According MedLinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, urine usually has some sort of scent to it. Drinking sufficient amount of fluids in a day usually keeps your urine odor free. Moreover, stinky urine does not necessarily mean something is wrong. But at times, a strong or abnormal odor of your urine is an indication of some abnormality in your body. It can be a signal for the onset of a disease. If odor persists, medical intervention is advisable.
Less Water Intake/Dehydration
The amount of fluid intake, particularly water, will decide the color and smell of the urine. If it smells strongly, it means you are not drinking an adequate amount of water to make urine dilute so that it does not emit such a powerful smell.
HealthMad states that after long period of exercise or outdoor activity, a significant amount of fluid is lost in the form of sweating. It has to be replaced by drinking sufficient amount of water, or body becomes dehydrated, resulting in dark-colored and strong-smelling urine. Under such circumstances, the urine smells strongly of ammonia.
Urinary Tract Infection
A strong smell of ammonia in urine can also be caused due to a urinary tract infection. This infection is very common in women and is diagnosed through a blood test by determining the presence of red and white blood cells in the urine sample.
Bacterial infection of vagina is another reason for odor in the urine of women. This infection causes itching of the vagina, a burning sensation along with strong odor of the urine.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious diabetic complication and can lead to a diabetic coma or death when left untreated, states WrongDiagnosis. In type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the body is unable to absorb glucose from the bloodstream, fat is burned for deriving energy. This fat burning forms a harmful acid called as ketones in the blood, which can lead to body poisoning known as diabetic ketoacidosis. A high glucose level results in dehydration, and ketones are mixed with urine, resulting in its strong odor.
Phenylketonuria
Bodies of some babies are incapable of completely breaking down phenylalanine (a type of amino acid). This is due to the fact that their bodies lack the phenylalanine hyroxylase enzyme useful for the breakdown of phenylalanine. The first telltale sign of such a condition is musty-smelling urine and sweat in babies. Excessive phenylalanine in the body of a baby can have serious impact on its central nervous system, which may lead to permanent damage of brain and other complications. If your baby excretes musty-smelling urine, you should get it checked immediately, as the effects are not apparent until the baby is few months old.
Other Reasons
Medications like antibiotics, vitamins or nutritional supplements also lead to a strong odor in urine. Foods such as asparagus can also result in the urine odor. The smell is due to the metabolic effect of the acids present in these items. The odor in urine might also be the result of some liver disease or a rare kind of genetic disorder, which only can be determined through proper tests.
Further Reading:
Mucus Threads in Urine: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Squamous Epithelial Cells in Urine: Types, Test and Prevention
About this Author
Based in Northern California, Devin Dupre-Neary has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from UC Davis. Rather than move towards a master’s or work in a hospital, he chose a different route. In 2009, he wrote professionally, part-time, writing articles on a host of subjects from health issues to gardening.
