Can Ambien Cause Urine Discoloration?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses if Ambien (zolpidem) is known to change the color of urine.
Can Ambien CR cause discoloration of your urine?
Apr 18, 2025- Ambien CR is not known to cause urine discoloration as a recognized side effect, though the dyes in the tablet could theoretically cause subtle color changes in rare cases. If urine discoloration persists, worsens, or comes with other symptoms like pain or fever, you should contact your doctor to rule out other causes.
Answer
Thanks for reaching out! Whether or not a drug can cause urine discoloration is a common one, and one we've written about before with other drugs (Can Metronidazole Change Urine Color? | HelloPharmacist).
In regard to Ambien CR, which contains the active ingredient zolpidem tartrate, is generally not associated with urine discoloration as a known side effect. However, there are a few reasons why discoloration could theoretically occur in some individuals.
Why It Could Happen
The Ambien CR 12.5 mg tablet contains several inactive ingredients, including FD&C Blue #2 and yellow ferric oxide, both of which are dyes. While these dyes are typically broken down in the digestive system, in rare cases, if they are not fully metabolized or absorbed, they could pass through the system and slightly alter the color of urine.
So, urine discoloration with Ambien CR would be considered an uncommon occurrence, but it wouldn't be harmful. It’s more likely if a person has a slower metabolism, digestive issues, or other medications affecting dye absorption or excretion.
If discoloration persists, worsens, or is accompanied by other symptoms (like pain, fever, or blood), it’s important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Other more common causes of urine color changes include dehydration, foods, supplements, or medications with known pigment effects.
Some medical conditions can cause the urine to change color as well, so it's important to speak with your doctor if anything unusual is occurring.
Drugs Known to Discolor Urine
Just for reference, here is a list of medications that are more commonly known to cause urine discoloration, along with the typical color changes they can cause:
| Drug | Urine Color |
|---|---|
| Amitriptyline | Blue-green, green |
| Chlorzoxazone | Orange, orange-red, red-purple |
| Doxorubicin | Red |
| Entacapone | Yellow, orange, brown-orange |
| Levodopa | Black, brown, dark |
| Metronidazole | Brown, dark, yellow-brown, brown-black, rust |
| Methyldopa | Black, red, red-brown, brown, pink |
| Methylene blue | Blue, green, blue-green |
| Phenazopyridine | Orange-red, red, pink |
| Rifampin | Orange-red |
| Rifabutin | Brown, orange |
| Sulfasalazine | Orange-yellow, orange, yellow |
| Senna | Brown, red, red-purple, rust, pink |
| Ibuprofen | Red, red-purple |
| Nitrofurantoin | Rust, brown, yellow |
| Propofol | Green, pink, white |
| Triamterene | Blue |
Final Thoughts
To summarize, Ambien CR is not known to cause urine discoloration, but in rare cases, inactive coloring agents in the tablet may contribute to subtle changes. If this happens only once or twice and you feel well otherwise, it's likely harmless. But if the discoloration is persistent, unusual, or accompanied by other symptoms, consult your doctor to rule out other causes.
Thank you for your question!
References & sources
- Ambien CR Prescribing Information — AccessFDA
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Zolpidem tartrate
- The active ingredient in Ambien CR, which is a medication used to help people fall asleep.
- Side effect
- An unintended reaction that a medication causes in addition to its intended purpose.
- Inactive ingredients
- Substances added to a medication that don't have a direct therapeutic effect but serve other purposes like coloring or binding.
- FD&C Blue #2
- A food and cosmetic dye approved by the FDA that is used to color medications and foods.
- Metabolized
- The process by which the body breaks down and processes substances like drugs or food components.
- Metabolism
- The rate at which a person's body breaks down and processes substances.
- Excretion
- The process of the body eliminating waste products, including through urine.
- Pigment
- A substance that gives color to something.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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