Credits: Social Media
Scientists finally discover why urine is yellow, and it’s not to do with dehydration
Researchers have finally uncovered why our urine is yellow in a breakthrough scientific study at the University of Maryland.
Considering we all have one, the human body is one of the most mysterious machines on the planet. There is still so much we dont know, like the 2000 proteins with an unrevealed purpose, or what the hell the appendix is for. But thanks to scientists in College Park, one mystery can be checked off the list.
Why is urine yellow?
Over a century ago, hepatologist Cecil James Watson discovered urobilin, a chemical compound found in urine that gives it its distinct yellow colour. However, it was unclear where Urobilin came from.
In findings published in the Nature Microbiology journal on Wednesday, researchers discovered the yellow pigment comes from the bodys red blood cells. As they degrade, the cells produce another chemical by the name of bilirubin.�
When that substance passes through the gut, it is either excreted or absorbed back into the body. There, in the intestine, microorganisms convert bilirubin into other molecules.
Lead author and professor, Brantley Hall, said: “Gut microbes encode the enzyme bilirubin reductase that converts bilirubin into a colorless byproduct called urobilinogen. Urobilinogen then spontaneously degrades into a molecule called urobilin, which is responsible for the yellow color we are all familiar with.”
Why is the discovery important?
At first glance, the new information might seem trivial at best. After all, why do we need to know why pee is yellow? But, as it turns out, the new research could be used to better understand gut health, inflammatory bowel disease and jaundice.
Health investigator Xiaofang Jiang said: “Now that we’ve identified this enzyme, we can start investigating how the bacteria in our gut impact circulating bilirubin levels and related health conditions like jaundice. This discovery lays the foundation for understanding the gut-liver axis.”
“It’s remarkable that an everyday biological phenomenon went unexplained for so long, and our team is excited to be able to explain it,” Hall added.
