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Specific gravity is one of the tests in a urine test. The lab measures it with a test strip. An abnormal urine test result may point to a condition of the kidneys or the urinary tract.[1]
On this page you can read what urine specific gravity 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 called: specific gravity of urine, urine specific gravity. At the lab: USTX.
A urine test is the physical, chemical and microscopic examination of urine. It is made up of a number of tests that detect and measure substances leaving your body through your urine. Specific gravity is one of those tests.[1]
For the chemical tests, the lab uses a special strip, called a dipstick. The strip has small pads containing chemicals. These change colour when they come into contact with the substances the lab is looking for.[1]
For this, you hand in a urine sample. Your healthcare provider will tell you which type of sample is needed. Two common methods are collecting urine over 24 hours and a clean-catch sample.[1]
A urine test can be part of a routine medical check-up. In that case, it looks for early signs of disease.[1]
The test can also be done when there are signs of a blood sugar condition or a kidney condition. Or to follow how a value develops during care.[1]
The test also checks whether there is blood in your urine. It also helps to detect a condition of the urinary tract.[1]
Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with, gives no numerical limit for urine specific gravity. It is a qualitative test. The lab calls a value within the limits normal.[2]
| Value | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| No numerical limit (qualitative measurement)[2] | The lab calls a value within the limits normal | Not specified by the lab |
Source: Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with. Reference value for urine specific gravity, a qualitative test.[2]
MedlinePlus gives no separate explanation for a specific gravity that is too low. The source does say that an abnormal urine test result may point to a condition of the kidneys or the urinary tract. Your healthcare provider can discuss the result with you.[1]
For a specific gravity that is too high, the source also gives no separate explanation. An abnormal urine test result may point to, among other things, kidney stone formation or a poorly controlled blood sugar condition. Talk to your healthcare provider about what your result means.[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.
Some medicines change the colour of your urine, but that is not a sign of disease. Examples are iron supplements, riboflavin and levodopa. Your healthcare provider may ask you to stop taking medicines that can affect the result.[1]
Some foods, such as beetroot and blackberries, can turn your urine red. Normal urine ranges from almost colourless to dark yellow.[1]
Normal values can differ slightly from lab to lab. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your healthcare provider about what your result means.[1]
With a home test, you read the result from a colour chart. So whoever reads the result needs to be able to tell colours apart well.[1]
Urine specific gravity is included in BioProfile 77, 87, 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 10 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 10 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 check this page; after that check, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page offers explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss a value outside the range with your GP.
