Light urine: causes and effective methods of eliminating it

A change in the color of discharge always alarms a person, because such a symptom often means that he has some kind of disease. Normal - yellow or light yellow color of the secreted liquid is provided by special pigment compounds that are contained in its composition. These include uroerythrin, urobilin, urochrome.

If the urine is colorless, and this symptom appears regularly, it can be assumed that pigment dyes have disappeared from it, kidney diseases have developed, or physiological factors have influenced the color.

Why does a man, woman or child produce urine that is colorless like water? Our article will help you clarify this complex issue for yourself.

Causes

The loss of normal urine color is not in all cases caused by pathological changes. When consuming a significant amount of liquid or increasing its content in foods, the concentration of urine decreases, and then it comes out light. If you stop taking large amounts of liquid, the color of your urine will return. In addition, transparency appears due to the use of diuretics or diuretic drinks in bulk quantities (tea, coffee).

When light-colored urine is associated with repeated urination, the cause is large consumption of water. But the frequent passage of urine washes out beneficial properties from the body. If reducing the drinking regime does not normalize the color and amount of biological material, then you need to contact a specialist.

Light urine, reasons for its formation:

• renal failure - the pathology is associated with serious damage to the kidneys; if treatment is not started, there is a risk of complications;
• painful changes in liver function;
• diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus – here there is clear urine, as well as a peculiar sweet smell; the appearance of diabetes insipidus is accompanied by a feeling of thirst and at the same time excessive urination, which can provoke dehydration of the body;
• urinary tract diseases;
• endocrine pathology associated with a lack of insulin;
• urolithiasis – a special sign is the appearance of stones in the kidneys and other urinary organs.

For successful treatment of diseases, the main thing is to diagnose the cause in time - this will help prevent complications.

The child has

In the first days of life, an infant’s genitourinary system is not yet fully developed, so colorless urine may pass and this is normal. For older children, the reasons are completely different. Certain medications, certain foods (cucumbers, watermelon), significant fluid intake, or pathological conditions (diabetes, kidney disorders) can all lead to changes in the color of urine.

With age-related changes, without any painful discoloration factors, urine returns to normal. And in pathological conditions, the child has urine in the form of plain water.

In men

In the stronger sex, the appearance of light urine has its own reasons:

• penetration of sperm into the urinary canal; as a result of this reason, after several hours the urine is restored spontaneously;
• diabetes, which requires drinking as much fluid as possible.

After some time, if the color of the urine does not return and looks like water, you need to look for other factors of formation. To do this, you should consult a urologist.

Among women

In the female half of the population, in addition to renal insufficiency and lack of pigment substances, there are other causes of light-colored urine.

Transparent urine during pregnancy may change the color of the urine due to hormonal imbalances. Toxicosis can also sometimes be a cause, because the expectant mother, due to dehydration of the body, begins to drink a lot of water. However, when the condition is normalized, the color takes on a natural shade.

Since women are more often affected by diabetes than men, during which there is a desire for increased fluid intake, this disease may be the cause.

It is worth noting that in older people, urine normally contains the darkest tone. And even with heavy consumption of liquid, it still has a slightly yellowish color. The most serious factor in light urine is kidney failure, which requires proper treatment.

Is light urine in a child good or bad?

Compared to children's secretions, the urine of an adult always has a more pronounced color. The child’s biological fluid acquires a light yellow hue as it grows older.

That is why, if clear urine is excreted in infants, then this phenomenon is considered normal. This color of urine is explained by the baby’s diet, because children during the first 6 months of life consume only breast milk or special adapted formulas. At this time, the child’s urinary tract is not yet mature enough, so the number of urinations reaches 20-24 per day.

When the baby turns 3 months old, the first complementary foods begin to be introduced. During this period, the discharge may change its character - become a little richer. Subsequently, the color of the urine gradually becomes yellowish.

If colorless urine continues to be excreted in a child after 6-8 months of life, parents have a reason to visit a pediatric urologist. In such a situation, it is important to promptly exclude the possibility of developing the following disorders:

• pyelonephritis;
• failure of metabolic processes in the body;
• kidney failure;
• nephritis of various etiologies;
• congenital anomalies of the urinary organs.

Matching features

In addition to the color of urine, great attention is paid (during laboratory testing) to the complete or partial transparency of the separated liquid. This is necessary to determine the diagnosis. Turbidity indicates the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the genitourinary organs. Sometimes opacity can be due to inconsistent intimate hygiene, an increase in the level of leukocytes, epithelial cells, etc.

A change in odor and clarity of urine is a reason to visit a doctor. An unusual, unpleasant, pungent odor may indicate gastrointestinal pathologies or infectious lesions of the genitourinary system. Painful and cutting sensations during urination indicate the presence of urethritis, cystitis, etc.

The discharge of urine with blood is not a good sign, confirming internal hemorrhage of the bladder or kidneys.

When does urine turn red?

