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Green Pee: What Causes Green Urine, Is It Dangerous and Which Tests Check It

Most green urine comes from a dye in food or a medicine, or from a medicine that is excreted in a green form. Less often, green urine comes from a urinary tract infection caused by Pseudomonas bacteria or from a bile pigment when bile flow is blocked. Learn which cause maps to which urinalysis line or blood test, how bright yellow vitamin urine differs from true green, and when to get prompt care.

Published

November 10, 2026

Read time

12 min read

Medically reviewed by

Rhonda Collins, FNP-C

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Green urine is usually caused by a dye or a medicine, not by disease. The causes doctors list are artificial colors in foods or medicines, medicines such as methylene blue, a bile pigment called biliverdin, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) ^[1]. Blue dyes often turn urine green rather than blue, because the blue mixes with the normal yellow pigment in urine ^[2].

A urinalysis is the test that sorts these causes. The nitrite and leukocyte esterase lines and a urine culture check for infection. The bilirubin line points to the liver, and a liver blood panel follows up ^[1][3][4]. The sections below go through each cause and the test that checks it.

What normal urine color looks like

Normal urine varies from almost colorless to dark yellow, and its usual color is straw yellow ^[3][1]. The yellow comes from a pigment called urochrome ^[2]. Urine gets darker yellow when you are dehydrated ^[5].

Abnormal urine color can be caused by infection, disease, medicines or food ^[1]. Green is one of the less common colors, and it has a short list of causes.

Foods, drinks and dyes that turn urine green

Artificial colors in foods or medicines are a listed cause of green or blue urine ^[1]. Water-soluble artificial dyes can pass into urine and tint it green ^[2]. If the green appeared soon after you ate or drank something with a strong blue or green dye, the dye is the likely explanation.

MedlinePlus advises seeing a provider when abnormal urine color cannot be explained and does not go away ^[1]. A green color with a clear explanation, such as a dyed food, that clears on its own does not meet that bar. When the cause is unclear, the color line on a urinalysis records what the lab sees; see urine color.

Medicines and medical dyes that cause green urine

Some medicines change the color of urine, and this is not a sign of disease ^[3]. Medicines cause green urine in two ways: some contain a blue dye, and some are broken down by the body into green products that leave in the urine ^[2].

The medicines named in the medical sources used for this article are:

• Methylene blue, a blue dye used in some medicines and during some procedures. Methylene blue is the medicine MedlinePlus names for green or blue urine ^[1]. It is a well-documented cause: in a 2017 case report, a patient’s urine turned green two hours after a surgeon used methylene blue, and returned to normal about 10 hours later ^[2].
• Indigo carmine, another blue dye ^[6].
• Amitriptyline, an antidepressant ^[6][2].
• Triamterene, a diuretic ^[6].
• Cimetidine and promethazine given by IV ^[6][2].
• Propofol, an anesthesia medicine ^[2].
• Metoclopramide and indomethacin ^[2].

If your urine turned green after a procedure, a scan or a new prescription, ask the team or pharmacist whether a dye or that medicine explains it. Do not stop a prescribed medicine because of the color.

Neon yellow-green urine from B vitamins

B vitamins make urine a strong, bright yellow, which is different from true green ^[1][2]. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is itself yellow and naturally fluorescent ^[7]. The body stores only small amounts, and the excess leaves in the urine ^[7]. In a randomized trial, people given riboflavin before surgery had clearly yellower urine than people given a placebo ^[8].

The sources used here describe B-vitamin urine as yellow, dark yellow or orange, not green ^[1][2]. So:

• Bright, almost glowing yellow after a multivitamin or B-complex is the expected vitamin effect and is harmless.
• True green or blue-green is a different color with a different list of causes. If you take a vitamin and your urine is truly green, check the product’s label for added dyes and think about other medicines before blaming the vitamin.

Green urine and urinary tract infections

A urinary tract infection caused by Pseudomonas bacteria can turn urine green, because these bacteria produce green and blue-green pigments ^[2][6]. This is an uncommon cause. The urine changes NIDDK lists for a bladder infection are cloudy, bloody or strong-smelling urine, not green ^[9].

Other signs of a bladder infection include a burning feeling when you urinate, frequent or intense urges to urinate, and pain or discomfort in the lower belly ^[9]. Green urine together with any of these points to infection rather than a dye.

Three tests check for infection:

• Nitrite. Many bacteria that cause UTIs turn nitrates in urine into nitrites, so a positive nitrite result usually means a UTI. Some bacteria do not, so a negative result does not rule one out ^[10]. For more, see nitrites in urine.
• Leukocyte esterase. This dipstick line detects an enzyme from white blood cells, a sign of the white cells in urine that go with infection ^[6]. See white blood cells in urine.
• Urine culture. A culture checks which bacteria or yeast, if any, are in the sample, and other tests on the culture can show which antibiotic will work. Results take 24 to 48 hours ^[11]. Because nitrite can be negative with some bacteria, the culture is the test that names the germ. The microscopic exam also counts bacteria directly.

