Why is my urine yellow and smelly?

Yellow, smelly urine is often just a sign of dehydration, making it concentrated and ammonia-smelling, but it can also signal infections (like UTIs or STIs), certain foods (asparagus, garlic), medications (antibiotics, vitamins), or underlying issues like diabetes, kidney stones, or liver problems, especially with other symptoms like pain or cloudiness, warranting a doctor's visit.

How do you treat yellow, smelly urine?

Things you can do if you have smelly pee

1. drink plenty of fluids, particularly water, so that you pee regularly during the day and do not feel thirsty.
2. drink more in hot weather and when exercising.

What smell is urine when your kidneys are failing?

Kidney failure can make urine smell strongly of ammonia or even have a fishy or sweet, sickly scent (like chicken broth) due to the buildup of waste products and protein that healthy kidneys normally filter out. This strong odor, often accompanied by foamy urine, signals severe kidney dysfunction, often called Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and requires immediate medical attention, especially with symptoms like fatigue, swelling, or painful urination, as it indicates toxins aren't being flushed properly.
 

What makes pee yellow and smell?

Your body removes extra vitamins it doesn't need through your urine. B-complex vitamins can turn your urine bright yellow and make it smell fishy or musty. Vitamin C can make your urine look dark yellow or orange. Certain foods.

Why is my pee coming out smelly?

Foul-smelling urine may be due to bacteria. Sweet-smelling urine may be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes or a rare disease of metabolism. Liver disease and certain metabolic disorders may cause musty-smelling urine.

What Causes My Urine to Have a Strong Odor?

When should I see a doctor for smelly urine?

You should see a doctor for smelly urine if the odor is persistent, worsens, or comes with other symptoms like fever, chills, burning with urination, back pain, lower pelvic pain, frequent urination, blood in your urine, or confusion, as these can signal infections (UTIs), diabetes, kidney stones, or other issues needing medical attention. A sudden smell change due to diet or supplements might resolve, but lingering or severe changes warrant a visit.
 

What are the four warning signs of a damaged kidney?

If your kidneys aren't working properly, you may notice one or more of the following signs:

• Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Confusion or trouble concentrating.
• Swelling (edema), particularly around your hands, ankles or face.
• A change in how often you pee.
• Cramps (muscle spasms)
• Dry or itchy skin.

What does bad liver pee smell like?

Liver disease can cause urine to have a strong, unpleasant smell, often described as musty, sweet, or ammonia-like, due to the liver's inability to filter toxins, leading to their excretion in urine as compounds like dimethyl sulfide or excess ammonia. This is often accompanied by other symptoms like dark urine, jaundice, and fatigue, and requires immediate medical attention as it signals advanced liver issues like foetor hepaticus (liver stench). 

Why does my pee smell bad even though I drink a lot of water?

Even if you drink a lot of water, bad-smelling urine can stem from things you ate (like asparagus, garlic, coffee), supplements (especially B vitamins), certain medications, or infections (like UTIs), but it can also signal diabetes or liver issues; if the odor persists or you have other symptoms like pain, see a doctor to rule out serious conditions. 

What can I drink to clean my urine smell?

Stick to drinking six to eight glasses of water a day or by having a glass of fruit juice that is noncitrus to dilute the odor. Cranberry juice is a great juice to reduce the acidity in your urine. If you cannot drink that much, ask your doctor if you can try taking deodorizing tablets or supplements.

What pee smells are concerning?

You should be concerned about urine that smells sweet (diabetes), musty/foul (liver issues, fistula, infection), or unusually strong, especially with fever, pain, nausea, or confusion, as these can signal dehydration, UTIs, kidney stones, or metabolic disorders, though foods, medications, or vitamins often cause temporary changes.
 

What deficiency causes smelly urine?

Smelly urine can stem from nutritional factors like high intake of certain foods (asparagus, garlic) or supplements (B vitamins) but can also signal a genetic deficiency, such as Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), where the body can't break down trimethylamine (causing a fishy smell), or Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), an amino acid disorder causing a sweet, syrupy odor. Dehydration is also a common cause, concentrating urine and intensifying smells. 

What will a UTI pee smell like?

Urinary Tract Infections

The bacteria that causes UTIs and bladder infections can cause a foul odor. Additionally, the medications used to treat these health issues can cause a smell that's often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur.

What cancers cause urine to smell?

Key takeaways:

Foul-smelling urine is not a symptom of cancer. The most common cause of foul-smelling urine is a urinary tract infection.

Why is my pee bright yellow and smells bad?

Bright yellow, smelly urine often signals dehydration, making it concentrated, but it can also mean you're taking B vitamins or eating certain foods like asparagus; however, if it's foul-smelling with burning or frequent urges, it could be a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), which needs a doctor's attention. See a healthcare provider to rule out infections or other conditions like diabetes if symptoms persist.
 

Which urine color is serious?

Cola- or tea-colored urine or urine that smells can be a sign of kidney disease. Orange-hued urine can be a sign of problems with your liver or bile duct. Greenish or cloudy pee can be a sign of a UTI. Dark brown pee or pee that smells like ammonia can be a sign of liver failure.

What are the three early warning signs of kidney disease?

The three key early warning signs of kidney disease often involve changes in urination (more frequent, foamy, or bloody), persistent fatigue or weakness, and swelling (edema) in your hands, feet, or ankles, though many early signs are subtle, including itchy skin, poor appetite, or high blood pressure. Kidney disease can be a "silent killer," developing without obvious symptoms until it's advanced, so regular checkups are crucial, especially if you have risk factors like diabetes or high blood pressure.
 

How to check kidney function at home?

You can check kidney function at home using FDA-cleared smartphone-based urine test kits (like Minuteful Kidney) that detect protein (albumin) for early kidney disease signs, or general urine test strips (like Clinistix) to check albumin and creatinine; some mail-in services (like LetsGetChecked, Choose Health) offer urine and finger-prick blood tests for markers like eGFR, BUN, glucose; and monitoring symptoms like swelling or fatigue also offers clues, but professional lab confirmation is crucial.
 

What does fishy smelling urine indicate?

Fishy-smelling urine can stem from common issues like dehydration, diet (asparagus, fish, choline-rich foods), B vitamins, or temporary factors like certain medications, but it can also signal infections (like UTIs or bacterial vaginosis) or rare metabolic disorders such as Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) (fish odor syndrome), requiring medical attention if persistent or accompanied by other symptoms. 

What STD causes strong smelling urine?

Chlamydia and gonorrhea, as well as other STIs like trichomoniasis, can cause strong-smelling urine due to inflammation, infection, or associated vaginal/penile discharge, often with a foul, fishy, or ammonia-like odor, but smelly urine is also common with UTIs, dehydration, diet, and medications, so seeing a doctor for proper diagnosis and antibiotics is crucial.