It’s quite common to notice a change in the way your pee smells from time to time, and in most instances, smelly pee by itself isn’t a reason to be alarmed. Often, simple lifestyle adjustments can help return your urine to its normal, mild scent.
Common Reasons for Smelly Pee
Typically, healthy pee is clear to pale yellow with a subtle odor. If you’ve noticed a stronger smell, several everyday factors could be at play:
- Dietary Choices: Certain foods and beverages are well-known culprits. Asparagus is perhaps the most infamous, but coffee can also contribute to a stronger urine smell.
- Dehydration: Not drinking enough fluids, leading to dehydration, concentrates your urine, making it smell more pungent.
- Medications: Some medications can alter the odor of your urine as a side effect.
- Vitamin Supplements: Specifically, taking vitamin B6 supplements can sometimes lead to a noticeable change in urine smell.
However, if you experience smelly pee alongside other symptoms like pain during urination, increased frequency of urination, and cloudy urine, it could indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI).
In less frequent cases, smelly urine can be a symptom of underlying health conditions such as type 2 diabetes or kidney stones.
What You Can Do About Smelly Pee
If you’re concerned about the smell of your pee, there are several home remedies and lifestyle changes you can implement to help maintain a healthy urinary system and mild-smelling urine.
Do These Things
- Hydrate Adequately: Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, is crucial. Aim to pee regularly throughout the day and ensure you’re not feeling thirsty.
- Increase Fluid Intake in Hot Weather and During Exercise: You’ll naturally lose more fluids when it’s hot or when you’re physically active, so increase your water intake accordingly.
Avoid These Habits
- Limit Sugary Fizzy Drinks, Coffee, and Alcohol: These beverages can sometimes contribute to dehydration or contain substances that affect urine odor.
- Moderate Garlic and Asparagus Consumption: These foods contain strong-smelling compounds that can be excreted in your urine, leading to a noticeable smell.
- Don’t Overdo Vitamin B6 Supplements: Stick to recommended daily doses of vitamin B6 and avoid excessive intake (generally, not more than 10mg a day unless advised by a doctor).
When to Seek Non-Urgent Medical Advice
It’s advisable to see a doctor if you have smelly pee and experience any of the following:
- Sudden urge to pee, increased urination frequency, or nighttime urination: These could be signs of a UTI or other urinary issues.
- Pain or burning sensation when peeing: This is a common symptom of UTIs and requires medical evaluation.
- Cloudy-looking pee: Cloudy urine can also be an indicator of a UTI.
When to Seek Urgent Medical Attention
Seek an urgent doctor’s appointment or contact emergency services if you have smelly pee accompanied by any of these more serious symptoms:
- Blood in your pee: This is never normal and needs immediate medical attention.
- Lower tummy pain: Could indicate a more serious infection or other abdominal issue.
- Pain in your back, under the ribs: May suggest a kidney infection or kidney stones.
- Feeling tired and unwell: General malaise combined with smelly pee could signal a more systemic illness.
- Confusion or agitation: These mental changes can be signs of severe infection, especially in older adults.
- Very high temperature (fever) or chills: Indicates a possible infection that needs prompt treatment.
- Very low temperature: This can also be a sign of serious illness, particularly in severe infections.
You can call emergency services or seek online medical advice if you experience these urgent symptoms.
Page last reviewed: 16 October 2023
Next review due: 16 October 2026