If the color comes with cloudiness or a strong smell, see cloudy urine and smelly urine.

Green urine, bile pigments and the liver

Biliverdin, a green pigment made when bilirubin is oxidized, can give urine a green hue in people with long-standing blockage of bile flow (chronic obstructive jaundice) ^[2][6]. This is the cause of green urine that most needs a liver workup.

Bilirubin is a yellow substance made when the body breaks down old red blood cells. A healthy liver removes most of it. If there is a problem with the liver or the bile ducts, bilirubin can build up in the blood and get into the urine ^[4]. Normally, bilirubin is not found in urine at all ^[4][3].

The tests that check the liver question are:

• Urine bilirubin. The bilirubin line on a urinalysis. Bilirubin in urine may be a sign of a liver disease such as hepatitis or cirrhosis, or a blockage in the bile ducts ^[4]. When it is found, the next step is to look for liver dysfunction and bile duct blockage ^[6]. For more, see bilirubin in urine.
• A liver blood panel. A urine bilirubin test is only one measure of liver health. If it is abnormal, the follow-up is usually a liver panel, a group of blood tests for liver enzymes, proteins and bilirubin ^[4][12]. A liver panel, also called a hepatic function panel, includes ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, albumin and total bilirubin ^[12]. Liver tests alone usually cannot diagnose a specific disease, so abnormal results often lead to more tests ^[12].

Because green urine from biliverdin was described in people with jaundice, look for the other signs of a liver problem. They include yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, light-colored stools, itching, nausea, loss of appetite, tiredness, and swelling or pain in the belly ^[12]. If you have any of these, see yellow eyes and liver disease symptoms and blood tests. For brown or tea-colored urine, see dark urine.

Does green urine mean kidney disease or dehydration?

Green urine is not a listed sign of kidney disease or dehydration ^[1][5][13]. Dehydration makes urine darker yellow, and severe dehydration makes it very dark yellow or amber ^[5]. If your urine is green, more water is not the fix.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) does not list a change in urine color among the symptoms of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Most people with early CKD have no symptoms, and for many people the only way to know is with blood and urine tests ^[13]. The urine changes listed for advanced CKD are foamy urine and a change in how often you urinate ^[13]. See foamy urine.

The tests that check kidney function are:

• Creatinine and eGFR. Creatinine is a waste product from the normal breakdown of muscle, and its level in the blood is used to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). A GFR of 60 or more is in the normal range, less than 60 may mean kidney disease, and 15 or less is called kidney failure ^[14].
• Urine albumin. A healthy kidney does not let albumin into the urine. A urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 30 mg/g or less is normal, and more than 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease ^[14].

For which symptoms point to the kidneys, see kidney disease symptoms and blood tests.

Light green, lime green and blue-green urine

The medical sources used for this article group green and blue urine together, and none of them links a particular shade of green to a particular cause ^[1][6]. A light green, lime green, dark green or blue-green tint all go through the same list: dyes, medicines, Pseudomonas infection and biliverdin ^[1][2].

What helps more than the exact shade is timing and company:

• Green within hours of a dyed food, a medical procedure or a new medicine, with no symptoms, points to the dye or medicine ^[2].
• Green with burning, urgency, cloudiness or fever points to infection ^[2][9].
• Green with yellow skin or eyes, pale stools or itching points to the liver ^[2][12].
• A glowing, bright yellow after a vitamin is the vitamin’s own color ^[7][8].

Is green urine dangerous?

Most green urine is harmless. The authors of a 2017 case report concluded that green urine is of little significance and needs no treatment unless it comes from an infection, while noting that not every cause is innocent ^[2]. What matters is the cause behind the color.

The two causes that need attention are a urinary tract infection and a bile flow problem, and both come with other symptoms ^[2][9][12]. Green urine that cannot be explained by something you ate or took, and does not go away, should be checked ^[1].

When to get prompt care for green urine

See your provider if abnormal urine color cannot be explained and does not go away ^[1]. Contact a health care professional if green urine comes with symptoms of a bladder infection, such as burning when you urinate or frequent, urgent urges to go ^[9].

Get treated quickly for signs that an infection has spread to the kidneys ^[9]:

• fever and chills;
• nausea or vomiting;
• pain in your back, side or groin.

See your provider soon if green urine comes with yellow skin or eyes, light-colored stools, itching or belly swelling ^[12], or if you also see blood in your urine ^[1].

Which tests check green urine

MedlinePlus lists a urinalysis, a urine culture for infection, and blood tests including liver function tests among the tests used to look into abnormal urine color ^[1]. Each cause maps to specific lines:

Mito offers several ways to run these:

• The Urinalysis, Complete Test with Reflex to Urine Culture reports color and appearance, nitrite, leukocyte esterase, bilirubin, glucose, ketones and specific gravity, plus a microscopic count of white blood cells, red blood cells and bacteria. If the urinalysis shows signs of a possible infection, a urine culture runs automatically.
• The Urinalysis, Routine Test reports the color and the dipstick lines, including nitrite, leukocyte esterase, bilirubin and glucose.
• A Urine Culture, Routine Test can be ordered on its own when infection is the main question.
• The Hepatic Function Panel is the liver blood panel, with ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and total and direct bilirubin.
• The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel covers creatinine and eGFR for the kidneys along with the main liver tests.

