Urine Color: What Each Color Means and When to See a Doctor
Updated: 3 days ago
Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: October 17, 2026
Editorial note: This article is provided for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual health situation.
Quick Answer
Normal urine color ranges from clear to pale yellow, depending mostly on how much water you drink. [1] Foods such as beets, medicines, vitamins and dyes can turn urine red, orange, blue, green or dark brown. [1] Color changes can also signal blood in the urine, liver problems, infections or kidney stones. [1] See a provider for blood in the urine. [1]
What the research says
Urine color is a practical marker of hydration. In pregnant, lactating, and control women, 24-hour urine color correlated with urine osmolality (r = 0.61–0.84), and a color of 4 or higher on the chart corresponded to an osmolality of 500 mOsm/kg or more (McKenzie & Armstrong, Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 2017) [3].
Reading your own urine color is useful but not perfect. In 189 athletes and coaches who scored their urine with color charts, accuracy for identifying concentrated urine was up to 77% compared with specific gravity (area under the curve 0.74–0.86) (Wardenaar et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021) [4].
When blood in the urine is investigated, CT urography is the most sensitive imaging test studied. In pooled data, CT urography detected renal cell carcinoma and upper urinary tract carcinoma in patients with microhematuria and gross hematuria with 94% sensitivity and 99% specificity, while ultrasound sensitivity ranged from 14% to 96%; certainty of evidence was low to very low (Taylor et al., Journal of Urology, 2023) [5].
When to See a Doctor
Blood in your urine. This is common in urinary tract infections and kidney stones, which often cause pain. [1] Painless bleeding might be a sign of a more serious problem, such as cancer. [1]
Dark or orange urine. This can be a sign that the liver isn’t working correctly, especially if you also have pale stools and yellow skin and eyes. [1]
Tea- or cola-colored urine after extreme exercise, particularly with severe muscle pain, can reflect muscle injury that may lead to kidney damage and needs prompt medical attention. [1]
What Is the Normal Color of Urine?
The regular color of urine varies with how much water you drink. Fluids dilute the yellow pigments in urine, so the more you drink, the clearer it looks. [1] When you drink less, the yellow becomes stronger. [1] In other words, clear to pale yellow is the normal range, and darker yellow usually just means you need more fluids. [1] [2]
But urine can turn colors far beyond what’s typical, including red, blue, green, orange, dark brown, and cloudy white. [1]
What Causes Urine Color Changes?
A change in urine color is often caused by certain medicines, foods, or food dyes. [1] Sometimes it’s caused by a health problem. [1] Colors can also look slightly different to different people: what looks red to you might look orange to someone else.
The urinary system removes waste from the body through urine. The kidneys, toward the back of the upper belly, filter waste and fluid from the blood to make urine. Urine moves through narrow tubes called ureters to the bladder, which stores it until you urinate, and leaves the body through the urethra. [1] Changes anywhere along this system can show up in urine color.
Red or Pink Urine
Red urine isn’t always a sign of a serious health problem.
Cause type | Specific causes |
Blood | An enlarged prostate, tumors that aren’t cancer, kidney stones and cysts, some cancers, or hard exercise such as long-distance running [1] |
Foods | Beets, blackberries, and rhubarb [1] |
Medicines | Rifampin (a tuberculosis medicine), phenazopyridine (a urinary tract pain medicine), and constipation drugs containing senna [1] |
Orange Urine
Cause type | Specific causes |
Medicines | Phenazopyridine, some constipation medicines, sulfasalazine (a medicine that lessens swelling and irritation), and some chemotherapy medicines [1] |
Vitamins | Some vitamins, such as A and B-12, can turn urine orange or yellow-orange [1] |
Health problems | A problem with the liver or bile duct, mainly if you also have light-colored stools; dehydration can also make urine look orange [1] |
Blue or Green Urine
Cause type | Specific causes |
Dyes | Some brightly colored food dyes can cause green urine; dyes used for some kidney and bladder tests can turn urine blue [1] |
Medicines | Amitriptyline (a depression medicine), cimetidine (an ulcer and acid reflux treatment), and triamterene (a water pill) can make urine greenish-blue; indomethacin (a pain and arthritis medicine) and propofol (a strong medicine used before surgery) can cause green urine [1] |
Health problems |
Dark Brown or Cola-Colored Urine
Cause type | Specific causes |
Food | Eating lots of fava beans, rhubarb, or aloe [1] |
Medicines | Chloroquine and primaquine (malaria), metronidazole and nitrofurantoin (antibiotics), constipation medicines containing senna, methocarbamol (a muscle relaxer), phenytoin (a seizure medicine), and statins (cholesterol medicines) [1] |
Health problems | Some liver and kidney disorders, some urinary tract infections, bleeding inside the body (hemorrhage), and porphyria [1] (a group of illnesses that mainly affect the skin or nervous system) |
Extreme exercise | A muscle injury from extreme exercise can cause tea- or cola-colored urine and can lead to kidney damage [1] |
Cloudy or Murky Urine
Urinary tract infections and kidney stones can cause urine to look cloudy or murky. [1] Some UTIs can also turn urine milky white. [1]
Who Is More Likely to Have Urine Color Problems?
