Chyluria is a condition in which you have chyle in your pee. It has parasitic and non-parasitic causes. A healthcare provider can diagnose chyluria through urinalysis and other tests. Chyluria sometimes goes away on its own, but treatment may also involve changes to your diet, medications or minimally invasive or invasive procedures.
Chyluria (pronounced “kye-lurr-ee-uh”) is a condition in which you have chyle (“kyle”) in your urine (pee). Chyle is fluid from your lymph nodes that looks milky because fats from your intestines have mixed with it.
Your lymph vessels typically send lymph and fats to your bloodstream. Your bloodstream then transports them to different areas of your body. If your lymph vessels aren’t functioning correctly, chyle won’t reach your bloodstream because it has leaked somewhere else into your body. When it leaks into your kidneys, it leaves your body through your pee.
Chyluria may develop from parasitic causes or non-parasitic causes.
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When your pee is milky white, it means chyle has leaked into your kidneys. The chyle mixes with your pee and leaves your body when you use the bathroom.
Anyone can get chyluria.
You’re more likely to have parasitic chyluria if you live in or have spent time in South America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, especially India. The parasites that cause chyluria are more common in these areas. It typically affects people between the ages of 20 and 40. However, healthcare providers have also documented parasitic chyluria in children as young as 5.
Chyluria is a relatively rare condition. Even in areas where chyluria is more common, there are still fewer than 100 annual cases.
Chyluria may cause malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.
The primary symptom of chyluria is milky white pee. Other chyluria symptoms include:
Chyluria has parasitic and non-parasitic causes.
The roundworm Wuchereria bancrofti causes 95% of parasitic cases (filariasis). Causes of the other 5% of cases include:
Non-parasitic causes of chyluria include:
No, contagious isn’t contagious. You can’t spread it to another person through close contact.
A healthcare provider will diagnose chyluria. They’ll ask questions about your symptoms and order tests.
Tests will help your healthcare provider confirm their chyluria diagnosis and determine how chyle is entering your pee.
These tests may include:
Your healthcare provider may recommend conservative, minimally invasive or invasive treatments.
More than 70% of chyluria cases respond well to conservative treatment.
Your healthcare provider may first recommend rest, increasing the amount of fluids you drink and a strict diet. Limiting the amount of fat in your diet helps your body make less chyle.
Your healthcare provider may also recommend parenteral nutrition. You’ll receive your caloric and nutritional needs through intravenous (IV) fluids during this treatment.
Certain medications can also help treat chyluria.
If you don’t respond to conservative treatment, sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment option.
Your healthcare provider will inject a special solution (sclerosant) into the center of your kidney (renal pelvis). The most common sclerosant is silver nitrate, but other common sclerosants include:
If you don’t respond to conservative or minimally invasive treatments, your healthcare provider may recommend more invasive interventions, such as surgery.
Your healthcare provider may recommend adhering to a strict low-fat, high-protein diet. Your diet should include a lot of leafy greens and vitamins A, D, E and K.
Low-fat, high-protein foods include:
You should limit your fat intake to less than 25 grams per day. Most people with chyluria only need to maintain a low-fat, high-protein diet for a few weeks. Your healthcare provider will tell you when you can eat more fat again.
Medications that help treat chyluria include:
Depending on your type of treatment, most people feel better within a few days or weeks.
The parasites that cause chyluria typically spread through mosquito bites. The best ways to prevent mosquito bites include:
You can also take medicines that kill microscopic worms.
If you have chyluria, your chances of recovering are good.
Up to 50% of cases resolve on their own without treatment, over 70% of cases resolve with conservative treatment and invasive treatments have a success rate of 95%.
See a healthcare provider right away if you notice any changes to the color of your pee, especially if you also notice an increase in how often you have to go to the bathroom or have pain while peeing.
Lymphuria is a condition in which there’s lymph in your pee, but there aren’t any fats in your pee.
Chyluria is a condition in which fats and lymph (chyle) are in your pee.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Chyluria is a condition in which chyle is present in your pee. Chyle turns your pee milky white, which can sometimes cause problems such as vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition. Sometimes, chyluria goes away without treatment. However, conservative, minimally invasive and invasive treatments have high rates of successfully treating chyluria.
It can be shocking to notice your pee turn milky white. If you notice any unusual changes in the color of your pee, especially if you’re peeing more than usual or it’s painful to pee, talk to your healthcare provider. They can diagnose chyluria and work with you to get the most effective treatment.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/12/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy