Your urine can change colors after eating certain foods, taking certain medications or having certain infections. The appearance and smell of your urine can tell a lot about your diet and health. What you do, or don't, put into your body can affect the color of your urine. It's imperative to seek professional medical care for a correct diagnosis and proper treatment.
Foods
Eating certain foods or taking certain vitamins can influence the color of your urine. Eating carrots can give your urine an orange hue, while B vitamins and asparagus can turn your urine green. Your urine can turn red or pink from eating foods such as blackberries and beets. Foods such as fava beans, aloe and rhubarb can turn your urine brown or tea-colored.
Drinks
Not drinking enough fluids can cause your urine to appear darker, indicating dehydration. If you've had a busy day in the office or at home with your family, you might not have had enough fluid throughout the day, which would give your urine a darker hue. Dehydration occurs when your output exceeds your intake. If you've had a vigorous day working in the yard while sweating and didn't drink enough fluids, this can lead to dehydration, which can give your urine a very dark yellow or amber appearance. Juices containing vegetables such as carrots or beets can have a similar effect in changing the hue of your urine, just as it would if you ate the vegetables. Even drinking a glass of water while dehydrated can help replenish some of your body's water supply, giving your urine a light yellow appearance.
Other Causes
Infections and other conditions can give your urine a different color. It's very important that you don't overlook a change in urine color and mistake it for a dietary change. Kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and toxins such as lead and mercury can cause your urine to change in color and appearance. Too much protein in your urine might also change the color of your urine, making it appear dark and cloudy.
Considerations
If you begin to notice a consistent change in the color of your urine, schedule an appointment with your health care provider. A temporary change, especially hours after you've eaten beets, might not necessarily indicate a potential problem. However, a change in color lasting for more than two days might indicate a potentially serious problem.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Urine Color Causes
- "Urinalysis and Body Fluids"; Susan Strasinger and Marjorie Dilorenzo; 2008
