephritis, etc.

  • If a woman has hemolytic anemia, more bilirubin is also produced.
  • The color changes with pathologies such as cirrhosis, hemochromatosis, vasculitis and collagenosis, tyrosinemia and autoimmune diseases, as well as oncology in the liver and pancreas.
  • Cloudy and may indicate an inflammatory process. Impurities in the liquid may indicate the presence of bacteria, dead leukocytes or epithelial cells.
  • A bright yellow color with a green tint appears with obstructive jaundice, when the outflow of bile is disturbed.

Dangerous combinations

Sometimes dark color urine in women can be combined with other signs of the disease:

  1. Renal pathologies, in addition to dark urine, may be accompanied by lumbar pain, fever, swelling and painful sensations during urination.
  2. Dark color, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration appear if a person has an intestinal infection.
  3. Dark urine in women and difficulty urinating can occur with injuries of various kinds.

Darkening of urine in women

In women, in addition to the above causes observed in both sexes, diseases of the genitourinary system can be distinguished.

Together with urine, substances from the inflamed genital organs can be excreted from the female body.

For example, with diseases such as uterine fibroids or erosion, sexually transmitted diseases, non-specific inflammation of the female genital area. In addition to changing the color of urine, unpleasant Strong smell. In this case, you should be examined in the gynecological department.

During pregnancy, the shade of urine often becomes darker, this may be due to toxicosis, when dehydration is observed along with vomiting. In addition, a woman experiences additional unpleasant symptoms, such as:

  • frequent vomiting;
  • dry mucous membranes;
  • nausea;
  • low pressure;
  • frequent pulse;
  • temperature increase to subfebrile marks;
  • the smell of acetone from the mouth.

But you should not attribute everything to toxicosis, as more serious causes can be missed. For example, food poisoning. Therefore, you do not need to hesitate in such situations, it is better to inform your doctor about your condition.

Another reason for the darkening of urine in pregnant women can be the intake of vitamin complexes. Perhaps the development of pyelonephritis or edema. In this case, purulent discharge and mucus can be observed in the urine.

What to do if darkening is detected

To take any action, you must first find out what caused this condition. Before going to the doctor, you can try to do this yourself:

  • Think about what you've been eating lately. You may have eaten foods that caused urinary coloration. These foods include beets, carrots, blueberries, etc.
  • Have you taken medications such as antibiotics, sulfonamides, aspirin, or other NSAIDs in the coming days?
  • Determine the presence of concomitant symptoms (vomiting, fever, etc.).
  • Are provoking factors in the form of pregnancy, poisoning, etc., possible?

  • Submit urine for laboratory analysis. Microscopy will reveal indicators of color, relative density, protein content, etc. The number of erythrocytes, leukocytes, cylinders, and the nature of salts will be determined.
  • With normal indicators of microscopic analysis of urine, submit it for biochemical analysis. Possibly, chemical or toxic substances will be revealed.
  • Get a blood test to check for anemia.

If you are going to take tests, you should first of all consult a doctor, and he, based on the anamnesis and complaints, will direct you to the necessary examination.


Motivating factors for applying for medical care may be the following circumstances:
  • woman's pregnancy;
  • high body temperature;
  • the appearance of vomiting;
  • yellowing of the skin;
  • the appearance of edema;
  • very severe burns.

Don't wonder why your urine color has changed. With dark urine in women, the causes can be different - from harmless and banal to serious pathologies. See a doctor right away so you can reassure yourself if nothing serious is found. Otherwise, timely detection of the disease will save you from possible complications in the future.

The study of urine includes quantitative and qualitative indicators. The color of urine is determined by comparison with a standard scale; it must be included in the conclusion of the analysis.

Modern diagnostic methods are not comparable with the working conditions of zemstvo doctors of the 19th century, when a person’s health was judged by the color of urine, they knew in which cases the color of the foam or urinary sediment was preserved. People can independently notice a change in the color of urine. This important sign causes alertness, doubts, and the need to consult a doctor.

What determines the color of urine?

The study of the biochemical composition that affects the color of urine normally showed that the following matters:

  • transparency;
  • coloring;
  • intensity.

To characterize what color urine should be in a particular person, you need to take into account the characteristics of his diet, intake medicines. The saturation of the color varies depending on the total amount of urine excreted, its specific gravity (concentration of dissolved substances).

According to the chemical composition, urine is a multicomponent liquid. More than 150 substances are dissolved in it. In the fresh urine of a healthy adult, color is formed by pigments:

  • urochrome;
  • uroerythrin;
  • urozein;
  • stercobilin.

All of them contribute to the staining of urine in different shades of yellow, from light to richly bright. The intensity increases with oliguria, an increased specific gravity of solutes (salts, urea and uric acid, mucopolysaccharides).

The presence of a large amount of mucus and salts reduces transparency, the color looks dull. The normal color of urine is usually determined by the morning portion. Therefore, one of the requirements for the collection of analysis is the delivery of the container to the laboratory no later than two hours. If the jar of urine is stored longer, the processes of fermentation and decomposition of the contents begin. This results in a change in color and transparency.

What factors determine the color of urine?

