Your urine can reveal a lot about your health and lifestyle. Urine has been used as a diagnostic tool since the dawn of medicine. For example, it can show what’s going on in your body about the level of hydration. When blood flows through the kidneys, extra waste and water are filtered out, resulting in urine production. This urine carrying the waste and toxic materials passes through the tubes in the kidneys and is then stored in the urinary bladder until you urinate.
Urine is approximately 95% water, with the remainder made up of hundreds of inorganic and organic chemicals that exit the body. Suppose you do not consume enough water throughout the day. In that case, there will ultimately be dehydration on a cellular level leading to insufficient detoxication of the harmful substances circulating in your body.
What Does The Colour of My Urine Mean?
The colour of your urine can be an excellent indicator of your level of hydration as well as several pathologies.
- Clear urine indicates adequate hydration as well as potential overhydration.
- Pale yellow urine indicates sufficient water intake and hydration level.
- Dark yellow urine means that you should consume more fluids.
- Dehydration can be shown by amber-coloured urine.
- Various foods or medications can cause orange urine or indicate possible liver problems.
- Certain foods or medications can produce pink or red urine or reveal the presence of blood in the urine.
- Some drugs or food dyes can make blue or green urine, but it can also be a symptom of a bacterial infection.
- Dark-brown urine may indicate liver or kidney issues.
What Does the Smell of My Urine Tell Me?
Changes in the odour and colour of your urine are usually harmless, but they can occasionally signal a medical condition. Urine has a mild odour when it is normal and healthy.
- Dehydration can result in a robust and ammonia-like smell, indicating that your body is running low on fluids.
- If the smell of your urine is sweet or like ammonia, this could be an indication of a urinary tract infection (UTI).
- A yeasty odour may imply bacteria from a yeast infection.
- Urine that has a foul smell can indicate a sexually transmitted disease.
- If you have been experiencing the urge to urinate more frequently than expected and the urine has a fruity smell, you could have type 2 diabetes.
- Some individuals may be born with a genetic condition that alters the smell of their urine. Trimethylaminuria occurs when the body cannot degrade trimethylamine, a chemical molecule with a pungent smell similar to rotten eggs that you can also notice in urine.
- Ovulating women do not notice a change in urine odour, but hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can give them a heightened sense of smell, making them more sensitive to scent.
- Your urine odour may alter due to pregnancy hormones when you get pregnant. A strong urine odour could also indicate a urinary tract infection, which pregnant women are more likely to get.
If you have any concerns regarding changes in your urine or observe anything out of the norm, you should always consult your doctor. Nonetheless, it is essential to understand your health, hydration level, and changes in the urine. Fantastic Life’s primary goal is to educate and guide people on living healthier and more fulfilling lives. In addition, you can subscribe to their nutritional plans created by naturopaths and nutritionists to maintain adequate hydration every day.