Scientists Figure Out Why Urine is Yellow: What to Know
Urine color can change due to hydration, diet, and medication. But among the average healthy person, it s a shade of yellow.
According to a new study published this week in
Nature Microbiology,Trusted Source researchers have finally uncovered a long-standing mystery, what leads to that yellow color?Researchers have found that an enzyme called bilirubin reductase (BilR) is what gives urine its yellow color. These results could be used to help study the links between the gut microbiome and health conditions such as jaundice and inflammatory bowel disease.
There’s a myth common in the alpinist community that you should drink water until your urine is clear and then try to maintain that. According to my favorite endocrinologist, this is wrong and can be even dangerous. You just want a healthy, mid-yellow cast. You can destroy your kidneys by drinking too much water. Details to follow, perhaps, if I think of it. But just don’t drink too much water. Not a problem for most people, but still.