Why is my Urine red?

Introduction

A neutral or close to the clear white colour of urine is a sign of good health. Every single time, if a person’s pee or urine is found to be coloured or far from clear, it is a sign that the person is suffering from a health condition.

The red or pink colour of a person’s urine can be caused by different factors and in the end, is usually a health condition. Whenever a change in urine colour is observed, it is advised that a person seeks medical attention to avoid further health complications.

Why is my Urine red?

The colour of normal urine ranges from bright yellow to amber colour. However, a variety of reasons could be the cause of coloured urine. A change in diet, medication, etc. can be the cause of urine colour change. Most times, when a urine colour changes to dark yellow or greenish-blue, because of an over the counter medication, it usually does so with a certain smell.

In a case where the colour of urine goes from yellow to brown, to pink and then red, it is most likely caused by a disease. In rare cases, when the urine changes colour to deep red, it is later discovered to be a result of porphyria, an inherited red blood cells disorder.

When this is not the case, a person’s urine colour largely depends on how much water they consume per time. This is so because when there is a high intake of water or fluids, they tend to dilute the yellow pigments in the urine. The more water intake, the clearer the colour of your urine; when there is a low water intake, the yellow pigment becomes more concentrated, thereby releasing colourful urine from the body.

List of Urine colours and their meanings

Having stated the most common and possible causes of change in the colour of urine, different urine colours can be caused by different health conditions, food intake and medications. While yellow concentrated pigment urine can be caused by dehydration or low water intake, pink coloured urine can be as a result of something else.

Red/Pink Urine: Apart from the rare inherited red blood cells condition, red or pink urine can be caused by a urinary tract infection, severe or enlarged prostate cancer, kidney conditions such as kidney or bladder stones, kidney cysts, etc. The intake of certain fruits such as beets and blackberries can also be the cause of red or pink urine, which is certainly not a problem.

Antibiotic medications for tuberculosis treatments containing Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane) can also be the cause of red or pink urine.

Dark brown Urine: Some medical conditions such as kidney and liver disorders, and urinary tract infections can be the cause of dark brown urine. A case of extreme exercise where a muscle is damaged or injured can lead to a release of dark brown urine. Anti-malarial medications such as chloroquine can equally be the cause of dark brown urine. Large intake of fava beans by a person also leads to this.

Blue or Greenish Urine: A rare inherited disorder which is sometimes called the blue diaper syndrome found in children, causes the urine to be blue in colour. A green urine most often occurs when there is a urinary tract infection caused by pseudomonas bacteria. Indomethacin, propofol and amitriptyline and are some medications responsible for blue or greenish urine.

Orange urine: Dehydration is a major cause of orange urine. Some medical conditions which can result in orange coloured urine are; problems with the bile duct, the liver and especially if the stools are also light or orange coloured. Medications which may likely be the cause of orange coloured urine include; chemotherapy drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs such as sulfasalazine.

Ordinarily, no food types can change the colours of urine to orange, except food or drink is excessively dyed to a particular colour. Most times, foods found to be excessively dyed are done in the blue and greenish colours, which are obviously no health conditions and should not cause a panic.

In conclusion, whatever the case may be, whenever it is noticed that there is no change in diet and medications for a certain treatment are not being taken, one is advised to see a doctor and seek medical attention to avoid critical health problems while the time is still right.