Causes of discoloration of urine are associated with:

  • the level of metabolism in the body - increased activity in thyrotoxicosis;
  • the volume of urine excreted - the greater the diuresis, the lighter the color, since the dilution of pigmenting substances increases;
  • the age of a person - in children, urine is light yellow, in the infant period it is almost colorless, a slight reddish tint is associated with an increase in the level of uric acid;
  • the use of products, preservatives containing vegetable and artificial dyes (carrots, beets, eosin, methylene blue);
  • febrile state in infectious diseases;
  • taking medications;
  • urinary tract injuries;
  • inflammation in the urogenital area;
  • diseases of the liver, gallbladder and duct;
  • blood diseases;
  • hereditary metabolic anomaly.

We will look at what determines the color of urine and how it changes in shades.

What to think about if the urine of an adult is colorless?

Urine has a characteristic milky white color with chyluria, lymph ingress. This pathology is formed due to the connection (fistula) between the lymph duct and the renal pelvis or bladder.

Typically, the formation of three immiscible layers:

  • white clot on top;
  • in the middle - milky liquid;
  • below - epithelial cells, salts, fatty inclusions are located.

A similar condition is possible with pyonephrosis (kidney abscess).

The difference is the absence of massive leukocyturia and bacteriuria, symptoms of an acute destructive process in the kidneys. Independent termination occurs when the patient is in a horizontal position, when lifting - the lymph instantly fills the urinary system, and the color of the urine changes to whitish.

Prolonged excretion of pale, almost colorless urine is characteristic of diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure.


Greenish urine causes Pseudomonas aeruginosa

What does orange urine indicate?

Orange or red urine means:

  • release from the blood of a significant amount of pigments such as urochrome and urobilinogen;
  • eating preservatives containing dyes, carrot juice and dishes from carrots, oranges;
  • dehydration of the body, low fluid intake, profuse uncompensated sweating in the heat, in the sauna, during physical work;
  • treatment with Chloroquine, Riboflavin, Furagin, Furadonin, Rifampicin changes the color of urine from bright yellow to intense orange.

With an increased content of bilirubin in the blood, the urine has a saffron-yellow or amber color, after shaking the container, the foam also turns colored.

When is urine pink?

The pink tint of light yellow urine appears when eaten:

  • beetroot dishes and plenty of carrots;
  • red food coloring contained in canned meat, lemonade, sweets;
  • blackberries and cherries;
  • blackcurrant with acidic urine;
  • rhubarb for alkalized urine.

Pink color is possible in the treatment of drugs:

  • containing acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin, many headache pills);
  • ibuprofen;
  • the phenolphthalein group;
  • Aminophenazone;
  • Phenilin;
  • Rifampicin.

Urine that is any pink-reddish color indicates the presence of:

  • erythrocytes;
  • breakdown products of hemoglobin;
  • bilirubin and its derivatives.

Hematuria (an admixture of fresh blood and free hemoglobin) is possible in pathological conditions:

  • cystitis;
  • glomerulonephritis;
  • pyelonephritis;
  • urolithiasis;
  • tumors of the urinary organs;
  • systemic vasculitis involving the glomerular apparatus of the kidneys.

In these cases, in addition to the changed color of urine, patients have other symptoms:

  • pain in the lumbar region, above the pubis, in the groin, for men with renal colic, irradiation to the penis and scrotum is characteristic;
  • temperature increase;
  • dysuric disorders (frequent urge to urinate, cramps);
  • swelling on the face in the morning, in the evening on the legs and feet;
  • high blood pressure;
  • bad smell of urine.


In men over 60 years of age, hematuria is more often a sign of prostate adenoma, bladder cancer

In the analysis of urine find:

  • erythrocytes (fresh or leached);
  • leukocytes;
  • bacteria;
  • slime;
  • salt;
  • protein;
  • cylinders;
  • epithelial cells.

Without a microscope, mucus clots, pus, fibrin threads are visible.

When does urine turn red?

Such a sign as an intensely red (burgundy) color of urine indicates massive bleeding in the urinary tract. This may be caused by:

  • injury of the mucous membrane with a stone during its movement;
  • destructive effect of the tumor;
  • injury to the kidneys, lower urinary tract, genital organs;
  • diseases with reduced blood clotting (hemophilia);
  • hemoglobinuria.

In urolithiasis, oxalate stones most often bleed. They are distinguished by sharp edges, a significant injuring surface. Reddening of urine after an attack of renal colic is characteristic.

Blood in the urine forms clots that, depending on their size, can clog the ureter and cause signs of acute retention.

With the breakdown of muscle tissue during severe injuries, the syndrome of prolonged compression in the blood and urine, myoglobin appears. Its presence gives the urine a red-brown color.


Viral hepatitis is accompanied by changes colors urine at different stages

If the urine is dark brown, what does this mean?

Most often, the dark color of urine in a child is caused by a lack of fluid in the drinking regimen. Children are much more sensitive than adults to dehydration. Therefore, pediatricians are always reminded of the need to give extra water between feedings and not save on diapers.