Such a sign as the intensely red (burgundy) color of urine indicates massive bleeding in the urinary tract. This may be caused by:

• injury to the mucous membrane by a stone during its movement;
• destructive effect of the tumor;
• injury to the kidneys, lower urinary tract, genital organs;
• diseases with reduced blood clotting rates (hemophilia);
• hemoglobinuria.

In urolithiasis, the most common cause of bleeding is oxalate stones. They are distinguished by sharp edges and a significant wounding surface. Reddening of urine after an attack of renal colic is typical.

When muscle tissue breaks down during severe injuries, long-term compression syndrome, myoglobin appears in the blood and urine. Its presence gives urine a red-brown color.

Diagnostics

To determine the composition of urine and the presence of different elements, an analysis of its shade is performed.

The importance is as follows:

• in determining the cause of color disturbance;
• assessment of urine status;
• diagnostic measures of diseases (if any);
• establishing preventive and therapeutic actions.

It is advisable to carry out the analysis twice a year to assess the general position of the genitourinary system and kidneys.

Urine analysis also includes an assessment of the chemical and physical characteristics of the liquid and microscopy of the sediment.

When do blue-green shades of urine occur?

Blue or, more precisely, blue-tinged urine occurs in rare cases. Medicines have the ability to:

• Phenacetin – color urine brown-green (tea) or dark;
• Amitriptyline and methyl blue - green or blue-green;
• Tetracycline antibiotics have a similar effect on patients with diabetes;
• An individual reaction to taking certain vitamins is possible.

A congenital disorder of protein metabolism is associated with the accumulation of the protein tryptophan. It is found in fish, seafood, chicken, and turkey. In patients with impaired absorption, the urine acquires a blue tint.

Treatment

Treatment for urine discoloration will depend on the established diagnosis.

In case of renal impairment, the patient will require treatment with medications:

1. Analgesic medications (Indomethacin, Ibuprofen).
2. Diuretic diuretics (Bumetanide, Metolazone).
3. Antispasmodics (No-shpa, Drotaverine).
4. Medicines for dissolving stones (Cystenal, Cyston).
5. Antiseptics (Metacycline, Morphocycline).

Treatment with medications is carried out strictly as prescribed by the doctor; spontaneous choice can only worsen the person’s condition.

If you have diabetes, medications containing insulin or medications that promote its natural production are used. Diabetics should follow a strict diet. No need to eat fried, spicy, fatty foods. Exclude smoked meats, chocolate, lard, and alcoholic beverages. The diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and natural juices.

When a person's water-salt balance is altered, excess fluid may be produced. This can cause urine to come out colorless or clear.

Therapy involves the following:

• refusal of diuretic products;
• correction of drinking regime;
• treatment of associated pathologies;
• filling the body with the necessary minerals and vitamins;
• reducing the amount of salt.

If the water-salt balance is disturbed, physical gymnastics will be effective. Therapeutic exercises restore metabolism and restore body function.

Forecast

The prognosis of pathologies characterized by discoloration of urine depends on the type and severity of the disease. For type 1 diabetes mellitus, the prognosis can be called conditionally favorable. Such a person can live for a long time, but only if the therapy is effective. Such a diagnosis implies the assignment of a disability group.

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are considered incurable diseases. With type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disability can also be assigned, which is associated with severe complications of this pathology.

With timely treatment, urolithiasis has a fairly favorable prognosis, but this pathology is prone to relapses and the development of inflammatory processes, which, in the absence of proper therapy, eventually lead to renal failure. The latter pathology can boast a favorable prognosis only if kidney function is fully compensated.

In the absence of pathologies, the problem of light-colored urine is solved by reducing the amount of liquid drunk, and the color of urine is stabilized after the removal of foods and medications that tint it.

Folk recipes

Homemade drinks can normalize the water process.

The most effective are:

1. Lemon . You will need 2 liters of water, add 100 ml of lemon juice, 0.5 tsp. salt (preferably sea salt), 1 tbsp. l. natural honey.
2. Coconut . You will need 400 ml of coconut juice, 0.5 tsp. sea ​​salt, 0.5 tsp. honey and add 1 liter of water. The prepared drink will restore the color of urine and normalize water-salt metabolism.
3. Lemon-lime . Pour equal amounts of orange, lime and lemon juice into 1 liter of water and add 1 tsp. salt.

Such folk recipes compensate for the electrolytes lost by the body.

People who are sedentary and neglect bad habits are susceptible to changes in the water-salt balance. The disorder is expressed in the form of a change in the shade of urine, in the formation of joint diseases, crunching, pain in the legs and arms. There is swelling and increased blood pressure.

What does orange urine indicate?

Orange or red colored urine means:

• release from the blood of a significant amount of pigments such as urochrome and urobilinogen;
• ingestion of preservatives containing dyes, carrot juice and dishes made from carrots and oranges;
• dehydration, low fluid intake, excessive uncompensated sweating in the heat, in a sauna, during physical work;
• treatment with Chloroquine, Riboflavin, Furagin, Furadonin, Rifampicin changes the color of urine from a bright yellow tint to intense orange.

