What Causes Cloudy Urine and What Does it Mean?

Our urine colour can change a lot and these changes can have various meanings, some being potentially serious, some being relatively normal. One of the most common and noticeable urine changes is when it becomes cloudy. This can have several different causes, which we’re going to break down below. 

Urine is usually relatively clear, especially if you are well hydrated. When you have cloudy urine, it looks as if your urine has a hazy colour, making it much less clear or transparent than normal. 

Most of the time cloudy urine is harmless and isn’t a sign of a serious condition, however if you notice regular or repetitive occurrences of cloudy or milky urine, this could indicate an underlying health condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated. 

There are several potential causes of cloudy urine, but the most common is the presence of alkaline in the urine. Your urine is mostly made up of water and waste products from your kidneys, and the balance of these in your urine can alter how acidic it is. We refer to this as the pH level of your urine. 

A normal pH for urine ranges between 4.5 and 8. Urine that is below a pH of 5 is considered acidic, while urine over a pH of 8 is considered alkaline (also known as ‘ basic’). A high alkaline level is one of the main causes of cloudy urine. 

Other causes of cloudy urine include: 

• Dehydration 

• Diet 

• Infection (such as UTI) 

• Prostate problems 

• Pregnancy 

• Vaginitis 

• A sexually transmitted infection (STI) 

• Kidney stones 

• Blood in the urine 

• Diabetes 

• Kidney disease 

• Fistula

Cloudy urine can occur in anyone, although the underlying cause could be something specific to women or men. For example, pregnancy would only affect women or people with vaginas, while cloudy urine associated with prostate health would only affect men or people with a penis. 

Many of the underlying causes of cloudy urine can affect both men and women.

Pregnancy can lead to several changes to your urination and urine colour. Cloudy urine during pregnancy can occur for several reasons, such as: 

• Dehydration (due to morning sickness) 

• Vaginal discharge 

• Infection 

• Preeclampsia 

If you notice repeated or continual cloudy urination, or symptoms such as headache, abdominal pain or blurred vision you should contact your GP for further examination and diagnosis. 

As we mentioned earlier, the pH balance of your urine is a major cause of hazy urine. Certain foods in your diet can cause your urine to become more alkaline, which will make your urine appear cloudy. 

Foods that can cause your urine to be cloudy include: 

• Fruits 

• Vegetables 

• Grains 

• Certain cheeses 

A diet without meat can also raise alkaline levels in your urine. 

Treating cloudy urine will depend on the underlying cause.  

Some simple and effective treatments include: 

• Staying hydrated 

• Taking vitamin C to reduce alkaline levels in your urine 

• Taking antibiotics (if the underlying cause is an infection) 

• Eating a balanced diet 

These simple measures may not lead to improvements if the underlying cause of your cloudy urine is from a particular health condition that requires treatment. If your urine is cloudy even after taking the steps above, or is repetitively cloudy, this could be a sign of an underlying condition that requires a more specific diagnosis and treatment by your doctor. 

Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle are the best ways to keep your urine clear, as well as staying hydrated. 

Foamy urine is different from cloudy urine. Foamy urine means there is a bubbly texture to your urine, not necessarily a cloudy coloration. Foamy urine is usually caused by the speed of urination, but if you notice you often have foamy urine, this could be a sign of a kidney problem and you should speak to your doctor for a diagnosis. 

While foamy and cloudy urine are not uncommon, it’s much rarer to see milky white urine. This is called chyluria (pronounced: ‘kye-LURE-ee-uh’) and occurs when a fluid that’s made during digestion. If the liquid can’t get into the blood, it ends up in the kidneys and then into the urine. If your urine becomes milky white, it’s important that you see your GP to find out and treat the underlying cause. 

Changes to your urine odour can occur naturally and are often no cause for concern as it is usually temporary. Cloudy urine isn’t specifically linked to urine smell. Your diet as well as your vitamin and mineral intake can influence urine smell. If you notice a specific odour lingers for several days however, it may be necessary to contact your doctor. 

Understanding your urinary health is important to maintaining your wellbeing, especially as our bodies change. Whether you notice changes to your urine colour or you get occasional urine leakage, TENA has a range of products to help you keep control, including TENA Discreet incontinence pads for women, and TENA Active Fit pants for men. 

We also have more advice and tips to manage urine leakage and urinary health, from keeping a bladder diary to learning more about urodynamics. 

Sources: 

https://www.healthline.com/health/cloudy-urine#causes 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324443 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21894-cloudy-urine 

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/cloudy-urine-causes 

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