What is Urine color?

Urine color is variable because it depends on various factors, such as the amount of water and food consumed, as well as medications ingested, altering urine dilution, making it lighter or darker, an aspect that also has to do with the concentration of urochrome, which is a pigment present in urine.

Urinary shades range from light amber to dark brown, going through all the intermediate variations between both.

Although many times urine coloration will be due to the intake of foods such as beets or drugs that can make the urine look orange, red, or blue, sometimes the color changes can be caused by conditions such as hepatitis, diabetes, urinary tract infections, porphyria, or cancer.

Here is a brief description of the main colorations and their possible cause:

Pink or reddish:

Hematuria: the presence of blood in the urine due to infections, kidney stones and cysts, prostatitis, or cancer.
Food: red fruits and beets.
Drugs: certain antibiotics and laxatives.
Strenuous physical activity.

Orange:

Drugs: anti-inflammatories, laxatives, and chemotherapy.
Conditions: liver or biliary problems.

Bluish:

Food: food colorings and dyes used for kidney and bladder tests.
Drugs: antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, and anesthetics.
Conditions: urinary tract infections and hypercalcemia.

Dark brown:

Food: excessive consumption of foods such as aloe or beans.
Drugs: some antimalarials, antibiotics, laxatives, and muscle relaxants.
Conditions: kidney and liver conditions, as well as urinary infections.
Strenuous physical activity.

Signs and symptoms Urine color

Hematuria:
It is usually caused by kidney or gallstones, as well as urinary infections, and is accompanied by discomfort or pain. When there is bleeding that does not cause pain, it may be a sign of cancer.
Orange or dark brown urine:
It can be a sign of liver diseases such as hepatitis if it is accompanied by jaundice and light-colored stools.

Diagnosis and treatment Urine color

Once your doctor analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, they will perform a physical examination and request the following tests:

Urine test: the levels of protein, minerals, bacteria, and the presence of blood can be verified.
Blood test: To measure creatinine and urea nitrogen levels to confirm possible kidney and liver damage.

The treatment will be established based on the condition that has caused the urine color change.

At ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments

Internal medicine
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

topdoctors.es
medlineplus.gov
mayoclinic.org
cuidateplus.marca.com
cun.es
medigraphic.com
Rivera CAE, Sánchez GJM, Escalante J, et al. Utilidad de la densidad urinaria en la evaluación del rendimiento físico. Rev Mex Patol Clin Med Lab. 2008;55(4):239-253.
Rodríguez CTL. Síndrome de la bolsa colectora de orina de color púrpura. RCU. 2017;6(2):78-83.
Zarnowski VD, Salazar SA, Zarnowski GA. Infección del tracto urinario adquirida en la comunidad. Revista Médica Sinergia. 2021;6(09):.
Paz-Montañez JJ, Mueses-Guerrero Y, Restrepo-Restrepo JM, et al. Hematuria en la niñez: revisión sistemática cualitativa. Medicina & Laboratorio. 2017;23(07-08):351-364.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is Urine color?

Signs and symptoms Urine color

Diagnosis and treatment Urine color

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Urine color