Urine should have a subtle, almost unnoticeable smell, but abnormalities can occur, resulting in a stronger odour. Should this be a cause for concern? Find out about it in this article.
What affects urine odour?
In general, urine has a characteristic, slightly acidic odour that is more intense when using the toilet for the first time in the morning — this is due to the higher concentration of urine after a night's sleep.
If you notice that the odour of your urine has changed, don't panic. It often isn’t a symptom of an illness. Instead, it could be connected with your diet. It is advisable to see a specialist if your urine has an unusual smell accompanied by symptoms such as incontinence, as this may indicate [bladder inflammation(/en-gb/incontinence-advice/bladder-problems/bladder-infection-symptoms).
Find out more about home remedies for overactive bladder.
The odour of urine can be influenced by various factors, including:
- How much water you have drunk during the day,
- The type of food and drinks consumed,
- Certain medications intake.
Other factors include pregnancy and related hormonal changes. The vaginal flora changes during pregnancy, which can cause strong smelling urine, as well as vaginal odour. However, if the urine starts to smell unpleasantly, you should see a gynaecologist.
Urine smells differently — what does that mean?
If you notice an unusual odour when urinating, it may be related to the food consumed containing substances that change the smell of urine. This is often the case with asparagus.
You may also experience strong smelling urine after excessive alcohol or coffee consumption.
Certain medications can affect the colour and odour of urine. Changes in odour can also be a result of taking vitamins, particularly B vitamins.
Sometimes, urine can smell like ammonia. Why is that? This is often due to insufficient fluid intake, which leads to an excess of ammonia in the urine. In such cases, you should just drink more water.
What should you do if you have strong smelling urine?
Urine with a strong or unpleasant smell, could indicate a bladder infection. Even if you do not have any other symptoms, it is worth having a quick urine check with your doctor before the infection gets worse.
Read more about frequent urination.
You should see a doctor if an unusual urine odour persists for several days and is associated with other symptoms such as abdominal pain or blood in the urine. If you are unsure whether the urine is actually bloody or if the blood is coming from the vagina, incontinence liners can help provide clarity.