Video
Body Check – Urine Transcript
Dr Christian: We all feel the relief of a quick pit stop, but a trip to the loo might also reveal something more telling.
Urine is a mix of excess water and waste from all over the body. Its yellow colour comes from a pigment in the red blood cells. The spectrum can stretch from the almost clear to the dark orange – and it’s simply a matter of hydration, which is affected by how much water we drink and how much we sweat out.
What we’ve had to eat can also have some affect on our pee – causing different smells or colours as can any medications or supplements.
If you find, however, that an unusual smell or colour continues for no apparent reason it would be worth discussing with your doctor.
So here are a few things to look out for:
Very dark urine that is unaffected by what you drink is maybe characteristic of a liver disorder such as viral hepatitis.
Pink or red tinges could mean there is blood in the urine; but this could just be from strenuous exercise or a minor infection, stones or in rare cases a sign of kidney or bladder cancer.
Cloudy urine could mean a number of things, it could just be a little debris or in women could be a sign of cystitis. In men, it could highlight a sexually transmitted infection or less commonly a condition called retrograde ejaculation which is where semen enters the bladder and then clouds the urine.
How often you need to go can also indicate there might be a problem, excessive weeing – even when not hydrated can be a sign of diabetes.
Next time you go, take a look and remember to keep on an eye on anything unusual that keeps reoccurring – and don’t forget to tell us about what you find.
For this body check and others featured on the site we want to hear about your findings. So please come back to share your results and discuss them with other site users.
If you have any other problems passing water such as leaking, burning sensation or pain then make sure you speak to your GP or pharmacist.
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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I am 13 years old and i have a extremely painful burning sensation when i go for a we. I have had blood before and i still do sometimes. I went to my doctor and they said just to drink more water. I have done this and it has done nothing. I have had this for about 4-5 yearss noww,please help
Have you tried drinking more fluids - water - juices? If so and things are the same. Go back to your doctor and explain. They should take a sample to look for different things such as bugs and microbes in your pee. Also will need to check if you have any other problems such as kidney illnesses. Having pain when peeing and blood is NOT Normal and need investigations.
I GET CLOUDY URINE ON A REGULAR BASIS. NOT ALL THE TIME BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS IT IS VERY THICK AND WHITE. WHAT CAN THIS BE?
i have had milky colored urine for about 2 weeks or more. after done urinating, i have a strange sensation at the end of my urithra like tingling. what could be happening? my doctor will not give me the time of day to talk to me about what the problem could be.
after a gallbladder removal opeation my urine is very dark and also not a lot of it. I have drunk alot of water and it doesn't seem to be helping. I visited my gp and he didn't seem overly concerned, but I am.
i want to know why my urine is cloudy and why i have white stuff coming from my privates?? can any one help ?? thanks
Well after going to so many doctors my constipation and urine infection is still the same. I have also faced so much embarrassment cos all my docs have been male and I am a female. All those docs have seen my parts and seen me wee and poo. They'd ask me to take of my pants and trousers of and when I need to poo or wee call then to the ward so they can see what happens when I wee or poo
I have range of Colors mainly dark. I've had a urine infection since I was small it was thought to be treated when I realised it wasn't. But when doctors saw the wee sample-I used a clear see through funnel to wee in so the doctor could see parts. Well there was no room available for privacy and no toilets available so I did it out in the reception. My check up was as well cos I was in so much pain down below. Sometimes my bladder feels bursting but then only one drop comes out an it hurts.
Sometimes when I feel bursting to wee i sit on the seat expecting lots to come out but only a few drops come out. It hurts in my parts( female ) when Only few drops come out.
I go to the toilet and I find my pants wet or damp. Occasionally I find this white goey stuff smeared in my pants. My urine changes color all the time sometimes dark and sometimes light. When it's dark it gives me pains.
I have to go to the wee a lot and can not seem to hold on for long plus if I walk for a mile or so when I go to the toilet I bleed and have blood clots come out I do have diabetes and only have 1 kidney I am 54 year old male
