What Causes Odor in Urine, and How Can It Be Treated?

Urine is usually odorless and mostly composed of water when sufficient water has been consumed. When water intake decreases, urine may exhibit an unpleasant odor or a dark color, which is common for many people. However, sometimes the odor can be a sign of a different health problem or an issue that needs to be addressed. If the smelly urine is temporary, it is harmless and should resolve with increased water intake. However, if the odor persists even after drinking more than 2 liters of water a day, the underlying cause should be investigated.

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What causes urine to smell?

Urine is formed when waste products are filtered from the body by the kidneys. Urine is mostly water and therefore odorless. In some cases, the smell of urine may intensify, become sharper, and change. Odor in urine is usually harmless and caused by simple reasons that resolve on their own, but sometimes it can be an underlying illness or a cause that should be taken seriously. The causes of odor in urine are as follows:

• Thirst (dehydration): It is necessary to drink at least 2 liters of water a day, and as water intake decreases, the color of urine darkens. Drinking too little water can cause urine to smell like ammonia.
• Nutrition type: Consuming certain foods can cause urine to darken in color. Asparagus, garlic, broccoli, onions, and spicy foods can cause urine to darken in color and smell bad.
• Urinary tract infections Infections in the bladder and urinary tract cause symptoms such as dark, foul-smelling urine, difficulty urinating, and burning.
• Medication use: Antibiotics, B vitamins, vitamin D, some diabetes medications, and some rheumatoid arthritis medications can cause urine to darken and have a foul odor.
• Diabetes: Diabetes and high blood sugar can cause glucose to build up in the urine, which can give the urine a sweet smell.
• Liver or kidney diseases: When liver or kidney function is impaired, or when kidney stones develop, the filtration process cannot be performed properly, and waste products that should not normally be present in the urine are found, causing an odor.
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): Sexually transmitted diseases such as trichomonas infection can cause an odor in urine.
• Metabolic or genetic problems: Health problems such as bladder fistulas, phenylketonuria (PKU), and maple syrup urine disease can cause urine to smell bad.
• Urinary retention: Urine that remains in the bladder for a long time allows bacteria to multiply, and the ammonia odor in the urine becomes more pronounced.

What disease is indicated by an odor in urine?

Urine odor is usually harmless and resolves on its own with increased water intake, but it can be a symptom of certain diseases, and the dark color of the urine will not improve unless the underlying condition is treated. Odorous urine may be a symptom of the following conditions:

• Urinary tract infections (cystitis, vaginal yeast infection, and bacterial vaginosis)
• Type 2 Diabetes (Uncontrolled)
• Renal calculus
• Metabolic or genetic diseases (bladder fistula, phenylketonuria, and maple syrup urine disease)
• Sexually transmitted diseases (Trichomonas, etc.)

How to get rid of urine odor?

To get rid of the odor in urine, it's necessary to know the underlying cause. For example, if there is an odor due to dehydration, it is necessary to increase water consumption. To eliminate the odor in your urine, you should follow these suggestions:

• Water consumption should be increased.
• You should urinate at least every 3-4 hours.
• Foods like asparagus, onions, garlic, and broccoli can be consumed less frequently, but not completely eliminated.
• If the odor in the urine is due to an infection, treatment for the infection should be started.
• Caffeine, smoking, and alcohol consumption should be reduced.

Frequently Asked Questions About Urine Odor

Which foods cause urine to smell?

Asparagus is one of the foods that causes odor in urine. Asparagus, garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, and spicy foods can cause odor in urine. Coffee, alcohol, and cigarettes also cause urine to darken.

What does it mean if urine is dark and has an odor?

Dark-colored and foul-smelling urine is usually a sign of dehydration. Drinking too little water throughout the day can cause urine to darken in color and have an increased odor. Sometimes urinary tract infections, liver and kidney diseases, antibiotic and supplement use, and kidney stones can cause dark and foul-smelling urine.

Could Odor in Urine Be a Sign of Pregnancy?

Odor in urine is not a direct sign of pregnancy, but changes in urine odor can occur during pregnancy. Increased hormones and changes in bodily balance during pregnancy can alter the smell of urine. In addition, supplements used by expectant mothers for their babies can also cause changes in smell.

Why does urine smell of ammonia?

The ammonia odor in urine is usually caused by not drinking enough water. When not enough water is drunk throughout the day, urea in the urine breaks down, causing a sharp, ammonia-like odor.

What causes a sweet-smelling urine?

A sweet-smelling urine can be a sign of diabetes or high blood sugar. A sweet odor may develop in the urine, especially in people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Additionally, regularly consuming foods high in sugar can temporarily alter the smell of urine.

What to do if your urine has an odor?

If there is an odor in the urine, the underlying cause should be determined first, and water intake should be increased to rule out the possibility of dehydration. If urine color does not lighten when water consumption is increased, infection, medication use, kidney or liver problems, or diabetes should be considered.

Which medical specialty examines the odor of urine?

If you have an odor in your urine, you should see a urologist. If the odor in the urine is due to an infection, the patient is referred to the Infectious Diseases Department; if it is due to kidney disease, to Nephrology; if it is due to liver disease, to Gastroenterology; or if it is due to diabetes, to Internal Medicine.

Does Vitamin B12 cause urine to smell?

Taking vitamin B12 doesn't directly cause an odor in urine, but complex B vitamins can. If you have an excess of vitamin B12, the smell of your urine may change.