Why is my urine orange-yellow?

Orange-yellow urine may result from physiological causes such as consuming colored foods or insufficient water intake, or it may be due to medical conditions such as urethritis or liver abnormalities. Details are as follows.

I. Non-disease factors

1. Insufficient fluid intake

If a person habitually drinks too little water, the amount of urine produced decreases, leading to concentrated urine, which appears orange-yellow. This is usually a normal phenomenon that does not require special treatment. The symptom typically resolves once adequate hydration is restored.

2. Colored foods

Consuming large amounts of foods containing orange pigments may introduce these pigments into the bloodstream, where they are metabolized and excreted in urine, causing it to appear orange-yellow. This condition generally requires no specific treatment and resolves with dietary adjustments.

II. Disease factors

1. Urethritis

If a patient has a urinary tract condition such as urethritis, inflammatory factors can cause cells to slough off into the urine, making it cloudy and giving it an orange-yellow appearance. Some patients may also experience symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and pain.

2. Liver disease

When liver or biliary system disorders are present, levels of bilirubin and urobilinogen in the urine increase, often turning the urine orange or golden yellow. Common underlying conditions include viral hepatitis, gallstones, or biliary tumors. Diagnosis requires further evaluation through liver function tests and urine tests for bilirubin and urobilinogen levels.