Urine is blood plasma filtered by the kidneys; it contains substances that the body does not need. In a healthy person, it does not have a pungent odor. It appears after ammonia reacts with air.
If the smell of urine is strong when urinating, this indicates serious health problems. It changes when pathological processes occur in the body. Which often indicates the presence of diseases of the urinary system.
The presence of unpleasant amber urine in men and women can be a symptom of a dangerous disease that requires timely treatment.
This is due to the presence of an infection in the body, in which bacteria enter the urine and cause phenomena such as burning, stinging, and bleeding from the urethra.
Types of unpleasant odor
Waste blood is collected in the kidneys and sent as urine to the bladder, from where it is excreted from the body. Spent plasma contains dead cells and pathogenic bacteria. Discharge from the genital organs gets into the urine of women.
Urine contains substances filtered by the kidneys. This:
- some medications;
- flavoring agents from food products;
- products of hormone metabolism;
- substances of the endocrine glands located in the genitals;
- pus;
- blood.
Urine has a different smell due to different disorders in the body. A strong smell of urine is observed in a number of diseases.
Urine smells rotten when:
- liver failure - often occurs against the background of cirrhosis, hepatitis, accompanied by yellowing of the sclera of the eyes, skin, bleeding gums, deterioration in general health, heavy menstruation in women;
- pyelonephritis - inflammatory kidney disease. Accompanied by fever, loss of appetite, back pain, nausea, weakness;
- inflammatory diseases of the bladder and intestines - stench due to bacteria from the intestines entering the bladder.
The smell of acetone in the urine appears when animal proteins predominate in the diet. Often appears in patients with diabetes. In women during pregnancy, the pungent smell of acetone indicates dehydration of the body, accompanied by vomiting and nausea.
The smell of ammonia appears with severe dehydration, inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as malignant neoplasms.
Mouse stench can occur with phenylketonuria, an inherited disease. The smell of fish occurs due to bacterial infections of the genitourinary system, trimethylaminuria.
Beer aroma is a symptom of hypermethioninemia as well as malabsorption. A rotten smell is observed with purulent cystitis and urethritis.
The chemical accompanies those taking certain medications. The aroma of soaked apples is acquired by the urine of patients with diabetes.
A bitter odor in urine may occur after eating certain foods. Liquids and foods containing flavorings transfer the odor to urine.
Urine smells like popcorn - reasons
The appearance and smell of urine can tell a lot about a person's health. Urine consists mainly of water. Changes in the color and odor of urine occur due to waste that comes from the body.
Common causes that cause popcorn-smelling urine include:
Diabetes
People with diabetes may have high levels of ketones in their blood. When the body releases them into the urine, it can smell like popcorn. High levels of ketones in the urine or blood are called ketosis.
The body can release ketones if there is not enough sugar. This can happen when a person is fasting. Having small amounts of ketones in the bloodstream is normal, especially for people who exercise a lot. However, if a person with diabetes does not control the condition, ketone levels may increase. This is called ketoacidosis and is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. For some people, this is the first sign of diabetes.
In most cases, people with ketoacidosis have sweet, strong-smelling urine. Ketoacidosis may develop within 24 hours of elevated blood glucose levels or hyperglycemia.
Additional signs and symptoms of ketoacidosis include:
- frequent urination;
- dehydration;
- thirsty;
- sweet or “fruity” breath;
- rapid heartbeat;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea;
- disorientation;
- deep, labored breathing;
- fainting.
Besides diabetes, the most common causes of ketoacidosis are fasting and drinking large amounts of alcohol.
Ketosis can be caused by eating a lot of protein. When a person eats a lot of protein instead of carbohydrates, the body uses the protein and stored fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, as it usually does. This can lead to increased levels of ketones in the blood. When ketones leave the body in urine, it can smell like sweet popcorn.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, urine may change for several reasons:
Change in sense of smell
. Since a woman's sense of smell changes slightly during pregnancy, she perceives odors differently than usual.
Hormonal changes
. In the early stages of pregnancy, increased levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin circulate in the blood, which can lead to changes in the odor of urine.
Gestational diabetes mellitus
. 1 in 20 pregnant women develop gestational diabetes. Ketoacidosis is a serious but rare complication in women with gestational diabetes.
Dehydration
When you become dehydrated, your urine becomes concentrated, darker in color, and smells much stronger than normal. In addition to strong-smelling urine, additional symptoms of dehydration include:
- exhaustion;
- dizziness;
- dry mouth;
- decreased urination;
- headache.
Causes
Foreign odor in urine has its own reasons. Eating food with garlic can cause a strong stench from urine.
The cause of the unpleasant odor is the presence of diseases: trimethylaminuria, pyelonephritis, hyperglycemia, venereal diseases.
In sour children, the smell of urine indicates the possibility of dysbacteriosis, gastritis, duoditis.
Many people say that after eating buckwheat, their urine smells like buckwheat. Others, after eating, feel that their urine smells like roasted seeds or corn sticks.
