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Green urine : what does it mean?

By Maryam Jamal : 4th Year Medical Student

Urine changes color, and its color may indicate various health problems or dehydration. Sometimes the urine turns green. This may be due to various factors. Some of the possible causes are:

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

consumption of foods or drinks containing green or blue dye ,

some supplements ,

bacterial infections of the urinary tract, especially those caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain during urination and fever,

Bile stasis: it is a disturbance in the flow of bile from the liver, which may lead to an increase in the level of bilirubin in the body and give the urine a green tint,

Porphyrias : this is a group of rare congenital or acquired metabolic disorders that affect the production of heme, present, among others, in hemoglobin. Some forms of porphyria can cause green urine. There are also other symptoms that require urgent medical attention.

What foods cause green urine?

The appearance of green urine may be caused by eating large amounts of green vegetables such as spinach, kale or broccoli. They contain a green natural pigment called chlorophyll, which may affect the color of urine.

Some dyes (especially blue and green) added to food products (e.g. sweets, colored drinks ) can also turn urine greenish.

The appearance of green urine after eating and drinking is usually short-lived. After subsequent visits to the toilet, everything returns to normal. There is no reason to worry in such cases. However, if you notice additional symptoms or the problem persists, it is better to consult your primary care physician.

What medications and supplements can cause urine to turn green?

Green urine may appear after taking certain supplements or medications. In the case of supplements, the greenish tint of urine is most often caused by B vitamins, mainly vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) . The preparations you take may contain this compound. It’s worth checking out. Some of the riboflavin that is not absorbed is excreted in the urine, turning it green.

Medicines used for urinary tract tests may contain dyes that also turn urine green. This is a common side effect and does not pose a health risk.

Green urine — what tests should be performed?

If the green color of urine does not go away and appears regardless of the diet, supplementation, or medications used, you should see a doctor for diagnosis and to determine the cause of the problem. Tests that can help make the diagnosis include:

General urine test — allows you to assess various urine parameters, such as the amount of protein, glucose, red blood cells, leukocytes, pH and the presence of any abnormal substances.

Blood tests — in addition to blood counts, these may be more detailed tests assessing how the kidneys and liver work,

Urine culture — involves culturing material collected from urine in order to detect and recognize bacteria or other microorganisms responsible for urinary tract infection,

Imaging tests — most often it is a kidney ultrasound examination.

The doctor will also ask about eating habits, medications and supplements taken to assess whether they influence the change in urine color.

When should green urine prompt you to see a doctor?

In the event of green urine, you should consult a doctor whenever additional disturbing symptoms appear, e.g.:

- stomachache,

- pain when urinating,

- fever,

- hematuria,

- oliguria.

- bad mood.

A visit to a specialist is also recommended when the color of urine does not return to normal after subsequent visits to the toilet or the urine has other unusual characteristics (e.g. unpleasant odor, foaming).

Health
Urine
Urine Test
Urine Infection
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