Why Is My Urine Foamy?

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You go to the bathroom and notice your urine looks foamy or bubbly. Could it be a sign that something’s wrong?

The short answer: Maybe.

Normal urine has a clear or pale yellow color, and it can include bubbles. Normal bubbles go away when you flush.

On the other hand, foamy urine includes a layer of white foam that may take multiple flushes to go away.

Foamy urine doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong, especially if it happens rarely. But if you start to see it more often, it could be a sign of kidney disease or other issues.

What Other Symptoms Can Occur with Foamy Urine?

If you’re noticing that you have foamy urine more often, it’s important to pay attention to any other symptoms you may have. Foamy urine combined with other symptoms could be an indicator of something more serious.

Symptoms that can occur with foamy urine include:

• Blood in urine.
• Dry or itchy skin.
• Fatigue.
• Frequent urination.
• Loss of appetite.
• Muscle cramps.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Pain when urinating.
• Puffiness around your eyes.
• Sleep problems.
• Swelling, especially in your feet, ankles, stomach, or face.
• Weight gain.

What Causes Foamy Urine?

There are several reasons why you could have foamy urine, including:

• Cleaning products — Cleaning products in the toilet bowl can make it look like there are bubbles in your urine.
• Dehydration — Not drinking enough water can lead to bubbly urine. If you’re dehydrated, your urine may appear foamy because it’s more concentrated. It’s also likely to be darker than normal.
• Diabetes — If your blood glucose levels are too high, the kidneys will have trouble filtering the blood properly. This can allow glucose and protein molecules from the blood to end up in the urine, which can cause foaming.
• Fast urine stream — Sometimes urine looks bubbly because you had a full bladder and a strong urine stream. A single layer of bubbles that disappears is normal, especially if it only happens now and then.
• Kidney disease — Seeing foam in the toilet bowl on a regular basis may be a warning sign of kidney disease. Your kidneys might be leaking protein into the urine, which causes foamy-looking urine. It’s important to let your doctor know how often you’re seeing bubbly urine.

What Causes Protein in the Urine?

Blood contains proteins that help build bones and muscles, fight infection, and balance fluids in the body. The main protein in blood is albumin.

Your kidneys remove extra waste and fluid from your blood. Healthy kidneys allow protein and other nutrients in the blood to pass through and remain in the bloodstream.

When kidneys suffer damage, some of the protein molecules escape into the urine. Doctors refer to protein in the urine as proteinuria or albuminuria. It’s a sign that there’s something wrong with your kidneys.

What Is Proteinuria?

Proteinuria (or albuminuria) occurs when you have too much protein in your urine.

Your urine should contain little or no protein. If you have too much, it’s a sign of kidney damage. It means your kidneys are letting the protein from your blood leak into your urine instead of passing through.

Proteinuria is a common symptom of many types of kidney disease.

Foamy urine is a common sign of proteinuria. According to the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, about one-third of patients with foamy urine have abnormal proteinuria.

When to See a Doctor About Foamy Urine

You should contact your doctor if you’re noticing foamy urine often. Occasional foamy urine is normal, but frequent foam could be a sign of something more serious.

You also should contact your doctor if you’re experiencing other unexplained symptoms along with foamy urine. These other symptoms can include fatigue, swelling, puffiness around your eyes, and more.

Tests for Proteinuria

If you frequently see foam in the toilet bowl, your doctor will want a sample of your urine. First, you’ll pee into a clean cup. The doctor will test some of the urine with a dipstick before sending the sample to a lab.

If your primary care doctor suspects you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), you may be referred to a kidney specialist (nephrologist). The nephrologist will run more tests to find out how far your kidney disease has progressed. They will recommend treatment based on those findings.

Tests your doctor might run include:

• Blood test — A blood test will estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This number reflects how well your kidneys are working.
• Imaging tests — Your doctor may order a CT scan or ultrasound of your kidneys and urinary tract. The pictures they generate can reveal kidney stones, an abnormal blockage, or other problems.
• Kidney biopsy — Taking a small piece of tissue from the kidney will help doctors determine what caused the kidney disease. They may be able to see how much damage there is.

How Can I Reduce Foamy Urine?

Your treatment will depend on what caused your urine to be foamy.

If you’re dehydrated, drinking more water on a regular basis will help.

If you have CKD, your treatment will depend on how advanced the disease is. Treating CKD can slow disease progression and make it less likely you’ll end up with kidney failure.

Treatment may include medicine and lifestyle changes.

Medicine for foamy urine

Your doctor will want to reduce the amount of protein in your urine. Lowering your blood pressure is often the best way to do that, as kidney problems and high blood pressure frequently go hand-in-hand.

Lowering your blood pressure helps the kidneys filter blood more efficiently, keeping protein in the bloodstream where it belongs. Types of blood pressure medicine include:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors — drugs that help relax and widen blood vessels.
• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) — drugs that help widen blood vessels and may be better tolerated than ACE inhibitors in some patients.
• Diuretics — medicines that help the kidneys remove fluid from the blood.

If you have diabetes, the most important part of your treatment will be controlling your diabetes and related symptoms.

Lifestyle changes for foamy urine

Lifestyle changes can help to protect your kidneys and reduce proteinuria. Your doctor may suggest that you:

• Cut down on salt.
• Drink more water.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Improve your sleep habits.
• Increase your daily activity.
• Learn to manage stress.
• Limit alcohol.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Quit smoking.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on March 11, 2021, and was last reviewed on December 5, 2024.