Do you know what is responsible for the normal yellow color of your urine? If no, then find an answer related to this simple question in the following article.
People are often trying to know the reason behind their urine color. This is because they detect a difference in the appearance from the usual one. Usually the pee is yellow. So, when one notices that it no longer has the light yellow shade, they begin to worry.
When you know what causes the regular tint, it will be easier to understand the conditions that lead to the passing of dark yellow, orange or even cloudy excretion. So, before we go into the causes behind it, let us understand what we mean by normal urine.
What is Normal Urine
It is always a good idea to keep a tab when you pee. Normal one indicates that all is well with the body. Any underlying conditions like an infection, proteinuria, diabetes or hypertension can be indicated by the appearance of your pee. Also, if you overeat a particular type of food, like carrots, fava beans, aloe, asparagus, etc., the urination could turn orange, green, blue or even brown in color.
It does not have a strong odor, contains a few bubbles and negligible foam. Its consistency is clear, thus, indicating that your body system is working fine. Most of the time, the changes are harmless. These changes are temporary, and may occur due to presence of certain food dyes, natural food colors or prescription drugs. So, let us find out the reason behind the yellow tint.
Why is Urine Yellow-colored
It is a sterile liquid waste product that is secreted by the kidneys into the bladder. From the bladder, the pee is excreted out of the body through a process called urination. It passes through the urethra from the bladder outside the body. The waste passed is rich in nitrogen that is removed from the bloodstream as a by-product. Excess water from the body, along with sugar, urea, as well as other toxins are removed in this process. It is a transparent solution that is colorless or amber-colored. Usually, it appears pale or light yellow.
The yellow tint of the pee is due to presence of the substance called urobilin. Urobilin, is a waste product that is formed after the breakdown of heme in the hemoglobin. This occurs during the destruction of old blood cells within the body. Thus, urobilin is the reason behind the regular yellow urine.
Color Chart
Apart from the usual one, there are different urine shades that are observed. Let us take a look at them and what they mean:
♦ Dark Yellow : Dehydration
♦ Light Orange : Excess vitamin B or presence of medications like rifampin and phenazopyridine in bloodstream
♦ Bloody Urine : Known as hematuria and a sign of bladder infection
♦ Brown or dark orange : Indicative symptom of Gilbert’s syndrome, jaundice or rhabdomyolysis
♦ Dark or Black : Known as melanuria and is caused by melanoma
♦ Fluorescent Yellow/Green : Excessive dietary vitamins like vitamin B in the bloodstream
♦ Pinkish or Greenish Tint : Excessive consumption of beet or asparagus
Remember, urobilin is the substance that gives it the yellow tinge. Whenever you come across the above changes in your urine color, don’t hesitate to visit your urologist and get it examined.
