When enough fluid is taken, the urine should not have a strong odor. Although the smell of urine may vary depending on the food eaten, this should be temporary. According to experts, smelly urine can be a sign of several changes in your body. A particularly foul-smelling urine can be a sign of many health problems, including uncontrolled diabetes and fatty liver disease.
Smelly urine is not usually a sign of illness and should go away over time. Harmless activities like consuming asparagus and certain vitamins can change the smell of your urine. Your urine may also have a stronger odor in the morning or when you are dehydrated.
IT’S NORMAL TO SMELL BAD IN THE MORNINGS
Amy Krambeck, MD, Urologist at Mayo Clinic, explains on the Mayo Clinic website: “It’s normal for urine to have a stronger odor first thing in the morning. After a night’s sleep, the urine is more concentrated and smelly, as well as a brighter yellow color.” But outside of these contexts, smelly urine can be a sign of some health problems of varying severity. First, it can be a sign of several different bacterial infections. Bacteria, like the bladder in your urinary tract can contaminate your urine when passing through an infected area.
INFECTIONS
Dr. Krambeck, if you have “smelly urine” it may be due to a bacterial infection in your urinary tract. The odor may be accompanied by other symptoms such as cloudy urine or a burning sensation when urinating. You may also notice that you are desperate to urinate. But Doctor Krambeck explained that bad odor may be the only symptom. “Urinary tract infection needs to be treated with antibiotics to prevent kidney infection and kidney damage,” he said.
PROSTATITIS
In men, the odor may be prostatitis. This is when your prostate and painful areas around the prostate become inflamed. Like a bladder infection, it can leave a horrible rotten egg smell in your urine. Other symptoms of prostatitis include pain around your penis or scrotum. Men may also feel pain when they pee or after ejaculation.
UNCONTROLLED DIABETES
Diabetes is when your blood sugar levels are too high over the long term. Severe diabetes that is out of control can leave you with a change in the smell of your urine. The scent it leaves is strong and sweet. Doctor Krambeck explained that the odor may be due to the presence of sugar and ketones in your urine. Both of these substances are not normally found in your urine. This is because your body is trying to excrete excess sugar through urine. For some people, this is one of the first symptoms people will experience.
LIVER DISEASE
MedlinePlus explains that liver problems can leave you with “musty-smelling urine.” The odor is due to a buildup of toxins in your urine due to your liver’s inability to break them down properly. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which occurs when fat builds up in the liver, affects about one-third of people. It is associated with many underlying problems such as obesity or type 2 diabetes.
The disease can stop your liver from working properly over time. One of its jobs is to remove toxins like ammonia from your body. As a result, the substance often described as having a “suffocating odor” can build up in your urine.