So, what does fat in urine look like? If you’re on a weight loss program, it’s a pretty important question. Whether you’re on a low-carb diet, a high-fat diet, or you’re following an intermittent fasting routine, the appearance of your urine can give you an idea of the progress you’re making.
Fat Loss And Urine Color: What Does Fat In Urine Look Like?
If you notice an oily look to your urine, it’s possible that your body has entered ketosis. This is a state where your body is burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.1
There are actually a couple of ways that fat leaves the body when you’re on a diet. Fat leaves the body in the form of water. It moves through your kidneys when you urinate. It also moves through your skin in the form of sweat. Fat can even leave the body in the form of carbon dioxide when you breathe.2
What Does Your Urine Color Mean?
If you’re on any sort of fat burning diet, if you’re exercising more, or if you’re following one of many other methods to lose weight, your urine can give you a picture of your overall health. Here’s a quick look at what some of the more common shades of urine color can mean.
- Clear or light yellow – This means you’ve been drinking a lot of water, which is good. But it could also mean that you might be lacking in electrolytes. Clear urine might mean your body is flushing out nutrients instead of absorbing them.3
- Dark yellow or amber-colored – If your urine is this color, you are probably dehydrated. Drink more water.4,5
- Brown – When pee is brown, that could indicate that someone is suffering from severe dehydration. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.6
- Reddish-pink – This could mean that you have a health issue that’s causing red blood cells to appear in your urine. If the issue isn’t the urination of blood cells, it could be a sign of kidney stones or other kinds of kidney problems.7 Talk to your doctor to see if you may be experiencing a kidney issue.
Try This Easy Urine Test To See If You’re Drinking Enough Water
You might be counting your net carbs on a daily basis, or monitoring your intake of fat as part of your diet plan. But one thing you might not be doing is making sure you drink enough water. It can be easy to allow yourself to become dehydrated. Ask your doctor for a urine test. They can guide you through the best ways to stay hydrated and help you lose weight in a safe and efficient manner.
One type of urine test checks for the presence of protein in urine. If there is too much protein in the urine culture you provide, that could mean you’re suffering from dehydration. It could also be a sign of a potential kidney problem.8
There’s another type of urine test that measures the amount of glucose in the urine. Urine strips can show if your blood glucose/blood sugar levels are too high due to a lack of insulin production.9
There is also a fecal fat test that measures the amount of fat not being absorbed by the body. It basically checks how the pancreas, intestines, and gallbladder are functioning. This test can also alert you to potentially serious health issues.10
Can Staying Hydrated Help You Burn Fat And Lose Weight More Effectively?
Staying hydrated isn’t just important for your overall health. It could also go a long way toward making your diet plan a success. You might be watching your carb intake like a hawk on your low-carbohydrate diet and consuming a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. But if you’re not staying hydrated, you’re not doing your fat loss program any favors.
As a matter of fact, one study says that the less hydrated a person is, the more likely that person will experience weight gain. This study involved nearly 10,000 participants who submitted urine samples. According to the results, people who were not adequately hydrated were 60 percent more likely to suffer from obesity than those who maintained proper hydration levels.11
Bladder And Urinary Tract Health: Know When To See The Doctor
A urinary tract infection (UTI) can be extremely painful. If you notice a burning feeling when you urinate, you leak urine, or you notice a foul urine smell, you should see a doctor right away. Talk to your doctor about any medications you’re taking or any medical concerns you may have. This will help your doctor come up with a plan to help you find relief.12,13
Keeping track of the appearance of your urine could help you meet your weight loss goals in the safest, most effective way possible. It could also alert you to issues that need to be addressed by a doctor.
Learn More:
Sources
1- http://alstherapyalliance.org/oily-urine-symptoms-causes-and-treatments/
2- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/where-does-body-fat-go-when-you-lose-weight/
3- http://www.bestcaretoday.com/articles/257/
4- https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/what-color-your-urine-means
5- https://health.ucsd.edu/news/features/Pages/2014-04-21-colors-that-suggest-urine-trouble.aspx
6- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-the-color-of-your-urine-says-about-you-infographic/
7- https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2016/03/what-color-is-your-urine
8- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=urine_protein_dipstick
9- https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/3/e019924
10- https://www.ucsfhealth.org/tests/003588.html
11- https://www.livescience.com/55360-water-intake-weight-obesity.html
12- https://familydoctor.org/condition/urinary-tract-infections/
13- http://trihealth.adam.com/content.aspx?productid=107&pid=33&gid=000169