Video
Body Check: Urine
We all feel the relief of a quick pit stop, but a trip to the loo could also be more telling. In this video, Dr Christian talks about potential health problems that can be spotted from checking your urine.
The colour of urine can stretch from the almost clear to a dark orange and it’s simply a matter of hydration. Food can also have an effect on colour and can cause different smells, as can any medications or supplements.
Dark, red, or cloudy urine that is unaffected by food or drink can be characteristic of underlying conditions such as liver disease, kidney stones, cystitis or STIs.
How often you go can also indicate a problem as excessive urination can be a sign of diabetes.
If an unusual colour or smell persists for no apparent reason or if you have problems passing urine such as leaking, burning sensations or pain it would be worth discussing it with a GP.
We want to hear about your findings, so please click the link below and add your results to our national survey.
+++UPDATE+++
From the 5th-12th May 2009 we conducted a National Health Survey to find out what the state of the nation’s urine was.
Around 80% of our respondents were women, with nearly two-thirds of these under the age of 30.
The good news was that nearly three-quarters of responders were reporting normal, light coloured urine (numbers 1-3). As urine colour is mostly dictated by hydration levels, this indicates a good level of fluid intake amongst those people.
Darker urine can be caused by certain foodstuffs, but it is probably dehydration that is to blame. If your urine is always dark, even after heavy fluid consumption, get this checked out by your GP as it can be a symptom of other illnesses.
Around 20% of you reported an unusual smell when urinating. What you have eaten is the most common cause of funny smelling urine, with beer, garlic and coffee causing unusual smells. If your urine smells extremely sweet on a regular basis, then this can be a sign of sugars being excreted (a possible sign of diabetes) and should be checked out by your Doctor.
Cloudy urine was also present in a around a fifth of responders and is common as a result of an infection, such as cystitis, but in men it can be a sign of an STI or less commonly a condition such as retrograde ejaculation, where sperm enters the bladder.
Only a handful of respondents reported red tinges in their urine. If this is a one off, it’s probably nothing to worry about and could just be a burst blood vessel. If it persists, it could be a symptom of something more serious, such as an injury.
Finally, a few people reported that their urine was green in colour. This could be caused by certain foods (such as asparagus), but it can also be a sign of a sexual infection, such as gonorrhea. As a result it should be looked at by a medical professional.
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out the Channel 4 Health site or NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
ello im 20 years old i had sex on sunday and didnt use eneyfink and 2day my wee is really strong and smells funny and ive been gettin really bad pains in my belly and i duno wot this is and its really scarey it wud be great if u can tell me if its sumfink 2 worrie about or not fank you
Hi, every time i wee it seems to be a yellow colour as it should be, but when i drink alcohol it goes white, with no colour insicated at all. Alcohol should dehydrate you not hydrate you shouldnt it?
I am on the pill and my urine just went darker is it a sign of anything? and have diahroea im really scared could you help?
Hi, i'm a 16 year old girl and for some reason when I go to wee lately it's a darkish yellow in colour and it's cloudy, I'm also worried as it has a not very pleseant smell to it either, I have been sexually active for a bit now, but only with one my current partner and we always use a condom, so i dont see how it could be an sti. please help?
Hi Im 14 Years Old And Im Scared I Have A Sti I Need Your Help Because I Am Needing To Go Toilet More Often But When I go Nothing Comes Out The Last Few Days I Have Been Passing Blood Im Scared To Tell My Parent's Because I Had Unprotected Sex Few Days Ago What Shall I Do?
Thankyou
whenever i go to the toilet my urine smells it's very strong like protein what could be causing this. I eat healthy fruit for breakfast a salad for lunch and vegtables for tea.About a year ago i was rushed into hospital turned out i had fluid on my pelvis, the doctors even said then my urine had tracies of protein.
Ihave a problem for the pass 16 to 17 year.It keep having burning, itching and pain when i passmy urine, it ever happen even if i dont want to go. And i also pee very often some time i pee myself up i go to so many doctors and none of them tense tofix the problem it so bad and pain i ofto keep rubbing my vagina and rubbing the button of my tummy to ease the pain i cry when ever i want to pee because of the pain itching and burning i tense to hold my pee because i know what going to happen i am tired of it now what can i do for this to go away it is so shameful i can go out and dont ofto been running to the toliet please help me i being to so much doctor for it it is also messing with my sex life because i have to pee before i have sex and them pee again when i finish. please help me
i went for the morning after pill & today a have been getting wierd bladder pains and when i have a wee it really hurts and it comes out red and am really worried what is wrong with me ?
just before i finish my wee,i get a sharp pain wich forces me to tense and nearly screem!i think it's to do with me recently starting having sex,but im not sure.please help.
Hi, I am on Lithium and absolutely hate the drug for it's side effects but love what it does for my mind. However I am at my wits end wit it. I am sure it is causing me to have cloudy urine and also painful feet. I have put on so much weight too. I also get up every 1-2 hours in the night to go to wee. I haven't had a full night sleep in two years. I hear of people with Bipolar that can have a normal life but with all these side effects making me depressed I can't even tidy the house! I have thyroid problems too but the doctors don't want to take me off lithium. I have been asking everytime I go. They always have an excuse. What could be my wee problems. Are the feet connected. Also what altenative mood stabliser would you suggest.