WHAT YOUR URINE COLOUR SAYS

Urine is a waste product made in the kidney as a means of removing unwanted substances from the body. Numerous factors affect the colour of urine, what we eat and drink goes a long way to affect our urine colour. A person that fasts from food and water on a sunny day will have dark yellow urine due to dehydration. The myth that when the urine is yellow indicates malaria is very wrong, the standard colour of urine ranges from colourless to amber to light yellow depending on various factors. Alcohol in the system and when over hydrated especially in cool environments can lead to a very clear urine with high volume. Vegetables can change urine colour. Drugs can change urine colour and odour e.g.Rifampicin can make the urine colour orange in colour. Below are urine colours and what they stand for:

·         Yellow/light orange may be caused by removal of excess B vitamins from the blood

·         Bloody urine is a symptom of wide variety of medical conditions

·         Dark orange to brown urine can be a symptom of jaundice, rhabdomyolysis or Gilbert’s syndrome

·         Black or dark coloured urine may be caused by melanoma

·         Pinkish urine can result from the consumption of beets

·         Greenish urine can result from the consumption of asparagus

·         Reddish or brown urine may be caused by porphyria

·         Blue urine may be caused by the ingestion of methylene blue e.g. in medications

·         Blue urine stains can be caused by blue diaper syndrome

·         Purple urine may be due to purple urine bag syndrome

The odour of normal urine can reflect what has been consumed or specific diseases. Sweet smell is sugar in urine which indicates diabetes. Asparagus, onions, saffron, tuna fish, alcohol, coffee can affect the scent of urine.

The normal urine volume is 1-2 litres per day but this can be affected by some factors. In very hot conditions, the body tends to save more water especially when a lot is lost sweating. If you feel the urge to ease yourself and you engage in an activity that increases sweating without drinking any fluid to replenish that urge will suddenly disappear because the body will make use of all water in the body when necessary. Expect much urine when you take alcohol, in cold weather, in air conditioned vehicles etc. Expect low urine volume in hot weather, when engaging in activities that make you sweat.

Drinking of urine is very wrong even in survival conditions it only makes thirst worse, rather soak a cloth in urine and place it on the head.