Reddish-orange urine is usually caused by something harmless: dehydration, a food you ate, a vitamin you took, or a medication. In most cases, the color shift is temporary and resolves on its own within a day or two. But certain combinations of symptoms alongside unusual urine color can point to liver problems or blood in the urine, both of which need medical attention.
Dehydration Is the Most Common Cause
When you’re not drinking enough water, your kidneys concentrate your urine to conserve fluid. The natural yellow pigment in urine becomes more intense as the volume drops, shifting from pale straw to deep amber or even a dark orange. The less you drink, the darker it gets. If your urine is dark and you’re producing smaller amounts than usual, especially with strong-smelling urine, you’re likely dehydrated.
The fix is straightforward: drink more water and watch the color lighten over the next few hours. Well-hydrated urine is pale yellow and nearly odorless. If you increase your fluids and the reddish-orange tone doesn’t fade within a day, something else is going on.
Foods That Change Urine Color
Beets are the most well-known culprit. They contain a pigment called betanin that your body may not fully break down, resulting in pink, red, or reddish-orange urine. This phenomenon, called beeturia, only affects about 10% to 14% of the general population, so not everyone who eats beets will notice the change. Interestingly, beeturia is far more common in people with iron-deficiency anemia, affecting up to 66% to 80% of those with untreated iron deficiency.
Other foods that can shift your urine toward the red or orange spectrum include rhubarb, blackberries, dragon fruit, and anything with heavy red food dye. The discoloration typically clears within 48 hours of your last serving. If it’s been longer than that and you haven’t eaten any of these foods, the color is coming from something else.
Medications and Supplements
Phenazopyridine is the medication most commonly behind bright orange or reddish urine. It’s a bladder pain reliever often prescribed alongside antibiotics for urinary tract infections, and the active ingredient is literally a reddish-brown powder. When your body processes it, your urine takes on a vivid orange or reddish-orange color. Nearly 90% of the drug is excreted through urine within the first 24 hours, so the color change is intense but short-lived. It can also stain underwear and contact lenses, which catches many people off guard.
Rifampin, an antibiotic used for tuberculosis and some other infections, is another well-known cause of orange-red urine, tears, and even sweat. The color change is expected and harmless while you’re on the medication.
Certain vitamins can also be responsible. Vitamin A and vitamin B12 can shift urine toward orange or yellow-orange. High-dose B-complex supplements are famous for turning urine a neon yellow, but depending on the specific formulation, the result can lean more orange. If you recently started a new supplement, that’s a likely explanation.
Liver and Bile Duct Problems
Your liver processes bilirubin, a waste product created when old red blood cells break down. A healthy liver clears most bilirubin from your body, but when the liver or bile ducts aren’t working properly, bilirubin builds up in the blood and spills into your urine, turning it dark orange or brownish.
What sets liver-related urine changes apart from the harmless causes is the pattern of symptoms that come with it. Dark urine from liver dysfunction typically shows up alongside pale or clay-colored stools, because the same pigment that’s overflowing into your urine is no longer reaching your intestines. Yellowing of the skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice) is another hallmark sign. If you notice this combination, it points to a problem with your liver, gallbladder, or bile ducts that needs evaluation.
Blood in the Urine
Actual blood in the urine, called hematuria, can make it appear anywhere from pink to red to a rusty reddish-orange, depending on the amount of blood and how concentrated the urine is. Urinary tract infections and kidney stones are the most common causes, and they usually come with noticeable pain: burning during urination, flank pain, or lower abdominal cramping.
Painless blood in the urine is less common but more concerning. It can sometimes be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer, particularly in adults over 50. Even small amounts of blood can tint urine visibly, so you don’t need to see bright red to have hematuria. A murky, brownish-red, or persistent reddish-orange that doesn’t match up with any food, drink, supplement, or medication is worth getting checked. A simple urine test can quickly confirm whether blood is present.
How to Narrow Down the Cause
Start by running through the most common explanations in order. Think about what you’ve eaten in the last 48 hours, particularly beets, berries, rhubarb, or heavily dyed foods. Check your medications and supplements, including any over-the-counter bladder pain relievers. Consider whether you’ve been drinking less water than usual, especially if the weather has been hot or you’ve been exercising more.
If none of those apply, pay attention to what else your body is telling you. Pain with urination, fever, or flank pain suggests an infection or kidney stones. Pale stools and yellow-tinged skin point toward a liver or bile duct issue. Painless reddish urine with no dietary or medication explanation, especially if it happens more than once, warrants a urine test to rule out blood.
In most cases, reddish-orange urine has a simple, temporary explanation. Drinking a few extra glasses of water and waiting 24 to 48 hours will resolve the majority of cases. The color changes that deserve attention are the ones that persist, recur without explanation, or come alongside other symptoms.