What your poop and pee color tells you about your health
A bright red pee appeared out of nowhere. I panicked, thinking that it was an indication of terminal illness. I then remembered that I had eaten three of the delicious roasted beetroot pies served the night before at the party.
The color of urine and bowel movements can be affected by medications, vitamins, or artificial colors. Knowing what color changes can be attributed to foods or drugs will save you time and worry. It may also alert you to go to the doctor sooner.
Beeturia
The term “beeturia” is used to describe red urine that occurs after eating beetroot. The pigment betalain is responsible for the red color. It can also be found in flower petals, fruits, leaves, stems, and roots. Beet Red, or the additive 162 as it is called on food labels, is a concentrated beetroot extraction that can be added to “pink” products, such as ice cream.
The amount of beetroot eaten, the way it is prepared, and the type will determine whether or not betalain makes your urine red. Betalain can be destroyed by heat and light.
The amount of betalain that enters the digestive tract is dependent on stomach acid levels and stomach emptying rates (people who take medications to lower stomach acid are more likely to have beeturia). Once in the bloodstream, the betalain pigments are filtered by the kidneys. The majority is excreted two to eight hours following a meal.
Bleeding, infection, an enlarged prostate, or cancer can cause red urine that persists. Cysts and kidney stones may also occur after a marathon. See your doctor if you notice red urine and haven’t eaten beetroot.
What should the color of your urine be?
Normal pee is the color of straw. If your pee looks so colorless it’s like water, then you may have drank too much.
A very dark yellow urine usually indicates that you need to drink more fluids.
Use the Cleveland Clinic Scale below to compare your pee color.
Cleveland Clinic
Strange pee colors due to drugs, food, or disease
A pee that looks like molasses or syrup requires medical attention. It could be due to dehydration, but it can also be a sign that you have liver disease such as hepatitis or cirrhosis. This is when Bilirubin builds up in your urine. Bilirubin, a breakdown product from red blood cells, is responsible for the brown color of poo.
When taking vitamin B or beta-carotene supplements, the color of your urine can change to yellow or orange. This is especially true if you take large amounts of riboflavin. These supplements are water-soluble. Your kidneys filter out what your body cannot use or store.
Some medications, such as phenazopyridine for urinary tract infection (UTI), rifampin to treat tuberculosis or Legionnaires’ disease (TB), and warfarin blood thinner, can change the color of pee.
You may have passed blue or green urine due to food dyes or Methylene Blue, which is used in certain diagnostic tests and drugs.
A range of medications may also cause blue or green urine. These include antibiotics, antibacterials, and antidepressants.
Rare genetic conditions, Hartnup syndrome, and blue diaper syndrome can cause blue-green urine. If it continues or occurs in an infant, you should consult your doctor.
Hospital staff may see purple urine. The “Purple Urine Bag” syndrome occurs in patients who have catheters, infections, or complications. The bag or catheter turns purple because of a chemical reaction that happens between urine protein breakdown products and the plastic.
It can occasionally be foamy. If you consume a lot of protein, it’s normal for pee to come out quickly. This is more common if you take protein powders and supplements. The body cannot store the excess protein, so the nitrogen component responsible for the foam is removed. It’s then excreted as urea by the kidneys.
If the frothiness persists or worsens, consult your doctor. Kidney disease can cause the protein to leak into urine.
Rainbow colors of the poo
Normal poo colors range between light yellow and brown. The color is due to a mixture of Bile, which starts green in the gallbladder, and Bilirubin, a breakdown product from red cells.
Poo may turn green if you consume food or drink that contains blue or green colorings, or Bile remains in the intestine after eating or drinking.
If this color is associated with weight loss in an adult or poor growth in a child, see a doctor to rule out gut infections such as mine. If this color is linked to weight loss or slow growth in an adult or a child, see your doctor.
When taking anti-diarrhea medications or when digestive issues affect the liver or pancreas, you may experience very clay-colored or pale poo.
Black poo can be caused by bleeding from the stomach or the upper gut. It could also be a harmless reaction to iron supplements or licorice.
It can be caused by hemorrhoids or bleeding in the lower intestine. However, it is also harmless if you have consumed large quantities of red food coloring.
Take a look if you’re not sure what color your pee or stool is. Take a photo and show it to your doctor if you notice a stain that is out of the norm.
