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What Causes Cloudy Urine In Women And Men?
Many people know that darker-colored urine is a sign of dehydration, but cloudy urine can also indicate that you're not getting enough water.
It's particularly risky for young children and older adults to become dehydrated. You're also more likely to experiene dehydration during hot weather or if you've been exercising strenuously, vomiting, have diarrhea, or a fever.[2]
In addition to cloudy urine, these signs can accompany dehydration:
If you have diarrhea for more than a day, can't keep liquids down, or start to experience disorientation or bloody or black stools, call the doctor.
Treat mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids like water. But severe dehydration may require treatment in which intravenous (IV) fluids are administered at a doctor's office or emergency room in addition to oral rehydration.
Why Does My Urine Smell Sweet?
Urine may smell sweet if it contains extra glucose, a type of sugar. Sweet-smelling urine may be due to an underlying condition, such as diabetes, dehydration, a yeast infection, or a genetic condition called maple syrup urine disease.
Urine can reveal a lot about someone's health. While it might feel strange to discuss the odor of urine with a doctor, it is important that a person talks to a healthcare professional if they notice a sudden change in the appearance or odor of their urine.
This article discusses the reasons for sweet- or fruity-smelling urine, symptoms, warning signs, and when to contact a doctor.
As urine helps the body remove waste, a person's diet and fluid intake can affect how their urine looks and smells.
If the odor of urine changes temporarily, this could be caused by something a person has eaten recently. For example, asparagus can give the urine an unusually strong odor.
Some disorders, medications, and supplements may also affect how urine smells. A person who notices a change in the smell of their urine should monitor their symptoms, and if they continue, should talk with a doctor.
Common causes of sweet-smelling urine include:
DiabetesA person with uncontrolled diabetes may have high blood glucose levels. The body tries to get rid of the extra glucose through urine, which can cause it to have a sweet smell, similar to honey.
People with sweet-smelling urine due to diabetes may notice other symptoms, including:
Diabetic ketoacidosis can result in urine that smells sweet or fruity.
This condition occurs when a person does not have enough insulin. Insulin helps the body break down glucose to use for fuel. When the body cannot produce enough insulin to use glucose, it starts to break down fat. This causes acids called ketones to accumulate in the blood.
The condition is more common in people with type 1 diabetes, though people with type 2 diabetes can develop symptoms too.
Along with sweet-smelling urine, a person may have the following symptoms:
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency as it can be life threatening without treatment.
Maple syrup urine diseaseMaple syrup urine disease is an inherited genetic condition in which a person cannot process certain proteins. A parent or caregiver may notice that the baby's urine smells sweet, like burnt sugar.
The following symptoms can also occur:
Maple syrup urine disease is treatable. Parents and caregivers should seek prompt medical care when a child has sweet-smelling urine, as it can result in severe complications.
A person may need to follow a strict diet, regularly undergo blood testing, or take medications to prevent liver failure if they have maple syrup urine disease. Some people eventually need a liver transplant.
Medications and supplementsSome supplements, such as vitamin B6 supplements, can alter how urine smells. Certain medications may also change the way urine looks or smells.
People who have recently started a new medication should talk with their doctor if their urine looks or smells different than usual.
DehydrationWhen someone is dehydrated, it makes their urine more concentrated. Concentrated urine smells stronger. The urine can also darken in color, ranging from very yellow to brown.
While concentrated urine typically has a pungent ammonia odor, some people report that their urine smells sweet or fruity.
When a person's urine is very dark, they should drink more water. If symptoms persist for more than a day or so, they should contact a doctor.
Learn more about the color of urine and when to contact a doctor.
Vaginal yeast infectionA vaginal yeast infection, or thrush, develops when the fungus called Candida grows out of control.
Vaginal yeast infections do not cause the urine to smell but can cause vaginal discharge to smell sweet, similar to honey, bread, or beer.
Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include:
Some over-the-counter remedies or prescription antifungals can treat yeast infections.
If a person's urine smells different than normal but no other symptoms are present, it is not usually a cause for concern.
Some symptoms, however, warrant an immediate trip to the doctor. These include:
For some people, a change in urine odor or appearance is the first sign of a serious health problem. The National Health Service (NHS) recommends seeing a doctor if smelly urine occurs along with:
Those with weakened immune systems should go to the emergency room if they notice that their urine smells sweet.
A person's outlook depends on the underlying cause. For example, sweet-smelling urine due to a person's diet may resolve without medical intervention.
More severe causes, such as uncontrolled diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis, can result in severe complications and can be life threatening in some cases.
