Smelly pee (urine) on its own is not usually something to worry about. There are often things you can do to help your pee get back to normal.
Common causes of smelly pee
Pee is usually clear or pale yellow with a mild smell.
Common things that can make your pee smell stronger include:
- certain types of food and drink, like asparagus or coffee
- not drinking enough fluids
- some medicines
- vitamin B6 supplements
Things you can do yourself
There are some things you can do to help keep your pee clear and smelling mild.
Do
-
drink enough fluids, particularly water, so that you pee regularly during the day and do not feel thirsty
-
drink more fluids in hot weather and when you exercise
Don't
-
do not drink a lot of sugary fizzy drinks, coffee or alcohol
-
do not eat a lot of garlic or asparagus - they contain strong-smelling chemicals that can pass into your pee
-
do not take more than 10mg of vitamin B6 a day
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if
you have smelly pee and:
- you need to pee suddenly, more often than usual or during the night
- you have pain or a burning sensation when peeing
- your pee looks cloudy
You may have a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Less common causes of smelly pee
You can have smelly pee as a symptom of a medical condition.
For example, your pee may smell if you have:
- type 2 diabetes - your pee may smell sweet
- kidney stones - you may have blood in your pee
- liver failure
But do not diagnose yourself. Always go to your GP.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
