The Effects of Diet, Dietary Supplements, Drugs and Exercise on Physical, Diagnostic Values of Urine Characteristics

Background/Objectives: This review summarizes the current knowledge about factors that affect the physical characteristics of urine. It highlights proper urine sample collection and displays factors like diet, hydration status, and medications that can alter urine color, odor, clarity, specific gravity and pH. Results: Urinalysis is a minimally invasive examination of a patient's health, especially concerning nephrological and endocrinological abnormalities, as well as dietary habits and stimulants used. Certain deviations in appearance, composition or frequency/pain during urination may indicate an ongoing disease process in the body. Based on laboratory results, further medical treatment is determined. The reason for a change in the color of the urine, for its clouding or intense odor may be a disease, as well as the consumption of food, medication, intensive physical exercise or inadequate hydration of the body. Well-standardized procedures for collecting, transporting, preparing and analyzing samples should become the basis for an effective diagnostic strategy in urinalysis. It is worth noting that pharmacists in pharmaceutical care are often the first people to whom a patient turns for health advice and for the interpretation of simple laboratory tests. Acquiring the ability to interpret the results of laboratory tests and the principles of proper sampling for laboratory tests is indispensable in the process of possible counseling and providing reliable answers to patients' questions. Conclusions: Although urinalysis is not recommended as a routine screening tool for the general population, it can prove to be a valuable source of patient health data in some cases as the data will be useful to physicians and pharmacists to more effectively diagnose and better care for patients.