With prompt treatment, many causes of sweet-smelling urine can be managed or treated.
The following are commonly asked questions about sweet-smelling urine.
Can conditions affecting the liver cause sweet-smelling urine?Conditions affecting the liver can result in high ammonia levels in the urine. This can cause the urine to smell pungeont and similar to ammonia.
Can ketosis cause sweet-smelling urine?When the body enters ketosis, ketone levels in the blood can rise. When these leave the body via the urine, a person may notice a sweet smell.
There are several causes of sweet-smelling urine, such as uncontrolled diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, maple syrup urine disease, and certain supplements.
It is important that a person contact a doctor if they notice a change in the odor of their urine as some of these conditions can have severe complications
Why Does My Urine Smell Like Fish?
A person's urine might smell like fish for a variety of reasons, such as diet, infections, or taking certain supplements. Some chronic conditions may also alter the smell of urine.
If fishy-smelling urine is a person's only symptom, they may want to wait for a couple of days to see if it clears up. Drinking more water may help.
However, if a person has a fever, pain, or difficulty urinating, they should speak with a doctor right away.
In this article, we look at the causes, symptoms, and treatments for urine that smells like fish.
Urine that smells fishy is not common. Urine is 75% water, and so when a person is healthy and well-hydrated, it should not have a noticeable unpleasant odor.
When urine does have a fishy smell, the culprit may be a chemical known as trimethylamine (TMA). This is the compound that gives fish a bad smell when it decomposes, as bacteria begin to grow.
TMA can also occur naturally in the body due to certain bacteria.
Some causes of fishy-smelling urine are mild or temporary, such as:
Fishy-smelling urine can be a symptom of a health condition that requires treatments. Sometimes, it may be the only symptom, or an early symptom. In other cases, a person may have several symptoms.
In either case, a person should contact a doctor if they cannot identify the cause of a fishy odor, or the cause could be one of the following.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)A UTI occurs when harmful bacteria grow in the urinary tract. This can make the urine smell.
Other symptoms may include:
Doctors can treat UTIs with antibiotics. Anyone who suspects that they have a UTI should speak with a doctor, particularly if they are pregnant.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV)This bacterial infection causes a fishy-smelling discharge to come from the vagina. The discharge may be watery and grey, or yellow-green in color.
While BV does not directly affect urine, a person may notice the smell when they use the bathroom, or the discharge may mix with urine when a person urinates.
The smell and other symptoms may get worse immediately after sex or when menstruating. BV is treatable with topical or oral antibiotics.
Fish odor syndromeTrimethylaminuria, also known as fish odor syndrome, is a rare disorder that causes a person's bodily fluids to smell like fish. This can include the urine.
A person develops this condition when they are not able to break down TMA. A person may have the symptoms all the time, or they may come and go. Factors that may exacerbate the symptoms include:
In many cases, the disorder is genetic and causes no other symptoms. However, people can acquire the condition, too. This may occur if a person takes large doses of choline or l-carnitine, or if they have an imbalance of gut bacteria.
The symptoms of trimethylaminuria may be present from birth, but they can develop later on. Often, this occurs around puberty.
If a person notices a fishy smell in their urine, saliva, or sweat despite maintaining good personal hygiene, they should speak with a doctor.
Kidney infectionsUTIs can spread to the kidneys, causing many of the same symptoms, such as unpleasant-smelling urine.
The symptoms of a kidney infection may include:
Kidney infections can become serious. Some may require hospitalization, though some are treatable at home with antibiotics. Anyone with symptoms of a kidney infection should see a doctor right away.
ProstatitisProstatitis describes swelling and inflammation of the prostate gland, which is located below the bladder in males.
The inflammation can be the result of an infection, in which case, a person may notice an unpleasant smell when they urinate.
The symptoms of prostatitis are similar to those of a UTI. Additional signs may include:
Treatment depends on the cause of the inflammation. A doctor may prescribe medication, such as antibiotics and pain relievers, or they may recommend surgery. Warm sitz baths can help with managing the pain at home.
Liver failureSimilarly to the kidneys, the liver helps the body to filter out certain chemicals. When the liver is not functioning correctly, more of these chemicals enter the urine, which may affect how it smells.
Other symptoms of liver failure include:
Some people are more susceptible to liver failure than others. Anyone with one or more of the following conditions should contact a doctor immediately if they have potential symptoms of liver failure:
Treatment will depend on the extent of the liver failure, but it may include medication, hospitalization, or a liver transplant.
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