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Changes in the color of urine are often a window into physical health. Many men may find that their urine is always yellow, and this condition can be caused by a variety of reasons.
Understanding these causes and taking appropriate steps is key to staying healthy. This article will explore in detail four possible causes of yellowing urine, and highlight one of the conditions that requires a high degree of attention and prompt medical attention.
Health problems
Yellow urine can be a sign of some serious health problems. Here are several health problems and their associated symptoms that can cause yellowing in the urine:
Liver disease: The liver plays an important role in detoxification and metabolism in the body. When liver function is impaired, bilirubin in the body cannot be metabolized properly, causing it to accumulate in the blood and be excreted through the urine, giving the urine a yellow color.
People with liver disease may also experience symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), abdominal pain, and fatigue. Common types of liver disease include hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
Urinary tract infections: Urinary tract infections are infections of the urinary tract caused by bacteria, and common symptoms include urinary frequency, urgency, painful urination, and yellow, cloudy urine.
When the infection is severe, blood may also appear in the urine. Urinary tract infections require prompt treatment with antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading to the kidneys.
Hematuria: Hematuria is when there is blood in the urine that may cause the urine to appear pink, red, or dark red. Sometimes, mild hematuria may only appear as yellowish urine.
This condition can be caused by kidney stones, bladder inflammation, or other urological disorders and requires prompt imaging and further diagnosis.
Diabetes: Diabetics may have a lot of sugar in their urine due to high blood sugar levels, resulting in abnormal urine color. Other symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, thirst, weight loss, and fatigue.
Poor glycemic control can lead to serious complications such as diabetic nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy. Therefore, if you notice the above symptoms, you should immediately get a blood sugar test and seek help from your doctor.
Drug effects
Certain medications can also cause yellowing of urine. These include antibiotics (such as metronidazole), laxatives, and certain chemotherapy drugs. Changes in urine color are usually temporary while taking these medications, but if the color abnormality persists or is accompanied by other discomfort, a doctor should be consulted to determine if the medication needs to be adjusted.
Dietary factors: Certain foods and drinks in the diet can also affect urine color. For example, ingesting large amounts of carrots, beets, or beverages containing artificial colors may turn dark yellow or orange in the urine.
Certain vitamin supplements, especially B vitamins, can also cause darkening of the urine. These are normal physiological reactions and there is nothing to worry about, but it is important to take care of the moderate intake of these foods and supplements.
Dehydration: Dehydration is the most common cause of yellowing of urine. When the body lacks adequate water, the amount of water in the urine decreases, and the urine becomes more concentrated, giving it a darker yellow color.
Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, dizziness, dry skin, and decreased urine. Especially in hot weather or after strenuous exercise, you should replenish water in time to maintain the body's water balance. Adults should drink enough water every day to maintain normal metabolic function.
Urine dipsticks are used to detect chemicals in the urine, including protein, glucose, ketones, hemoglobin, etc. The study used 120 urine samples to obtain images of urine test strips through a scanner for color classification testing, with an accuracy rate of 95.45%. Urine color changes can be used as an effective initial diagnostic tool to help identify underlying health problems.
This phenomenon occurs mainly in older women with long-term catheterization, and the urine is purple due to bacterial enzymes breaking down chemicals in the urine. This phenomenon, although rare, suggests that abnormal urine color may be related to infection.
Finally, what experiences and insights would you like to share? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area!
bibliography
1. Rahmat R F, Royananda, M A Muchtar, R Taqiuddin, S Adnan, R Anugrahwaty, R Budiarto. "Automated color classification of urine dipstick image in urine examination." Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 978, 2018. DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/978/1/012008.
2. Bissett, John S., and Thomas F. Beaman. "Purple urine: Cause for concern?" Osteopathic Family Physician, Volume 8, No. 5, 2016.