Why Does My Wee Smell Of Fish?

What does it mean when your urine smells like fish?

Asparagus might be the most common reason for stinky pee. The harmless odor is caused by a breakdown of asparagusic acid. Your genes affect whether you can smell these sulfur byproducts. If you can’t, that’s called asparagus anosmia. Your pee may also have a strong smell after you drink coffee, or eat fish, onions, or garlic. Fluids help water down, or dilute, your pee. While there’s always waste in your urine, like ammonia, the smell is stronger if you’re dehydrated. That doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy. But a lack of fluids does raise your chances of getting kidney stones and urinary tract infections. That’s why it’s important to drink water when you’re thirsty. Fruits and vegetables can help hydrate you, too. You may go to the bathroom a lot if you have a UTI. While you’re in there, you might get a whiff of something that doesn’t smell good. That’s because bacteria can build up in your urine and make it stink. Talk to your doctor if it hurts to pee and you have a fever. You may need to take antibiotics to get better. These make your pee smell for a few reasons. They can stop or slow urine flow, leading to a buildup of salt and ammonia. They can also make infections more likely. Some stones are made from cystine, a substance with sulfur in it. If cystine is in your urine, it may smell like rotten eggs. Your pee or breath may smell fruity if you don’t treat high blood sugar. The sweet smell is from ketonuria, or a buildup of ketones. Those are chemicals your body makes when you burn fat, instead of glucose, for energy. Tell your doctor right away if you vomit, have trouble breathing, or feel confused. People born with this condition can’t break down certain amino acids. When these amino acids build up, their pee or earwax starts to smell sweet. If your baby has the disease, you may notice this syrupy odor a day or two after they’re born. They’ll need to follow a special diet. Your doctor can help you figure out ways to manage your child’s condition. Some STIs can lead to a smelly discharge in males and females. You may notice the smell as the fluid mixes with your pee. You may not have other symptoms. Or your genitals may itch, and it might burn when you pee. Bacterial infections like chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. You’ll need another kind of medicine for viral infections. Your body gets rid of nutrients you don’t need through peeing. Extra vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can give it a strong odor. Too much vitamin B1 (thiamine) can make your pee smell like fish. B vitamins can also make your pee look a bright greenish-yellow. Talk to a doctor about what vitamin doses are right for you. Sulfa drugs can give your pee a bit of stench. That includes sulfonamide antibiotics. They’re commonly used to treat UTIs and other infections. Medicines for diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis also can affect the way your pee smells. If the stinky scent bothers you, tell your doctor about it. They might want to make sure nothing else is causing the odor. Morning sickness may leave you dehydrated. And prenatal vitamins might change the way your pee smells. Pregnancy also raises your chances of urinary tract infections and ketonuria. You could just be super sensitive to scents. That’s called hyperosmia. Experts think hormones may change your perception of smells. Liver disease can make your pee and breath smell musty. The odor is caused by the buildup and release of toxins in your urine. If you have kidney failure, you may smell a lot of ammonia when you go to the bathroom. Let your vagina clean itself. Washing inside of it could upset the balance of good and bad bacteria. That can lead to infections and discharge, which can smell bad when you pee. Health issues linked to douching include yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. A fistula is an extra opening that forms between two organs. If you get one between your bladder and bowels, poop or gas may come out when you pee. You might get this kind of fistula if you have cancer or an inflammatory condition, like Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis. If you’re female, it may happen after you give birth or have a certain kind of operation. Surgery can fix fistulas. Some babies are born with a condition called tyrosinemia type 1. It means they don’t have the right enzyme to break down the amino acid tyrosine. Too much of this compound can give body fluids, like urine, a rotten odor. It may smell like cabbage. Tyrosinemia is treated with medicine and a low-tyrosine diet. Also called trimethylaminuria, this genetic condition can give your pee a fishy smell. It happens when your body can’t break down trimethylamine. You end up getting rid of the compound through your pee, sweat, breath, and other fluids. It doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy. But your doctor can help you manage the smell. They may give you antibiotics, special soap, or suggest eating certain foods. Your urine might smell funky if it hangs out in your bladder for a while. That may also raise your chances of getting a UTI. This may happen more often in children who don’t pee when they feel the urge. That’s why it’s always a good idea to remind kids to take bathroom breaks.

What does diabetic urine smell like?

What Does Diabetic Urine Smell Like? One warning sign of diabetes or high blood sugar is urine that smells sweet or fruity. The sweetness comes from sugar in your urine and is a sign your body is trying to get rid of extra sugar in your blood.

