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Occult blood in urine is blood in your wee that you cannot always see with the naked eye, but that a urine test can find. Blood in urine is usually not serious, but sometimes it can point to a condition of the urinary tract, the kidneys or the liver.[1]
On this page you can read what urine occult blood is, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: blood in urine, haematuria, urine test, urinalysis. At the lab: USTX.
Blood in your urine is called haematuria. The blood can turn your urine or the water in the toilet pink, red or reddish brown. But often you cannot see it without a lab test.[1]
There are two types. With visible haematuria, you can see the blood yourself. With microscopic haematuria, you cannot see it, but a urine test does find it. The latter is what we mean by occult blood: blood that stays hidden from the eye.[1]
The test for blood is usually part of a standard urine test. That test also measures other substances in your urine, such as proteins, acid, sugar, fragments of cells and crystals.[1]
A urine test, including the test for blood, gives a picture of your general health. It tells you something about your urinary tract, your kidneys and your liver.[1]
Your doctor may do the test as part of a routine check-up. Or because you have seen blood in your urine, or have symptoms that may be related to your kidneys or urinary tract: pain when urinating, urinating often, back pain or abdominal pain.[1]
Red or white blood cells in your urine can sometimes point to a condition a doctor needs to look at, for example of the urinary tract, the kidneys or the liver. Discuss what your result means for you with your doctor.[1]
The lab Labplusarts gives no limit in numbers for occult blood in urine: it is a qualitative test, which looks at whether blood is present or not. The lab calls a value within the limits normal.[2]
| Result | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Blood found by a urine test, not visible[1] | Microscopic haematuria. Often not serious, but it can sometimes point to a condition of the urinary tract, the kidneys or the liver. | Anyone who has had a urine test |
| Blood visible in your urine[1] | Visible haematuria: pink, red or reddish-brown urine. This too can sometimes point to a condition of the urinary tract or the kidneys. | Anyone who sees blood in the urine |
| Red urine without blood[1] | Certain medicines and foods, such as beetroot or rhubarb, can turn your urine red. | Everyone |
| Blood from outside getting into the sample[1] | Blood from menstruation or from bleeding haemorrhoids can get into the sample and affect the result. | Anyone who is menstruating or has bleeding haemorrhoids |
Source: MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), Blood in Urine. An explanation for the public of a urine test for blood, without limits in numbers.[1]
If the test finds blood in your urine, the cause is usually not serious. Sometimes it can point to something that needs more attention: an inflammation of the kidney, the urethra or the bladder, a condition of the bladder, the kidneys, the prostate or the ureters, an enlarged prostate, damage to a kidney from an accident or sport, a virus that inflames the liver, or a blood disorder. You then sometimes need more tests to find out why. Discuss your result with your doctor.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Certain foods, such as beetroot or rhubarb, can turn your urine red. It then looks like blood, even though it is not blood.[1]
Some medicines can cause blood in your urine or turn your urine red. Tell your doctor which medicines you take. Never stop taking a medicine on your own, only when your doctor tells you to.[1]
Strenuous exercise and sex can both cause blood in your urine. Usually this is not serious.[1]
If you are on your period or have haemorrhoids that bleed, mention this before the test. Blood from outside can get into your urine and affect the result. Also follow the instructions for collecting a clean urine sample, so that no bacteria from your skin get into the sample.[1]
Occult blood in urine is included in BioProfile 77, 98, 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 9 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 9 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to review this page; after that review, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page offers explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal value with your GP.
