It's normal to feel a little alarmed when your urine suddenly changes color and becomes brown. Most people's first thought is, "Oh, I'm not drinking enough water." True, sometimes dehydration can cause this. But if you've been drinking plenty of water and your urine is still brown, there could be something else going on. While some causes are not serious, others require medical attention. So let's take a look at what could be causing this.
Blood in urine
Sometimes, when a little blood is mixed into the urine, it may appear brown instead of red. In medicine, we call this hematuria . There can be several reasons for this.
- Kidney or bladder infections: These can cause bleeding.
- Kidney or bladder cancer: This is also one of the causes.
- Injuries that occur inside the body: After something like an accident.
- Some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
- Viral infections.
- Women's monthly period: During menstruation, blood can mix with urine and appear brown.
- Inflammatory conditions of the prostate, bladder, or kidneys.
If you think your urine is brown because of blood, and you're not having your period, it's best to see a doctor for a checkup.
Liver issues: hepatitis and cirrhosis
The liver is a very important organ in our body. If there is any disease in the liver, the urine may turn brown as a symptom.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. There are several types, such as hepatitis A, B, and C. When the liver is diseased, it cannot properly purify the blood. Then, a yellow-orange substance called bilirubin accumulates in the blood and is excreted in the urine. This is why the urine turns dark brown.
If your urine is brown due to hepatitis, you may also experience these symptoms:
| Symptom | Description |
|---|---|
| Fever and body aches | Feeling tired and hot for no reason. |
| Loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting | Inappetence and stomach upset. |
| Yellowing of the skin and eyes (Jaundice) | This is a key symptom of liver disease. |
| Clay-colored stools | Stools that are lighter than normal, clay-like in color. |
If you have these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver becomes scarred and begins to fail due to long-term liver disease (such as hepatitis). Although there may be no major symptoms in the early stages of the disease, symptoms such as brown urine, yellowing of the eyes, and swelling of the legs/abdomen may occur as the disease progresses.
Kidney Diseases
Some kidney diseases can also cause urine to turn brown. For example, a kidney infection called "post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis" (PSGN) can cause urine to turn red-brown. This condition often occurs after a sore throat, especially in children.
If your urine is brown due to kidney disease, look for these symptoms:
- Swelling of the face, around the eyes, hands and feet.
- Decreased frequency or amount of urination.
- Feeling tired all day.
If you have symptoms like these, it is essential to see a doctor without wasting time to find the cause and seek treatment.
Some other reasons
Excessive exercise
This is a rare condition. Imagine you suddenly do a lot of intense exercise. Then the muscle cells break down and their contents can leak into the blood. This condition is called "rhabdomyolysis". This can cause brown urine, severe muscle pain and weakness . Rhabdomyolysis is a serious condition that can damage the kidneys and can even be life-threatening . If you suspect this, go to a hospital's emergency department (ETU) immediately.
Anemia
Hemolytic anemia is a type of anemia in which red blood cells break down faster than normal. This can also cause urine to turn brown. This condition can also cause symptoms such as pale skin, yellowing of the eyes, dizziness, and fatigue.
Skin cancer
In melanoma, a type of skin cancer, skin pigment can very rarely mix with the blood and turn urine brown. However, this is very rare.
The medications and foods you take
Sometimes the color of your urine can change due to the medications you take.
- Some antibiotics
- Laxatives
- Medicine for malaria
- Muscle relaxants
Usually, once you finish taking the medication, the color of your urine returns to normal.
Also, eating too much of certain foods can cause this. For example, eating too much of fava beans, rhubarb, and aloe vera can turn your urine brown. However, once you eliminate those foods from your body, the color will return to normal.
Take-Home Message
- Never ignore brown urine, especially if it persists for several days.
- The first thing to do is to drink plenty of water. But if the color doesn't change even after drinking water, there may be another reason.
- Be careful to check for other symptoms such as fever, stomach aches, weakness, or yellowing of the skin/eyes along with the color of your urine.
- Rather than guessing what the cause is, the best and safest thing to do is to see your family doctor for advice. Then, you can find the exact cause and start treatment if necessary.
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