How to read the color line on a urinalysis

The color line records what the lab sees, from almost colorless to dark yellow in normal urine. A green result tells you the color is abnormal but not why ^[3]. Read it together with the other lines:

• Green color, everything else normal: fits a dye or a medicine. In the 2017 case of methylene blue, the urinalysis was otherwise normal ^[2].
• Green color with positive nitrite or leukocyte esterase, or bacteria or white blood cells: a possible infection. A culture confirms it and names the bacteria ^[10][11].
• Green color with positive bilirubin: a possible liver or bile duct problem. A liver panel is the next step ^[4][6].

On a normal urinalysis, glucose, ketones, protein and bilirubin are usually not detectable, and nitrites, white blood cells, red blood cells and hemoglobin are not normally found ^[3]. Reference ranges vary slightly between labs ^[3].

A strong color can affect the dipstick. Very discolored urine can interfere with reading the color-change pads for glucose and protein, either hiding a positive result or making one look stronger ^[2]. If your urine was strongly colored on the day of the test, tell your provider about any dye or medicine you took so the result is read with that in mind.

References

1. MedlinePlus. Urine - abnormal color. National Library of Medicine. Reviewed July 1, 2025.
2. Prakash S, Saini S, Mullick P, Pawar M. Green urine: a cause for concern? J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2017;33(1):128-130. PMID: 28413291
3. MedlinePlus. Urinalysis. National Library of Medicine. Reviewed January 1, 2025.
4. MedlinePlus. Bilirubin in urine. National Library of Medicine. Last updated December 2, 2024.
5. MedlinePlus. Dehydration. National Library of Medicine. Reviewed July 1, 2025.
6. Simerville JA, Maxted WC, Pahira JJ. Urinalysis: a comprehensive review. Am Fam Physician. 2005;71(6):1153-1162.
7. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Riboflavin: fact sheet for health professionals. Updated May 11, 2022.
8. Stitely ML, Harlow K, MacKenzie E. Oral riboflavin to assess ureteral patency during cystoscopy: a randomized clinical trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(2):301-307. PMID: 30633139
9. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms and causes of bladder infection in adults. Last reviewed April 2024.
10. MedlinePlus. Nitrites in urine. National Library of Medicine. Last updated November 5, 2024.
11. MedlinePlus. Urine culture. National Library of Medicine. Reviewed October 9, 2024.
12. MedlinePlus. Liver function tests. National Library of Medicine. Last updated December 5, 2023.
13. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. What is chronic kidney disease in adults? Last reviewed February 2025.
14. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Chronic kidney disease tests and diagnosis. Last reviewed October 2016.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my pee green?

The usual causes of green or blue urine are artificial colors in foods or medicines, medicines such as methylene blue, a bile pigment called biliverdin, and urinary tract infections. Blue dyes often show up as green because they mix with the normal yellow pigment in urine. A new food, drink, supplement or medicine in the last day or two is the most common explanation. If none fits and the color does not go away, a urinalysis and a urine culture check for infection and bilirubin.

Is green urine dangerous?

Usually not. Green urine from a dye or medicine is harmless and clears once the substance leaves your body. It matters more when it comes with signs of a urinary tract infection, such as burning, urgency, fever or back pain, or with signs of a liver problem, such as yellow skin or eyes, pale stools or itching. Those combinations need testing.

Can dehydration cause green urine?

Dehydration is not a listed cause of green urine. MedlinePlus describes the urine of mild to moderate dehydration as darker yellow, and severe dehydration as very dark yellow or amber. Green urine has a different list of causes: dyes, some medicines, a bile pigment and some urinary tract infections.

What color is urine with kidney failure?

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases does not list a change in urine color among the symptoms of chronic kidney disease. Most people with early chronic kidney disease have no symptoms. The urine changes it lists for advanced disease are foamy urine and a change in how often you urinate. Kidney function is checked with a blood test for creatinine and eGFR and a urine test for albumin.

Can a UTI make your pee green?

It can, but it is uncommon. Urinary tract infections caused by Pseudomonas bacteria can turn urine green because the bacteria make green and blue-green pigments. A urinalysis checks the nitrite and leukocyte esterase lines and the white blood cells and bacteria that point to infection, and a urine culture identifies the bacteria.

Can vitamins make your pee green?

B vitamins can make urine a strong, bright yellow. Riboflavin, vitamin B2, is itself yellow and fluorescent. The medical sources used here describe vitamin urine as yellow or orange, not green, so a true green color after starting a vitamin is worth checking against the other causes, such as a dye in the product or a medicine.