How do you do and read a urine test?

Urine test strips are not made to diagnose anything. They are simply there to give you clues to potential irregularities in your body. Follow the instructions coming with the packaging of these strips.

Most urine test strips test 10 things:

• Protein – too much could be a sign of kidney disease, dehydration, intense exercise or a kidney stone

• Leukocytes – high levels could suggest an infection, UTI or kidney stone

• Ketones – a potential sign that you’re on a low-carb diet, or you have diabetes

• Glucose – levels higher than 180 could indicate diabetes

• Nitrites – could be a sign of nitrate-reducing bacteria, such as E. coli or gonorrhea

• Blood – could indicate a UTI, intense exercise or kidney stones

• Urobilinogen – could be a sign of liver damage, cirrhosis or hepatitis

• pH – levels between 6 and 7.5 could indicate uric acid stones or too much protein

• Specific gravity – highly-concentrated urine could indicate dehydration

• Bilirubin – could be an early sign of liver damage or a blocked bile duct