What urine reveals about gut health as science uncovers why pee is yellow
Ever wondered why your pee is yellow? Well, now researchers finally have the answer and turns out it has something to do with the gut.
Scientists have figured out an enzyme called bilirubin reductase, produced by gut bacteria, has a major role to play in giving urine its yellow hue.
Commenting on the findings lead author Brantley Hall, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, said: "Gut microbes encode the enzyme bilirubin reductase that converts bilirubin into a colorless byproduct called urobilinogen," Hall, the study's lead author, said. "Urobilinogen then spontaneously degrades into a molecule called urobilin, which is responsible for the yellow color we are all familiar with."
Researchers hope the study, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, could also help to unlock further understanding about treating certain health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease or liver problems like jaundice.
"This enzyme discovery finally unravels the mystery behind urine's yellow colour. It's remarkable that an everyday biological phenomenon went unexplained for so long, and our team is excited to be able to explain it," Hall continues.
What our pee can tell us about gut health
The colour of your urine can offer some insights into your hydration status and overall wellbeing.
"Various factors contribute to urine colour, including hydration levels, the concentration of waste products, and the presence of substances like urobilin, responsible for the characteristic yellow hue of urine," explains Kareem Mahmoud, medical advisor at Flo Health.
According to Alison Cullen, nutritional practitioner at avogel.co.uk healthy urine is typically light yellow in colour, close to clear, but still with some yellow pigment showing.
"If your urine is very clear that’s a sign you’re drinking plenty of water and are well-hydrated," she explains.
"Darker coloured urine usually suggests you’re not drinking enough water, but it can be indicative of issues with your bile duct, liver disease or a side effect of certain medications.
"Cloudy and smelly urine is typically a symptom of a bladder infection such as cystitis," she adds.
Mahmoud says dark urine can be attributed to several factors, including:
Dehydration (most common)
Consumption of certain foods, such as beetroot
Use of specific medications
Presence of blood in the urine
Bile Duct Obstruction, where the flow of bile from the liver to the intestines is blocked by conditions like gallstones or tumours (less common)
"While minor changes in urine colour are typically normal, it is crucial to seek medical attention if you observe a persistent alteration in urine colour," Mahmoud adds.
How to make the colour of your pee more typical
If you are otherwise in good health, Cullen says simply drinking more water and eating more foods with a high water content, such as melon and cucumber, will help to dilute your pee, reducing both odour and colour.
"This will also help to flush bacterial build-up and sediment out of the bladder, working to clear any infection if present," she continues. "Drinking your water away from meals stops it from diluting your digestive enzymes and causing bloating."
Emptying your bladder frequently is important in preventing bacteria from settling.
"Don’t hang on!" Cullen adds. "Interestingly, if you feel like peeing very frequently, but don’t produce much when you go, this can be a sign that you need to drink more, not less, as your urine is too concentrated and therefore irritating the bladder lining."
Diet is also important.
"Our diets are often full of things that can irritate the bladder, cause inflammation or reduce our immune function and allow infection to take hold," Cullen adds.
"Eat your greens. Spinach, kale and broccoli are good options. They are great for your whole body, packed with vital nutrients and they help to support your immune system, which is key when it comes to staring down unfriendly bacteria," she continues.
If you are experiencing changes in your urinary habits, such as increased/decreased frequency, or are experiencing pain during urination, Mahmoud says it’s important to monitor your fluid intake, and to pay attention to other symptoms such as fever, or having blood in your urine.
He advises consulting a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and guidance if you are experiencing any of the following:-
Increased frequency: If you're urinating more frequently than usual, it could be due to various reasons such as simply drinking lots of fluids, or it can be an indication of a health issue such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), diabetes, or an enlarged prostate (in men).
Less frequent urination: If you're urinating less frequently than usual, it could be due to dehydration, certain medications, or underlying medical conditions.
Pain during urination: Pain during urination can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI), sexually transmitted infection (STI), or other issues.
Read more on gut health:
Gut health: Foods to eat and avoid to improve your wellbeing (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)
Scientists can predict the onset of colon cancer by looking at your gut bacteria (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
3 yoga poses that can aid digestion and improve gut health (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