What foods cause fishy urine?

Why does my urine smell like fish? – Patients affected by trimethylaminuria will often have fishy-smelling urine. Trimethylaminuria is a genetic disorder in which affected individuals have an enzymatic deficiency that makes them unable to metabolize TMA.

• Because they cannot metabolize TMA, affected individuals have a buildup of TMA in their bodies.
• This excess TMA is then excreted in sweat, urine, and other body fluids.
• While many individuals with trimethylaminuria are diagnosed as infants or children, the disease is sometimes not detected until adulthood, and it may also occur intermittently.

Emotional distress, menstruation, use of oral contraceptives, and consumption of foods or dietary supplements rich in choline are all factors that may worsen the signs and symptoms of trimethylaminuria, including the presence of fishy-smelling urine.

Because of the significant odor associated with the disease, many patients with trimethylaminuria suffer from psychological distress, including loneliness, depression, and avoidance of social situations. Choline is an essential nutrient that is present in cell membranes. Consumption of choline, which is present in multiple vitamins and supplements (including vitamin B6 and prenatal vitamins), can cause a fishy urine odor in individuals who have trimethylaminuria.

Meat, fish, dairy, and egg products are also good dietary sources of choline and may worsen urinary odor in patients with trimethylaminuria. Use of oral contraceptive pills may also result in a fishy urine odor in affected individuals. The ingestion of other foods and dietary supplements that contain odiferous VOC’s, including garlic, may also affect urine odor.

If you develop an abnormal urine odor or other undesirable symptoms after taking medications or dietary supplements, talk to your doctor or contact Poison Control. Get an immediate personalized recommendation online or call 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD Medical Toxicologist

What does urine smell like with liver failure?

As clinicians we work in a world of evidence- based care, making diagnoses using history taking and examination skills. In his William Pickles lecture at the 2011 Spring General Meeting, Dr Terry Davies asked whether GPs sometimes put too much emphasis on the ‘straight line science approach in their diagnoses’ when often their initial ‘hunch’ is the correct one.

• I suggest that experienced clinicians sometimes make their judgements based not only on experience, but using all their senses including olfaction; they literally develop a ‘nose for trouble’.
• In our everyday life we take our sense of smell for granted.
• In cities we are overwhelmed by sensory overload as we walk past fast-food outlets, coffee shops, bakeries, through throngs of shoppers smelling of soap, shampoo, aftershave, and perfume, and the ever-present smell of vehicle exhaust.

There are many human smells that we simply do not register in our perfumed and deodorised world such as ear wax, sebum, menstrual blood, and even breath, while other smells we note and find offensive, such as stale sweat, flatus, and teenage boys’ feet.

However, which mother has not lingered over the head of her new baby, breathing in the very special smell of baby and milk? Sheep and cattle recognise their offspring by scent and I am certain that humans are able to do the same; most mothers will be familiar with the urge to bath their baby if it has been nursed by another person wearing a strong scent.

Humans are also unconsciously affected by pheromones, so that the menstrual cycles of women living together become synchronised.1 In a world without deodorants, people may have been more attuned to human scents. Shakespeare was clearly aware of the smell of breath, speaking of a sweet lover’s breath: ‘The forward violet thus did I chide: Sweet thief, whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells, If not from my love’s breath?’ (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 99 ).

This is in contrast to his mistress’ halitosis: ‘And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.’ (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130 ). Some of our patients announce their occupation to us, albeit unconsciously; the mechanic smelling of oil, the girl from the chip shop who smells of cooking fat, the stable hand, or the dairy farmer, who can never completely eradicate the smell of cattle, no matter how hard he washes.

Other patients unwittingly announce their social pastimes. We are all familiar with alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, perhaps overlaid by peppermint, parma violets, or mouthwash in those who hope to conceal their habits from others. Some smells are more complex, but equally useful to us.

1. One such is the ‘smell of poverty’; a mixture of damp and cooked cabbage, while others, such as a lingering smell of curry and stale beer, may indicate the cause of a gastritis.
2. All doctors would recognise the smell of a care home (talcum powder and urine), a hospital (talcum powder and disinfectant with a hint of air freshener), or a psychiatric unit (the same as the hospital, but with the added scent of sweat and fear).

In our surgeries, we also use our noses for diagnostic purposes. An older person smelling of urine may prompt us to check for glycosuria or infection, while there is the unforgettable aroma that alerts us to a retained vaginal tampon, especially if the presenting symptom is a vaginal discharge.

