WHY IS URINE YELLOW?


The kidneys serve two major functions: they keep the salt content of the blood constant, and they filter waste out of the bloodstream. So, the main components of urine are (salt) water and waste products. The major waste product from cells in the body is ammonia, and the major waste product from blood is a broken form of heme called bilirubin. In the liver, each of these is converted into a less hazardous form: ammonia is converted to urea, and bilirubin is degraded to urobilins. Salt, water, and urea are all colorless, but urobilins (which come from degraded pigments) are yellow. So, if you drink a lot, your urine will be more dilute and clearer, and if you get dehydrated, your urine will contain less water and be darker yellow.

12 comments:

yanyan712 said...

i ask myself that question every day.  thanks doc!

vixstar said...

why is giz white?
why are your nipples so pink?

aegie said...

hahah to vixstar's comment.  so where did you get this info by the way?

miffybunni said...

thanks, dr. boucher

Anonymous said...

you sure are smart. 

Anonymous said...

good to know.

Anonymous said...

wow, thanks for sharing. my urine is usually clear these days

IjennI said...

i swear.....only you would give me a 9th grade biology lesson like that in your xanga! =P

Anonymous said...

thank you...now examine my fecal matter.

vixstar said...

why is it that when you drink your piss turns white and then the next day becomes highlighter dick?

kojibamba said...

what about red, stinging, burning urine - what does that mean..

squintz80 said...

fascinating... my pee is usually pretty clear tho... =P