Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPossible CausesWhen to Call a ProviderTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Possible Causes
When to Call a Provider
Treatment
However, in rare cases, green-colored urine can be a sign of something more serious, like a urinary tract infection or liver disease.
This article offers several reasons why your pee is green and describes the signs and symptoms that warrant a visit to your healthcare provider.
Srinrat Wuttichaikitcharoen / Ey/Getty Images
Possible Causes of Green Pee
In most cases, green pee is not a cause for concern. While urine is usually a light yellow color, certain substances can filter through thekidneysand cause your pee to turn green—but usually for only a short period.
Food and Food Dyes
While uncommon, green vegetables—particularly dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale—can give pee a greenish tinge if eaten in large amounts. This is due tochlorophyll, the organic compound that makes plants green.
However, a more likely culprit is artificial food dyes. This not only includes green dyes but also blue dyes that turn green when introduced into urine.
Medications
Certain medications contain Blue no. 2 dye, including capsules and coated tablets. These can also cause urine to turn green, especially if they are taken on an empty stomach during a prolonged period of fasting.
Medications that can cause green pee include:
Urinary Tract Infection
Green pee is an uncommon sign ofurinary tract infection (UTI). However, there is one type of bacteria calledPseudomonas aeruginosathat can turn your urine green.
P. aeruginosais a bacteriafound in soil, water, and plants. It can cause different types of infection and is passed through contaminated hands, water, food, and medical equipment. People with a compromised immune system are at greatest risk.
If it affects the urinary tract,P. auruginosacan cause urine to turn green. This is because it produces a blue-green compound calledpyocyaninthat can infiltrate body fluids, including urine. If the skin is affected, it can even cause blue pus.
Other signs of a UTI include:
Familial Benign Hypercalcemia
When symptoms do appear, they may be in the form of greenish urine. This is because high calcium in the bloodstream increases the production of a naturally occurring blue compound calledindican. As excess indican is passed through the kidneys, your urine can take on a blue-green hue.
In babies, the condition is sometimes referred to as “blue diaper syndrome” because of the abnormal urine color.
As per its name, FBH is a relatively benign condition but one that can cause weakness, fatigue, concentration problems, and excessive thirst in some people.
Hepatitis
As the excess bilirubin is excreted in pee, it can initially cause your urine to take on a greenish hue. As the hepatitis symptoms worsen, the color can change from green to a dark cola color.
Other symptoms of hepatitis include:
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
UTIs are most often treated with a course ofantibiotics.
Summary
If the green color doesn’t away or you experience any other unusual symptoms, see a healthcare provider.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zhong S, Bird A, Kopec RE.The metabolism and potential bioactivity of chlorophyll and metallo-chlorophyll derivatives in the gastrointestinal tract.Mol Nutr Food Res. 2021;65(7):e2000761. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202000761Meng QH, Handy B, Wagar EA.It’s not easy being blue-green.Ann Lab Med. 2013. doi:10.3343/alm.2013.33.6.457Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Spernovasilis N, Psichogiou M, Poulakou G.Skin manifestations ofPseudomonas aeruginosainfections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2021;34(2):72-79. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000717Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.Yurner JJO.Hypercalcaemia - presentation and management.Clin Med (Lond). 2017 Jun;17(3):270-3. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.17-3-270.Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is viral hepatitis?MedlinePlus.Urine - abnormal color.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zhong S, Bird A, Kopec RE.The metabolism and potential bioactivity of chlorophyll and metallo-chlorophyll derivatives in the gastrointestinal tract.Mol Nutr Food Res. 2021;65(7):e2000761. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202000761Meng QH, Handy B, Wagar EA.It’s not easy being blue-green.Ann Lab Med. 2013. doi:10.3343/alm.2013.33.6.457Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Spernovasilis N, Psichogiou M, Poulakou G.Skin manifestations ofPseudomonas aeruginosainfections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2021;34(2):72-79. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000717Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.Yurner JJO.Hypercalcaemia - presentation and management.Clin Med (Lond). 2017 Jun;17(3):270-3. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.17-3-270.Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is viral hepatitis?MedlinePlus.Urine - abnormal color.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Zhong S, Bird A, Kopec RE.The metabolism and potential bioactivity of chlorophyll and metallo-chlorophyll derivatives in the gastrointestinal tract.Mol Nutr Food Res. 2021;65(7):e2000761. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202000761Meng QH, Handy B, Wagar EA.It’s not easy being blue-green.Ann Lab Med. 2013. doi:10.3343/alm.2013.33.6.457Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Spernovasilis N, Psichogiou M, Poulakou G.Skin manifestations ofPseudomonas aeruginosainfections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2021;34(2):72-79. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000717Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.Yurner JJO.Hypercalcaemia - presentation and management.Clin Med (Lond). 2017 Jun;17(3):270-3. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.17-3-270.Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is viral hepatitis?MedlinePlus.Urine - abnormal color.
Zhong S, Bird A, Kopec RE.The metabolism and potential bioactivity of chlorophyll and metallo-chlorophyll derivatives in the gastrointestinal tract.Mol Nutr Food Res. 2021;65(7):e2000761. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202000761
Meng QH, Handy B, Wagar EA.It’s not easy being blue-green.Ann Lab Med. 2013. doi:10.3343/alm.2013.33.6.457
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Spernovasilis N, Psichogiou M, Poulakou G.Skin manifestations ofPseudomonas aeruginosainfections.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2021;34(2):72-79. doi:10.1097/QCO.0000000000000717
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.
Yurner JJO.Hypercalcaemia - presentation and management.Clin Med (Lond). 2017 Jun;17(3):270-3. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.17-3-270.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is viral hepatitis?
MedlinePlus.Urine - abnormal color.
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