What Causes Oily Urine?

Urine is a valuable indicator of overall health. Its color, clarity, and composition can provide important insight into the body’s fluid balance, metabolic health, and kidney function.

While oily urine is uncommon, it can be associated with dietary habits, underlying health conditions, or various prescription medications. 

Let's explore the causes of oily urine and understand what these changes might indicate about your overall health.

What does oily urine look like?

Recognizing oily urine is the first step in determining and addressing any potential causes for this unusual symptom. 

While the appearance can vary, several characteristics may indicate oily urine:

• An oil-like film or sheen within or on the surface of urine

• Urine that appears cloudy or murky

• Tiny, visible droplets of fat floating in urine

• Urine with a darker or more intense color than usual

Watch this video to discover what the color of your urine can reveal about your health.

6 causes of oily urine

Oily urine can be caused by various factors, ranging from dietary changes to underlying health conditions. 

Here are six reasons why your urine might appear oily.

1. A high-fat diet 

In the early stages of a ketogenic diet, the body undergoes significant metabolic changes as it shifts to fat-burning and utilizes ketones as fuel instead of glucose. 

During this phase, the body hasn’t fully adapted to using alternative fuel sources, and excess ketones are often excreted in urine, which can give urine an oily appearance.

However, as the body becomes keto-adapted, it gets more efficient at using ketones for energy, resulting in more normal-looking urine.

2. Medications and supplements

Certain medications influence how the body processes and breaks down fats, which could lead to changes in urine consistency.

Additionally, fatty-acid supplements such as medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, fish oil, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K can lead to oily urine when consumed in large quantities.

Moreover, water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin C and vitamin B2, may affect urine color and consistency.

Although these changes are generally considered safe, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider if oily urine persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, as this could indicate an underlying health issue that requires attention.

3. Excessive protein

Consuming too much protein can cause urine to have a foamy or oily appearance. 

Protein metabolism releases urea, which is metabolized and excreted via the kidneys. Excess urea can impact kidney function and trigger changes in urine appearance.  

Review your protein intake and work towards a more balanced diet by incorporating more leafy green vegetables and other non-starchy vegetables.

4. Dehydration

Proper hydration is essential for optimal health. Dehydration causes urine to be more concentrated, which can make it appear oily and result in odor changes. 

It’s crucial to drink enough water when you feel thirsty and incorporate electrolytes to maintain the body's mineral levels and fluid balance.

5. Ketoacidosis

Ketoacidosis and ketosis may sound similar, but they’re fundamentally different metabolic states.

In contrast to ketosis, a natural metabolic state, ketoacidosis is a severe condition associated with uncontrolled diabetes. Ketoacidosis is marked by dangerously high levels of ketones, which can cause oily urine as the body attempts to expel the excess ketones.

"Ketoacidosis is a dangerous condition that occurs mainly in type 1 diabetics who don’t produce insulin. Without insulin, blood sugar levels rise uncontrollably, leading to acidosis, dehydration, and severe electrolyte imbalance," explains Dr. Berg. 

Ketoacidosis is often accompanied by a combination of symptoms, including excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and confusion.

If you suspect you or someone else is experiencing ketoacidosis, seek immediate medical care for prompt treatment to reduce the risk of more severe symptoms, including coma and death.

6. Malabsorption disorders

Individuals with malabsorption disorders, including celiac disease, Crohn's disease, pancreatic insufficiency, and those who underwent gallbladder removal or are critically ill may be at increased risk of poor fat absorption and oily urine. 

According to research published in Nutrition in Clinical Practice, "The healthy gut is capable of absorbing 600 g of fat with 95 percent efficiency." After measuring fat malabsorption in critically ill patients, researchers saw a reduction in fat absorption by as much as 50 percent. 

If you have an underlying medical condition, consult your healthcare provider to manage your condition and monitor your symptoms. Proper management can help improve nutrient absorption and reduce symptoms such as oily urine.

When to see a doctor

If you notice oily urine, maintain a detailed log to track potential contributing factors. Record your foods, drinks, medications, and supplements, as well as your exercise and intermittent fasting routines. 

Also, include how you feel throughout the day and observe the characteristics of your stool and urine.

This log can help you identify patterns and correlations between your diet, lifestyle habits, and changes in your urine's appearance. 

Additionally, this record will help healthcare professionals rule out conditions such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, polycystic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, pancreatitis, or malabsorption disorders.

To determine the cause of oily urine, your healthcare provider may perform blood tests and concentrated urine tests, which can help guide the most appropriate treatment.

You should seek immediate medical advice if oily urine is accompanied by symptoms such as:

• Persistent or severe abdominal pain

• Vomiting

• Difficulty breathing

• Confusion

• Pain while urinating

• Excessive thirst or dry mouth

• Frequent urination

• Chronic fatigue

• Back pain or side pain

• Swelling in the hands and feet

• Excessively foamy urine

• Dark or pink-colored urine

• Milky urine 

These symptoms could indicate a serious underlying medical condition that requires urgent medical attention. 

Key takeaways

Oily urine can result from a high-fat diet, certain prescription medications, dietary supplements, or excessive intake of protein. 

However, oily urine, in combination with other symptoms, may be an indication of underlying health conditions such as malabsorption or ketoacidosis and may require urgent medical attention. 

FAQ

1. What does it mean if you have oily urine?

Oily urine often indicates the presence of ketones or fats in the urine, which can be due to dietary changes, metabolic imbalance, or underlying medical conditions.

2. Why are there swirls in my urine?

Swirls in urine can be caused by the presence of fats, which create a swirly, oily appearance due to their differing densities and inability to mix with the water in urine.

3. What does fat in urine look like?

Fat in urine typically manifests as oily droplets, a sheen on the surface of urine, or a cloudy and murky urine appearance.

4. Should there be oil in your urine?

Typically, urine shouldn’t contain oil. If you notice oily urine, it may indicate an underlying health condition or dietary factor that needs to be addressed.

However, if you have recently started a ketogenic diet, oily urine is common and typically is a harmless result of the early stages of keto-adaptation.

5. Which supplements can cause oily urine?

Vitamin supplements high in fats, such as medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, fish oil, or fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, can cause oily urine if consumed in large amounts.

Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B2 can also affect urine color and consistency.

Source

1. https://aspenjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ncp.11121