The pH of urine is affected by a variety of things, including diet, certain treatments, time of day, glucose level and even infections. Checking urine pH can be helpful in the discovery of certain conditions. Alkaline (high pH) urine can be indicative of kidney failure, renal tubular acidosis or a urinary tract infection. Acidic (low pH) can indicate starvation, diarrhea, some pulmonary diseases such as emphysema or diabetic ketoacidosis.
Instructions
Testing Urine
1. Wash the head of the penis if you're a man; women need to wash the vagina, as well as around it. Soap and water will work fine, but be sure to rinse well.
2. Allow some of the urine to fall into the toilet before collecting a sample. Catch one or two ounces of urine in the plastic cup.
3. Dip one end of the litmus paper into the urine that you collected. It will change to a color. Litmus paper comes with a chart that corresponds colors to numbers. The ideal pH for urine is around 6.5-7.0 or a little bit higher.
4. Be sure to wash your hands. Once you're done you can get rid of the urine sample or have it tested by a doctor if you're worried.
Tags: