What should you know about dark brown red urine?

Red-brown urine may contain blood from anywhere along the urinary tract, although urine color cannot show where it came from. Burning, urgency, fever, or side pain can provide useful clues. A cola-like shade after strenuous exercise may reflect muscle pigment, especially with muscle soreness or weakness. Concentrated urine can look brown when fluids have been lost through sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Tea-colored urine with yellow skin or eyes may reflect bilirubin from a liver or bile problem. These possibilities are different, so a test is often needed.

Food, supplements, and medicines can also alter urine. Note any new product and whether the color changes after it is taken. Read more about [Dark Urine](/symptoms/dark-urine/).

Do not ignore red-brown urine simply because you feel well. If fluid loss is likely, rest and drink gradually unless you have been told to limit fluids; avoid demanding exercise while you observe the change. Arrange a medical review for visible blood, recurring discoloration, or urine that stays dark. Bring a list of medicines and supplements, and describe pain, fever, exercise, fluid loss, and urine amount. [Dehydration](/conditions/dehydration/) and [Heat Exhaustion](/conditions/heat-exhaustion/) are relevant when sweating or heat exposure preceded the change.

Seek urgent help for clots, inability to pass urine, severe side or abdominal pain, fainting, confusion, very little urine, severe muscle pain or weakness, or repeated vomiting. Prompt assessment is also needed for fever with urinary pain or yellow skin and eyes. A clinician may investigate liver causes, including [Hepatitis A](/conditions/hepatitis-a/) or [Hepatitis B](/conditions/hepatitis-b/), when other symptoms support that direction; red-brown urine by itself does not diagnose them.

Ask whether the urine should be checked for blood, infection, bilirubin, or muscle pigment. Could a medicine, supplement, recent exercise, or injury explain it? Do you need blood tests or imaging? What should you do if the color returns, urine output falls, or pain develops?