Dark urine can result from dehydration or other health conditions, such as hepatitis, liver disease, and bladder infections. Some medications may also cause your urine to darken.

Dark urine is deeper in color than urine that is typically pale yellow. Darker urine can be different colors, including:

  • deep yellow
  • maroon
  • brown or black, like tea

Urine is produced in the kidneys. These filter waste products and toxins from the blood and excrete them from your body through urine.

Ideally, your urine should be pale yellow in color. This would indicate you’re hydrated. Urine naturally has some yellow pigments called urobilin or urochrome. The darker urine, the more concentrated it tends to be.

Dark urine is most commonly caused by dehydration.

However, having dark urine when you’re well hydrated may indicate that excess, unusual, or harmful waste products are circulating in the body. This may be a sign of an underlying health condition that could require treatment.

Keep reading to learn more about the potential causes and treatments of dark urine.

In most cases, dark urine is a sign of dehydration and isn’t a cause for concern. Other symptoms of dehydration may include:

If you experience symptoms of dehydration, it’s important to drink water.

Several foods may darken the color of your urine, including:

Dark urine could also be a side effect of taking certain medications. These may include:

If you start taking one of these medications and experience dark urine, speak with a healthcare professional. They could adjust your treatment plan by modifying the dosage or recommending an alternative medication.

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference between dark urine due to dehydration or due to other causes. Dark urine due to dehydration is usually amber or honey-colored.

Dark urine associated with underlying health conditions can be tinged with:

The following health conditions may cause your urine to be darker:

Excess or overly strenuous exercise may also contribute to dark urine.

Intense exercise can cause muscle injury, which causes the body to release excess waste products. The result can be urine that is either pink or cola-colored.

Speak with a healthcare professional if you see blood in your urine or experience dark urine that doesn’t go away after drinking water.

You should also see a doctor if you experience the following symptoms with dark urine:

A healthcare professional will perform a comprehensive evaluation to provide a proper diagnosis and develop the best treatment plan for you.

This may include a physical and medical history examination, as well as various lab and imaging studies.

They’ll perform a urinalysis, which involves taking at least a two-ounce sample of your urine.

A laboratory will examine and give a report of the urine based on three components:

  • Physical: This looks at the color, odor, volume, and specific gravity of urine.
  • Chemical: This measures ketones, glucose, nitrites, bacteria, pH levels, red and white blood cells, protein, and bilirubin, among others.
  • Microscopical: This examines bacteria, cells, and crystals, among others.

Ideally, the urine sample will come from the first urine you produce in the morning. This urine is more likely to show any abnormalities because it is more concentrated than other urine you produce over the day.

If the urinalysis reveals unusual results, the doctor may order more targeted tests to check for underlying health conditions. These tests may include:

Treatment will depend on your medical history, symptoms, and the results of any laboratory studies and other diagnostic tests.

If you occasionally experience dark urine due to dehydration, it’s important to start drinking more water.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietitians recommends adult females get 11.5 cups (2.5 liters) of water per day and adult males 15.5 cups (3.7 liters).

However, 20% of these volumes can come from food, so it’s not necessary to drink this much water.

  • drinking a glass of water when you wake up and with each meal
  • keeping a reusable water bottle with you during the day
  • setting reminders on your phone

It’s important to note that you may be drinking too much water if your urine is so pale it’s almost clear.

If dark urine is a side effect of medications you’re taking, continue taking them based on your results. However, you may wish to speak with a doctor about your symptoms. They could maybe modify or adjust your treatment plan.

Avoiding foods that cause dark urine may also help.

What does it mean if your urine is dark?

Dark urine may be a sign of dehydration. It could also be caused by eating certain foods, taking some medications, or, more rarely, an underlying health condition.

What color is urine when your kidneys are failing?

Brown, dark amber, or red urine may be a sign of kidney failure and other health conditions. If you experience these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis.

When should I be worried about my urine color?

Speak with a healthcare professional if your dark urine doesn’t go away after drinking water. This may be a sign that the change in urine color is caused by something other than dehydration.

Can dehydration cause brown urine?

Yes, dehydration can cause urine that is brown, dark amber, or dark yellow.

Dark urine is when your urine is brown, maroon, red, or dark yellow.

In most cases, dark urine is caused by dehydration or eating certain foods like beets, fava beans, and rhubarb. However, it may also be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as liver disease or rhabdomyolysis.

Speak with a doctor if you experience dark urine that doesn’t go away after drinking water. They could help provide a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.