Specific Gravity Urine Biomarker Testing
It shows how concentrated your urine is and how well you’re hydrating; order through Vitals Vault with Quest collection and PocketMD support.
With Vitals Vault, you have access to a comprehensive range of biomarker tests.
Urine specific gravity is a simple measurement that tells you how concentrated your urine is. In practical terms, it reflects how much water versus dissolved “stuff” (like salts and waste products) is in the sample you gave.
Because it changes quickly with fluid intake, sweating, illness, and certain medications, this test is often used as a snapshot of hydration and kidney concentrating ability. It is usually interpreted alongside your symptoms and other urine findings rather than on its own.
If you are trying to make sense of a urinalysis report, comparing results over time, or deciding whether you should retest after changing hydration habits, specific gravity is one of the most useful context clues.
Do I need a Specific Gravity Urine test?
You might consider a urine specific gravity test if you have symptoms that could relate to fluid balance, such as unusual thirst, frequent urination, dizziness, or headaches that seem tied to dehydration. It is also commonly checked when you have swelling, vomiting/diarrhea, fever, or other situations where your body’s water balance can shift quickly.
This test is often ordered as part of a routine urinalysis when you are being evaluated for urinary symptoms (burning, urgency, flank pain), kidney concerns, or abnormal bloodwork. It can help your clinician interpret other urine results, because a very dilute or very concentrated sample can make some findings look better or worse than they truly are.
You may also benefit from retesting if your result was out of range and you suspect a temporary cause, such as heavy exercise, heat exposure, a recent IV fluid infusion, or intentionally drinking a lot of water before the sample.
Specific gravity supports clinician-directed care, but it cannot diagnose a condition by itself. If your result is persistently abnormal, the next step is usually to review your full urinalysis and kidney-related labs rather than trying to self-diagnose from this single number.
Specific gravity is measured on a CLIA-certified laboratory urinalysis platform (or equivalent method) and should be interpreted in clinical context; it is not a standalone diagnosis.
Lab testing
Order a urinalysis that includes specific gravity and review results with your clinician.
Schedule online, results typically within about a week
Clear reporting and optional clinician context
HSA/FSA eligible where applicable
Get this test with Vitals Vault
If you want a clear, convenient way to check urine specific gravity, Vitals Vault lets you order labs directly and complete collection through the Quest network. This is helpful when you are tracking hydration patterns, following up on a prior urinalysis, or building a broader kidney and metabolic picture.
After your results post, you can use PocketMD to ask practical questions like whether your sample may have been too dilute, what companion tests typically clarify the picture, and when it makes sense to repeat testing. That way, you are not left guessing what to do with an isolated out-of-range value.
If you are working with a clinician, you can also bring your report to your visit and use it as a structured starting point for next steps, including follow-up labs if your result suggests a consistent concentration issue rather than a one-time hydration effect.
- Order online and use Quest collection sites
- PocketMD helps you interpret results and plan follow-ups
- Easy retesting to confirm whether a result is persistent
Key benefits of Specific Gravity Urine testing
- Shows whether your urine sample is dilute, typical, or concentrated at the time of collection.
- Adds context to other urinalysis findings that can be affected by hydration (for example, protein or blood on dipstick).
- Helps you and your clinician assess hydration patterns when symptoms fluctuate with fluid intake or heat exposure.
- Can support evaluation of kidney concentrating ability when results are persistently low or high.
- Useful for monitoring response to changes like increased fluids, electrolyte strategies, or medication adjustments.
- Provides a quick check when illness (vomiting, diarrhea, fever) may be shifting your fluid balance.
- Pairs well with other kidney markers so you can move from a single number to a clearer plan using PocketMD.
What is Specific Gravity Urine?
Urine specific gravity is a ratio that compares the density of your urine to the density of water. Water has a specific gravity of 1.000, and urine is typically higher because it contains dissolved substances such as electrolytes, urea, and other waste products.
Your kidneys continuously adjust how much water they conserve versus excrete. When you are dehydrated, your kidneys usually conserve water and your urine becomes more concentrated, which raises specific gravity. When you are well-hydrated (or you drink a large amount of fluid shortly before the test), your urine becomes more dilute, which lowers specific gravity.
