Your pee can tell you a lot about your overall health. For example, urine that is dark yellow is a key indication that you aren’t drinking enough water. Clear urine, on the other hand, could be caused by overhydration. But it isn’t just the color of your pee that you should be paying attention to: the texture matters too.
Urine that appears oily could be a sign that the kidneys aren’t functioning properly—something it’s important to see a doctor about. What causes oily urine and what does it mean for your kidneys? Keep reading to find out.
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What Causes Oily Urine?
According to Dr. Chidozie Odigwe, DO , a nephrologist known for sharing kidney health facts on TikTok , there are several potential causes of urine that looks oily. “This can happen in situations where a person is significantly dehydrated or taking excess of certain water-soluble vitamins,” he says. Water soluble vitamins include vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B and folic acid. If you’re taking a supplement that contains these vitamins in high amounts, it could cause your urine to appear oily.
Dr. Odigwe says that other possible causes of oily urine are nephrotic syndrome (a kidney disorder) and chyluria (a condition that occurs when lymphatic fluid leaks into the kidneys). “It is certainly far too common to see oily urine in nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome in itself is an ‘umbrella term’ that is used to refer to any one of certain conditions where the kidneys need to be urgently paid special attention to,” Dr. Odigwe explains. He adds that some conditions associated with nephrotic syndrome include diabetic kidney disease, membranous nephropathy and minimal change disease.
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What all of these possible causes have in common is that they are a sign that something is off with the kidneys—and a sure sign to see a doctor. “In a case of nephrotic syndrome, the kidneys are no longer able to hold on to protein which, as we know, is a vital nutrient responsible for so many things in our bodies, including muscle health and bone health,” Dr. Odigwe says.
What to Expect at Your Doctor’s Appointment—and What Happens if You Ignore Oily Urine
Ignoring oily urine and not seeing a doctor about it can have serious health consequences. According to Dr. Odigwe, if it’s a sign of nephrotic syndrome and this goes untreated, the kidneys will slowly stop functioning and eventually shut down completely. “The kidneys shutting down would mean certain functions of the kidneys will no longer be carried out, including purification of your blood, regulation of the amount of bodily fluid through urine output, maintaining bone health, maintaining blood health by preventing anemia and so many other conditions,” he says.
While many may think that the kidney’s only job is to produce urine, Dr. Odigwe explains this is not the case; the kidneys are responsible for way more. “When the kidneys shut down, it would be difficult to also regulate your blood pressure so many [people] with nephrotic syndrome and kidney disease have high blood pressure challenges to also deal with,” he says.
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For the sake of your kidneys—and overall health—it’s important to see a doctor if your urine looks oily. During your appointment, Dr. Odigwe says that you can expect to have your blood drawn and submit a urine analysis test. “Rest assured, a detailed series of tests will be performed to help determine what the issue is,” he adds.
Once you and your doctor pinpoint the cause of your oily urine, you can work together to begin treatment. For example, if the cause of oily urine was taking too much of a fat-soluble vitamin, you will now know to stop taking that particular supplement.
Nephrotic syndrome is rare , but if that is the cause of your oily urine, it can be treated through a combination of dietary changes and medication.
Dr. Odigwe emphasizes that it’s important for everyone to prioritize kidney health—a part of the body that it’s easy to forget about. “These organs are busy helping keep our health intact,” he says. One easy way to do that is to give your urine a glance before you flush. It just may save your life.
Next up, find out what you should avoid doing if you want to keep your kidneys healthy.
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