What Medications Can Change Urine Color?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses medications that can change urine color.
I was given a few different drugs for a UTI and I'm noticing my pee is a different color. Could it be the medication I am taking?
Aug 23, 2022- Many medications can change urine color due to dyes used in manufacturing or the drug compounds themselves being excreted in urine.
- If you notice a urine color change after starting a new medication, it's likely related to that drug, but you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist to rule out medical conditions.
- A urinalysis can help determine the cause of urine color changes when it's unclear whether medication or a health condition is responsible.
Answer
Thanks so much for reaching out to us!
You don't mention in your question which medication(s) you are taking that could be contributing to a change in the color of your urine.
Since there are quite a number of drugs that have been linked to urine color changes, I've compiled the chart in the next section that lists most of the drugs associated with it.
List Of Drugs That Can Change Urine Color
Urine color changes from medications are due to either the dye used in the manufacturing process or the drug compound itself (which is then excreted in the urine, causing the color change).
If you do notice a change in color in your urine when you start a new medication, it likely is the culprit (check the list below), but it is important to note that there are a number of medical conditions associated with color changes too (e.g. dehydrated individuals will have very dark or rust-colored urine).
I recommend talking to your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any changes in your urine color as the cause can often be determined through knowledge of the medications you take, conditions you may have, or, with a urinalysis.
| Drug | Color Change |
| Aminopyrine | brown, red, red-brown, pink |
| Aminosalicylic acid | yellow-brown |
| Amitriptyline | blue-green, green |
| Anthraquinone | blue, red, green, blue-green, brown, pink |
| Antipyrine | green, red |
| Aspirin | pink |
| Azuresin | blue, blue-green, green |
| Beet Supplements | red-brown, red |
| Benzene | red-brown |
| Bismuth (Pepto-Bismol) | yellow-brown |
| Blackberry Supplements | red |
| Carrot Supplements | rust, yellow |
| Chloroquine | rust, brown, yellow-brown, red |
| Chlorpromazine | red |
| Chlorzoxazone | orange, orange-red, red-purple |
| Choline Salicylate | pink |
| Chrysarobin | red |
| Cimetidine | blue, green |
| Cotrimoxazole (In Bactrim) | black |
| Danthron | brown |
| Danthsone | red |
| Daunorubicin | red |
| Dimethylsulfoxide | red |
| DMSO | red |
| Doan's pills | blue-green |
| Doxorubicin | red |
| Dyrenium | blue |
| Entacapone | yellow, orange, brown-orange |
| Ethoxazene | orange, red, orange-red, pink |
| Ferrous salts (iron) | black, dark |
| Furadantin | rust |
| Furazolidone | brown, yellow-brown, dark, orange-brown, rust |
| Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) | rust, brown, yellow, yellow-brown, red |
| Heparin | orange, red |
| Hydroquinone | brown, brown-green, dark, green |
| Ibuprofen | red, red-purple |
| Indomethacin (Indocin) | green |
| Iron dextran | black |
| Isoniazid | yellow-orange |
| Isosorbide | brown-black |
| Levodopa | black, brown, dark |
| Magnesium salicylate | blue, green |
| Mannose | orange |
| Methocarbamol (Robaxin) | black, blue, brown, green |
| Methyldopa | black, red, red-brown, brown, pink |
| Metronidazole (Flagyl) | brown, dark, yellow-brown, brown-black, rust |
| Mitoxantrone | blue-green |
| Naphthalene | black |
| Naphthol | dark |
| Niridazole | dark |
| Nitazoxanide | green-yellow |
| Nitrates | brown-black |
| Oxyphenbutazone | red, red-brown |
| Phenacetin | black, red, red-brown, rust, brown, dark, red-purple, yellow, brown-black |
| Phenazopyridine | orange-red, red, pink |
| Phenytoin | pink, red-brown, red |
| Promethazine | blue, green |
| Propofol | white, pink, green |
| Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2) | dark, rust, orange, orange-yellow, red, brown, yellow |
| Rifabutin | brown, orange |
| Rifampin | orange-red |
| Salicylates | pink |
| Senna | brown, red, red-purple, rust, yellow-pink, yellow-brown, red-brown, pink, brown-black |
| Sulfasalazine | orange-yellow, orange, yellow |
| Sulfonamides | rust, black, brown, yellow-brown |
| Thymol | blue-green, brown, dark, black, green, blue |
| Triamterene | blue |
| Warfarin | orange, red-brown |
Final Words
Thanks again for reaching out to us and we look forward to hearing back from you if anything else comes up!
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Excretion
- The process by which the body removes waste products or medications through urine or other means.
- Dye
- A colored substance used in the manufacturing process of medications that can be eliminated from the body in urine.
- Urinalysis
- A medical test that examines urine samples to help identify the cause of changes in color or other abnormalities.
- Dehydration
- A condition where the body loses more fluids than it takes in, which can cause urine to become darker or more concentrated.
- Drug compound
- The active chemical substance in a medication that produces the therapeutic effect.
- Bismuth
- A metallic element used in medications like Pepto-Bismol that can affect urine color.
- Nitrofurantoin
- An antibiotic medication commonly used to treat urinary tract infections that can change urine color.
- Warfarin
- A blood-thinning medication used to prevent clots that may affect the color of urine.
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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