• Likewise, we should all be likely to treat a fishy smelling vaginal discharge or a foul smelling leg ulcer with antibiotics suitable for anaerobes without waiting for bacteriological confirmation.
• Other smells which may be useful to us include that of pus from infected lungs or sinuses.
• In a patient with underlying chest disease this should make us more inclined to prescribe an antibiotic, especially when accompanied by the less well defined smell of a fever, which is probably related to dried sweat.

At medical school we are taught that a foetor on the breath of a patient with abdominal pain makes the diagnosis of appendicitis more likely, while patients with intestinal obstruction may also have a pervasive smell of vomit on their breath or a faecal odour if they are in extremis.

1. Severely ill patients often have characteristic smells.
2. Patients with diabetic ketoacidosis have the fruity smell of ketones, although a substantial number of people are unable to detect this.
3. Foetor hepaticus is a feature of severe liver disease; a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in urine.

It is caused by the excretion of dimethyl disulphide and methyl mercaptan (CH 3 SH) 2, arising from an excess of methionine. In chronic renal failure there is a smell of ammonia from the breakdown of urea in saliva combined with a fishy smell arising from dimethylamine and trimethylamine.3 The presence of blood in the gut giving rise to melena is also unforgettable.

1. While humans have a poor sense of smell compared to other mammals, we are still able to detect substances in dilutions of less than one part in several billion parts of air.
2. There is a well recognised link between memory and olfaction.
3. The primary olfactory cortex is linked to the amygdala and hippocampus, which are involved with emotional and short-term memory, and for this reason certain smells can trigger vivid memory recall of people and events.

This may explain why a doctor may experience anxiety about a patient if he or she is subconsciously reminded of a previous patient, even if they are unable to articulate the cause of their anxiety. In general smells are difficult to describe, other than by relating them to something more familiar.

This is one reason why it is hard to teach students to recognise smells, especially where perception is blunted by cosmetic scents. There have been studies to identify the chemicals responsible for hepatic foetor using gas chromatography; not exactly a bedside test.4 However, when we record our case histories we include that which the patient has told us (auditory) and that which we have seen (visual) or palpated (touch) so why not also record what we have detected with our noses? Olfaction is possibly our most primitive sense.

I believe it can provide a useful contribution to our diagnostic armoury, but first we have to learn to recognise when there is a smell present, the likely source of the smell and the clinical implication. In other words, all doctors should develop a nose for trouble.

What does kidney disease body odor smell like?

Antibiotics – A person can use antibiotics to treat underlying conditions that cause sweat to smell like ammonia, such as trichomycosis. Many things can influence the smell of a person’s sweat. Diet, exercise, and bacterial infections may all alter body odor.

Is a small fishy smell normal?

Smelly or Fishy Discharge is Not Normal As women, we grow to learn what is normal and healthy for our bodies. The same is true when it comes to our natural feminine odor. Our noses can be the best detectives in identifying whether everything is ok, or whether there may be a problem.

Odor	It Could Be	Other Symptoms	What You Can Do
Fishy and strongest after sex or after washing with soap	Bacterial vaginosis	White, gray or yellowish vaginal discharge, itching or burning, and a slight redness and swelling of the vagina or vulva	This is not normal – Talk to your healthcare professional
Unpleasant	Trichomoniasis	Watery, yellowish or greenish bubbly discharge, pain and itching when urinating, with symptoms most apparent after your period	This is not normal – Talk to your healthcare professional

Recognizing Normal and Abnormal Discharge Normal vaginal discharge is usually clear or milky and may have a subtle scent that is not unpleasant or foul smelling. Changes that may signal a problem include an increase in the amount of discharge, a change in the color, smell or texture of the discharge.

• Heavier than usual
• Thicker than usual
• Pus-like
• White and clumpy (like cottage cheese)
• Grayish, greenish, yellowish, or blood-tinged
• Foul- or fishy-smelling
• Accompanied by itching, burning, a rash, or soreness

Only you know your body. If you have vaginal discharge that doesn’t seem normal for you (with or without other symptoms), talk to your healthcare professional.

What does urine smell like with liver failure?

As clinicians we work in a world of evidence- based care, making diagnoses using history taking and examination skills. In his William Pickles lecture at the 2011 Spring General Meeting, Dr Terry Davies asked whether GPs sometimes put too much emphasis on the ‘straight line science approach in their diagnoses’ when often their initial ‘hunch’ is the correct one.

