Chances are, you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the color of your urine. But urine color can tell you a lot about your health, so it’s worth paying attention.

What is urine, exactly?

Urine is a waste product made by your kidneys. It’s what remains after your kidneys filter your blood. Most of it — over 90% — is water. Other substances found in urine are salt, electrolytes, and waste products called urea and uric acid.

What color is healthy urine?

Most of the time, healthy urine is a pale shade of yellow. The color comes from a chemical called urochrome.

Urine might be a darker yellow if you’re dehydrated, as it contains more waste products. In fact, if your urine looks dark yellow, it could be a sign to drink more fluids. Once you’re hydrated again, your urine should go back to its pale yellow color.

Sometimes, a change in urine color is easily explained. Other times, discolored urine is a symptom of a health condition that needs diagnosis and treatment.

Why might urine change color?

There are times when your urine might be a different color, like red, brown, white, or even blue or green. Sometimes, a change in urine color is easily explained. Other times, discolored urine is a symptom of a health condition that needs diagnosis and treatment.

Foods and Food Dyes

Certain foods can change the color (and sometime the smell) of your urine. For example, you might notice red or pink urine after you’ve eaten rhubarb, blackberries, or beets. Fava beans can turn your urine dark brown. Carrots may turn it orange. And products with food dyes, like candy, gelatin, and certain breakfast cereals, might turn your urine green or blue.

Supplements of vitamin A, vitamin B-12, or vitamin C can make urine orange or yellow-orange. Other B vitamins may turn it green.

If you’ve had a kidney or bladder test using a dye, you might notice blue urine.

Medicines

Some medicines can change the color of your urine. A medication package insert might list discolored urine as a side effect, but you can also ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here are some examples of medications that might change your urine color:

Health conditions

Certain health conditions can cause discolored urine. Here are some examples:

There are also times when your urine may be completely clear, with no color at all. This can be a sign of overhydration (drinking too much water). But consistently clear urine could be a symptom of diabetes or a kidney problem.

What about blood in the urine?

You might have blood in your urine if it’s reddish brown. (The medical term for blood in the urine is hematuria. When the blood cannot be seen with the naked eye, it’s called microhematuria.)

Possible causes of blood in the urine include:

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Kidney infection
• Infections in the bladder, urethra, or prostate
• Trauma to the urinary tract
• Kidney stones
• Kidney cysts
• Bladder cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Vaginal bleeding
• Endometriosis
• Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
• Benign (not cancerous) tumors
• Hemophilia
• Sickle cell disease
• Hard exercise, such as distance running
• Sexual activity

If you suspect there is blood in your urine, see your doctor as soon as possible.

Other qualities of urine

Aside from color, you might notice other characteristics in your urine. For example, urine that is cloudy, milky, or smelly could be a sign of a UTI. Foamy urine could also be caused by UTIs as well as diabetes, kidney disease, or medications.

If you notice these changes to your urine, call your doctor.

Should I call my doctor if my urine is a different color?

If you feel concerned about discolored urine, a call to your doctor is a good idea. If your doctor thinks there might be a medical problem, you can make an appointment right away. If they think it is caused by something harmless, they can put your mind at ease.

Your doctor might ask you:

• How long has your urine been this color? Has it been a couple of days? A few weeks? When did you first notice the change?
• Are there any other changes to your urine? Is it milky or foamy? Does it have a distinct odor?
• Do you have any other symptoms? Do you have any abdominal or back pain? Fever or chills? Do you have difficulty urinating or feel a more urgent need to urinate? Do you have pain or a burning sensation when you urinate?
• What foods have you been eating? What beverages have you been drinking? Have you had any changes in diet? Have you consumed any products that contain food dye, like candy or fruit punch?

Your doctor may also ask about your health history, family health history, chemical and dye exposure, smoking status, and exposure to secondhand smoke.

