Why is my pee black?

Dark urine is most commonly due to dehydration. However, it may be an indicator that excess, unusual, or potentially dangerous waste products are circulating in the body. For example, dark brown urine may indicate liver disease due to the presence of bile in the urine.


What causes pee to turn black?

Alkaptonuria, or black urine disease, is a very rare inherited disorder that prevents the body fully breaking down two protein building blocks (amino acids) called tyrosine and phenylalanine. It results in a build-up of a chemical called homogentisic acid in the body.

What do I do if my pee is black?

Seek medical attention if you have:
  1. Visible blood in your urine. Bloody urine is common in urinary tract infections and kidney stones. ...
  2. Dark or orange urine. If your urine is dark or orange — particularly if you also have pale stools and yellow skin and eyes — your liver might be malfunctioning.


Can someone's Pee be black?

Large quantities of HGA are excreted in the urine. If left to stand and exposed to the air, the HGA in urine will oxidise and start to turn black. The length of time needed for the urine to turn black can vary from patient to patient but nearly all patients' urine will eventually turn black.

Is black urine serious?

Benign causes include ingesting large amounts of rhubarb, fava beans or aloe. Some medications darken urine too. More worrisome, however, are potential causes like copper or phenol poisoning or melanoma, which can result in blackish urine called melanuria. See your doctor.


What Your Urine Color Says About Your Health | Urinary System Breakdown | #DeepDives



What color is your urine when your kidneys are failing?

When your kidneys are failing, a high concentration and accumulation of substances lead to brown, red, or purple urine. Studies suggest the urine color is due to abnormal protein or sugar as well as high numbers of cellular casts and red and white blood cells.

What drug makes your pee black?

Dark brown or black urine has been associated with drugs such as nitrofurantoin, acetaminophen overdose, and metronidazole.

What color of pee is concerning?

Even if you see your urine turn pink or red one time, you should contact your doctor and get evaluated. Dark brown and foamy urine can indicate the presence of liver disease or possibly old blood and should also prompt you to visit your doctor. “Dark brown doesn't always mean disease.


What color Pee Should you be worried about?

If your urine is cloudy, brown, blue, or green and doesn't return to a pale straw color, schedule an appointment to speak with a doctor.

What are the first signs of kidney problems?

Symptoms
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Fatigue and weakness.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Urinating more or less.
  • Decreased mental sharpness.
  • Muscle cramps.


What are four signs of kidney trouble?

If your kidneys aren't working properly, you may notice one or more of the following signs:
  • Extreme tiredness (fatigue).
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Confusion or trouble concentrating.
  • Swelling (edema), particularly around your hands, ankles or face.
  • Peeing more often.
  • Cramps (muscle spasms).
  • Dry or itchy skin.


How do I know my kidneys failing?

a reduced amount of urine. swelling of your legs, ankles, and feet from retention of fluids caused by the failure of the kidneys to eliminate water waste. unexplained shortness of breath. excessive drowsiness or fatigue.

What happens when your kidneys start shutting down?

If your kidneys stop working completely, your body fills with extra water and waste products. This condition is called uremia. Your hands or feet may swell. You will feel tired and weak because your body needs clean blood to function properly.

How long before death when kidneys shut down?

Without life-sustaining dialysis or a kidney transplant, once a person with kidney disease reaches stage 5 (end stage renal disease or ESRD), toxins build up in the body and death usually comes within a few weeks.


Is it painful when your kidneys start to shut down?

Pain is a major health problem in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) affecting half of the dialysis patients; most of them experience a moderate to severe degree of pain. Nevertheless, the impact of chronic pain and its consequences are often underestimated.

What foods help repair kidneys?

The Best Foods for Kidney Health
  • Dark leafy greens. Dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard, and collard greens are loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium, and many other important minerals. ...
  • Berries. ...
  • Cranberries. ...
  • Sweet potatoes. ...
  • Olive oil. ...
  • Fatty fish. ...
  • Cabbage.


How do I check if my kidneys are OK?

Blood Tests. Because your kidneys remove waste, toxins, and extra fluid from the blood, a doctor will also use a blood test to check your kidney function. The blood tests will show how well your kidneys are doing their job and how quickly the waste is being removed.


How can I check my kidneys at home?

A quick look at the best at-home kidney test kits
  1. Best blood sample test: LetsGetChecked Kidney Test.
  2. Best blood test for detailed results: Verisana Kidney Function Test.
  3. Best urine-based test: Healthy.io Minuteful Kidney.
  4. Best combination kit: Labcorp OnDemand Kidney Health Test Package.


Where do you feel kidney pain?

You feel kidney pain in the area where your kidneys are located: Near the middle of your back, just under your ribcage, on each side of your spine. Your kidneys are part of the urinary tract, the organs that make urine (i.e., pee) and remove it from your body.

What are the 5 stages of kidney failure?

Five stages of chronic kidney disease
  • Stage 1 with normal or high GFR (GFR > 90 mL/min)
  • Stage 2 Mild CKD (GFR = 60-89 mL/min)
  • Stage 3A Moderate CKD (GFR = 45-59 mL/min)
  • Stage 3B Moderate CKD (GFR = 30-44 mL/min)
  • Stage 4 Severe CKD (GFR = 15-29 mL/min)
  • Stage 5 End Stage CKD (GFR <15 mL/min)


What does damage to the kidneys feel like?

Kidney pain — also called renal pain — refers to pain from disease or injury to a kidney. You might feel kidney pain or discomfort as a dull, one-sided ache in your upper abdomen, side or back.

What are the 2 stages of kidney failure symptoms?

Signs and symptoms of Stage 2 CKD include:
  • Protein in your urine.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Swelling in your hands or feet.
  • Urinary tract infections.
  • Blood in your urine (also called hematuria)
  • Kidney damage that shows up in an ultrasound, CT scan, MRI or kidney biopsy.


Is dark urine an emergency?

If you have dark urine accompanied by intense pain, especially in your back, you may have kidney stones or a urinary tract infection (UTI). If you can't see your doctor right away or if the pain and any other symptoms get worse or are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and a high fever, seek immediate medical attention.


What color is diabetic pee?

If you have diabetes insipidus, you'll continue to pee large amounts of watery (dilute), light-colored urine when normally you'd only pee a small amount of concentrated, dark yellow urine.

What does blood in pee look like?

Blood in the urine can look pink, red or cola-colored. Red blood cells cause the urine to change color. It takes only a small amount of blood to turn urine red. The bleeding often isn't painful.