In adults, in addition to dehydration, urine darkens from:

  • frequent use of laxative teas containing buckthorn bark and cassia;
  • therapy with Metronidazole, Rifampicin, drugs of the nitrofuran group, Quinine, Imipenem;
  • use in the treatment of B vitamins, large doses of C, sulfur-containing drugs, antibiotics;
  • disorders of bilirubin metabolism in hepatitis, cholelithiasis, tumors of the liver and pancreas (at the same time, the feces become light);
  • alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver;
  • viral hepatitis;
  • toxic effect on the liver in case of mercury poisoning;
  • increased breakdown of red blood cells in blood diseases;
  • hemochromatosis and excess iron;
  • hereditary tyrosinemia - a serious disease associated with a lack of enzymes involved in the breakdown of tyrosine protein, while kidney and liver cells are destroyed;
  • infectious inflammation of the urinary organs;
  • malignant lesions of the kidneys, bladder, polycystic;
  • consequences of kidney damage in systemic vasculitis.

Hematuria caused by the ingress of hemoglobin from red blood cells into the urine, under the influence of acidity, is accompanied by a transformation into hematin or methemoglobin. Therefore, the color from pink is converted to brown.

Injuries to the liver tissue may be accompanied by blackening of the urine. Black urine is also part of the symptoms of such serious diseases as:

  • Marchiafava-Mikeli disease (a rare form of hemolytic anemia);
  • alkaptonuria - a hereditary chromosomal pathology, more often detected in men;
  • melanoma is a malignant tumor.


Urine with alkaptonuria turns black when exposed to air

In pregnant women, as a rule, urine is quite dark in the morning, and becomes straw yellow in the daytime. Changes are associated with hormonal daily balance.

When do blue-green urine occur?

Urine of a blue or, more precisely, a blue tint is found in rare cases. Medicines have the ability to:

  • Phenacetin - stain urine in brown-green (tea) or dark color;
  • Amitriptyline and methyl blue - in green or blue-green;
  • tetracycline antibiotics act similarly in diabetic patients;
  • an individual reaction to the intake of certain vitamins is possible.

A congenital disorder of protein metabolism is associated with the accumulation of tryptophan protein. It is found in fish, seafood, chicken, turkey. In patients with a disturbed assimilation process, urine acquires a blue tint.

When, besides urine, is the sediment stained?

The urine sediment is usually pale yellow, but different reasons color it:

  • if a large amount of uric acid precipitates, then the precipitate looks like yellow sand;
  • with a large number of urates becomes brick red;
  • the presence of tripelphosphate salts, as well as amorphous phosphates, makes the precipitate dense and white;
  • admixture of pus - gives a green tint;
  • inclusions of erythrocytes - red.

What to do if you find an unusual color of urine?

When identifying changes against the background of good health, you should think about the amount of fluid you drink, food hobbies. Observe urine for 1-2 days. Persistent discoloration may signal the onset of a chronic disease. It should be remembered that many diseases have a latent period of the course.

A change in the color of urine is difficult to assess independently. It's best to get tested. Laboratory methods allow you to find out which substances affect the color in each individual case. The doctor, in order to find out what the color of urine is talking about, will first try to establish a connection with physiological causes. Only when a pathology is detected, treatment is prescribed.

It is impossible to draw a conclusion about human health based on one color of urine. For accurate diagnosis, additional methods of examination will be required.

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. Color of urine (urine) reflects the functional state of the kidneys and the whole organism as a whole. Even without a laboratory study, it is possible to say with a certain accuracy what kind of deviation occurs in the human body by the color of urine. This criterion was the main one in the diagnosis of diseases in medicine before the introduction of the practice of laboratory research.

What color urine should be is determined by the presence of certain substances in it in a dissolved state, impurities of blood, pus, mucus and other pathological factors. Normal urine is yellow, clear, without any impurities. The color saturation of urine ranges from light yellow to yellow, in the laboratory another indicator is used - straw-yellow urine. Knowing what color 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 color change

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

  • eating foods containing dyes can stain urine in the appropriate color: beets - pink, carrots - rich yellow;
  • taking certain 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;
  • excess intake of fluid into the body, on the contrary, makes the urine very light, almost colorless, its amount increases - urine dilution.

Pathological causes of urine color change

If you have a changed color of urine - the reasons can be of 2 main groups:

  1. causes associated with the process in the organs of the urinary system (kidneys, bladder, urethra) - nephritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, tumors, and;
  2. causes that cause discoloration 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 in pathology vary widely:

  • Dark-colored urine - this change is also compared to beer-colored urine, occurs when the level of bilirubin in the blood (jaundice) increases, which is excreted in the urine, giving it a rich brown color. In the case of the development of obstructive jaundice, when the outflow of bile from the gallbladder is disturbed and it enters the bloodstream, then the urine is bright yellow in color, with a greenish tint. If there is parenchymal jaundice, due to the release of bilirubin from the destroyed liver cells, then the color of the urine is brown. In addition, the dark yellow color of urine can appear with kidney failure and severe dehydration, due to the high concentration of urine. The amount of urine is small.
  • Red urine - due to the ingestion of blood into the urine, this occurs in the presence of kidney stones that damage blood vessels, tumors or injuries of the organs 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 use of a large amount of beets or the use of certain drugs. In this case, you should not be afraid, after a short period of time, the color of the urine returns to normal.
  • Urine is reddish in color - this color is also compared with 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 entry into the urine, which gives such staining. This is a serious condition, since free hemoglobin in the blood, when it is filtered in the glomeruli of the kidneys, leads to their pollution and the development of acute renal failure.
  • Pink urine - can also be the result of blood getting into 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 (increased levels of free fat in the blood serum). Also, the urine becomes cloudy and opalescent.

