Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesDehydrationDietVitamins and SupplementsMedicationsBile Duct or Liver DiseaseKidney DiseaseUrinary Tract Infection
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Dehydration
Diet
Vitamins and Supplements
Medications
Bile Duct or Liver Disease
Kidney Disease
Urinary Tract Infection
Orange urine (pee) can have many possible causes. One common cause of orange or dark yellow urine is high intake of vitamins such as beta carotene or B-12. Dehydration can also cause your urine to become more concentrated, giving it an orange appearance.
In some cases, orange urine could signal a more serious issue, such as a liver condition or problem with a bile duct.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
What Causes Orange Pee?
Your pee can turn orange when it becomes too concentrated. Urine gets its signature yellow color from a pigment calledurochrome, which is created when dead blood cells are broken down. The more concentrated urine is, the more urochrome it contains and the brighter in color it will be.
Sometimes, orange pee can happen because something you ate or drank or a supplement you took changes thecolor of your pee. In most cases, you do not need to worry about orange urine. There is often a simple explanation.
What color should your pee be?Urine is typically yellow. Normal, healthy urine varies in color from pale yellow to straw-colored.
What color should your pee be?
Urine is typically yellow. Normal, healthy urine varies in color from pale yellow to straw-colored.
Darker urine can happen when you aren’twell-hydrated. Water from the fluids you drink dilutes, or waters down, your urine. When the urine is more concentrated, it can look dark yellow or orange.
If you have dark yellow or orange pee even though you think you’re drinking enough water, you may be underestimating how much you need. Make sure to drink plenty of unsweetened, nonalcoholic beverages throughout the day. You can also get water from things you eat, like juicy fruits and vegetables.
Because you don’t drink while asleep, you may notice your urine is orange in the morning. Your urine might also be darker after a sweaty workout. This is because you lose fluids when you sweat.
Research shows that thecolor of your urinecan be related to whether you’re getting enough fluids.If yours is dark yellow or shades of orange, you need to take in more fluids. Drinking water is the most efficient way to do this.
Orange pee may be related to what you eat and drink. Food and drink that is red, orange, or very dark yellow can darken urine. This is mostly because these foods contain beta-carotene.
Carrots and carrot juice are examples of food and drink that might darken your urine. For a small number of people (about 14%),beetsmay have the same effect.Beet-tinted urine may look more red than orange.
You also might notice orange pee after taking high doses of certain vitamins and supplements, including:
If your urine is orange, it could be because of a drug you’re taking. These are some common culprits:
Orange pee may be a sign ofcholestasis. This occurs when the flow of bile stops between the liver and the small intestine. Bile is a digestive fluid that’s produced in the liver.
When this happens,bilirubincan build up and escape into the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a yellowish substance in bile. A buildup of bilirubin in the blood will eventually tint the urine.
Cholestasis has a number of potential causes, including:
Cholestasis SymptomsOrange pee is just one symptom of cholestasis due to bile duct or liver problems. Other symptoms may include some or all of the following:Verypale stoolsJaundice, a yellowish tint to the skin and eyesItchy skinAbdominal painLoss of appetiteVomitingFeverIf you experience any of these, see a healthcare provider. Blood tests and, if necessary, anultrasoundor biopsy of your liver can help diagnose your condition.
Cholestasis Symptoms
Orange pee is just one symptom of cholestasis due to bile duct or liver problems. Other symptoms may include some or all of the following:Verypale stoolsJaundice, a yellowish tint to the skin and eyesItchy skinAbdominal painLoss of appetiteVomitingFeverIf you experience any of these, see a healthcare provider. Blood tests and, if necessary, anultrasoundor biopsy of your liver can help diagnose your condition.
Orange pee is just one symptom of cholestasis due to bile duct or liver problems. Other symptoms may include some or all of the following:
If you experience any of these, see a healthcare provider. Blood tests and, if necessary, anultrasoundor biopsy of your liver can help diagnose your condition.
It is important to detect and treat cholestasis promptly. Early treatment can prevent further damage to your liver or bile ducts.
