Type

Urine

Part of

Urinalysis

Part of

Urinalysis

Blood biomarker

Part of

Urinalysis

pH (Urine)

Urine pH indicates the acidity or alkalinity of your urine.

pH (Urine)

Normal range

4.5-8

Normal range

4.5-8

Normal range

pH (Urine)

Urine pH indicates the acidity or alkalinity of your urine.

pH (Urine)

Normal range

4.5-8

Normal range

4.5-8

Normal range

pH (Urine)

Urine pH indicates the acidity or alkalinity of your urine.

pH (Urine)

Normal range

4.5-8

Normal range

4.5-8

Normal range

pH (Urine)

Dr. Daniel McNally

MBBS

The Acid-Base Balance Check

Your urine pH is like a litmus test for your body's internal chemistry—it reveals whether your urine is acidic or alkaline/‘basic’ and provides insights into your kidney function, diet, and overall health. This simple measurement can help detect various conditions and guide treatment decisions.

pH measures how acidic or alkaline your urine is on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Normal urine pH in our system ranges from 5.1 to 7.5, but your kidneys constantly adjust this level based on your body's needs to maintain proper acid–base balance.

Get tested

What Your Urine pH Reveals About Your Health

Discover how acidic or alkaline urine reflects your diet, kidney function, and potential health conditions.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Acidic

Learn what causes low pH levels and how acidic urine can contribute to kidney stones and other problems.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Alkaline

Find out what drives high pH levels and why alkaline urine might signal infections or metabolic issues.

Understanding Your Results

Understand how doctors interpret pH levels and what other tests might be needed for a complete picture.

What Your Urine pH Reveals About Your Health

Your urine pH reflects your body's acid-base balance and provides valuable information about your kidney function, diet, and potential health conditions.

Normal pH range: Healthy urine pH typically ranges from 4.5 to 8.0, with most people falling between 5.5 and 7.0. Your kidneys constantly adjust urine pH to help maintain your blood's optimal pH level, which must stay within a very narrow range.

Daily fluctuations: Your urine pH naturally varies throughout the day based on what you eat, drink, and your activity level. First‑morning urine tends to be more acidic, while after meals it drifts toward alkaline.

Dietary influence: Protein‑rich foods (meat, fish, eggs) produce more acidic urine, while fruits and vegetables yield more alkaline urine.

Kidney regulation: Your kidneys act like pH controllers, eliminating excess acid or base to keep your blood pH in a healthy range.

Clinical significance: Persistently abnormal pH levels can indicate kidney problems, metabolic disorders, urinary tract infections, or increased risk for kidney stone formation. In such cases, urinalysis is compared alongside blood tests for the full relevant picture.

What Your Urine pH Reveals About Your Health

Your urine pH reflects your body's acid-base balance and provides valuable information about your kidney function, diet, and potential health conditions.

Dietary influence: Protein‑rich foods (meat, fish, eggs) produce more acidic urine, while fruits and vegetables yield more alkaline urine.

Kidney regulation: Your kidneys act like pH controllers, eliminating excess acid or base to keep your blood pH in a healthy range.

What Your Urine pH Reveals About Your Health

Your urine pH reflects your body's acid-base balance and provides valuable information about your kidney function, diet, and potential health conditions.

Dietary influence: Protein‑rich foods (meat, fish, eggs) produce more acidic urine, while fruits and vegetables yield more alkaline urine.

Kidney regulation: Your kidneys act like pH controllers, eliminating excess acid or base to keep your blood pH in a healthy range.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Acidic

Acidic urine (pH below 5) can indicate various conditions and may contribute to certain health problems, particularly kidney stone formation. As urinary pH is dynamic, in healthy individuals with no symptoms, small fluctuations are not usually clinically significant.

Common causes: High‑protein diets, uncontrolled diabetes, fever, starvation, some medications, and metabolic conditions. Cranberry juice and vitamin C supplements can also lower pH temporarily.
Kidney stone risk: Very acidic urine promotes uric acid stone formation, especially in those with gout or diabetes.
Metabolic indicators: Persistent acidity may signal metabolic imbalance from kidney disease, severe dehydration, or illness.
Management: Good hydration is usually the best way to keep your kidneys working efficiently. Some individuals with metabolic or kidney conditions will require medication to support pH balance.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Acidic

Common causes: High‑protein diets, uncontrolled diabetes, fever, starvation, some medications, and metabolic conditions. Cranberry juice and vitamin C supplements can also lower pH temporarily.
Kidney stone risk: Very acidic urine promotes uric acid stone formation, especially in those with gout or diabetes.
Metabolic indicators: Persistent acidity may signal metabolic imbalance from kidney disease, severe dehydration, or illness.
Management: Good hydration is usually the best way to keep your kidneys working efficiently. Some individuals with metabolic or kidney conditions will require medication to support pH balance.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Acidic

Common causes: High‑protein diets, uncontrolled diabetes, fever, starvation, some medications, and metabolic conditions. Cranberry juice and vitamin C supplements can also lower pH temporarily.
Kidney stone risk: Very acidic urine promotes uric acid stone formation, especially in those with gout or diabetes.
Metabolic indicators: Persistent acidity may signal metabolic imbalance from kidney disease, severe dehydration, or illness.
Management: Good hydration is usually the best way to keep your kidneys working efficiently. Some individuals with metabolic or kidney conditions will require medication to support pH balance.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Alkaline

Alkaline urine (pH > 7.5) can signal infections, dietary factors, or metabolic issues. As urinary pH is dynamic, in healthy individuals with no symptoms, small fluctuations are not usually clinically significant.

