Normal urine is characterized by a pale yellow to clear color and a characteristic odor. The smell of urine is caused by ammonia. However, if your urine smells stronger than usual, it might just be something you've consumed or a sign of a certain disease.
The main content of urine is water, and the rest is in the form of waste consisting of toxins and metabolic wastes that are filtered by the kidneys. High or low water content and waste substances in urine can affect the smell of urine.
When the water content is low but the content of waste or residual substances in the urine is high, urine can cause a strong odor.
Various Pcauses of smelly pee
There are several conditions that can cause strong-smelling urine, including:
1. Consumption of certain foods or drugs
Urine odor can be caused by certain foods, such as petai or jengkol. Both of these foods contain naturally occurring sulfur compounds that give urine a pungent odor.
In addition, certain medications and vitamins, such as vitamin B supplements, are known to affect the smell of urine. Urine odor due to food or medicine will soon disappear when the odor-causing substances have been removed from the body.
2. Coffee consumption
The rest of the substances that come from coffee will be broken down by the body and cause urine to smell. In addition, coffee can also make you urinate frequently.
The more often you urinate, the more body fluids are wasted. This can increase your risk of dehydration and make your urine more concentrated and smellier than usual.
3. Pregnant
During pregnancy, levels of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) produced during pregnancy will increase. This causes the urine to smell pungent, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy.
4. Certain medical conditions
There are several medical conditions that can cause the sufferer's urine to smell bad, including:
Dehydration
Urine that smells and is dark yellow or orange in color and looks more concentrated is a sign that your body is dehydrated or lacks fluids.
If you find your urine becomes yellower and smellier, and you feel thirsty and weak, immediately fill your body with fluids by drinking lots of water.
Urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infections are characterized by pain or tenderness when urinating and a pungent, cloudy urine odor. Sometimes, urinary tract infections can also cause blood in the urine.
Diabetes
High blood sugar levels in diabetics cause urine to smell sweet like liquid containing sugar. If you experience this condition, immediately consult a doctor.
Vesicointestinal fistula
A vesicointestinal fistula occurs when there is an opening or passage between the bladder and intestines, allowing bacteria to pass from the intestine to the bladder. Bacterial infections in the bladder can cause urine to smell pungent.
liver disease
Disorders of liver function are often characterized by urine that looks darker, resembling the color of tea and a pungent odor.
Maple syrup urine disease
Sweet-scented urine can also occur in people with maple syrup urine disease. This rare genetic disease is caused by the body's inability to break down the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
Phenylketonuria
This condition occurs when the body cannot break down the amino acid phenylalanine. As a result, these substances will accumulate in the urine and make the urine emit a distinctive odor that resembles rat urine.
Tips for Maintaining Urinary Health
One way to prevent or reduce the risk of pungent-smelling urine is to maintain the health of the kidneys and urinary tract. This can be done in the following way:
- Drink plenty of water at least 8 glasses per day.
- Not holding back urination.
- There is no need to rush or strain when urinating so that urine can come out faster.
- Clean the penis or vagina with clean running water after urinating. When cleaning the vagina, wash and dry the vagina from the direction of the vagina to the anus to avoid bacteria moving from the anus.
- Do exercise regularly. You can do Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles and urinary tract.
- Limit consumption of coffee and alcoholic beverages.
Don't ignore it if you experience strong-smelling urine, especially if it's not caused by certain foods or drugs.
If your urine has a pungent odor accompanied by other complaints, such as fever, pain when urinating, blood in your urine, or pain in your back or waist, you should immediately consult a urologist for proper treatment.