We explain the 10 reasons why your urine could stink and when you should visit the doctor.
When you look at the cup after urinating, you should see a bit of a pale yellow color, a sign that you are well hydrated and that your urine is fine. But how should it smell? We assume you don’t think twice. Unless, something suspicious comes out of your body, or it smells pretty strange or out of the ordinary.
Here are the top reasons your urine might stink, and expert medical advice on whether or not you need to make an appointment with your GP.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU ARE DEHYDRATED
Do you realize that your urine smells like ammonia? Just as not drinking enough water can make your urine extra yellow, it can also make it stink.
“When your body breaks down the protein it consumes, a colorless compound called urea forms, which is excreted through the urine,” says urologist Mehran Movassaghi of Movassaghi Urology in Santa Monica, CA.
Water dilutes urea, so if you’re not hydrating enough, your urine will fill with it, giving it a stronger ammonia smell. A simple solution? Drink more water. If you rehydrate, your urine generally becomes lighter (and less stinky).
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU ARE EATING SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Asparagus is known to make urine smell different, but not everyone who eats the vegetable notices. According to a study, the urine these people produce after a big dinner of asparagus is generally described as urine that smells of sulfur, it can be just as stinky, but you may lack the genes to smell it.
The culprit is a particular sulfur compound found only in asparagus. “But food is not the only one that causes a change in urine odor,” says Dr. Movassaghi. Garlic, which also contains sulfur, and fenugreek, Brussels sprouts, curries, and protein-rich diets can also make your urine smell fishy or somewhat rancid.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU TOOK A LITTLE MORE COFFEE
Coffee beans contain a compound called caffeine, which is released during roasting, giving coffee a delicious and characteristic aroma to the drink. But it is insoluble in water, which means it remains intact as it runs through your system and comes out when a leak occurs, i.e. urine.
“So if you drink enough coffee, especially if you’ve been skimping on water and you’re a little dehydrated, the caffeine will be more concentrated,” says urologist S. Adam Ramin, MD, a urology cancer specialist in Los Angeles, California. That can make your urine smell like coffee.
The smell is worse if you are dehydrated, as you will also be dealing with that concentrated urea, which can amplify the aroma.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU HAVE A URINARY INFECTION
According to Dr. Movassaghi, “When bacteria” nest “anywhere in the urinary tract, bacteria can change the color and smell of urine.”
Generally, you will notice that your urine smells of ammonia or fish. For urinary tract infections, the urine is also often cloudy or bloody. Since infections are usually caused by bacteria, an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor can eliminate them and with it the resulting odor, although it may have a different odor while you are taking the medication.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU’RE SUPPLEMENTING YOU
Some vitamins, medications, and supplements have ingredients that can change the smell of urine, and sometimes the appearance as well. Anyone who has taken a multivitamin, especially one containing vitamin B, and neon yellow, can attest to that.
Medications like antibiotics can also cause the smell of urine, because those containing penicillin are derived from mold. This can give your urine a fungus or yeast odor, but it should dissipate once you have completed your antibiotic period.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU’RE ON A DIET
Do you want to try the keto diet or a low carb diet? When your body is low in sugar and carbohydrates, it begins to break down fats and fatty acids for fuel. The result? A buildup of ketones, a type of acid made by the liver. When ketones make their way through your system, you may notice sweet-smelling urine or even fruity breathing.
While ketosis (a high level of ketones in the blood and urine) is generally not a concern, diabetes-related ketoacidosis (ketones dangerously high due to lack of insulin) can be a life-threatening problem. Go to the doctor for quality medical advice and a urine test to avoid surprises.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU HAVE DIABETES
If you feel like you have to urinate a lot and your urine smells sweet or even strangely fruity, there is a chance you may have advanced diabetes without treatment.
In this case, the body does not process the sugar properly, so it accumulates in the blood and urine, causing a sweet-smelling odor, a classic sign of diabetes.
Other early warning signs of diabetes? You are very thirsty, your vision is blurred, you are tired and you have a headache. What to do? Go to the doctor to have your blood sugar levels checked.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU HAVE A FISTULA
Although rare, a fistula, that is, an abnormal connection between the bladder and the intestine (which is as thick as it seems), can form when the tissues that separate them are damaged. This is usually due to inflammation of Crohn’s disease or an infection in the digestive tract.
The result? Urine that smells like sulfur or even looks like feces, in addition to frequent bladder infections. If this sounds familiar to you, go to the doctor for an x-ray; You may need surgery soon.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU HAVE STONES IN THE KIDNEY
Kidney stones are hard deposits that form when chemicals in your urine crystallize and start to stick together. The need to urinate more frequently and a pungent smell of urine may be signs of a kidney stone trying to make its way through your body (and possibly having a bladder infection in the process).
If your urine smells and you have severe pain on both sides of your lower back, see a doctor as soon as possible and get that stone out of there.
YOUR URINE COULD SUCK IF: YOU HAVE A SEXUAL TRANSMISSION INFECTION
“There are some sexually transmitted infections that are known to cause changes in urine odor,” says Dr. Movassaghi. These include trichomoniasis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The change occurs because the organisms responsible for the diseases trigger more production of ammonia, which the body tries to eliminate through the urinary system.
“Stinky urine might be the best way to know you might have trichomoniasis,” he says since STIs generally have no other symptoms in men.
WHEN SHOULD YOU VISIT THE DOCTOR?
“On its own, a slight smell of urine is usually not worth a visit to the urologist unless it appears to persist,” says Dr. Ramin. If it is accompanied by other symptoms such as cloudy or bloody urine, pain or burning when urinating, or fever or chills, it is highly recommended that you make an appointment with your doctor. These can indicate major problems, such as an infection or even urinary stones.