How Urinalysis Can Help with Liver Health

What is urinalysis, and how is it related to Liver Health?

Urinalysis is a combination of two words, 'urine' and 'analysis’. It refers to one of the many types of urine tests performed to detect or monitor various medical conditions such as liver disease, kidney disorder, urinary tract infection, diabetes, metabolic disorders, bacterial infections, and many more. It is thus a powerful diagnostic tool used universally by healthcare providers to get insights about a person's health and well-being. When it comes to liver health, urinalysis is one of the first tests a healthcare provider prescribes, as it is a simple, quick, and non-invasive way to learn about liver function. An at-home liver test checks the levels of liver-related metabolites (chemicals) in urine.

‍

‍

Which liver health parameters does urinalysis address?

Urobilinogen and bilirubin are two metabolites that are formed in the liver. Scientific research and clinical evidence indicate that abnormal (below or above normal) levels of these chemicals in urine hint at potential risks to liver health, such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, gallstone, biliary tract disease, jaundice, hemolytic anemia or liver damage due to drugs, etc. Therefore, urine testing for urobilinogen and bilirubin is considered a gold-standard test for diagnosing liver-related health conditions.

‍

Urinalysis for bilirubin and urobilinogen levels is a highly recommended practice because of its significance for your liver health.

‍

What do urobilinogen and bilirubin have to do with my liver health?

The liver, in simplest terms, regulates the quantities of urobilinogen and bilirubin in your blood and urine, and any deviation from normal levels should be seen as a matter of concern.

Bilirubin, a yellowish pigment, is formed during the process of red blood cell breakdown. From the bloodstream, bilirubin reaches your liver where it is used to make bile, a fluid that helps in digestion. Bile carries bilirubin to intestine from where it is flushed out with stool. Higher than normal bilirubin levels in blood or urine indicate excessive breakdown of red blood cells, or liver dysfunction. It could also be a sign of some obstruction preventing the passage of bilirubin from your liver to the intestine.

Urobilinogen is a product of bilirubin. Bilirubin in the intestine is broken down into urobilinogen and other compounds. Most of the urobilinogen is removed with stool, but small quantities of it enter your urine which is normal. High levels of urobilinogen in urine are worrisome as they indicate liver ailments such as cirrhosis, hepatitis or hemolytic anemia. Lower than the normal quantity shows biliary obstruction.

When should I go for urobilinogen and bilirubin urinalysis?

A urine test for urobilinogen and bilirubin is usually the first choice if you experience liver disease symptoms. Some physical symptoms of liver disease include:

• Yellowing of skin and eyes
• Abdominal pain/swelling
• Dark urine color
• Pale stool color
• Swelling in the legs and ankles
• Heart palpitations
• Chronic fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• A tendency to bruise easily

‍

At times, the symptoms of liver disease are not striking. In such situations, it becomes difficult to notice these signs. However, liver diseases are generally easy to perceive. For example, yellowing of skin and eyes, and darker urine color are commonplace signs of liver disease. Occurrence of these physical symptoms requires further investigation. So the moment you experience any of these, you should at once go for a urine test for urobilinogen and bilirubin.

Monitoring of urobilinogen and bilirubin in urine is also crucial for the at-risk group as well as individuals with a weakened immune system. Here are some of the factors that put your liver at a greater risk:

• Heavy alcohol use
• Obesity
• Type-2 diabetes
• Tattoos or body piercings
• Use of shared needles for addictive drugs
• Unprotected sex
• Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins, etc.

‍