Four truths in urine

When it comes to urine, people think it is just a "by-product" of human metabolism. In fact, urine is also a barometer of your physical condition. The amount of urination per day, the reasons for frequent urination, and changes in urine color all represent a certain reaction of the body, and there is a lot of knowledge involved. Recently, the American MSN website invited health experts to explain the secrets of urine to everyone.

1. Deciphering urine volume and frequency

Robert Schmeling, MD, of Harvard Health Letter, is often asked by patients: What is the normal amount and frequency of urine? This question has become a hot topic not only in life, but also in TV dramas. In the famous American TV series "Two and a Half Men", a little boy complained that his father got up four times in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and then his father corrected him by saying, "One of them was to drink a glass of water." The child retorted, "That's the problem! Don't fill yourself up too much!"

Due to differences in personal eating habits, the amount and frequency of urination vary, but generally speaking, the average daily urine volume is about 6 cups (1500 ml), and the number of urinations per day is between 4 and 8 times. Of course, if you love drinking water or beverages, the amount of urine will be more than that; or if you are someone who suffers from thirst, it may be difficult for the body to produce 6 cups of excretion.

In addition, there are some factors that affect urination, namely bladder size and the ability to hold urine. Men's bladders are usually larger than women's, and those with great endurance can greatly extend the interval between urinations, so the amount of urine each time will increase significantly.

2. How to judge abnormal urination

If you drink a lot of water but still have very little urine, you may have oliguria, which is related to kidney failure. For adults, daily urine volume should generally not be less than 400 ml. In contrast, frequent urination is easier to perceive. When you feel that the number of urinations has increased significantly, it may be related to urinary tract infection, diabetes, etc. If there is a sudden increase or decrease in urine volume that cannot be explained by the amount of water you drink, it is time to get your body checked.

3. The Rainbow World in Urine

The color of urine is not constant. It will change with the amount of water you drink, different diets, or illness. If you are well hydrated, your urine will be light yellow; if you are a little dehydrated, your urine will be darker. The yellow color in urine mostly comes from aging blood cells. After undergoing a series of body metabolism, they will be broken down and finally reach the urethra as pigments and are eventually excreted from the body. The less water in the bladder, the darker the urine color, so the color of morning urine is generally darker.

So is there a color of urine that is considered the healthiest? The answer is no. If your urine appears red, orange, or even green, don't panic; this is often due to the food you eat: taking vitamin C or eating a lot of carrots can turn your urine orange; beets and blackberries can turn your urine red; asparagus can turn your urine green; and broad beans or aloe vera can turn your urine dark brown.

Medications can also change the color of urine. For example, antidepressants and painkillers can turn urine blue, and some medications can turn urine green. If you have foamy urine, it means that your urine contains protein, which may be related to some kidney disease. If the color of your urine changes, becomes strange, persists for more than a day, and it is difficult to find the cause from the food or medication you take, a physical examination is necessary.

4. Urine smell will also change

Diet not only affects urine color, it also changes its smell. The urea in urine has a smell of ammonia. The higher the urea content (the lower the water content), the stronger the smell. Foods, such as asparagus, can significantly change the smell of urine. Some people's urine smells like rotten cabbage after eating asparagus.

The kidneys do an excellent job of producing urine, which takes into account all the food we eat and leaves behind the proper amount of water and minerals to keep the body healthy. There is no need to worry about occasional abnormalities in the state of urine, but if there is a change in the color, nature, or taste of urine, or if there is a sudden and significant change in urine volume or urination cycle that continues, you should be alert to whether your body is sending an alarm and be sure to go to the hospital for examination in time.