Urine
Urine pH
About Urine pH
A urine pH test measures the level of acid in urine.
After you provide a urine sample, it can be tested right away. The health care provider uses a dipstick made with a color-sensitive pad. The color on the dipstick tells the provider the level of acid in your urine.
Urine pH is strongly affected by what you eat. Diets heavy in meat tend to make urine more acidic, while vegetarian diets tend to make it more alkaline. Because of this, a single urine pH on its own often gives little useful information and is most helpful when looked at along with other tests.
Main source: MedlinePlus ↗
Useful for
Help look at your risk of forming kidney stones, since some types of stones tend to form when urine is acidic and others when it is alkaline.
Help check for renal tubular acidosis or other kidney problems with handling acid; for example, in the setting of metabolic acidosis, a urine pH that stays above 5 can suggest a problem with how the kidneys get rid of acid.
Help check whether the urine pH is right for treating a urinary tract infection with certain medicines.
Help look at certain crystals seen in urine, since some crystals form mainly in alkaline urine and others in more acidic urine.
Follow treatments that are meant to make urine more alkaline (for example, when treating uric acid kidney stones) or more acidic.
Main source: MedlinePlus ↗
Interpretation
The normal values range from pH 4.6 to 8.0. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories.
An abnormally high urine pH level (alkaline urine) may be due to conditions such as gastric suctioning, kidney failure, renal tubular acidosis, urinary tract infection, or vomiting. A urine pH above 8 can be a clue to infection with certain bacteria (such as Proteus) that break down urea.
An abnormally low urine pH level (acidic urine) may be due to diabetic ketoacidosis, diarrhea, or starvation.
For general wellness information only. Talk to a clinician about your specific results.
Main source: MedlinePlus ↗
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Related biomarkers
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Sources
Last updated 2026-05-02
This page presents source-specific reference data and sourced explanations. For general wellness information only. This is not medical advice. For diagnosis or treatment of any condition, talk to a qualified clinician.