If there is a lot of foam in the urine, does it really mean that my kidneys are not in good condition?

gossip

"Excessive foam in urine indicates kidney problems"

"Foamy urine" is also called "beer urine" because it contains foam, which is similar to beer. Some people say that "foamy urine" is a sign of kidney failure.

Rumor Analysis

This statement is not rigorous.

In most cases, foamy urine is caused by harmless factors in daily life, such as high-protein diet and high urine concentration, rather than certain diseases, so there is no need to worry too much. However, when foamy urine lasts for a long time and the amount of foam is large, it is necessary to pay attention.

Have you ever woken up in the morning and rushed to the bathroom to clean up the accumulated water from the previous night? Before pressing the flush button, you may have noticed the foam in the toilet. Sometimes there is more foam, sometimes less foam. Sometimes it disappears quickly, but sometimes it seems to stay on the water surface stubbornly. When you see these foam, have you ever felt a little uneasy and thought of a saying on the Internet: "Is there something wrong with my kidneys?"

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This concern is not unfounded, as some serious kidney diseases may indeed cause increased foam in urine. But in fact, in most cases, foamy urine does not necessarily mean that there is a problem with the kidneys. Today, we will discuss in detail what is going on with excessive foam in urine, and help you distinguish which situations need to be taken seriously and which ones do not need to be overly worried.

Foamy urine that you don’t need to worry about

Foam is formed because gas is trapped in the liquid with the help of surfactants, such as the principle of soap foaming. When the urine flows faster or when urinating while standing, the contact between urine and the toilet water surface is more intense. This impact will force the air in the urine to be entrained into the liquid. Normal urine also contains some solutes with similar properties to surfactants, such as urea, mucin, phospholipids, etc. Their content is very low and can only maintain bubbles for a short time. At the same time, if you have a high-protein diet, such as consuming a lot of meat, eggs or dairy products, it may lead to an increase in protein content in urine, thereby producing more foam.

Additionally, certain foods and drinks, such as beer and coffee, may also increase urine foaming due to their chemical makeup. When our bodies are dehydrated, urine becomes more concentrated, which not only increases urine color but may also increase foaming due to the increased solute concentration.

In general, in most cases, foamy urine is caused by these harmless factors in daily life rather than certain disease factors. We should maintain good living habits, drink plenty of water, eat a balanced diet, and avoid high-salt and high-protein diets to reduce the burden on the kidneys and protect kidney health.

If foamy urine occurs, you need to seek medical attention immediately.

Although foamy urine is harmless in most cases, it can be associated with disease in certain situations, especially when the foamy urine lasts for a long time and the amount of foam is large, it is necessary to pay attention.

The study found that among patients who complained about foamy urine, about 9.4% had microalbuminuria (urine protein-creatinine ratio: 17-250 mg/g for men and 25-355 mg/g for women), and 22.2% had obvious proteinuria (urine protein-creatinine ratio>200 mg/g). Obvious proteinuria is associated with diabetes or hyperglycemia, poor renal function (manifested as high serum creatinine Cr, high blood urea nitrogen BUN, low estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR), and increased serum phosphorus. And in the case of kidney disease or diabetes, the more foam in the urine, the worse the kidney condition.

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If other symptoms exist at the same time, such as edema, fatigue, changes in urine color or decreased urine volume, as well as existing diseases such as diabetes, we should pay more attention to foamy urine and seek medical attention in time.

In short, foamy urine is not something you need to worry about in most cases, but if you find that it occurs more frequently or is accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms, it is safest to seek medical attention in time. Through a reasonable lifestyle and regular check-ups, you can effectively prevent and deal with possible health problems.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

Foamy urine itself is more of a reminder. If you want to judge your physical condition, it is best to seek medical attention in time and undergo relevant examinations to make a judgment.

Author: Jiang Yongyuan, Master of Internal Medicine, Third Military Medical University

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association, National Health Science Popularization Expert