How often do you look at your pee? According to experts, we really should be more familiar with it than we are as even just the colour of our urine can indicate how hydrated we are.
Speaking on This Morning yesterday, GP Dr Zoe Williams pointed to three bottles of coloured water from entirely clear to a pale yellow and said: “these will be familiar to all of us but our wee will change depending on how hydrated we are.”
She added that our bodies are 60% water, and even if we’re just 1-2% dehydrated, it can affect our mood, our energy levels and, terrifyingly, a study at Loughborough University found that dehydrated driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Eek.
How to know if you’re hydrated enough
Zoe went on to explain that if your urine is straw, or ‘champagne’ coloured, you’re very healthy. However, if it’s any paler than that or completely clear, you might actually be over-hydrated.
If you see a darker yellow pee first thing in the morning, this is perfectly normal, according to Zoe but later in the day, it tells you that you need to drink more water.
If you are very dehydrated, Zoe warned, your pee may actually turn orange or brown. However, these darker shades could indicate an underlying health condition.
How to make sure you stay hydrated
According to the NHS, you should drink plenty of fluids such as water, diluted squash and fruit juice to stay hydrated. The key is to drink regularly throughout the day (at least 6-8 mugs).
If you’re active, or if the weather is particularly hot, there’s a greater risk that you will become dehydrated. To stay hydrated, you should increase your fluid intake.
Additionally, if you or your child is experiencing vomiting or diarrhoea, it’s essential that you keep drinking water to make sure you don’t become dehydrated.