What your urine can tell you about your health

Take a look at our urine colour chart and see what the colour of your pee reveals about your health.

Before we delve into the specifics, let’s first clarify what urine is and the purpose it serves.

Urine is a liquid waste product made by your kidneys to filter out excess water, salts, and waste substances from your blood. Despite the toxins and waste, it’s around 95% water, with the rest depending on what you’ve eaten, drank or been otherwise exposed to.

These factors can alter the colour, smell, and quality of your urine, and sometimes, these changes offer important clues about your health.

Your urine is one of the clearest indicators of your body’s overall balance and hydration. By knowing what to look for, you can catch signs of dehydration, infections, or other health issues early.

Dr. Caroline Fontana Lead Prescribing Doctor

In general, urine should be pale yellow, with occasional clear urine. This usually means you are drinking enough water.

There are many reasons why your urine may be another colour, with some meaning; you may need to see a doctor. Keep reading to find out what each colour can tell you about your health.

The colour of your urine is the most obvious indicator of your hydration and general health. While each case is different, keep reading to discover what the colour of your urine can reveal about your health, and what you can do to address it.

Clear - Well hydrated

While the occasional clear urine is generally fine and means you are well hydrated, consistently clear urine may indicate overhydration.

Drinking too much water can deplete electrolytes and cause nausea, confusion, and muscle cramps. If your pee is always clear, you may need to cut back on how much water you drink.

Clear urine can also indicate kidney problems. If you also experience excessive thirst or frequent urination, consult a GP to rule out serious health problems.

Pale yellow - Ideal hydration

Pale yellow is the ideal colour of urine and usually means you are well-hydrated and healthy. Bright yellow urine is also common and often harmless, especially if you're taking vitamin supplements like B vitamins, which can cause this change. However, pale yellow is generally better, as it suggests your body has the right balance of fluids.

By drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water per day, you should be hydrating yourself well enough to have urine this colour. Keep track of how much you are drinking every day and make an effort to drink more if you consistently fall below the recommended amount.

Dark yellow/amber - Dehydrated

Dark yellow coloured urine often indicates dehydration, meaning you need to drink more water.

It’s normal for pee to occasionally be this colour, but if it’s consistently dark yellow, you could benefit from drinking more fluids. It may help to set reminders on your phone to drink water, or to buy a large water bottle and set yourself a goal to finish and refill it at certain points throughout the day.

Dark yellow urine can signal that your body is lacking fluids, especially if you’ve been sweating, fasting, or drinking caffeine or alcohol. Aim for at least 6–8 glasses of water a day, and include hydrating foods like cucumber, watermelon, and yoghurt in your diet.

Silvia Fonda Nutritionist

Orange - Medical issue

If your pee is orange, it’s highly likely you are not drinking enough water and are dehydrated. However, orange urine can also be caused by certain foods, medications, or, more importantly, liver issues.

• Foods – carrots, carrot juice, and foods and supplements containing vitamins A, C, or B12 can cause urine to turn orange in colour.
• Medications – Phenazopyridine (a UTI treatment), laxatives containing senna, and some chemotherapy medicines for cancer can turn urine orange.
• Liver issues – liver disease can cause a build-up of bilirubin, a yellowish pigment produced by the liver. This causes urine to turn a darker colour.

If your urine is still orange after hydrating, see a doctor to rule out liver problems or side effects from medicines.

Pink/red - Blood in urine

Pink or red pee can be a sign of blood in the urine (hematuria), but can also be caused by eating certain foods like beetroot, rhubarb, or blueberries.

The most common cause of blood in urine is a urinary tract infection (UTI), like cystitis, but it can also be caused by kidney stones, kidney infections, and urethritis. If you experience pink or red urine and think you are peeing blood, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out serious health conditions.

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Seeing blood in your urine is never something to ignore. While it may be caused by something minor, like a urinary tract infection, it can also signal a more serious issue, such as kidney stones or even bladder cancer. If you experience pink or red urine, get it checked by a healthcare professional.

Dr. Caroline Fontana Lead Prescribing Doctor

Blue/green - Affected by foods or medications

Blue or green coloured urine is rare, and usually caused by certain foods or medications.

The most common cause is artificial food colourings found in some sweets and medications. If this is the culprit, there is usually no cause for concern - simply limit your intake of these if possible and see if the colour of your urine changes back.

Less commonly, blue or green urine can be linked to certain urine infections among other underlying conditions. In these cases, the discolouration may be a sign of a medical issue that needs attention.

If the unusual colour persists or is accompanied by pain, fever, or changes in urination, consult a doctor for help.

Brown - Severe dehydration

Brown urine often indicates severe dehydration. People who experience this will benefit greatly from drinking more water throughout the day. If it doesn’t improve, something more serious could be responsible.

• Foods – Fava beans, aloe, or rhubarb can temporarily darken urine.
• Medications – Some antibiotics (like metronidazole), muscle relaxants (such as methocarbamol), and antimalarial drugs can cause brown urine as a side effect.
• Liver or kidney conditions – Brown urine may indicate a problem with the liver or kidneys. Rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscle tissue breaks down, can also turn urine brown and requires emergency medical care.

Cloudy - Underlying condition

Cloudy urine is usually a sign of an underlying health condition that may require you to see a doctor. Cloudy urine may be caused by:

• Urinary tract infection, like cystitis
• A kidney condition
• Chronic illnesses, like diabetes
• The presence of pus, blood, or excess proteins, often linked to infections or kidney problems
• Leukocytes in urine (white blood cells)

If you're pregnant and notice cloudy urine, it could be a sign of preeclampsia, a serious condition involving high blood pressure and protein in the urine that requires immediate medical attention.

If your urine is foggy, cloudy, foamy or bubbly, it should be assessed by a doctor to rule out underlying health conditions.

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Persistent cloudy urine should always be checked by a healthcare professional to rule out any serious underlying conditions.

Dr. Caroline Fontana Lead Prescribing Doctor

Healthy pee scent is usually mild. Smelly urine usually indicates something is wrong.

Stronger-smelling urine, often darker in colour, can be a sign of dehydration, an underlying health issue, or something as simple as your recent food or drink. Here are the most common urine smells and what they usually indicate:

Most healthy people urinate roughly 4-8 times per day, and this usually means you are drinking enough water.

However, some people find they pee far more often than this. Frequent urination is usually caused by:

• High fluid intake
• Too much caffeine or alcohol
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Urinary conditions

9 reasons you need to pee so often

If you urinate significantly more or less than normal and you aren’t sure why, consult a doctor to rule out urinary tract infections or underlying health conditions like diabetes.

Dr. Caroline Fontana Lead Prescribing Doctor

Some variation in the colour, smell, or frequency of your urine is normal and rarely a cause for concern. However, there are a few red flags to be aware of:

• Blood in urine
• An unusual smell or colour that persists
• Pain or burning when peeing
• Cloudy and/or bubbly urine
• Unexplained changes lasting more than a few days

If you experience any of these, consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Even if it ends up being something mundane, it’s always worth getting it checked to rule out anything serious.

Urinary problems are often caused by a urinary tract infection, like cystitis. Click the link below to learn more and to see if you are eligible for treatment.

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