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

Photo: Urine color and pregnancy

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

  • cellular elements - squamous epithelial cells during its desquamation 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 amount; leukocytes or erythrocytes can settle on them;
  • salt sediment - 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, as 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 an inflammatory reaction in the kidneys, the urine becomes cloudy with a greenish tint - a high number of leukocytes in it. When such changes appear in the urine, a woman should seek the advice of a gynecologist and urologist for further examination and treatment.

What will the color of urine tell

If the color of 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, a laboratory study is carried out, which begins with a clinical analysis. This study includes macroscopic indicators - the color, amount, presence of protein and the relative density of urine. If necessary, the presence of glucose in the urine, which normally should not be, is also determined. Then microscopy of the 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. An ultrasound examination of the kidneys is also 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 regarding their state of health and serve as a reason to visit a doctor for consultation and further examination.

Normal urine is light yellow to straw yellow in color due to various pigments, including urobilin and urochrome. A change in its color can be caused by numerous diseases, and not always associated with pathologies of the urinary system.

But in some cases, this situation is due to completely physiological natural factors. Dark urine in women, the causes of which, as mentioned above, may be different, always requires a doctor's consultation. Urine formation is a complex physiological process that occurs in the functional cells of the kidney - nephrons. With two-stage filtration, all substances necessary for the life of the body are absorbed. At the same time, excess fluid, ions, and certain toxins are eliminated.

During the formation of urine, the kidneys perform the following functions:

  • adjustment of concentration of ions Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, bicarbonates, phosphates, etc.;
  • restoration of acid-base balance, releasing either hydrogen ions or carbonates;
  • control of extracellular fluid volume;
  • regulation of blood pressure;
  • excretion of end products of metabolism;
  • removal of residues of certain drugs and poisons.

That is why it is very important to find out the cause of the dark color of urine in women, since in some cases a similar symptom usually manifests itself in the later stages of pathologies, when treatment should be started urgently. Freshly excreted urine should be clear, straw yellow. Certain deviations are allowed.

So, the types of rules are:

  • short-term changes in the natural physiological shade as a result of nutritional habits, excessive or, conversely, insufficient fluid intake, dehydration;
  • a course of treatment with certain drugs.

In the morning, during the first emptying of the bladder, very concentrated urine comes out due to the accumulation of salts and pigments. If it then acquires a normal shade, there is nothing to worry about.

A common reason for changing the color of urine is non-compliance with the rules for collecting the analysis. The fact is that urine pigments are oxidized under the influence of light. In other words, if the patient collected the analysis in a transparent container and left it for a long time in a place exposed to direct sunlight, the urine darkens naturally.

The pathological cause of the dark color of urine in women and men in the vast majority of cases is hematuria, that is, the appearance of blood (or rather, red blood cells). Urine at the same time acquires a brown tint of dark beer or meat slops. Hemoglobinuria is much less common. As a result of intravascular hemolysis, free hemoglobin is excreted by the kidneys. In some people, a similar phenomenon can be observed with overwork from intense and prolonged physical exertion, running, and so on.

Sometimes even the shade of urine can suggest the nature of the pathology:

  • a light brown color, especially if a flaky sediment or turbidity is clearly visible, usually speaks in favor of a urinary tract infection;
  • a brown tint with an admixture of red often appears when the epithelium of the ureters, urethra, or the kidneys itself is damaged during the passage of a stone or injury;
  • a dark brown color is noted against the background of an inflammatory or tumor process in the kidneys, if there is an admixture of a green tint, liver pathology is suspected.

It is extremely rare for urine to turn black. Almost always, this symptom indicates a very serious lesion of the urinary system, often it is a tumor or hereditary diseases. However, all these pathologies rarely occur without a pronounced clinical picture. Too much is considered a deviation from the norm. light color urine. This is usually a sign of impaired filtration capacity of the kidneys, which often occurs with diabetic nephropathy.

For medical reasons, a two-glass test is performed to determine the cause of dark urine in women. Its essence is as follows. The patient is asked to urinate in turn into two containers, and it is important that the stream of urine is continuous. If the shade is changed only in the first portion, this usually indicates damage to the urinary tract, more often to the ureters. The brown color in both jars indicates a more serious pathology. If dark or red clots or flakes are found in the urine, the patient is urgently hospitalized.

This symptom sometimes appears with bleeding and rupture of blood vessels surrounding the genitourinary system. Darkening of the urine is a rather bad symptom during pregnancy, unless of course it is associated with eating certain foods. The fact is that when carrying a child, the load on the kidneys increases, which is why regular laboratory tests are so necessary to evaluate their work.

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The risk group includes women with chronic or previous pathologies of the urinary system. Timely identification of the cause of dark urine in a pregnant woman plays a very important role. Sometimes serious disorders in the functioning of the kidneys are a direct indication for premature delivery, they can adversely affect intrauterine development fetus. But the early start of treatment, the use of modern antibiotics can correct the situation.

If you change the color of urine during pregnancy, not associated with the peculiarities of the diet, it is urgent to consult a gynecologist and nephrologist.

