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Dear DrSugar,
This is a little embarrassing and a little weird, but my pee doesn't smell like normal these days. It has smelled off for about a week. It smells bad and it doesn’t seem to matter what I eat. Trust me, I haven't eaten any asparagus in months. Maybe you know what causes this and am wondering if it is serious. I can't for the life of me figure it out! Any information would be helpful
—Distressed in the Loo
To see if DrSugar feels this is a symptom of something serious, read more
Smelly urine can be related to certain foods or medications, but it can also be a sign of certain diseases. The most common cause of foul smelling urine is a urinary tract infection (UTI). Sometimes the odorous urine precedes other common symptoms of a UTI such as: burning with urination, frequent urination, lower abdominal pain, and fevers. If the foul smell persists, a urinary tract infection can be easily diagnosed with a urinalysis test at your doctor’s office. A previous FitSugar post outlines some easy ways to prevent urinary tract infections, including drinking cranberry juice, wiping properly, and voiding your bladder after sex.
Other diseases can cause urine to smell abnormal. For example, sweet smelling urine can be a sign of diabetes. Other signs of diabetes include: increased frequency of urination, increased thirst, and fatigue. Severe dehydration and low carb diets are associated with an ammonia like scent in urine. Asparagus is by far the most common food-related cause of abnormal smelling urine, but you haven't been eating that so it cannot be the culprit. Other foods have been associated with abnormal urine odor, but nothing as consistent as asparagus. If the smell does not resolve soon, it would be a good idea to see your doctor for a urinalysis test, which can detect both diabetes and a urinary tract infection. Good luck.
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Maloles
Peacocks
Tomas Maier
mine smells like ascorbic acid after i take my vitamin C. maybe it's some kind of pills you're taking?
1Sometimes vitamins can make your urine smell funky, but more likely it's a UTI, especially if your urine is cloudy.
2if the vitamin your taking makes your urine smell funky, does that mean that your not assimilating it?
3It's more the fact that most vitamins have more vitamins in them than your body can absorb at once, so the water-soluble ones come out in your urine. If you take a lot of B-vitamins, those especially turn your urine weird colors and make it smell really strange.
4Im really not sure what my smell is.. im pretty sure its not an infection as ive had that in the past, it smells strong and kind of citric but i dont get pain. i dont eat asparogus or take vitamins so im v confused.
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