"It’s definitely worth taking a look first because the colour and smell of your urine can give a lot of clues about your health," says Dr Dawn Harper.
‘There’s a lot of talk about us needing a specific amount of water but I think that can be confusing and even misleading,’ she says. ‘How much water you need to drink depends on lots of factors, such as the temperature, how active you are and how much fluid you’re getting from food.
'To assess your hydration levels, it’s far simpler and more reliable to just look at the colour of your wee - it should be straw or champagne coloured, no darker’.
So what does it mean if YOURS doesn’t meet the gold standard? Read on to find out...
Dark wee
Wee that’s a darker yellow colour than straw suggests you’re dehydrated.
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"People think, 'I don’t need to drink, I’m not thirsty,' but by the time you actually feel thirsty you’re already clinically dehydrated,’ says Dawn. "Even being moderately dehydrated can affect cognitive function, cause headaches and leave you feeling foggy."
Up your water intake and you should quickly see a difference. However, dark urine that doesn’t improve when you drink more should be checked out by a doctor because it can be a sign of liver problems.
Brown wee
Some of the antibiotics commonly given for urine infections, such as metronidazole and nitrofurantoin, can make wee a dark brown colour.
"People often worry that means the infection is getting worse, but the colour should return to normal once the antibiotics are finished," says Dawn. "If you have gallstones, your urine might be so dark it’s almost brown. You may also get very pale, floaty stools."
Bright wee
Vitamins can cause your urine to turn a different colour
If your pee looks decidedly day-glow, have a look at any vitamins you’re taking. "Supplements high in B vitamins can give urine a vivid deep yellow colour," says Dawn. But it’s nothing to worry about.
Clear wee
If your wee looks like water, you’re drinking too much.
"Consuming a lot of water shouldn’t be a problem, but in extreme cases you can become over-hydrated," says Dawn. "It can affect the biochemistry in your blood and, in rare cases, lead to fits."
It’s not an issue if you’re just sipping at a bottle, but it has been known to affect people downing huge amounts of water when training for extreme events such as marathons.
Red wee
Beetroot can turn urine pink or red
Before you panic that you’re peeing blood, think about what you’ve been eating recently.
"Foods such as beetroot, rhubarb and blackberries can turn urine pink or red, while carrots can turn it orange," says Dawn. "However, if your urine is pink or red for no reason, it must be checked out asap. Blood in your pee can be something as simple as a urine infection, but it can also be a sign of cancer."
Green wee
Have you been eating a lot of asparagus? That might explain why you’re peeing green.
"Asparagus pee tends to have a characteristic smell as well," says Dawn. Green food colouring can also be to blame. "Some medications, including antidepressants such as amitriptyline, can give urine a bluey-greeny colour too," adds Dawn.
Cloudy wee
This can suggest an infection, says Dawn.
"Your doctor or practice nurse will be able to quickly check whether you have proteins in your urine."
If you need antibiotics, your wee sample can be sent off to pinpoint the most effective one.
Foamy urine
Don't hold it! Have you been holding in your pee to bursting point?
"If you’re passing a very strong stream of urine, it can look quite bubbly in the bowl," says Dawn.
If you see foamy wee all the time though, it can suggest you’ve got excess protein in your urine. This can be a sign that your kidneys aren’t filtering out protein effectively. See your doctor.