• I suggest that experienced clinicians sometimes make their judgements based not only on experience, but using all their senses including olfaction; they literally develop a ‘nose for trouble’.
• In our everyday life we take our sense of smell for granted.
• In cities we are overwhelmed by sensory overload as we walk past fast-food outlets, coffee shops, bakeries, through throngs of shoppers smelling of soap, shampoo, aftershave, and perfume, and the ever-present smell of vehicle exhaust.

There are many human smells that we simply do not register in our perfumed and deodorised world such as ear wax, sebum, menstrual blood, and even breath, while other smells we note and find offensive, such as stale sweat, flatus, and teenage boys’ feet.

However, which mother has not lingered over the head of her new baby, breathing in the very special smell of baby and milk? Sheep and cattle recognise their offspring by scent and I am certain that humans are able to do the same; most mothers will be familiar with the urge to bath their baby if it has been nursed by another person wearing a strong scent.

Humans are also unconsciously affected by pheromones, so that the menstrual cycles of women living together become synchronised.1 In a world without deodorants, people may have been more attuned to human scents. Shakespeare was clearly aware of the smell of breath, speaking of a sweet lover’s breath: ‘The forward violet thus did I chide: Sweet thief, whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells, If not from my love’s breath?’ (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 99 ).

This is in contrast to his mistress’ halitosis: ‘And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.’ (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130 ). Some of our patients announce their occupation to us, albeit unconsciously; the mechanic smelling of oil, the girl from the chip shop who smells of cooking fat, the stable hand, or the dairy farmer, who can never completely eradicate the smell of cattle, no matter how hard he washes.

Other patients unwittingly announce their social pastimes. We are all familiar with alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, perhaps overlaid by peppermint, parma violets, or mouthwash in those who hope to conceal their habits from others. Some smells are more complex, but equally useful to us.

1. One such is the ‘smell of poverty’; a mixture of damp and cooked cabbage, while others, such as a lingering smell of curry and stale beer, may indicate the cause of a gastritis.
2. All doctors would recognise the smell of a care home (talcum powder and urine), a hospital (talcum powder and disinfectant with a hint of air freshener), or a psychiatric unit (the same as the hospital, but with the added scent of sweat and fear).

In our surgeries, we also use our noses for diagnostic purposes. An older person smelling of urine may prompt us to check for glycosuria or infection, while there is the unforgettable aroma that alerts us to a retained vaginal tampon, especially if the presenting symptom is a vaginal discharge.

Likewise, we should all be likely to treat a fishy smelling vaginal discharge or a foul smelling leg ulcer with antibiotics suitable for anaerobes without waiting for bacteriological confirmation. Other smells which may be useful to us include that of pus from infected lungs or sinuses. In a patient with underlying chest disease this should make us more inclined to prescribe an antibiotic, especially when accompanied by the less well defined smell of a fever, which is probably related to dried sweat.

At medical school we are taught that a foetor on the breath of a patient with abdominal pain makes the diagnosis of appendicitis more likely, while patients with intestinal obstruction may also have a pervasive smell of vomit on their breath or a faecal odour if they are in extremis.

1. Severely ill patients often have characteristic smells.
2. Patients with diabetic ketoacidosis have the fruity smell of ketones, although a substantial number of people are unable to detect this.
3. Foetor hepaticus is a feature of severe liver disease; a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in urine.

It is caused by the excretion of dimethyl disulphide and methyl mercaptan (CH 3 SH) 2, arising from an excess of methionine. In chronic renal failure there is a smell of ammonia from the breakdown of urea in saliva combined with a fishy smell arising from dimethylamine and trimethylamine.3 The presence of blood in the gut giving rise to melena is also unforgettable.

1. While humans have a poor sense of smell compared to other mammals, we are still able to detect substances in dilutions of less than one part in several billion parts of air.
2. There is a well recognised link between memory and olfaction.
3. The primary olfactory cortex is linked to the amygdala and hippocampus, which are involved with emotional and short-term memory, and for this reason certain smells can trigger vivid memory recall of people and events.

This may explain why a doctor may experience anxiety about a patient if he or she is subconsciously reminded of a previous patient, even if they are unable to articulate the cause of their anxiety. In general smells are difficult to describe, other than by relating them to something more familiar.

This is one reason why it is hard to teach students to recognise smells, especially where perception is blunted by cosmetic scents. There have been studies to identify the chemicals responsible for hepatic foetor using gas chromatography; not exactly a bedside test.4 However, when we record our case histories we include that which the patient has told us (auditory) and that which we have seen (visual) or palpated (touch) so why not also record what we have detected with our noses? Olfaction is possibly our most primitive sense.

