Discolored Urine

Under normal circumstances, urine color is usually, clear or slightly yellowish with slight odor of ammonia. Urine may at times be discolored, which is a cause of concern. Pinkish or red colored urine may be due to bleeding in your urinary tract which would require your immediate attention. If the urine is cloudy or milky, it may be due to kidney stone or some infection in the bladder. Discolored urine may also be due to some diseases like jaundice or diabetes.

However, discolored urine may not necessarily be due to some infection or ailment, but may also be due what you consume. If you consume a lot of beet, your urine may be red in color and it may seem like blood in urine. On the other hand, if you consume a lot of asparagus, your urine may become green, while consumption of food rich in vitamin B6 may give your urine a distinctive smell. Dark yellow urine means that your body is dehydrated and you need to consume enough water.

Causes of Discolored Urine

There may be several reasons for discolored urine - the most common being, consumption of a particular kind of food, drugs, etc. or some or the other disorder. If you find that your urine is discolored, and you have not been consuming anything which may make your urine discolored, you must consult your doctor immediately. Let's take a look at the possible causes for discolored urine.

Pink or Red Urine
The major reasons for urine becoming red in color are medications, food, infections and toxins in the body. If you have consumed foods like blackberries and beet, your urine may become red. There are some laxatives like Ex-lax that can make your urine red. Drugs like thioridazine and chlorpromazine also can make urine red. If your prostate gland enlarges or if there is any tumor, kidney infection, bladder stone you may have red urine. Lead or mercury poisoning which may cause your urine to become red.

Orange Urine
Your urine may become orange due to medications which you may be taking or due to foods and supplements which you may be taking. If you have been consuming supplements rich in vitamin C like carrot or winter squash your urine is likely to become orange. Medicines which may turn your urine orange include rifampin, warfarin and phenazopyridine.

Green Urine
At times you may find that your urine may become green due to consumption of foods like Asparagus. On the other hand, if you have been on some medications like Phenergan, cimetidine, indomethacin or amitriptyline, it may be one of the causes.

Brown Urine
If you have been consuming foods like aloe, rhubarb or fave beans your urine may turn brown. A number of drugs like primaquine, chloroquine, nitrofurantoin and metronidazole may turn your urine brown. Tyrosinemia, a rare hereditary diseases or disorders of the liver such as cirrhosis and hepatitis can cause your urine to turn brown.

Cloudy or Murky Urine
Kidney stones or urinary tract infection are the main causes of or murky or cloudy urine. This may be caused due to the presence of phosphates, fat, epithelial cells, mucus, bacteria, white blood cells or red blood cells in urine.

Discolored Urine in Children

Many a time it is found that the urine of children are discolored. It happens when there is bacterial infection in the urinary tract. The kidneys, urethra, bladders and the ureters comprise the urinary tract and each of these organs play a vital role in excreting unwanted waste from the body. There may be an infection in any of these organs and most commonly the bladders and urethra are infected. In children, usually bacteria is not found in urine, but they can enter from the surrounding skin of the anus. Girls at a very young age are more prone to urinary tract infection than boys, therefore chances of discolored urine in girls is more commonly found. Other than infection, urine may be discolored due to the consumption of certain foods or if they are under certain medications. So, it's always better to consult your doctor if you find that the urine of your child is discolored.

Discolored Urine during Pregnancy

During pregnancy, you may find that the urine is discolored, but there is nothing to worry about that. Several changes take place in your body when you are pregnant. These changes may cause discoloration of urine. Usually, there are three main reasons for discoloration of urine - consuming less water, consuming food which contain yellow pigment and using prenatal vitamins. If urine is discolored due to one of these reasons, make sure that you consume a lot of water so that it dilutes the urine. This condition is temporary, and would go away within a day or two. However, if discolored urine is accompanied with burning sensation or pain, make sure that you consult a physician.

Take care of your diet and don't forget to consume a lot of water. If discolored urine is accompanied with pain, it's a cause of worry; if you keep it untreated, it may cause serious medical condition.