In addition, you will have a physical exam and might have some tests, such as the following:

• Urinalysis, a urine test used to diagnose urological conditions
• Urine culture, a test that checks for bacteria
• Urine cytology, a test that checks for cancer and other diseases
• Cystoscopy, a test that allows your doctor to see the inside of your bladder and urethra
• Imaging tests, such as ultrasound or CT scan, of your bladder and kidneys
• Blood tests to measure levels of waste products in the blood. The results may show how well your kidneys are working
• Liver function tests

Is there a treatment for discolored urine?

Discolored urine is not a health condition in and of itself. Rather, it can be a symptom of another health issue. When that health problem is treated, urine color may return to normal.

If your discolored urine is caused by food, drink, or medicine, you might find that it becomes pale yellow again once these products are out of your system. For example, if you’ve had beet salad at a picnic, your urine will probably go back to normal in a day or two.

If a medication is the culprit, your urine color may go back to yellow once you stop taking the drug. (Always follow your doctor’s instructions about taking medications.)

Should I worry about discolored urine?

Not necessarily. If you notice that your urine is not pale yellow, think about your activities and what you’ve been eating or drinking. If you’re dehydrated, take in more fluids.

If you’re not sure of the cause or have any other concerns, call your doctor.

Resources

Cleveland Clinic

“Urine”
(January 14, 2025)
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/urine

“Urine Changes”
(Last reviewed: September 28, 2023)
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15357-urine-changes

“What the Color of Your Pee Says About You”
(November 8, 2021)
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-urine-color-means

Mayo Clinic

“Porphyria”
(April 5, 2023)
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/porphyria/symptoms-causes/syc-20356066

“Urine Color”
(January 10, 2023)
Symptoms & Causes: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urine-color/symptoms-causes/syc-20367333
Diagnosis and Treatment: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urine-color/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20367351

MedlinePlus

“Cystoscopy”
(Reviewed: May 17, 2024)
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003903.htm

“Cytology exam of urine”
(Reviewed: July 1, 2023)
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003905.htm

“Urine – abnormal color”
(Reviewed: July 1, 2023)
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003139.htm

“Urine culture”
(Reviewed: October 9, 2024)
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003751.htm

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

“Hematuria (Blood in the Urine)”
(Reviewed: October 2022)
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/hematuria-blood-urine

Urology Care Foundation

“The Meaning Behind the Color of Urine”
(August 22, 2018)
https://www.urologyhealth.org/healthy-living/care-blog/2018/the-meaning-behind-the-color-of-urine

VeryWellHealth

Burch, Kelly
“Why is My Pee Green? 5 Possible Causes”
(Updated: February 17, 2025)
https://www.verywellhealth.com/green-pee-5272140

Hematuria is the general term for blood being present in your urine. Microhematuria (sometimes called microscopic hematuria) is a subtype of hematuria. With microhematuria, the red blood cells in your urine are so small, they can’t be seen with the naked eye. The cells can be seen only with a microscope during urinalysis. 

So, with microhematuria, when you glance at the toilet, your urine won’t look much different from the way it always looks.

Most of the time, microhematuria isn’t a cause for alarm. But you don’t want to ignore it, either. Sometimes, it’s caused by a more serious health condition, such as kidney stones or bladder tumors. We’ll do some further testing to determine the cause. 

What causes blood in the urine? 

Microhematuria can be caused by a variety of conditions. Some are simple. For example, if you’ve worked out really hard (like running a marathon), you might have some blood in your urine. Hematuria can also be a side effect of medications. If that’s the case, we’ll review your prescriptions and see what can be adjusted. 

Other causes are more complicated. Some of the more common causes are: 

• Kidney or bladder stones
• Kidney infection
• Bladder, prostate, or kidney infections
• Urinary tract infection
• An enlarged prostate (also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH)
• Bladder, prostate, or kidney cancer
• Sickle cell disease or other blood disorder
• Blood-clotting disorders (hemophilia) or blood thinner medications
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Trauma to the kidneys

Sometimes, the cause can’t be found, and hematuria clears up on its own. 

Finding out why there is blood in your urine. 

Once we’ve detected blood in your urine, we’ll do a full urological exam. If you’re a man, this might include a digital rectal exam. Women might have a pelvic exam. We’ll also ask you questions about your medical history and the medications you take. In addition, we’ll ask about your family’s medical history. Your answers to our questions will help us determine if you have any risk factors for bladder or kidney issues.