When contacting a doctor with similar symptoms, they always give a referral to a general clinical analysis of urine. This study is simple to perform, is performed quickly and provides basic information that allows you to make a preliminary diagnosis and decide on the direction of further examination of the patient.

What do the numerous points in the form with the result of the analysis mean:

  1. The amount of urine. As such, there are no norms for this indicator; in this column, the laboratory assistant indicates the volume of urine transferred for research. But if a person has difficulty passing urine in the morning, this indicates either extreme dehydration or severe kidney damage.
  2. Color. As mentioned above, normally it should be yellow.
  3. Transparency. Cloudy urine is sometimes the result of a violation of the rules for passing the analysis. However, it often occurs with concomitant leukocyturia.
  4. Relative density. This is an indicator that determines the concentration function of the kidneys, in other words, their work during the filtration of primary and secondary urine. Density increases with the appearance of sugar, leukocytes and other formed elements. Normally, it is 1.010 - 1.020.
  5. pH reaction. Normally, urine has a slightly acidic reaction with pH values ​​of 4.0-7.0. A change up or down usually occurs with metabolic disorders, which increases the risk of developing urolithiasis.
  6. Protein. Normally, this indicator does not exceed 0.033 g / l, proteinuria always indicates a renal pathology.
  7. Glucose. A healthy person should not have it, but the permissible limits are up to 0.8 mmol / l. Usually, this value is exceeded due to diabetes mellitus or excessive consumption of sweets at night or in the morning before the test.
  8. Ketone bodies, are indicators of the correct course of metabolic processes in the body. Normally, they are absent. A positive result is possible with prolonged fasting, vomiting, intoxication, diabetes, and pancreatic lesions.
  9. Bilirubin. It is one of the main components of bile. It enters the urine only with liver pathologies.
  10. Urobilinogen. It is also synthesized by liver cells. Positive results in the analysis usually indicate bowel disease.
  11. Hemoglobin. Normally, it is located inside the red blood cells and takes part in the transport of oxygen. But with a massive breakdown of red blood cells, it does not have time to be converted in the liver and spleen, which causes it to be excreted through the kidneys. In the urine, it appears with severe poisoning, blood transfusion, trauma, accompanied by rupture of organs and muscle tissue, burns.

Clinical analysis to identify the causes of dark urine in women or other pathologies always includes a microscopic examination of the sediment. For this, the urine is allowed to settle for 1-2 hours, then the settled elements are collected with a pipette. The resulting liquid is placed in a centrifuge, and under a microscope, the already dry sediment is examined and the cells that fall into the field of view are counted (in the form they are abbreviated p / z).

  1. Erythrocytes. It is their presence that gives the urine a brown color. Normally, their number should not exceed 3.
  2. epithelial cells. In women, they often enter the urine from the vagina, so this indicator is not considered as a diagnostic criterion.
  3. Cylinders. Normally, the presence of single hyaline cylinders is allowed, the appearance of waxy, erythrocyte, granular and epithelial ones is a sign of a pathological process in the kidneys.
  4. Salt. Normally they are not. Their presence is the main symptom of uric acid diathesis or urolithiasis. Less often they are detected in inflammatory processes of the urinary system. In laboratories equipped with modern equipment, when salts are detected, their chemical composition is determined.
  5. bacteria. They should not be in the urine. Pathogenic microflora is excreted in urine with an infectious lesion of any part of the urinary tract. Often, microorganisms enter the urine from the vagina with vulvovaginitis.
  6. fungal flora. Fungi are found in urine during fungal infections of the genitourinary system.

Despite the abundance of information on deciphering the general analysis of urine and determining the causes of dark urine in women, a specialist should interpret the results of the study. Self-medication is unacceptable, as it can lead to a deterioration in the condition.

Dark urine in a woman: causes, methods of diagnosis and possible treatment options

Not always the brown shade of urine is a reason for excitement and going to the doctor. The cause of dark urine in women can be completely physiological factors.

This is the wrong drinking regimen. The less fluid enters the body, the richer the color of the urine.

Intense exercise, living in a hot climate and other causes that contribute to dehydration (vomiting, diarrhea, fever). Increased sweating contributes to increased fluid loss, and if it is not compensated by sufficient water intake, the color of the urine becomes dark yellow, especially noticeable in the morning, immediately after waking up. A long course of treatment with antimalarial, anti-tuberculosis drugs, antibiotics from the group of nitrofurans, laxatives, vitamins B and ascorbic acid, rifampicin, metronidazole, phenyl salicylate.

Excessive consumption of certain foods during the day before the test. So, the cause of dark urine in women can be beans and other legumes, beef, beets, carrots, rhubarb, black natural tea and coffee. In addition, many confectionery products (and not only) contain a large amount of dyes that affect the shade of urine.

Naturally, the dark color of urine in women, regardless of the cause, is a concern. There is a quite reasonable question what to do in such a situation. If these symptoms are not related to the diet and medication, you should pay attention to other clinical signs. This:

  • severe febrile fever (body temperature above 38.5 °), rising in the evening;
  • a strong unpleasant smell of urine;
  • pain in the lumbar region of a different nature, aggravated by tapping the edge of the palm on the back above the kidneys, sometimes they can give along the ureter to the lower abdomen;
  • discomfort in the liver, yellow skin and sclera;
  • weakness and malaise;
  • violation of urination (frequent urge with the release of urine in small portions, or vice versa, difficulty with urination).

