This is what the color of your urine tells you about your health

As a means of eliminating waste and excess water that the body does not need, urine performs a crucial function in the body. Urine passes through the urinary system, a pathway that contains the kidneys that filter waste products from the blood, before leaving your body. It can be used to diagnose a variety of diseases. In fact, the color of your urine can reveal important information about your internal health. Dehydration is usually indicated by dark yellow urine, while reddish urine can be cancerous. There are many other causes of pink, brown, purple, or milky urine, including the foods you eat, the medications you take, and certain medical conditions.

Many disorders can be diagnosed by the color of urine:

Due to the urobilin pigment produced by the body, typical urine is pale yellow in color. Depending on how much water you drink, the typical color of urine can vary from straw yellow to dark yellow. The kidneys take more water from urine when you are dehydrated, such as after exercise in the heat, and return it to the body to keep the water balance in check. As a result, the natural pigments of urine concentrate, giving it a dark yellow hue.

If you consume more water than your body needs, your kidneys will excrete the extra water as colorless urine. Urine is often colorless if we are sufficiently hydrated.

Urine that is dark yellow often results from jaundice. Your urine may appear dark yellow or orange if you are taking medications such as B-complex vitamins, sulfasalazine (used to treat ulcerative colitis) or phenazopyridine (used to relieve discomfort from urinary tract infections).

Sometimes the urine may be reddish in color due to internal bleeding in the urinary tract, for example, due to stones, cancer or infection. In cases of primary glomerular disorders known as glomerulonephritis, the urine may also be reddish.

Never ignore dark brown colored urine as it could be the first sign of bladder or kidney cancer. Kidney stones and urinary tract infections are additional possible causes. Dehydration, a urinary tract infection, or long-term urinary catheter use can all be indicators of cloudy urine.