Foamy Urine in Men: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Did you know that changes in your urine can reflect your health status? Paying attention to your urine can provide important clues about your well-being. Foamy urine is commonly associated with a rapid urinary stream, but it can also indicate underlying medical conditions. In this article, lets look into the causes of foamy urine in men.

Causes of Foamy Urine in Men 

Urine usually has a yellowish colour and is mostly flat. It can change in colour or become foamy depending on a variety of factors. Some of the significant causes of foamy urine in men are::

• Stream of urination

One of the causes of bubbles in urine is the speed at which you urinate. A strong stream can create foam similar to water flowing from a tap. This foam typically disappears quickly after urination.

• Dehydration

Dehydration is one of the leading causes of foamy urine – When your body lacks adequate fluid intake, urine becomes concentrated, leading to foamy appearance.

• Protein in Urine 

The condition is also referred to as proteinuria. Excessive protein in urine due to intense workout or intake of protein supplements can cause foamy urine, and may indicate potential kidney issues.

• Kidney Issues 

Kidneys’ normal function is to filter protein and waste products from water and retain them in the body. However, if the kidneys are damaged, their filtration capacity decreases, leading to an excess of protein leaking into the urine. In addition, kidney stones can also irritate the urinary tract, resulting in foamy urine and other symptoms.

• Retrograde ejaculation

While ejaculating, if the semen enters the bladder instead of exiting from the tip of the penis, it is called retrograde ejaculation. Although it is not very common, the semen present in the urine can cause foaminess.

• Urinary tract infection (UTI) 

UTI infections can cause bubbles due to the presence of bacteria or white blood cells in urine. In addition, certain medications prescribed for UTI contain phenazopyridine hydrochloride, and if you are taking these it can also result in foamy urine.

• Diabetes 

When diabetes is uncontrolled, high blood sugar levels can damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to a condition called diabetic nephropathy. This leads to protein leakage into the urine causing it to become foamy.

• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause kidney damage and resulting in leakage of protein in the urine causing foaminess in it.

• Eating Habits

Certain eating habits can contribute to foamy urine, especially if they lead to increased protein intake. For example, consuming a diet excessively high in protein-rich foods like red meat, dairy products, or protein supplements can result in excess protein in the urine, leading to foamy urine.

• Amyloidosis

Another cause of foamy urine can be attributed to a rare condition called amyloidosis. This condition occurs when amyloid (protein) builds up in your body and starts affecting other organs.

Diagnosis of Foamy Urine

Foamy urine can be diagnosed by taking a urine sample with a dipstick to measure the protein levels.

For a more comprehensive assessment, a 24-hour urine test may be recommended to check for consistent high protein levels. The doctor will measure the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), with a UACR higher than 30 milligrams per gram (mg/g) indicating potential kidney disease.

Additionally, the presence of sperm in urine may be checked to rule out retrograde ejaculation as a cause of foamy urine.

Treatment for Foamy Urine

After a thorough diagnosis, the doctor will determine the most suitable treatment plan based on the underlying root cause. However, there are a few preventive measures and treatment options for foamy urine:

• If you’re dehydrated, drink more clear fluids until your urine turns either pale yellow or almost transparent to reduce foaminess in urine
• If your foamy urine is due to kidney damage, the primary cause must be treated. Often, kidney damage is caused due to diabetes and high blood pressure. To impede further damage to the kidney, these conditions must be managed.
• Diabetes can be controlled by eating a healthy diet and exercising daily. Also, decreasing the consumption of salt and protein in your diet can help reduce your blood pressure levels, which can further improve your kidney performance. You might be prescribed to take insulin and other medication to keep your blood sugar levels normal.
• Make positive lifestyle changes such as consuming a low-sodium diet, avoiding smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, frequently strenuous exercising, etc., to get rid of foamy urine.
• In extreme cases, if you are suffering from severe kidney disease or have failing organs, you may need to undergo dialysis treatment. This procedure will clean the toxins from your blood and prevent foamy urine.
• If you have a retrograde ejaculation problem, this condition can be treated by doctor prescribed drugs that will close the bladder neck to inhibit semen from getting inside the bladder.

Conclusion

The cause of foamy urine in men can be a result of a strong stream, being dehydrated, or the presence of semen. Instead of arriving at conclusions, considering the most likely causes first is recommended.
However, if you experience this more than once, accompanied by painful symptoms, you should visit a urologist for thorough diagnosis and a proper treatment.

FAQs

• Is foamy urine serious?

Typically, having foamy urine now and then is not at all serious. However, if this condition persists, you should consult a doctor because the underlying cause can be more serious.

• How do you get rid of foamy urine?

Sometimes foamy urine is caused due to dehydration, so drinking more water should cure the condition. But if it doesn’t seem to subside within a few days, you should visit a doctor since there may be another reason for the issue.

• Does getting foamy urine mean I have diabetes?

Diabetes and other factors may result in higher levels of albumin filtering through the kidneys. This might lead to foamy urine.

• Why is my urine foamy?

Peeing foamy urine now and then is normal, but if the foaminess is frequent, it can be a reason of an underlying health condition. Specifically, it can be a sign that there is an excessive amount of protein present in your urine.