Ever since the dawn of medicine, human urine was used to diagnose illnesses. In a healthy person, urine has a clear or slightly yellowish color. If the color changes, this can be the sign of various incipient illnesses.
Greenish urine
Urine that is greenish and has a strange smell can be the result of eating asparagus or taking multivitamin products or medication to fight depression, allergies, headaches and inflammation. Also, after surgery that required general anesthetics, the urine may turn green. On the other hand, the greenish color may be due to bilirubin. An excess of bilirubin may indicate the fact that the liver or the pancreas are sick.
Pink or reddish urine
This may be due to food rich in red pigments such as red beets, red peppers or cranberries. Sometimes, unfortunately, pink urine may be a sign of the presence of blood in the urine because of a lesion in the kidneys or another organ of the urinary system. The color may indicate a severe kidney, liver or gallbladder illness, infection, stones cyst or tumor.
Golden yellow urine
A high intake of beta-carotene colors urine dark yellow. Also, lots of medication and some anticancer products color the urine orange. When none of these is the reason, severe dehydration may be the cause, especially if the urine smells strong and is low in volume.
Tea colored urine
Rhubarb may turn urine very dark or even red in color. The same is true for medication prescribed to treat dysentery, vaginitis and trichomoniasis. Urine that is very dark in color may be a sign of dehydration as well. Dark brown urine may be the result of a bleeding kidney or gallbladder, or it may indicate an illness of the liver such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or ichter.
Cloudy urine
Cloudy urine with a strong smell is typical in a urinary tract infection, which may lead to cystitis. If the infection reaches the kidneys, pyelonephritis is the result. In case of men, clouded urine may be due to prostate inflammation.
Purple urine
Purple urine is the sign of a rare hereditary illness called porphyria. This illness may lead to hypersensitivity to light, rashes, abdominal cramps, confusion, epilepsy and paralisis.
Foamy urine
Foamy urine is a sure sign of an accumulation of biliary salts, a kind of proteins that circulate in the urine and form albumin. This indicates problems with the kidneys or heart disease, especially in persons suffering from diabetes or hypertension.
Sweet smelling urine
Sweet smelling urine is a complication found in persons suffering from diabetes, known as diabetic acidosis. Urine that is dark in color is a symptom of the same illness. If it is left untreated for a long time, it may lead to heart failure, kidney dysfunction, coma or even death.