A color change that isn’t due to foods or medicine could be caused by a health problem. Several factors raise the chance of conditions that affect urine color:
Risk factor | Why it matters |
Age | Tumors of the bladder and kidney, which can cause blood in the urine, are more common in older people; men older than 50 sometimes have blood in the urine from an enlarged prostate [1] |
Family history | Kidney disease and kidney stones, both of which can cause blood in the urine, are more likely if parents, siblings, or grandparents have them [1] |
Hard exercise | Distance runners are most at risk, but anyone who exercises hard can have blood in the urine [1] |
How Is Urine Color Evaluated?
Your healthcare provider will likely ask about your health and do a physical exam. [2] You may also need tests:
Test | What it checks |
Urinalysis | Checks the urine for possible signs of kidney or urinary tract problems; the sample is also likely checked for bacteria that cause illness [2] |
Blood tests | Some measure waste products that build up when the kidneys aren’t working properly; your provider may also check for liver problems and conditions such as diabetes [2] |
If blood in the urine is found and further workup is needed, imaging such as CT urography may be used; a meta-analysis found it very sensitive and specific for upper urinary tract urothelial tumors and favored it for high-risk patients, meaning those older than 40 with gross hematuria (Chlapoutakis et al., European Journal of Radiology, 2010) [6].
Treatment and What You Can Do at Home
Treatment, if needed, depends on the health problem that causes the change in urine color. [2] When you’re dehydrated, urine becomes darker, which may mean you need more fluids. [2] Make sure you drink enough fluids daily to stay hydrated. [2]
How to Prepare for Your Appointment
You’ll likely start with your primary care provider. In some cases you might be referred to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary tract disorders. [2] When you make the appointment, ask if there is anything you need to do to prepare, then make a list of:
Your symptoms and when they began. [2]
Key medical information, including other health problems and whether bladder or kidney diseases run in your family. [2]
All medicines, vitamins, and other supplements you take, including doses. [2]
Questions to ask: What might be causing my symptoms? What tests do I need? Will I need treatment? [2]
Expect questions such as: What color is your urine, always or only sometimes? Do you see blood or blood clots? Does it have an unusual smell? How often do you pee, and does it hurt? Has your appetite or thirst changed? Have you had urinary problems before? Do you have allergies? [2]
Conclusion
Most urine color changes trace back to something harmless: too little water, a meal of beets or fava beans, or a medicine on your list. But color is also one of the body’s earliest warning signs. Blood in the urine, dark or cola-colored urine, and cloudy or milky urine can point to infections, kidney stones, liver or bile duct problems, and other conditions that deserve a medical look.
Evaluation is straightforward: a physical exam, a urinalysis, and possibly blood tests can show whether a change comes from your food, your medicine cabinet, or a health problem. Treatment then targets the cause; for dehydration, the fix is simply drinking enough fluids.
Your next step: If you notice red, dark brown, or cloudy urine that doesn’t clear with more fluids, or blood in the urine, especially without pain, talk to your doctor. Bring your full list of medicines, vitamins, and supplements to the appointment.
Related reading: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) | Kidney Stones | Microhematuria Explained | Rhabdomyolysis | The Human Liver
Sources: Mayo Clinic — Urine color: Symptoms & causes | Mayo Clinic — Urine color: Diagnosis & treatment | McKenzie & Armstrong, 2017 | Wardenaar et al., 2021 | Taylor et al., 2023 | Chlapoutakis et al., 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the normal color of urine?
Regular urine color ranges from clear to pale yellow. It depends on how much water you drink: fluids dilute the yellow pigments in urine, so the more you drink, the clearer it looks.
2. What does pale yellow urine mean?
Pale yellow is normal. It usually means your fluid intake is adequate and the yellow pigments are well diluted.
3. What does dark yellow urine mean?
Darker yellow usually means you are drinking less fluid and the yellow pigments are stronger. When you are dehydrated, urine becomes darker, which may mean you need more fluids.
4. What causes red or pink urine?
Blood (from an enlarged prostate, noncancerous tumors, kidney stones and cysts, some cancers, or hard exercise such as long-distance running), foods such as beets, blackberries, and rhubarb, or medicines such as rifampin, phenazopyridine, and senna-containing constipation drugs.
