Urine pH

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Female urinary tract

Male urinary tract

PH urine test

Long-term correction of blood pH requires the kidneys to excrete the acid or base in urine. For example, when your blood pH is low (acidic), your kidneys react by excreting more acid in the urine. The urine pH becomes more acidic until the blood pH returns to normal.

In some cases, checking your urine pH is helpful for identifying body acid-base imbalances. In other cases, a blood pH test is needed.

Your provider may want to modify your urine pH to help prevent kidney stones. Acidic urine is associated with xanthine, cystine, uric acid, and calcium oxalate stones. Alkaline urine is associated with calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and magnesium phosphate stones.

Some medications are more effective in acidic or alkaline environments. For example, streptomycin, neomycin, and kanamycin are more effective in treating urinary tract infections when the urine is alkaline.

Review Date: 02/03/2006
Reviewed By: Charles Silberberg, DO, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology, Affiliated with New York Medical College, Division of Nephrology, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.