If a change in the color of urine is accompanied by a similar clinical picture, you should immediately consult a doctor. With an increase in fever, it is recommended to call an ambulance.

In the future, the doctor prescribes examinations to make an accurate diagnosis and identify the cause of dark urine in women. First of all, this is a study of urine according to the method of Zimnitsky, Nechiporenko and other samples. Ultrasound is very informative. It determines changes in the parenchyma of the kidneys during the inflammatory process, the presence of stones, deviations in the anatomical structure of the urinary system. Additional diagnostic measures using contrast agents, tomography are possible.

Be sure to do a clinical blood test, a study on liver enzymes and other biochemical parameters. It should be noted right away that it is not the dark color of urine that is being treated, but the cause that caused it. The specific treatment regimen depends on the diagnosis. A bacterial infection of the kidneys and bladder responds to a long course of antibiotics. The treatment of kidney stones is very difficult.

Sometimes drug dissolution of calculi is possible, in the presence of large formations, surgical removal is indicated, and to prevent recurrence, it is effective to use folk remedies. Autoimmune glomerulonephritis is treated with hormonal drugs, and in severe cases, cytostatics are indicated.

When it appears dark urine in a woman, the reasons for which are varied, this almost always serves as a reason for a comprehensive examination by a nephrologist and gastroenterologist. This is especially important during pregnancy. Attempting self-treatment can aggravate symptoms and cause irreversible consequences. Modern methods of therapy can eliminate all the symptoms of the disease with minimal consequences.

Brown urine causes real panic for many, as it can indicate serious pathologies. Consider the causes of this phenomenon, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Minor changes in urine color are considered normal. Darker urine in the morning is associated with an increased concentration of urochrome. When drinking heavily, it changes color to bright yellow. But in some cases, the change is caused by pathological or physical conditions.

  • A dark shade can be provoked by the excessive use of preparations based on aloe, legumes or rhubarb.
  • Various laxative preparations that contain sena herb or cascura, antibiotics, antimalarial medicines, also provoke changes in the color of the fluid excreted by the body.
  • In some cases, prolonged urination and insufficient fluid intake cause the body fluid produced by the kidneys to become dark in color.

But the situation is much worse if all of the above factors are absent. In this case, the dark color of urine can occur with serious diseases of the kidneys and liver.

Causes of brown urine

An unusual color of urine can occur for a number of reasons, these are both non-dangerous factors and symptoms of serious diseases.

Non-dangerous reasons:

  • Increased concentration of urochrome due to fluid deficiency in the body.
  • Increased sweating associated with physical activity or climatic conditions.
  • The use of medicines.
  • The use of drinks and foods with dyes.

The biological fluid changes its color when beef, rhubarb, legumes and strong tea are included in the diet. Naphthol and salol preparations, laxatives, also cause changes. But when the drugs are canceled or the above products are eaten, the color is quickly restored.

Pathological causes:

  • Jaundice (hemolytic, mechanical, parenchymal).
  • Diseases of the prostate.
  • Inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and liver.
  • Pathology of the genitourinary system.
  • Diseases of the female internal genital organs.

With jaundice, a change in color is due to a violation of the formation and excretion of bile enzymes. Acute intestinal diseases cause a large loss of fluid and provoke dehydration of the body, therefore, they can also be the cause of deviation. If the kidneys are damaged, the urine darkens due to the content of blood or pus in it. Such secretions pass through the genitourinary tract and, under the condition of an acidic reaction, stain the liquid.

Brown urine in men

Brown urine in men is characterized by physiological and pathological changes. This may be due to dehydration or serious medical conditions. internal organs and urinary system. If the changes are caused by pathological phenomena, then accompanying symptoms appear that simplify the diagnostic process. As a rule, these are nausea, fever, pain in the abdomen, an unpleasant, pungent smell of urine, and painful urination. Such symptoms indicate a progressive disease, and therefore require urgent help from a urologist, therapist or nephrologist.

Main reasons:

  • Diseases of the prostate, testicles and vas deferens.
  • Prostatitis.
  • Inflammation of the epididymis.
  • Scrotal injury.
  • Increased concentration of urochromes.
  • The use of medicines.
  • Jaundice, hepatitis.
  • Excessive intake of vitamins B and C and an increased number of red blood cells.
  • Copper poisoning.
  • Urinary cancer or bacterial infection.
  • Cirrhosis of the liver, anemia and other diseases.

But if you do not take medications and do not eat products with dyes, then the disorder requires a medical diagnosis. In addition, the color of the biological fluid becomes darker in elderly patients. If this phenomenon persists for several days, then you should consult a surgeon or urologist.

Brown urine in women

Changes in the color of urine in women, as a rule, occurs with inflammatory diseases. But the shade can change due to dehydration, the use of drinks and foods with dyes, poisoning with toxins and the use of certain drugs. The defect appears in diseases of the genital area. These are sexually transmitted diseases, cervical tumors, decaying uterine fibroids or non-specific inflammation of the genital tract. In addition to color changes, there is a sharp fetid odor of discharge and pain when urinating.