This should not cause much concern, since the aroma of the seeds appears after drinking coffee. This also happens after spicy and smoked foods. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, you should limit salt in your diet.
Certain foods can cause unusual urine odor in women. In other cases, the reason lies in the presence of a sexually transmitted infection. It could be:
- chlamydia;
- uraplasmosis;
- trichomoniasis;
- mycoplasmosis.
The smell of urine in the morning is more pronounced, which does not indicate the presence of illness. This may be a consequence of the increased concentration of hormones in it.
If a woman’s urine smells unpleasant after sexual intercourse, this indicates uncleanliness when contamination occurs from the perineum. This happens in women who are promiscuous. Also, the smell may indicate the presence of diseases of the urinary and reproductive systems.
The development of inflammatory processes causes the appearance of unpleasant odors. The smell of ammonia or acetone indicates the presence of an infection in the genitourinary system and some other diseases (tuberculosis, diabetes).
The appearance of putrid stench in urine may be a consequence of cystitis. Inflammation of the bladder can begin after a cold or infection.
Vitamins with long-term use cause the appearance of a foreign odor in urine, just like taking medications.
Smells of burnt sugar, iodine, and rubber can appear after 50 years; these are so-called age-related diseases. If the smell of rubber constantly haunts you, this may be a consequence of a brain disease.
Metabolic disorders cause the appearance of acetone and fish aromas. This is a symptom of hereditary diseases: trimethylaminuria, phenylketonuria. With leucinosis, the smell of burnt sugar is felt. All these diseases are detected at an early age and require treatment.
Metabolic disorders are accompanied by symptoms such as the presence of a foreign odor in urine, weight loss, extreme thirst, and dry skin. These include, for example, diabetes.
Causes of sweet smelling urine
Below are the most common causes of sweet-smelling urine.
Diabetes
With uncontrolled diabetes, a person may have dangerously high blood glucose levels. In this condition, the body tries to get rid of excess glucose through urine, which causes a somewhat unusual odor.
People who develop sweet-smelling urine due to diabetes usually experience other symptoms, including the following:
- exhaustion;
- strong thirst;
- change in appetite;
- unexplained weight loss.
Diabetic ketoacidosis
This condition occurs when a person does not have enough insulin. In diabetic ketoacidosis, there is usually a very large amount of sugar in the blood, although this symptom is not observed in every case.
Insulin helps the body break down glucose for later use as an energy source. When the body cannot produce enough insulin to use glucose, it begins to break down fat. This causes acids called ketones to accumulate in the blood.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a condition that requires emergency medical attention. If left untreated, it can be fatal.
This disorder most often develops in people with type 1 diabetes, although patients with type 2 diabetes may also experience it.
Along with urine that smells sweet, a person with diabetic ketoacidosis may experience the following:
- sweet-smelling breath;
- feeling of exhaustion;
- clouding of consciousness;
- apoplexy.
Maple syrup disease
Maple syrup disease is a genetic disorder in which a person is unable to process certain proteins. This is an inherited condition, and parents may notice that the urine of their infants or older children has a sweet smell. It should be noted that children may develop less severe forms of this disorder.
Maple syrup disease can cause death if left untreated. However, this condition is treatable, so parents should urgently bring their children to the hospital if they notice a sweet smelling urine.
Infants with this condition may also have the following symptoms:
- fatigue;
- unusual movements;
- delayed development;
- poor nutrition;
- vomiting
If a person has maple syrup disease, they will have to follow a strict diet, have regular blood tests, or take medications to prevent liver failure. Sometimes patients with this disorder require a liver transplant.
Dangerous symptoms
If your urine smells strongly, you should think about the presence of a serious illness if you have the following accompanying symptoms:
- blood discharge appears after urination;
- cramps are observed during the emptying of the bladder;
- urinary incontinence occurs;
- There are menstrual irregularities.
During pregnancy, a change in the smell of urine can be caused not only by natural processes in the body, but also by infection or metabolic disorders.
Pregnant women should be tested for protein content, since the composition of female urine affects the health of the expectant mother. Symptoms for which women should see a doctor:
- frequent urination;
- cloudy urine;
- strong stench;
- pain, burning when urinating.
When to see a doctor
You should see your doctor if sweet-smelling urine is accompanied by frequent urination.
Changes in the appearance or smell of urine may be early indicators of serious health problems. It is important for people to remember this and not ignore these symptoms, even if no other signs of possible disorders are presented.
The UK's National Health Service advises people to seek medical support if they experience the following symptoms along with a change in urine odor:
- frequent urination;
- urgent urge to urinate;
- pain or burning during urination;
- blood in urine;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- fatigue and poor general health;
- clouding of consciousness;
- nervous excitement.
When the sweet scent of urine is noticed by a person whose immune system is suppressed due to diseases such as HIV or cancer, he or she needs to immediately go to the nearest emergency room.
