Four things that cause urine to smell

Urine can smell for various reasons some of which might not be necessarily harmless. This does not mean that smelly urine should be a cause for alarm. However, should you notice that your urine has a smell, you might need to consult your doctor. Below are some of the causes of smelly urine and ways you can handle it. 

1. Certain foods and drinks 

Consuming some foods can lead to smelly urine. Foods such as asparagus can lead to smelly urine. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid which can lead to urine that smells like sulphur or ammonia. Coffee is a diuretic that can cause dehydration if you don't replenish the water lost when you pee. It's by-products when broken down can lead to foul-smelling urine. Other foods that can make your urine smell include fish, onion and garlic. 

Be sure to drink plenty of water after eating such foods as it'll dilute your urine making the smell less noticeable. 

2. Dehydration

Urine is a combination of waste products including ammonia and water. Failure to drink enough water will lead to urine that is highly concentrated in ammonia that makes your urine smelly. Increasing your water intake to eight glasses every day will not only ensure that your urine has no smell but it will ensure your kidneys function properly. To increase your water intake eat fruits that have a high water quantity like watermelons and apples. 

To know if you are properly hydrated, check the colour of your urine. When one is well hydrated their urine color is a pale yellow colour or is just clear.

3. Medical conditions 

These include yeast, urinary tract, sexually transmitted infections and kidney stones. Yeast infections occur in the vagina and urine may pick up some of the scent from the infection as the urethra is near vaginal opening. 

Bacterial growth from a urinary tract infection can cause smelly urine. Sexually transmitted infection can cause irritation and inflammation of the urethra. This can be accompanied by pus and bleeding that can make your urine foul. Kidney stones develop when salt and other minerals in urine are glued together to form hard deposits resembling stones. These collect bacteria leading  to infection that cause urine to smell. This condition changes the smell of urine due to ammonia. 

4. Vitamins and medication 

Vitamins including vitamin B and vitamin D and medication from the sulfa drug group can cause your urine to smell bad. Foul urine caused my vitamins should not cause any alarm as they are as a result of an excess of what the body already has and this can lead you to pee some of that. 

You need to be keen about all these so as to be able to get your urine smelling better. One step at a time, you'll be able to get better.