Bacterial infections: Some UTIs produce enzymes that raise pH.
Dietary factors: Vegetarian diets rich in fruits and vegetables naturally produce more alkaline urine. Certain medications and supplements can also raise urine pH.
Kidney stone implications: Persistently alkaline urine can promote the formation of specific urinary tract stones.
Management: Good hydration is usually the best way to keep your kidneys working efficiently. Some individuals with metabolic or kidney conditions will require medication to support pH balance.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Alkaline

Bacterial infections: Some UTIs produce enzymes that raise pH.
Dietary factors: Vegetarian diets rich in fruits and vegetables naturally produce more alkaline urine. Certain medications and supplements can also raise urine pH.
Kidney stone implications: Persistently alkaline urine can promote the formation of specific urinary tract stones.
Management: Good hydration is usually the best way to keep your kidneys working efficiently. Some individuals with metabolic or kidney conditions will require medication to support pH balance.

When Your Urine Becomes Too Alkaline

Bacterial infections: Some UTIs produce enzymes that raise pH.
Dietary factors: Vegetarian diets rich in fruits and vegetables naturally produce more alkaline urine. Certain medications and supplements can also raise urine pH.
Kidney stone implications: Persistently alkaline urine can promote the formation of specific urinary tract stones.
Management: Good hydration is usually the best way to keep your kidneys working efficiently. Some individuals with metabolic or kidney conditions will require medication to support pH balance.

Get started

Understanding Your Results

Understanding pH test interpretation helps you know what your results indicate

Low (<5): May reflect high‑protein diet or metabolic conditions. The lower the level, the larger the significance.
Normal (5–7.5): Indicates balanced kidney function and acid–base status in most healthy individuals.
High (> 7.5): Alkaline urine which may be associated with UTI, diet, or some medications. The higher the level, the larger the significance.

Clinical correlation: Providers interpret pH alongside symptoms, other urinalysis results, and blood work. A single abnormal pH is less concerning than a persistent pattern.

Understanding Your Results

Understanding pH test interpretation helps you know what your results indicate

Low (<5): May reflect high‑protein diet or metabolic conditions. The lower the level, the larger the significance.
Normal (5–7.5): Indicates balanced kidney function and acid–base status in most healthy individuals.
High (> 7.5): Alkaline urine which may be associated with UTI, diet, or some medications. The higher the level, the larger the significance.

Clinical correlation: Providers interpret pH alongside symptoms, other urinalysis results, and blood work. A single abnormal pH is less concerning than a persistent pattern.

Understanding Your Results

Understanding pH test interpretation helps you know what your results indicate

Low (<5): May reflect high‑protein diet or metabolic conditions. The lower the level, the larger the significance.
Normal (5–7.5): Indicates balanced kidney function and acid–base status in most healthy individuals.
High (> 7.5): Alkaline urine which may be associated with UTI, diet, or some medications. The higher the level, the larger the significance.

Clinical correlation: Providers interpret pH alongside symptoms, other urinalysis results, and blood work. A single abnormal pH is less concerning than a persistent pattern.

The Takeaway

Your urine pH provides valuable insights into your body's acid-base balance, kidney function, and potential health issues. While normal fluctuations are expected, persistent abnormalities may indicate conditions requiring further attention.

Understanding pH helps you appreciate the importance of balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and management of any underlying medical conditions in some cases.

The Takeaway

Understanding pH helps you appreciate the importance of balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and management of any underlying medical conditions in some cases.

The Takeaway

Understanding pH helps you appreciate the importance of balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and management of any underlying medical conditions in some cases.

References

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2018). Kidney stones: assessment and management. NICE Clinical Guideline.
British Association of Urological Surgeons. (2020). Guidelines for metabolic stone disease. BAUS Clinical Guidelines.
Kidney Research UK. (2019). Urine analysis and kidney function assessment. Clinical Practice Guidelines.

References

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2018). Kidney stones: assessment and management. NICE Clinical Guideline.
British Association of Urological Surgeons. (2020). Guidelines for metabolic stone disease. BAUS Clinical Guidelines.
Kidney Research UK. (2019). Urine analysis and kidney function assessment. Clinical Practice Guidelines.

References

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2018). Kidney stones: assessment and management. NICE Clinical Guideline.
British Association of Urological Surgeons. (2020). Guidelines for metabolic stone disease. BAUS Clinical Guidelines.
Kidney Research UK. (2019). Urine analysis and kidney function assessment. Clinical Practice Guidelines.