Health Conditions A-Z Digestive Disorders Why Does My Pee Smell? By Samantha Lauriello Samantha Lauriello Samantha Lauriello is a social media strategist and editor. She was previously an assistant editor at Health before moving over to Travel + Leisure as a social media editor. health's editorial guidelines Updated on October 26, 2022 Medically reviewed by Matthew Wosnitzer, MD Medically reviewed by Matthew Wosnitzer, MD Matthew Wosnitzer, MD, is a urologist specializing in male reproductive medicine and surgery at Yale New Haven Health System. learn more Share this page on Facebook Share this page on Twitter Share this page on Pinterest Email this page Like urine color, the smell of your urine can be a clue about your body's condition. Smelly urine can be caused by factors such as: Certain foodsDehydrationDiabetesKidney stonesVarious infections Learn more about these causes and what you can do about smelly urine. Why Does My Pee Smell Like Ammonia? Ammonia is stored in the liver as glutamine, which is released into urine. Your pee can have a strong smell of ammonia due to conditions like dehydration and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Dehydration Dehydration, which is when the body loses more fluids than are replaced, can lead to a strong urine odor. You can check the color of your urine to confirm whether you're dehydrated. If it's dark yellow, you probably need to up your water intake. However, you're well-hydrated if it's a pale straw or transparent yellow color. Other symptoms of dehydration include: Decreased urine and sweatDizzinessDry mouth or skinIncreased thirstTiredness Eating Certain Foods Asparagus is notorious for making urine smelly, though it does not result in a urine odor for every person. Other foods, like onions and garlic, can have similar odorous effects. Kidney Stones Kidney stones can also affect your urine. They develop when salt and other minerals found in urine stick together and form hard stone-like deposits that can be as small as sand-like grains or as large as full-on chunks of gravel. Other symptoms of kidney stones include: Back, side, or groin painBlood in your urineFeverFrequent urinationNausea or vomitingPain with urination Urinary Tract Infection A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria get into your urinary system through the urethra and then begin to multiply in the bladder. These bacteria can make your pee smell bad. Other than urine with an unpleasant odor, you may: Experience a burning sensation when peeingHave cloudy or bloody urineHave to pee more frequently Why Does My Pee Smell Sweet? Urine can have a sweet odor when a person has metabolism issues. The issues can be with organs like the pancreas, leading to health conditions such as diabetes. Diabetes People with high blood sugar—or hyperglycemia, a hallmark of diabetes— have excess glucose. This happens when the body struggles to use insulin properly or if the body has too little insulin. Your body will try to get rid of the extra glucose through pee. This results in sweet-smelling urine. Also, you may need to use the restroom frequently and be thirstier than normal with high blood sugar. Maple Syrup Urine Disease Sweet-smelling urine may also be the result of a rare metabolic disease known as maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). The maple-smelling urine is a symptom that occurs in infants alongside: Delays in developmental milestonesDifficulties with feedingFailure to thrive What To Do If Pee Smells Resolving issues with the odor of your pee depends on what's causing it. To help reduce or eliminate smelly urine, you can: Manage blood sugar with exercise and healthy food choicesMonitor or limit food choices to determine what's causing your pee to smellStay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids If you engage in any of these practices but still have urine with an odor, consult a healthcare provider. When To See a Healthcare Provider If you think you might have diabetes or any type of infection, meet with a healthcare provider for testing and treatment option determination. Of note, UTIs accompanied by the following symptoms need medical attention as well: Back painBurning pain during urinationChillsFeverUnusual urine odor Also, some kidney stones pass in the urine without any need for treatment. However, seek medical attention if you have severe pain, vomiting, bleeding, signs of infection, or a fever. A Quick Review There are many reasons why your urine has an odor to it from the foods you eat to potential infections. If you notice that your urine smells, and you aren't quite sure of the reason, reach out to a healthcare provider. They can help you determine the cause and if necessary, get you the treatment you need. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 15 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mohiuddin SS, Khattar D. Biochemistry, ammonia. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Queremel Milani DA, Jialal I. Urinalysis. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023. MedlinePlus. Urine - abnormal color. MedlinePlus. Dehydration. Pegiou E, Mumm R, Acharya P, de Vos RCH, Hall RD. Green and white asparagus (Asparagus officinalis): a source of developmental, chemical and urinary intrigue. Metabolites. 2019;10(1):17. doi:10.3390/metabo10010017 MedlinePlus. 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