Smelly urine

Smelly pee on its own is not usually a cause for concern. There are often things you can do to help your pee return to normal.

Common causes of smelly pee

Pee is usually clear or pale yellow, with a mild smell.

Things that can often make your pee smell stronger include:

• certain types of food and drink, like asparagus or coffee
• not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
• some medicines
• vitamin B6 supplements

If you have other symptoms such as pain when peeing, peeing more often than usual and pee that looks cloudy, you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Less often, smelly pee can be caused by other conditions such as type 2 diabetes or kidney stones.

Things you can do if you have smelly pee

There are some things you can do to help keep your pee clear and smelling mild.

Do

• drink plenty of fluids, particularly water, so that you pee regularly during the day and do not feel thirsty

• drink more in hot weather and when exercising

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

See a 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