Causes of the disorder:

  • Fluid deficiency in the body and high levels of urochromes.
  • The use of products with dyes.
  • Viral jaundice or hepatitis.
  • Hemolytic anemia and elevated bilirubin.
  • Urinary tract infections.
  • Vasculitis.
  • Pregnancy period.
  • Kidney diseases.
  • Cancer of the pancreas and liver.
  • dietary factors.
  • Various injuries.

To identify the true cause of deviations, the doctor prescribes a general and biochemical study of urine and blood. Based on the results of the analyzes, a plan for the treatment and prevention of the disorder is drawn up.

brown urine during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the female body undergoes many changes that occur due to hormonal changes. Very often during this period, the urine turns brown, which causes future mother get worried. Normally, the color of the biological fluid is yellow, but the appearance of deviations does not always indicate serious pathologies. For example, if you ate beets, rhubarb, cherries, or blackberries the day before, your urine will turn dark. But if there were no coloring foods in the diet, and the woman kept the water balance, then you should go to the hospital.

During pregnancy, the genitourinary system experiences an increased load. The growing fetus and enlarged uterus put pressure on the kidneys, making it difficult for them to function. The kidneys come to work for two organisms at the same time - to remove metabolic products from the maternal organism and the fetal organism.

Pathological color appears when:

  • The presence of bile pigments and blood.
  • The use of medications and dehydration.
  • In the presence of urobilin.

Regardless of the color, the most important thing is that the liquid is not cloudy. A pregnant woman should regularly take urine tests in order to timely identify possible pathologies.

Brown urine in a child

Darkening of the color of urine in a child causes panic in parents. But such a disorder does not always indicate a pathological character. The color of the fluid excreted by the kidneys is influenced by the food consumed. So, if the baby recently ate carrots, blueberries, beets or rhubarb, then brown should not cause concern. The color and smell of secretions are affected by medications and dehydration.

If the changes are accompanied high temperature, abdominal pain and painful urination, these are signs of the disease. These symptoms may indicate pyelonephritis. In any case, it is necessary to pass tests for research. If an increased number of red blood cells is found, then this is glomerulonephritis, and an increased protein level may indicate cystitis. The attending pediatrician will prescribe additional studies that will help identify the disease and the degree of the inflammatory process. But if, against the background of the above changes, the baby feels good, then you should not worry, since it is quite possible that he needs to take more fluids.

Brown urine as a symptom of the disease

Very often, deviations in the color of urine from the norm indicate the development of a certain disease. Normally, the biological fluid has a yellow color, which is determined by the concentration of substances dissolved in it.

Changing the color of urine in various diseases:

Pathological conditions

Brown

Hemolytic anemia

Urobilinogenuria

Nephrolithiasis, renal infarction

Hematuria (fresh blood)

lead anemia

Uroporphyrinuria

Acute glomerulonephritis and exacerbation of chronic glomerulonephritis

Hematuria (altered blood)

Whitish

Fatty degeneration and breakdown of kidney tissue

Lipuria, pus, phosphate crystals

Dark yellow

Congestive kidney, edema, burns, diarrhea, vomiting, toxicosis, feverish conditions

Increased concentration of dyes

pale yellow

Diabetes and diabetes insipidus, renal glucosuria, renal failure

Low concentration of dyes

Acute hemolytic kidney

Hemoglobinuria

Alkaptonuria

Homogentisic acid

Melanosarcoma

Greenish yellowish

Mechanical jaundice

Bilirubinuria

The disorder may be caused by the age of the patient. So, in patients older than 50 years, brownish impurities are possible due to prostate adenoma, kidney and bladder stones. In many women, the deviation appears against the background of infectious lesions of the urinary tract. Another factor affecting the color of the liquid is increased physical activity.

Light brown urine

Light brown urine most often indicates a urinary tract infection. Patients complain of pain in the abdomen, a constant desire to urinate, increased sweating and a strong smell of discharge. If blood impurities appear against this background, but the color change is not associated with food intake, then medical assistance is required.

Special attention it is worth paying attention to the color of the skin, sclera and feces, if they have a yellow tint, then this indicates liver disease and requires hospitalization. The deviation occurs due to the action of drugs, certain foods and food colors. Chronic intoxication with harmful substances and poisoning can also affect the color of the biological fluid.

Brown cloudy urine

Cloudy brown urine is a sign of a pathology that requires medical attention.

Main reasons for rejection:

  • Alkaptonuria - during urination, hemogentisic acid is released, which darkens in the air and makes the fluid cloudy.
  • Increased levels of bile pigments.
  • The use of drugs.
  • Pyuria, that is, the release of a large amount of lipouria and phosphates.
  • Phosphaturia - detection in the urine of magnesium phosphate and calcium phosphate salts.

With stones and sand in the kidneys, urine also becomes cloudy, as it contains blood impurities. This happens due to the fact that solid elements, passing through the urinary tract, damage them. Tumors of the genitourinary system and infections are another cause of the defect. If the urine remains cloudy for several days, then it is necessary to without fail seek medical attention.

Dark brown urine

The dark brown biological fluid excreted by the kidneys most often acquires this color due to the products that were consumed the day before. For example, beans, rhubarb, cherries and food with artificial colors change the color of urine. In this case, there is no cause for concern, since it is enough to change the diet and everything will return to normal. Darkening is caused by some medications. For example, antimalarials, antibiotics and laxatives. After the drug is discontinued, the color becomes normal.