Based on your history and your symptoms, we’ll determine whether you are at low risk, intermediate risk, or high risk for certain urological conditions, like kidney stones or cancer. Then, we’ll talk together about next steps.

Low Risk

If you’re at low risk, we might have you come back in within 6 months for another urinalysis. We may also suggest the following two tests that can give us more information:

• Cystoscopy. This test allows us to see the inside of your bladder and urethra (the tube that urine passes through on its way out of your body) by using a cystoscope, a thin tube-shaped instrument. This test can be done here at the office, at an outpatient clinic, or in a hospital. It usually takes about 5 or 10 minutes, and you’ll likely be given local anesthesia or a numbing agent. 

If we notice any tissue abnormalities, a biopsy can be taken during the cystoscopy. That tissue will be examined with microscope. 

• Kidney ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to construct images of your kidneys. It’s also called a renal ultrasound. Further imaging tests, as described below, might be done at a later time.

We know that care decisions can be challenging. Be assured that we are here to answer all your questions!

If you decide not to have a cystoscopy or kidney ultrasound, and you still have blood in your urine after a subsequent urinalysis, you will probably fall into the intermediate risk category.

Intermediate Risk or High Risk

If you are at intermediate or high risk, we’ll recommend cystoscopy and a kidney ultrasound as described above. We’ll also talk to you about upper urinary tract imaging, which may include the following:

• CT scan. Computed tomography scans (often called “cat” scans) use X-rays to give us detailed images of your kidneys, bladder, and ureters (the two tubes that connect your kidneys and bladder). A CT scan can give us information about stones, infections, cysts, and tumors. 

• MR urography. MR stands for magnetic resonance. (You might be more familiar with the term magnetic resonance imaging or MRI.) If you are unable to have a CT scan, you might have MR urography, which provides images using radio waves.

• Retrograde pyelography. If you are unable to have a CT scan or MR urography, we might conduct a retrograde pyelography exam. This test uses X-rays along with a special dye injected into your ureters. This dye helps gives us a better view of your ureters and kidneys. Note: If you have a family history of kidney cancer or a genetic syndrome that increases your risk, we’ll most likely conduct imaging tests no matter what your risk level is.

Until we know more about your microhematuria, we encourage you to relax, though we know that can be easier said than done. And we understand that this is a lot of information to take in all at once. By all means, feel free to ask us any questions you have. We’ll take this process one step at a time. 

Resources

American Academy of Family Physicians

“Microscopic Hematuria”
(Last Updated: May 12, 2020)
https://familydoctor.org/condition/microscopic-hematuria/ 

American Urological Association

Barocas, D.A., et al.
“Microhematuria: AUA/SUFU Guideline”
(2020)
https://www.auanet.org/guidelines/microhematuria

Healthline

Sawyers, Tessa
“CT Scan vs. MRI”
(Updated: August 10, 2020)
https://www.healthline.com/health/ct-scan-vs-mri

Medscape

Babaian, Kara N., MD, FACS
“What is the role of upper urinary tract imaging in the diagnosis of bladder cancer?”
(Updated: December 30, 2020)
https://www.medscape.com/answers/438262-38704/what-is-the-role-of-upper-urinary-tract-imaging-in-the-diagnosis-of-bladder-cancer

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

“Hematuria (Blood in the Urine)”
(July 2016)
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/hematuria-blood-urine 

UpToDate.com

Feldman, Adam S., MD, MPH
“Patient education: Blood in the urine (hematuria) in adults (Beyond the Basics)”
(Last updated: August 16, 2018)
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/blood-in-the-urine-hematuria-in-adults-beyond-the-basics 

Urology Care Foundation 

“How Blood in the Urine is Tested and Treated”
(October 14, 2020)
https://www.urologyhealth.org/careblog/how-blood-in-the-urine-is-tested-and-treated 

“What is Cystoscopy?”
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/cystoscopy 

“What is Hematuria?”
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/hematuria

“What is Retrograde Pyelography?”
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/r/retrograde-pyelography