5. Can beets really turn urine red?
Yes. Beets, blackberries, and rhubarb can turn urine red or pink.
6. What causes orange urine?
Medicines such as phenazopyridine, some constipation medicines, sulfasalazine, and some chemotherapy medicines; vitamins A and B-12; dehydration; and liver or bile duct problems, mainly if you also have light-colored stools.
7. What causes blue or green urine?
Brightly colored food dyes (green), dyes used in some kidney and bladder tests (blue), medicines such as amitriptyline, cimetidine, triamterene, indomethacin, and propofol, a rare disease called familial benign hypercalcemia in children (blue), and urinary tract infections caused by a certain type of bacteria (green).
8. What causes dark brown or cola-colored urine?
Large amounts of fava beans, rhubarb, or aloe; medicines such as chloroquine, primaquine, metronidazole, nitrofurantoin, senna laxatives, methocarbamol, phenytoin, and statins; liver or kidney disorders; some UTIs; internal bleeding (hemorrhage); porphyria; and muscle injury from extreme exercise.
9. Can exercise change urine color?
Yes. Hard exercise such as long-distance running can cause blood in the urine. Extreme exercise can cause a muscle injury that produces tea- or cola-colored urine and can lead to kidney damage.
10. What causes cloudy or murky urine?
Urinary tract infections and kidney stones can cause urine to look cloudy or murky.
11. Can a urinary tract infection change urine color?
Yes. Some UTIs turn urine milky white, UTIs caused by a certain type of bacteria can cause green urine, and UTIs and kidney stones can make urine cloudy or murky.
12. Is red urine always serious?
No. Foods and medicines can cause it. But blood in the urine is common in UTIs and kidney stones, which often cause pain, and painless bleeding might be a sign of a more serious problem, such as cancer.
13. When should I see a doctor about urine color?
See your healthcare provider if you have blood in your urine, especially painless bleeding, or dark or orange urine, which can signal a liver problem, especially with pale stools and yellow skin and eyes.
14. Can medicine change urine color?
Yes. Many do, including rifampin, phenazopyridine, sulfasalazine, amitriptyline, cimetidine, triamterene, indomethacin, propofol, malaria medicines, metronidazole, nitrofurantoin, methocarbamol, phenytoin, statins, and some chemotherapy medicines.
15. How is a urine color problem diagnosed?
Your provider will ask about your health and do a physical exam, and may order a urinalysis and blood tests that check waste-product levels, liver function, and conditions such as diabetes.
16. What is a urinalysis?
A test that checks the urine for possible signs of kidney or urinary tract problems. The sample is also likely checked for bacteria that cause illness.
17. How is a urine color change treated?
Treatment, if needed, depends on the health problem causing the change. For dehydration, drink enough fluids daily to stay hydrated.
18. Who is at risk of health problems that affect urine color?
Older people (bladder and kidney tumors are more common, and men over 50 can have blood in the urine from an enlarged prostate), people with a family history of kidney disease or kidney stones, and people who exercise hard, especially distance runners.
19. Why does urine color look different to different people?
Colors can look slightly different from person to person. What looks red to you might look orange to someone else.
20. What should I bring to my appointment?
A list of your symptoms and when they began, key medical information including whether bladder or kidney diseases run in your family, all medicines, vitamins, and supplements with doses, and your questions for the doctor.
21. Can a UTI make urine milky white?
Yes. Some urinary tract infections can turn urine milky white.
References
Mayo Clinic Staff. Urine color: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. October 11, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urine-color/symptoms-causes/syc-20367333
Mayo Clinic Staff. Urine color: Diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic. October 11, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urine-color/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20367351
McKenzie AL, Armstrong LE. Monitoring body water balance in pregnant and nursing women: the validity of urine color. Ann Nutr Metab. 2017;70(Suppl 1):18-22. PMID 28614809. https://doi.org/10.1159/000462999
Wardenaar FC, Thompsett D, Vento KA, et al. Athletes’ self-assessment of urine color using two color charts to determine urine concentration. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(8):4126. PMID 33924715. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084126
Taylor JI, Souter LH, Barocas DA, et al. Diagnostic imaging in the evaluation of asymptomatic microhematuria: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Urol. 2023;209(6):1099-1106. PMID 36883858. https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003395
Chlapoutakis K, Theocharopoulos N, Yarmenitis S, Damilakis J. Performance of computed tomographic urography in diagnosis of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma, in patients presenting with hematuria: systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Radiol. 2010;73(2):334-338. PMID 19058939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2008.10.026
Medical disclaimer
This article is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Blood in the urine, dark or orange urine with pale stools or yellow skin or eyes, or cola-colored urine after extreme exercise warrants prompt medical attention. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual health situation.
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