The pathological nature of the deviation may be associated with diseases such as: hepatitis, acute glomerulonephritis and cirrhosis. Dysfunction of the kidneys leads to the fact that the body is unable to remove toxins and excess fluid, making its color dark. Infectious diseases, kidney stones, prostate adenoma, bladder stones are a number of other reasons that provoke a change in the shade of urine.

Do not forget about recent bacterial and viral infections, which also affect the color of biological fluids excreted by the body. This pathology is called post-infectious glomerulonephritis and occurs in both adults and children. Pathology can be caused by a family history and increased physical activity. In any case, if against the background of these changes you have pain or discomfort, then you should consult a doctor and take tests to check the condition of the body.

Detection of brown flakes in the urine

The presence of brown flakes in the urine most often indicates an inflammatory lesion of the kidneys. Pathology can be considered as an independent disease or a complication due to prostate cancer, hyperplasia, acute renal failure, gynecological diseases or urolithiasis. But a similar defect occurs with venereal lesions, cystitis and pyelonephritis. Sometimes the presence of flakes indicates elevated protein levels.

If the deviation is accompanied by pain during urination, pain in the muscles and joints, gastrointestinal disorders, fever, pain in the lumbar region, increased sweating and headaches, then urgent medical attention is needed. In this case, without tests and a number of diagnostic procedures, it is difficult to establish the cause of the disease, and even more so to eliminate it.

brown mucus in urine

Normally, every healthy person urinates with a small amount of mucus, which is not detected during diagnosis. Its high content most often indicates a prolonged stagnation of urine or infection of the excretory system. These pathologies lead to increased production of mucus and difficulty in its drainage. That is why, a small part of it is constantly brought out. But sometimes the presence of mucous formations does not have a pathological nature, but indicates an incorrect urine sampling for research and requires a retake of the analysis.

Most often, women face the problem of mucus in the body fluid produced by the kidneys. This may indicate pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, gynecological lesions, and even pregnancy. During the gestation period, the presence of mucus indicates an inflammatory process, which, without proper treatment, will burn to cause a miscarriage or premature birth.

Diagnosis of brown urine

To diagnose brown urine, it is necessary to take tests. It's about about the standard analysis of urine and blood for biochemistry.

  • Urinalysis - allows you to determine the level of red blood cells and increased protein content. These values ​​indicate violations in the allocation of metabolic products, infections and bacteria.
  • Blood test - determines the level of urea nitrogen (toxins) and creatinine. It can be used to detect elevated levels of liver enzymes and diabetes.
  • Other studies - are assigned depending on the results of the above tests. The main reason for continuing the diagnosis is the presence of red blood cells.

Laboratory research makes it possible to evaluate the microscopic, chemical and physical characteristics of the liquid. Particular attention should be paid to its fence, since the veracity of the analysis results depends on compliance with all the rules.

  • Kidney disease - treated with medication, patients are prescribed a course of long-acting drugs and a special diet.
  • Diseases of the female reproductive system - depending on the type of disease, appropriate therapy is selected. If these are tumors and malignant lesions, then the patient is waiting for a course of chemotherapy.
  • Diseases of the male reproductive system - the principle of treatment is the same as for lesions of the female reproductive system. In men, urine color disorders most often appear with prostatitis, alcohol abuse and smoking.

The most effective way to get rid of brown urine is to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Particular attention should be paid to the hygiene of the genital organs. This applies to a large extent to men, because due to the entry of microbes into the prostate, the excreted biological fluid acquires a brown tint. But no matter what reasons caused the deviation, timely seeking medical help will help maintain health.

Prevention of brown urine

Prevention of brown urine is needed to prevent the appearance dangerous diseases. So, before using any medications, you should carefully read the instructions and ask your doctor about possible changes in the color of urine. To prevent diseases that cause deviation, it is recommended to perform the following procedures:

Urinary tract infections

  • Urinate at the first urge to urinate and immediately after intercourse.
  • Drink more liquid.
  • After urination, wiping should be from front to back.
  • Stones in the kidneys
  • Limit salt, spinach, rhubarb, and protein.
  • Drink more water.

Cancers of the kidneys and bladder

  • Quit smoking and alcohol.
  • Drink more water.
  • Maintain normal weight.
  • Maintain physical activity and a healthy diet.
  • Avoid exposure to toxins and hazardous chemicals.

In addition, it is necessary to treat any inflammatory and infectious diseases in a timely manner. Since it is they who most often provoke violations from the excretory system.

Brown urine prognosis

The prognosis of changes in the color of urine depends on what cause they are caused. If this is provoked by the diet, then it is worth reviewing the foods used. In case of deviation caused medicines, it is enough to stop taking them and the color of the liquid returns to normal. But if the defect is caused by a serious disease, then ignoring it is a danger to life, therefore it has a negative prognosis.

Brown urine is a common occurrence faced by both adults and children. Many reasons and factors provoke its appearance. If it is accompanied by additional painful symptoms, you should seek medical help. Timely diagnosis will allow to identify and eliminate any pathology, while normalizing the color of urine.