Urine mainly consists of waste products that are filtered by the kidney from the blood and excess water. Depending on the ratio between waste products and excess water, the colour of the urine can signify the health of the individual. For instance, yellowish to amber colours suggest that the urine is healthy, whereas colours of dark brown and cloudy can suggest the urine is unhealthy.

In order to ensure that you are up-to-date with your health, here’s what you need to know about the common causes of dark urine, as well as understanding your treatment options.

1. Food, drinks or medication

When it comes to the change in colour or the smell of urine, food, drinks, and medication are often a common cause. For instance, eating blackberries and beets can turn the urine red, while consuming rhubarb turns the urine into a tea-like or dark brown colour.

Here are a few medications that can result in changes in urine colour: primaquine, chloroquine, laxatives that contain senna or cascara, methocarbamol, antibiotics nitrofurantoin and metronidazole. It is important to note that certain medical conditions can turn urine dark brown, such as kidney and liver disorders.

2. Urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) happen when bacteria enter the bladder, commonly through the urethra. UTIs are also known as cystitis or bladder infections. Some of the symptoms of UTIs include frequent urges to urinate, pressure or pain in the abdomen, urine that is dark, cloudy, or bloody, and pain or burning sensation while urinating.

3. Dehydration

A common cause of dark urine is dehydration. It typically occurs when there is not enough water in the body. Dehydration also has many different symptoms apart from dark urine, such as thirst, constipation, fatigue, dizziness or weakness, and dry mouth and lips.

To treat dehydration, individuals can drink more clear fluids such as herbal tea and water. Some of the individuals that are likely to be prone to dehydration include older adults, people with severe illnesses, and children.

4. Hepatitis C (HCV)

The hepatitis C virus can cause a liver infection in an individual. While specific symptoms may be displayed during its early stages, many may not know that they have liver damage until problems start to arise. HCV is one of the causes of dark urine as it affects how the liver processes waste.

There are many risk factors with HCV, such as sharing needles, having sex with an individual infected with HCV without a condom, and using unsterile equipment when receiving tattoos. If such symptoms occur, they can appear between 2 weeks to 6 months after exposure to the virus. Some of the symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, fever, stomach pain, itchy skin, jaundice and dark urine.

Treatment of dark urine

If the cause is food, drinks or medication, dark urine is typically not a big concern as the urine will return to its usual colour when the individual stops consuming them. With UTIs, doctors are likely to prescribe a short course of antibiotics. Individuals with a severe infection will require a longer course of antibiotics, while others may only be required to take some pain relievers.

For those who are experiencing severe dehydration, they may require rehydration therapy. This is a process where the individual will be administered oral rehydration salts or fluids and electrolytes in a hospital. With HCV, new therapies have started to treat the virus without severe side effects, making them effective in the treatment of dark urine.

Conclusion

If your dark urine is a sign concern, especially where there are other symptoms present, seek medical attention right away as it could further cause severe complications.

If you require a health check-up or any sexual health screening, make an appointment at an STD clinic in Singapore. At Elyon Clinic, we offer essential health services, namely STD prevention, family medicine, HIV testing, and many more. Call us today at 6802 7208 and let us help you stay safe and healthy.