Kidney diseaseis not usually associated with changes in the color of urine.However, people with kidney disease or kidney failure can sometimes have blood in their urine, which can give it a reddish or brown color.
A urinary tract infection is more likely to cause urine that is cloudy or milky in appearance.However, a urinary tract infection can also cause blood in the urine, which can look reddish or brownish.
Summary
Urine is usually a pale shade of yellow. A number of things could make it a darker color like orange. Usually, orange pee means you need to take in more fluids. It may also be an effect of something you ate, or a medication or supplement you’re taking.
Sometimes orange urine is a symptom of a more serious illness, like bile duct or liver disease. If your orange pee doesn’t resolve on its own or you have other symptoms like pale stools and stomach problems, it’s a good idea to see a healthcare provider.
5 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.Kostelnik SB, Davy KP, Hedrick VE, Thomas DT, Davy BM.The validity of urine color as a hydration biomarker within the general adult population and athletes: a systematic review.J Am Coll Nutr. 2021;40(2):172-9. doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.1750073Hussain EA, Sadiq Z, Zia-Ul-Haq M.Betalains as colorants and pigments. In:Betalains: Biomolecular Aspects. Springer, Cham; 2018:125–137. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95624-4_7National Kidney Foundation.What the color of your urine means.National Kidney Foundation.Hematuria (blood in urine).National Library of Medicine.Urine - abnormal color.Additional ReadingNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how It works.Perrier ET, Johnson EC, McKenzie AL, et al.Urine colour change as an indicator of change in daily water intake: a quantitative analysis.Eur J Nutr. 2016;55:1943-1949. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1010-2
5 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.Kostelnik SB, Davy KP, Hedrick VE, Thomas DT, Davy BM.The validity of urine color as a hydration biomarker within the general adult population and athletes: a systematic review.J Am Coll Nutr. 2021;40(2):172-9. doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.1750073Hussain EA, Sadiq Z, Zia-Ul-Haq M.Betalains as colorants and pigments. In:Betalains: Biomolecular Aspects. Springer, Cham; 2018:125–137. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95624-4_7National Kidney Foundation.What the color of your urine means.National Kidney Foundation.Hematuria (blood in urine).National Library of Medicine.Urine - abnormal color.Additional ReadingNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how It works.Perrier ET, Johnson EC, McKenzie AL, et al.Urine colour change as an indicator of change in daily water intake: a quantitative analysis.Eur J Nutr. 2016;55:1943-1949. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1010-2
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.
Kostelnik SB, Davy KP, Hedrick VE, Thomas DT, Davy BM.The validity of urine color as a hydration biomarker within the general adult population and athletes: a systematic review.J Am Coll Nutr. 2021;40(2):172-9. doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.1750073Hussain EA, Sadiq Z, Zia-Ul-Haq M.Betalains as colorants and pigments. In:Betalains: Biomolecular Aspects. Springer, Cham; 2018:125–137. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95624-4_7National Kidney Foundation.What the color of your urine means.National Kidney Foundation.Hematuria (blood in urine).National Library of Medicine.Urine - abnormal color.
Kostelnik SB, Davy KP, Hedrick VE, Thomas DT, Davy BM.The validity of urine color as a hydration biomarker within the general adult population and athletes: a systematic review.J Am Coll Nutr. 2021;40(2):172-9. doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.1750073
Hussain EA, Sadiq Z, Zia-Ul-Haq M.Betalains as colorants and pigments. In:Betalains: Biomolecular Aspects. Springer, Cham; 2018:125–137. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95624-4_7
National Kidney Foundation.What the color of your urine means.
National Kidney Foundation.Hematuria (blood in urine).
National Library of Medicine.Urine - abnormal color.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how It works.Perrier ET, Johnson EC, McKenzie AL, et al.Urine colour change as an indicator of change in daily water intake: a quantitative analysis.Eur J Nutr. 2016;55:1943-1949. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1010-2
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The urinary tract & how It works.
Perrier ET, Johnson EC, McKenzie AL, et al.Urine colour change as an indicator of change in daily water intake: a quantitative analysis.Eur J Nutr. 2016;55:1943-1949. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1010-2
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