Kidney stones usually develop when salt and other materials found in the urine stick together and form into hard stone-like deposits. The stones can collect bacteria and lead to infection and/or bleeding.
Kidney stones can change the smell of urine, but smelly urine will never be the only symptom of kidney stones; there will be other symptoms as well.
If diabetes goes undiagnosed, the amount of sugar spilled into the urine can cause it to smell sweet or fruity. This is because diabetics are unable to process sugars like most people.
Along with the sweet or fruity smell, you may feel the urge to urinate more frequently than normal since sugar also irritates the bladder.
Medications and vitamins have been found to be the culprit in many cases of smelly urine. For example, Vitamins B & D can both cause a fishy urine smell.
In addition, any medication from the sulfa group can also cause bad smelling urine. These can include rheumatoid arthritis medications, diabetes medications, as well as some antibiotics.
Sometimes certain foods can have an effect on the smell of your urine output. Asparagus is especially notorious for making urine smelly because the body cannot completely break it down.
Other foods such as coffee, garlic, curry, onions, Brussel sprouts, salmon and alcohol have a similar effect. Also, foods high in protein can increase urine’s acidity and cause it to have an ammonia smell.
Some STIs can cause smelly urine because they can cause inflammation or infection of the urethra. Most of these infections can be associated with bacteria, pus, and/or bleeding, all of which can change the odor of urine.
Even without actual infection, an STI can cause smelly urine just from irritation of the vagina.
A urinary fistula is an abnormal opening in an organ of the urinary tract or an abnormal connection between a urinary tract organ and another nearby organ (often the vagina).
They most commonly occur after the bladder has been damaged during surgeries—such as a c-section or hysterectomy. Symptoms include fluid leaking from the vagina, frequent UTIs, foul-smelling gas or discharge from the vagina, and feces leaking into the vagina.
This is a rare genetic condition in which a person is born without the ability to properly break down an amino acid called phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is an amino acid—one of the building blocks of proteins.
If PKU goes untreated or if foods containing phenylalanine are eaten, the breath, skin, ear wax, and urine may have a mousy or musty smell due to the buildup of phenylalanine.
A yeast infection occurs when a natural fungus in the vagina grows out of control in response to abnormal changes in the body—such as starting a new antibiotic.
Yeast infections might have a distinctive yeasty smell, but the smell is primarily in the bacterial yeast and may, in turn, contribute to smelly urine due to how close the ureters are to the vagina.
Maple syrup urine disease is an inherited disorder in which the body is unable to process certain amino acids properly. This disease gets its name from the distinctive sweet odor of affected infants’ urine.
If left untreated the condition can cause seizures, coma, and death. The most common and severe form of the disease is the ‘classic type’ which becomes apparent soon after birth.
This sounds like exactly what it is—an inflammation of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries the urine from the bladder to outside the body. One symptom is pain due to an infection caused by bacteria.
Urethritis can typically be cured with antibiotics. It is often caused by the bacteria that can be found in sexually transmitted infections and/or bacteria in and around fecal matter.
Cystinuria is a genetic disorder that is characterized by a buildup of the amino acid cystine in the kidneys and bladder. High levels of cystine in urine can lead to the development of cystine stones in the kidneys, ureter, and bladder.
Symptoms include nausea, blood in the urine, and frequent UTIs. Anything that causes inflammation, or irritation can potentially be associated with bacteria, pus, or bleeding, which then can change the smell of urine.
Since dehydration is usually the number one cause of smelly urine, you want to ensure that you’re drinking enough fluids throughout the day.
Try to drink at least six-to-eight glasses of water and/or clear broth in order to dilute your urine and bring it back to a normal, pale-yellow reduced-odor specimen.
We’ve discussed how foods such as asparagus, coffee, and alcohol can give a distinctive and strong odor. Other foods such as curry, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts can as well.
Therefore, if you consume any of these foods on a regular basis, we recommend changing your diet to reduce the odor of your urine.
After you’ve tried adding more fluids to your diet for more than 24 hours and the smell still persists, it may be time to get an exam.
This is even more true if you’re experiencing any additional pain, urgency, or change in color. Even a minor infection like a urinary tract infection can become dangerous if left untreated.
