It's no secret that for an accurate diagnosis of almost any disease, a laboratory study of body fluids is necessary. And urine gives a fairly clear picture of the state of the excretory system. Its pH can help diagnose inflammatory and infectious diseases.
What is urine pH?
The human excretory system is responsible not only for removing excess fluid and toxins from the body, but also ensures normal acid-base balance. It is this criterion that makes it possible to determine urine.
PH is the so-called pH indicator, which shows the amount of hydrogen ions in a solution (in this case, the solution is a urine sample). Such an analysis allows you to determine the physical properties of urine, as well as to assess the balance of alkalis and acids that it contains. The results of such studies are extremely important for diagnosis.
What does this indicator depend on?
In fact, there are many factors that can affect the chemicalurine composition. In particular, pH is largely dependent on human nutrition. In people who eat the so-called "heavy food" containing proteins, sulfur and phosphorus, the urine reaction is acidic (less than 5). If the human diet includes mainly vegetable and dairy products, then the urine reaction will be alkaline (more than 7).
In addition, there are other factors that change urine. PH can fluctuate depending on the characteristics of metabolism. The chemical composition is affected by any inflammatory diseases of the excretory system. The process of digestion is also important, in particular, a decrease or increase in the acidity of the stomach. Some medications can affect pH.
It is worth noting that the optimal level of hydrogen ions contributes to the normal sanitation of the bladder, and also inhibits the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms, thereby reducing the likelihood of developing an infectious disease.
When is a urine test scheduled?
To date, the most common sample for research is urine. PH helps to determine the presence of a mass of diseases. That is why such tests are prescribed for all patients with suspected infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as with a number of other disorders, including metabolic disorders.
Urine analysis is also prescribed for annual preventive medical examinations. Sometimes such studies help diagnose the disease even before the onset of external symptoms.
Urine samples recommended after earlierpast infectious disease, especially if it is caused by streptococci - this makes it possible to determine the presence of complications.
How to pass urine?
In order for the analyzes to be as truthful as possible, it is worth following some rules. The most informative are samples of morning urine. The day before, it is not recommended to eat food that can change the physical properties of the liquid, in particular carrots and beets. In addition, diuretic drugs or decoctions should not be taken, as this may affect the chemical composition of the urine.
Before sampling, be sure to wash the genitals - otherwise, the samples will have too many epithelial cells, which will make laboratory analysis difficult. It is advisable to collect median urine.
Another important point - you should not conduct such a study for women during menstruation, as menstruation can distort the test results. Only compliance with these rules will help to conduct a urine test as accurately as possible - the pH will correspond to reality.
How is urine pH determined in the laboratory?
The easiest way to study the acid-base balance is to use special indicators. Most often, the determination of the pH of urine is carried out using litmus paper, which changes its color depending on the reaction of the solution. Each color corresponds to a specific pH value. This method allows you to determine the indicator with an accuracy of 0.5.
There are other, more precise ways tourine is examined. PH can be determined using an ionometer (pH meter). This method is more convenient and has higher accuracy (up to 0.01 units).
Because the pH can change throughout the day, some patients are advised to measure the pH seven days in a row for greater accuracy.
What is the normal pH of urine?
Depending on the results of the study, doctors make assumptions about the form and severity of the disease. But what is the normal pH of urine? Again, this figure depends on the diet, medications taken, the age of the patient.
In a he althy person, the reaction of urine ranges from slightly acidic to neutral. Depending on the characteristics of the diet, this indicator can be 4.5 - 8.0.
The normal pH of urine in newborns is lower and ranges from 4.5 to 5.9. In premature babies, this indicator drops even lower - 4.8 - 5.4.
What does high urine pH indicate?
Many people are interested in questions about the cases in which alkalization of urine occurs. As already mentioned, a similar phenomenon is observed when eating vegetable and dairy products, alkaline mineral water. The same result is increased acidity of the stomach and frequent vomiting, which leads to the loss of water and chlorine from the body.
On the other hand, there are many diseases in which urine changes. PH rises with many infectious lesions of the excretory system. In particular, this happens whencystitis, pyelonephritis and other diseases. Some bacteria are known to cause nitrogen-containing compounds to break down into ammonia, which in turn increases the alkalinity of urine.
The same picture is observed in chronic renal failure. An increase in pH can be caused by taking certain medications, in particular bicarbonates, adrenaline, and nicotinamide. The same happens against the background of hyperfunction of the parathyroid gland, hypoaldosternism and hyperkalemia.
Why does pH decrease (acidification of urine) occur?
Decrease in pH and acidification of urine occurs in some infectious diseases of the excretory system, in particular those caused by the activity of tuberculosis microbacteria and E. coli.
The reason may be the increased formation of acids in the body. This happens with prolonged fasting, alcohol abuse, sepsis, shock, intense physical exertion, diabetes.
Naturally, such a change can be caused by taking medications - methionine, ascorbic acid, corticotropin, calcium and ammonium chloride, arginine hydrochloride.
Urine acidification can be caused by a decrease in the level of bicarbonates in the blood buffer system, which is observed with severe diarrhea, ureterosigmostomy. Primary and secondary hyperaldosteronism, nephrotic syndrome, hypokalemia, multiple myeloma, cystinosis, heavy metal s alt poisoning - all these disorders lead to a decrease in pH.
Of course, a urine test alone is not enough to make an accurate diagnosis. Moreover, not only urine pH is taken into account, but also the presence of proteins, s alts, formed blood cells, etc. in it. Urinalysis is only part of the diagnostic process, which allows you to evaluate the functioning of the excretory system.