Prevention

Preventive actions are aimed at preventing the development of a disease in a person, the symptoms of which are light urine, and following the following rules:

• eliminate smoking and alcohol;
• healthy, balanced diet;
• avoid hypothermia;
• take a walk in the fresh air;
• timely treatment of gastrointestinal and kidney diseases;
• avoid psycho-emotional experiences;
• have regular medical examinations.

The prognosis for the appearance of light-colored urine with frequent urination is directly determined by the type and severity of the development of the causative disease. Clear urine on its own will not cause harm to a person, but the main illness can cause life-threatening complications.

If your urine is dark brown, what does this mean?

Most often, the dark color of urine in a child is caused by a lack of fluid in the drinking regime. Children are much more sensitive to dehydration than adults. Therefore, pediatricians always remind people of the need to give extra water between feedings and not to skimp on diapers.

In adults, in addition to dehydration, urine darkens from:

• frequent intake of laxative teas containing buckthorn bark and cassia;
• therapy with Metronidazole, Rifampicin, drugs of the nitrofuran group, Quinine, Imipenem;
• use in treatment of B vitamins, large dosages of C, sulfur-containing drugs, antibiotics;
• disorders of bilirubin metabolism due to hepatitis, cholelithiasis, tumors of the liver and pancreas (at the same time, the stool becomes light);
• alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver;
• viral hepatitis;
• toxic effect on the liver due to mercury poisoning;
• increased breakdown of red blood cells in blood diseases;
• hemochromatosis and iron excess;
• hereditary tyrosinemia - a serious disease associated with a lack of enzymes involved in the breakdown of the protein tyrosine, which destroys kidney and liver cells;
• infectious inflammation of the urinary organs;
• malignant lesions of the kidneys, bladder, polycystic disease;
• consequences of kidney damage in systemic vasculitis.

Hematuria, caused by hemoglobin from erythrocytes entering the urine, under the influence of acidity is accompanied by conversion to hematin or methemoglobin. Therefore, the color turns from pink to brown.

Injuries to the liver tissue may be accompanied by blackening of the urine. Black urine is also part of the symptoms of such serious diseases as:

• Marchiafava-Miceli disease (a rare form of hemolytic anemia);
• alkaptonuria is a hereditary chromosomal pathology, more often detected in men;
• melanoma is a malignant tumor.

In pregnant women, as a rule, the urine is quite dark in the morning, and in the daytime it becomes straw-yellow. The changes are related to the daily hormonal balance.

Change in color due to medication use

The use of various drugs almost always affects the condition of the body. The active components of drugs are included in the metabolic process, and their breakdown products are also eliminated from the body through the urinary system. The presence of certain substances in the composition can also affect the color of urine.

Most often, abnormal color is observed when taking the following drugs:

• Antibiotics. The use of different groups of antibacterial agents leads to changes in the chemical and physical properties of urine. As a rule, the liquid becomes much darker than normal. In rare cases, the opposite effect is observed - clarification of urine, but this is evidence of a negative effect on the kidneys. Along with taking antibiotics, a sharp characteristic odor of urine is noted.
• Aspirin. Long-term use of drugs containing Aspirin, or taken in its pure form as an antipyretic or analgesic, also affects the color of urine. It takes on a pink tint. In this case, the unpleasant odor is often completely absent. Experts recommend stopping the medication if it affects the color of your urine.
• Vitamin B2. The substance, which in medicine is called Riboflavin, is usually found in immunostimulating agents, and is also part of a variety of vitamin complexes. When there is excess levels of the substance in the blood, the urine turns bright orange. This indicates that the vitamin is not fully absorbed by the body.
• Metronidazole. It is a common remedy for parasites. Can be used in combination with other drugs or as a stand-alone drug. Therapy with this drug often leads to the development of various side effects. These include a negative effect on the kidneys, as a result of which it can become reddish or darken almost to brown.
• Rifampicin. A drug used to treat tuberculosis, as well as a number of infectious diseases. With prolonged use, patients experience redness of the urinary fluid. As a rule, this phenomenon is associated with the presence of a large number of dead blood cells in the substance.

In general, during therapy with various drugs, it is possible for drugs to influence the color of urine, but if such a side effect occurs, you should consult your doctor to make sure that the change is not pathological.

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What responsibility lies with urine?

For the most part, the kidneys are responsible for clearing protein from the body. If there is a lot of this element in the analyzes, then this indicates violations in their work.

Urine is divided into primary and secondary . The first is formed in the kidneys after filtering the blood. She is not like the one we are used to seeing. In its composition it can be compared to blood plasma.

Further, passing through a complex filtration system, the secondary one collects all the harmful components from the body, after which they are removed outside of it.