Urinalysis (UA)

Routine annual

also ua, dipstick urinalysis

What it isA bundled point-of-care or lab test covering urine protein, glucose, ketones, blood, leukocyte esterase, nitrites, bilirubin, pH, and specific gravity, often with microscopic exam for cells and crystals. Quick, cheap, and broad — touches kidney, urinary tract, metabolic, and hydration status.

DoesScreens for kidney disease, urinary tract infection, diabetes, hematuria, dehydration, and rhabdomyolysis in a single sample.

GoodA clean urinalysis — negative for protein, glucose, ketones, blood, leukocyte esterase, and nitrites with normal pH and specific gravity — reflects intact kidney filtration and no acute urinary tract issue.

BadProtein flags kidney disease or hypertension; glucose suggests diabetes; ketones reflect fasting, ketogenic diet, or diabetic ketoacidosis; blood with red cells suggests urinary tract pathology; leukocyte esterase plus nitrites flag infection.

Standard

Component-specific.

Optimal

Negative for protein/glucose/ketones/blood/leukocyte esterase/nitrites, pH 5.5–7.0, specific gravity 1.005–1.025 (narrow target)

Modifiers

Recent vigorous exercise causes transient proteinuria and hematuria; menstruation contaminates samples; concentrated samples (low fluid intake) raise specific gravity.

How to optimize

Lifestyle: Adequate hydration; treat infections promptly; address sleep apnea and hypertension contributing to proteinuria.
Diet: Adequate fluid; cut excess sodium; Mediterranean pattern; modest animal-protein adjustment in those with proteinuria.
Supplements: Cranberry extract for recurrent UTI prevention; D-mannose 2 g/day for E. coli UTI; vitamin D3 if deficient.
Peptides: —
Drugs: Antibiotics for confirmed UTI; ACE inhibitors or ARBs for proteinuric kidney disease; SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetic kidney disease.

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