Why Is My Pee Bright Yellow?

This may seem like a crude topic, but really...have you ever wondered why your urine is that particular shade of neon yellow? Or amber? Or almost clear? Let's look closer into what causes the change of colors.

What Color Urine is Normal?

Normal urine should be a shade of yellow. The more water you drink, the lighter your urine will be. If you’re dehydrated, the color of your urine will resemble an amber shade of yellow.

The Exceptions

Certain foods or medications can alter the color of your urine. For example, berries, beets, or heavily processed foods contain high amounts of food dye which can interact with the pigment in urine to produce a different color. Some medications such as phenazopyridine (Pyridium) used to numb urinary tract discomfort and laxatives containing senna can turn it reddish-orange.

Vitamin B is probably the most famous substance for changing urine color. The urine changes to a bright neon-looking yellow due to excess riboflavin. Riboflavin, also called B2, is an ingredient in most multivitamins and almost all B-complex vitamins.

So why does it change the color of my urine? Any excess riboflavin that is not absorbed by the body is excreted in the urine. So if you take a multivitamin and your pee is slightly neon yellow, your body is absorbing and using almost the entire B2 vitamin you take. On the other hand, if your urine is extremely neon, your body is not absorbing most of the B vitamin you take. This is probably because you are already getting enough B2 in your diet.