What does urine usually smell like?
Urine consists of water and waste products. If a person is healthy and drinks a lot, she is either nothing doesn’t smellor the smell is light and not sharp.
When to call an ambulance
Call 103 or 112 when urine smells strong or strange and there are such symptoms:
- pain in the lower abdomen, back or under the ribs,
- blood in urine
- fatigue and malaise,
- feeling confused or agitated
- high fever, fever and shivering,
- low temperature.
Take note ✍🏻
What determines the smell of urine?
Urine consists mainly of water and what the kidneys filter out. Therefore, its smell depends on what waste is removed from the body. Here’s what can affect how smells urine.
Food
Asparagus, garlic, onions or Brussels sprouts can affect the smell of urine.
Drink
The more liquid a person drinks, the lower the concentration of urine and the weaker the odor. But with dehydration, the opposite is true. Urine becomes highly concentrated and smells bad.
It is also worth considering that the smell can change some drinks. For example, coffee alcohol.
Diseases and conditions
Among reasonsThere may be some conditions and diseases that affect the smell of urine:
- bacterial vaginosis;
- bladder infection;
- cystitis;
- diabetic ketoacidosis is a condition in which the body has high levels of acids in the blood;
- gastrovesical fistula;
- kidney infection;
- stones in the kidneys;
- menopause;
- dehydration;
- STI;
- trimethylaminuria;
- liver diseases;
- prostate infections;
- leucinosis, or maple syrup disease, is a rare genetic disorder that appears in infancy;
- metabolic disorder – a problem with how the body converts food into energy;
- phenylketonuria is a rare genetic disease in which amino acid accumulates in the body;
- urinary tract infections;
- diabetes mellitus type 2, if the person does not take medications to control the disease.
Some medications and vitamins
The cause of the changed odor may be the intake of vitamins B and D, as well as drugs with sulfanilamide:
- antibiotics,
- medicines for people with diabetes,
- remedies for rheumatoid arthritis.
Pregnancy
Normally, a pregnant woman’s urine usually does not smell different. But changes in hormonal levels can bring to hyperosmia – a condition in which a woman smells more strongly.
What smell of urine should alert you?
Any strong tint in the smell should be a cause for concern. But especially worth it reverse attention to the following.
Sweet
This happens when the body tries to get rid of excess glucose. Therefore, urine that smells sweet or fruity may be a sign of diabetes or hyperglycemia, a condition in which the amount of sugar in the blood is high.
Similar to maple syrup
This smell is also sweet, but it arises only for one condition – leucinosis, or maple syrup disease. This is a rare hereditary disease in which the human body cannot break down amino acids. As a result, they accumulate and become toxic.
Musty
This smell can speak about liver disease or liver failure.
Ammoniacal
This shade is usually caused by a urinary tract infection. But in this case the color will also change. The urine may be cloudy or even slightly bloody. And I have to go to the toilet often because of the problem. In addition, a person may feel pain during the process.
Other reasons that may cause an ammonia odor include:
- dehydration,
- kidney stones or disease of these organs,
- liver diseases,
- menopause,
- prostate infection,
- STI.
Sulfur
The smell of sulfur or a burnt match may appear due to diet. For example, if you recently ate asparagus, garlic or onions.
Fish
Cause of fishy smell – trimethylaminuria is a rare condition in which sweat, breath, saliva and urine smell like rotten fish. This is a genetic disease and there is no cure for it. But you can take control of the symptoms.
What to do if your urine smells strange
When there is no reason to call an ambulance, but the urine does not smell as usual, you should consult a therapist.
The specialist will help find out the cause: ask questions about the patient’s health status, diet and medications. Tests may be needed. And if necessary, the doctor will send the person to a specialist, for example a urologist.
What to do to prevent urine from smelling
Here are a few advicethanks to which urine will not have a sharp or unpleasant smell:
- Stay hydrated, especially during exercise and in hot weather. To do this, drink plenty of fluids, preferably water;
- try not to drink a lot of sugary drinks, coffee or alcohol;
- don’t eat a lot of garlic or asparagus;
- Consult your doctor about reducing the dosage of vitamin B6 if you take it.
Take care of yourself ❤️🩹