Specific gravity is not the same as urine osmolality, but both relate to concentration. Osmolality is a more direct measurement of the number of dissolved particles, while specific gravity is a quick, commonly reported urinalysis value that often tracks with concentration in a clinically useful way.
Where you’ll see it on your report
Specific gravity is usually listed within a urinalysis (UA) section alongside pH, protein, glucose, ketones, blood, leukocyte esterase, nitrite, and sometimes microscopic findings like red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs). The reference interval can vary by lab, so your “in range” flag should be interpreted using the ranges printed on your report.
Why one result can be misleading
Because specific gravity can shift within hours, a single value may reflect what you drank, how much you sweated, or whether you were sick that day. If there is a concern about kidney concentrating ability, clinicians often look for patterns across repeat samples and consider companion tests rather than relying on one reading.
What do my Specific Gravity Urine results mean?
Low urine specific gravity (more dilute urine)
A low specific gravity means your urine is relatively dilute, which often happens when you drink a lot of fluid before the test. It can also be seen after receiving IV fluids, with certain diuretics (“water pills”), or when your body is intentionally clearing extra water.
If low values are persistent across repeat tests—especially alongside frequent urination or excessive thirst—your clinician may consider causes such as impaired kidney concentrating ability or hormone-related water balance issues. In that situation, follow-up often includes urine osmolality and blood electrolytes to clarify whether the dilution is expected or abnormal.
Typical (in-range) urine specific gravity
An in-range result suggests your urine concentration is within the lab’s expected range for a random sample. This generally means your kidneys are appropriately balancing water and solutes at the time of collection.
Even with an in-range specific gravity, other urinalysis findings can still be important. For example, protein, blood, glucose, or signs of infection should be interpreted based on their own significance, not just the concentration of the sample.
High urine specific gravity (more concentrated urine)
A high specific gravity means your urine is more concentrated than usual, which commonly occurs with dehydration, heavy sweating, or limited fluid intake. It can also rise when you have vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, because your body is trying to conserve water.
Sometimes a high value reflects increased solutes in the urine, such as glucose in uncontrolled diabetes or other substances that change urine density. If your result is high and you also have symptoms like intense thirst, fatigue, or frequent urination, your clinician may recommend checking blood glucose and kidney function markers.
Factors that influence urine specific gravity
Your result can change based on how much you drank in the hours before collection, the time of day (first-morning urine is often more concentrated), and recent exercise or heat exposure. Medications and treatments such as diuretics, IV fluids, and some kidney-active drugs can also shift specific gravity.
The collection method matters too. A contaminated sample, a sample that sits too long before testing, or a non–clean-catch collection can complicate interpretation, especially when specific gravity is being used to contextualize other urinalysis findings.
What’s included
- Specific Gravity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal range for urine specific gravity?
Most labs report a reference interval roughly around 1.005 to 1.030 for a random urine sample, but the exact range can vary by laboratory and by collection timing. Use the range printed on your report, and interpret it alongside your hydration status and other urinalysis findings.
Do I need to fast for a urine specific gravity test?
Fasting is not usually required. However, what you drink before the test can strongly affect the result, so follow any collection instructions you were given and avoid intentionally “over-hydrating” right before the sample unless your clinician asked you to.
Is urine specific gravity the same as urine osmolality?
No. Specific gravity is a quick measure of urine density compared with water, while urine osmolality measures the number of dissolved particles more directly. They often move in the same direction, but osmolality is typically used when a more precise assessment of concentrating ability is needed.
What causes low urine specific gravity?
Common causes include drinking a lot of fluid before the test, receiving IV fluids, or taking diuretics. Persistently low results can sometimes suggest reduced kidney concentrating ability or water-balance disorders, which is why clinicians often confirm with repeat testing and related blood and urine studies.
What causes high urine specific gravity?
High values are often due to dehydration from low fluid intake, sweating, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. It can also be influenced by higher amounts of solutes in urine, such as glucose, so your clinician may look at your urinalysis glucose and consider blood glucose testing if symptoms fit.
Should I retest if my urine specific gravity is abnormal?
Retesting can be helpful when a temporary factor likely affected the sample, such as heavy exercise, heat exposure, illness, or unusual fluid intake. If your result is repeatedly abnormal or you have symptoms like excessive thirst or frequent urination, discuss follow-up testing with your clinician rather than relying on hydration changes alone.