Not everyone knows why urine is yellow. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered why your urine is sometimes yellow. The secret behind the yellow color of urine is not widely known, although the explanation has existed for some time.
But what is the real reason for this color change?
According to Nyheder24.dk, who researched this topic, the color of urine is not directly due to the food we eat. Instead, it is a by-product of the breakdown of red blood cells.
This process occurs in the liver, spleen, or bone marrow, where red blood cells are typically broken down after about 120 days.
When blood cells are broken down, part of them, known as hemoglobin, is destroyed. The heme group, crucial for binding oxygen to blood cells, is converted into bilirubin during the breakdown process. Bilirubin is a yellow-orange pigment that plays an important role in the coloration of urine and faeces.
“In the intestine, bilirubin is converted into urobilinogen by intestinal bacteria, part of which is reabsorbed, converted into urobilin and excreted by the kidneys, turning the urine yellow. The unabsorbed urobilinogen is converted into colored pigments and excreted in the stool, turning it brown,” explains Max Salomonsson, Associate Professor of Renal Physiology at the Biomedical Institute of the University of Copenhagen.
The color of urine can also indicate our level of hydration – especially in warmer times like spring.
- source: dagens.de/picture: Bild von Plume Ploume auf Pixabay
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