Urine never smells nice — but if your pee suddenly smells more strongly than normal, or has simply taken on a distinctly strange odor, you may be worried. What could be going on with your health when your urine smells foul?
Urine with a foul odor can indicate an underlying medical condition — but if it's the only symptom you are experiencing, you do not need to panic quite yet. That is because smelly urine can also be the result of eating certain foods, taking medications of nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals, or even dehydration.
On the other hand, more serious conditions can also be to blame for foul-smelling urine. Normal and healthy urine is, when it's fresh, nearly clear in appearance, and almost completely odorless. Urinary tract infections are one possible cause of more smelly urine, but foul-smelling pee can also be the result of kidney stones or type 2 diabetes, among others.
Common causes of smelly urine
One of the most common cause of a foul urine odor is a urinary tract infection (UTI). Urinary tract infections are more likely to affect women because of their shorter urethra, which makes them more vulnerable to bacterial entry and subsequent infections. It has been estimated that between 20 and 50% of women will suffer from urinary tract infections at some point in their lives.
A UTI can spread to the kidneys if not treated on time, making the condition much more serious. In urinary tract infection, foul urine smell occurs due to presence of bacteria in the urine. Urinary tract infections can become more of a risk if you have a very active sexual life or due to having several sexual partners. UTI can be also caused by pregnancy.
Smelly urine may be also caused by insufficient water intake or dehydration. Due to dehydration, the urine becomes highly concentrated. Your pee will have a strong ammonia odor and a very dark yellow or orange-tinted color.
Liver disease can also be the cause of smelly urine, as well as some metabolic disorders such as phenylketonuria, an inherited disease.
Smelly urine excretion can be caused by diabetes, because sugar can pass down to the urine, giving it a specific sweet odor. Smelly urine as a symptom of diabetes is likely to be accompanied by increased thirst, and fatigue is common as well.
Foods like asparagus, onion, and garlic as well as certain drugs and medicinal supplements can cause your urine to acquire a temporarily foul odor.
Maple syrup urine disease is an inherited and potentially deadly disorder that may cause burned caramel smell in the urine.
Symptoms you should also watch out for if you have smelly urine
A foul odor in the urine is almost always accompanied by a changed color of the urine. Color change in the urine may occur due to different reasons, but a dark or red color in your urine is worrying, as it can sometimes be a sign of severe disease. Cystitis or bladder infection is always followed by soul smelling urine. Also, kidney stones can lead to the symptom of smelly urine, especially when they are eliminated through the urine. It is common to experience back pain as well in this case. In case of liver disease, you may have jaundice, feel nauseous, and have a (severe) stomach ache.
Treatment for smelly urine
The cause of your smelly urine must be determined in order to treat the underlying condition and eliminate foul odor. Smelly urine that is caused by UTI can be taken care of with the help of prescribed medications. Drinking plenty of water can also be helpful because the urine odor will slowly clear off as you flush the body with it.
If your urine is consistently strong-smelling, especially if you also have other symptoms, please seek medical help as soon as possible.
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