Causes

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Urine is made up mostly of water. But it also has waste in it that comes from the kidneys. What is in the waste and how much there is causes urine odor.

Urine with a lot of water and little waste has little to no odor. If urine has a lot of waste with little water, also called concentrated, it might have a strong odor from a gas called ammonia.

Some foods and medicines, such as asparagus or certain vitamins, can cause urine odor, even in small amounts. Sometimes, urine odor points to a medical condition or disease, such as:

  1. Bacterial vaginosis (irritation of the vagina)
  2. Bladder infection
  3. Cystitis (irritation of the bladder)
  4. Dehydration
  5. Diabetic ketoacidosis (in which the body has high levels of blood acids called ketones)
  6. Gastrointestinal-bladder fistula (an unusual link between the intestines and the bladder)
  7. Kidney infection — which can affect one or both kidneys.
  8. Kidney stones — or hard objects made of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys.
  9. Maple syrup urine disease (a rare condition passed through families, called genetic, that shows up in infancy)
  10. Metabolic disorder (a problem with how the body changes the food into energy)
  11. Phenylketonuria (PKU) (a rare condition passed through families, called genetic, that involves a buildup of a certain amino acid in the body)
  12. Type 2 diabetes (if it's not controlled)
  13. Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

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Oct. 12, 2023