I believe it can provide a useful contribution to our diagnostic armoury, but first we have to learn to recognise when there is a smell present, the likely source of the smell and the clinical implication. In other words, all doctors should develop a nose for trouble.

What does healthy urine smell like?

Urine consists mainly of water. It’s the amount and concentration of various waste products excreted by the kidneys that causes urine odor. Urine that contains a lot of water and few waste products has little to no odor. If urine becomes highly concentrated — a high level of waste products with little water — your urine may have a strong ammonia odor.

1. Cystitis (bladder inflammation)
2. Dehydration (which is when the body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to work properly)
3. Diabetic ketoacidosis
4. Gastrointestinal-bladder fistula (abnormal connection between the intestines and bladder)
5. Maple syrup urine disease (rare genetic condition that becomes apparent during infancy)
6. Metabolic disorder (a problem with the way your body converts the foods you eat into energy)
7. Type 2 diabetes (uncontrolled)
8. Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.

What does a UTI smell like?

Let’s face it: Most of us don’t give much thought to our pee before we flush it out of sight. But the basic details of your urine – color, smell, and how often you go – can give you a hint about what’s going on inside your body. Pee is your body’s liquid waste, mainly made of water, salt, electrolytes such as potassium and phosphorus, and chemicals called urea and uric acid.

• Your kidneys make it when they filter toxins and other bad stuff from your blood.
• A bunch of things in your body, like medications, foods, and illnesses, can affect how yours turns out.
• If everything is normal and healthy, the color should be a pale yellow to gold.
• That hue comes from a pigment your body makes called urochrome.

The shade, light or dark, also changes. If it has no color at all, that may be because you’ve been drinking a lot of water or taking a drug called a diuretic, which helps your body get rid of fluid. Very dark honey- or brown-colored urine could be a sign that you’re dehydrated and need to get more fluids.

It may also be a warning sign of liver problems, so see your doctor if it doesn’t get better after a day or so. Other unusual colors that may show up: Pink or red: Some foods like carrots, blackberries, beets, and rhubarb can turn your pee a pinkish-red color. This can also be a side effect of medications like the antibiotic rifampin or a drug for urinary tract infections (UTIs) called phenazopyridine,

Always check with your doctor if your pee is pink or red. You might have blood in your urine, It doesn’t always mean there’s a problem, but it can be a sign of kidney disease, a UTI, prostate problems, or a tumor. Orange: When your pee is the color of a citrus-flavored soft drink, it’s probably because of meds like high-dose vitamin B2, the UTI drug phenazopyridine, or the antibiotic isoniazid,

Depending on the color, it could also be a sign that you’re dehydrated or that there’s a problem with your liver or bile duct. You should ask your doctor about it. Blue or green: These hues are probably due to dyes in your food or meds you’ve taken, like the anesthetic propofol or the allergy/asthma medicine promethazine,

A few rare medical conditions can also turn pee green or blue, so let your doctor know if the color doesn’t go away after a short time. Foamy: No matter what color it is, you should check in with your doctor if it consistently looks foamy and frothy. It may be a sign you have protein in your urine, which may mean you have issues with your kidneys,

• Pee doesn’t usually have a strong smell.
• But some foods – especially asparagus, which has a smelly sulfur compound – can change the odor.
• So can vitamin B-6 supplements.
• When you’re dehydrated and your pee gets very concentrated, it can smell strongly of ammonia.
• If you catch a whiff of something really strong before you flush, it might also be a sign of a UTI, diabetes, a bladder infection, or metabolic diseases.

Everyone is different, but most people need to empty their bladders up to eight times a day. That can change depending on how much you eat and drink, especially caffeine and alcohol. It could be a side effect of medications, too. Pregnant women and older people usually have to go more often than others.

• If you notice you suddenly have to pee more often than usual, though, it could be a sign of a health problem such as a UTI, kidney disease, diabetes, an enlarged prostate in men, vaginitis in women, or a problem with the wall of your bladder called interstitial cystitis,
• If you often feel that you suddenly “gotta go” and sometimes can’t get to the bathroom in time, you may have overactive bladder,

It’s a common condition for older men and women, though it’s not a normal part of aging. Your doctor can tell you how to treat it with lifestyle changes and medications. Pick up the phone any time you see a change in your pee that doesn’t seem linked to new medications or a recent meal – especially if the change lasts more than a day or so, or if it comes with a fever, back or side pain, vomiting, feeling very thirsty, or discharge.