What should you know about dark urine in men?

Deep yellow urine often follows sweating, exercise, fever, or reduced drinking. Red, pink, smoky, or brown urine may indicate blood or another pigment and should not be assumed to be dehydration. Burning, urgency, a weak stream, difficulty starting, pelvic pain, or fever may accompany a urinary problem. Tea-coloured urine with yellow eyes can indicate a liver or bile issue.

Recent strenuous activity, muscle pain, new supplements, and medicines are relevant details. A dark shade that repeatedly appears, does not improve, or is accompanied by pain needs a clinician’s assessment rather than home guessing.

Look at a fresh urine sample in good light and write down when the change occurs. Review recent exercise, heat, drinks, foods, medicines, and supplements. Drink your normal fluids unless you have been given a fluid limit for a heart or kidney condition. Never stop a prescribed medicine without advice. Arrange a review if the change continues, returns, or comes with urinary symptoms.

Seek urgent care for inability to pass urine, heavy visible blood or clots, severe side or back pain, fainting, severe weakness, or confusion. Same-day medical advice is appropriate for fever with urinary symptoms, brown urine after intense exertion with muscle pain, or yellow skin or eyes. You can read about [Dark Urine](/symptoms/dark-urine/) and [Hepatitis B](/conditions/hepatitis-b/).

Ask whether the colour could be blood, a medicine effect, infection, or a liver-related change. Ask if urine testing is needed and whether kidney function or other tests should be checked. Bring a medicine list and mention stream changes, discharge, recent exercise, injuries, fever, and pain.