Randy Chandler
There are many reasons why your urine might smell like cheese. Urine odour is usually caused by diet, vitamins, medications, and hydration levels. However, it can also be a warning sign of an underlying medical issue. For example, a strong cheese-like smell could indicate a bacterial infection, such as E. coli, Salmonella, or Proteus. In addition, certain medications, vitamins, and supplements can alter the smell of urine. For instance, some antibiotics are made from mould and can make urine smell yeasty. Dehydration can also cause urine to have a stronger, more concentrated smell.
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What You'll Learn
Dehydration and diet
Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid, which can affect its functioning. Dehydration can be caused by conditions like diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, inadequate water intake, or excessive urination and sweating. When dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated, resulting in a darker colour and a stronger, ammonia-like smell. Dehydration may also enhance the presence of sulfuric compounds in the body, making the urine smell like rotten eggs or sulfur.
Staying properly hydrated can help prevent strong-smelling urine. It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, throughout the day and after exercising. Avoiding diuretic drinks like coffee, carbonated beverages, and alcohol can also help, as these can increase urination.
In addition to dehydration, your diet can also influence the smell of your urine. Certain foods contain compounds that produce a strong odour, which can be excreted in your urine. Examples of such foods include asparagus, garlic, onions, and coffee. Eating too much garlic, in particular, can result in urine with a strong odour. Therefore, reducing the consumption of these foods may help alleviate the issue.
Furthermore, specific vitamins and supplements can also contribute to changes in urine odour. B vitamins, such as thiamine and choline, and vitamin B6, are water-soluble, and any excess is excreted in the urine. These vitamins can alter the balance of chemicals in your urine, leading to a fishy or ammonia-like smell. Therefore, it is advised to be cautious of the daily intake of these vitamins and consult a doctor if the problem persists or worsens.
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Medication and supplements
Secondly, certain medications and supplements can alter the smell of urine. For example, drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, infections, and diabetes are known to impact the waste's smell. Sulfa drugs, which treat diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions, can make urine smell like eggs. This is because they contain sulfide, a compound linked to smelly urine. Additionally, some supplements, such as vitamin B6, can also be responsible for urine odour. B vitamins, like thiamine and choline, may also cause foul-smelling urine. They impact the balance of chemicals in the urine, and these extra vitamins can change the urine's smell.
Thirdly, some health conditions can cause changes in urine odour. For example, urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause urine to smell like fish due to bacteria from the infection. Kidney stones can also cause an infection in the urinary tract, resulting in urine that smells like fish, blood in the urine, or cloudy urine.
Finally, some genetic disorders are associated with bad urine odour. For example, trimethylaminuria is a rare metabolic disorder where the body is unable to break down certain compounds properly, resulting in fishy-smelling urine.
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Urinary tract infection
UTIs are more common in people with vulvas due to the shorter length of the urethra, which increases the likelihood of bacteria entering the urinary tract. Symptoms of a UTI can include painful urination, increased frequency of urination, and cloudy or bloody urine. It is important to seek medical attention if a UTI is suspected, as it can become serious if left untreated.
In addition to UTIs, several other factors can contribute to urine smelling like cheese. Dehydration, for example, can affect the odour of urine. When the body is dehydrated, the urine becomes more concentrated, resulting in a darker colour and a stronger smell. Dehydration can occur due to various reasons, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, insufficient water intake, or excessive sweating.
Certain medications, vitamins, and supplements can also alter the smell of urine. For instance, antibiotics, sulfa drugs, and some diabetes medications can cause urine to smell differently. Additionally, B vitamins, like thiamine and choline, can impact the balance of chemicals in the urine, leading to a change in odour.
Furthermore, specific types of food and drink can also be a factor. Foods like asparagus, garlic, onions, and coffee can cause urine to have a stronger smell. This occurs due to the presence of strong-odour compounds in these foods that can pass into the urine during the digestive process.
While most cases of foul-smelling urine are harmless, it is important to be vigilant and consult a medical professional if the odour persists or is accompanied by other symptoms.
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Kidney and liver problems
While urine that smells like cheese is not pleasant, it is usually harmless and related to how much water you drink, what you eat, or what medications you take. However, in some cases, it can indicate an underlying health condition, such as kidney or liver problems.
Kidney disease can cause changes in urine colour, smell, and consistency. For example, urine that is cola- or tea-coloured, or smells unusual, can be a sign of kidney disease. Other signs of kidney disease include increased urination, especially at night, which can indicate damage to the kidney's filters. Blood in the urine, or excessive bubbles that require multiple flushes to disappear, can also indicate the presence of protein in the urine, a sign of reduced kidney function. Furthermore, a severe decrease in kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue and weakness. Polycystic kidney disease, where numerous cysts grow in the kidneys, can also reduce kidney function and lead to kidney failure. Kidney stones, hard deposits of minerals and salts, can cause severe pain when passing through the urinary tract and may be accompanied by foul-smelling urine.
Liver problems can also cause urine to smell. Liver failure, a life-threatening condition where large parts of the liver are damaged, can result in dark brown urine or urine that smells like ammonia. Liver disease can also cause urine to smell, and it can be indicated by swelling in the lower extremities. Liver tumours, or hepatic tumours, are growths on or in the liver that can cause health problems. Alcoholic fatty liver disease, caused by excessive alcohol consumption, results in a buildup of fat inside liver cells, impairing liver function. Viral hepatitis, inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection, is another potential cause of liver problems.
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Diabetes
Urine usually has a mild smell, but various factors can cause it to have an unusual odour. One of the first ways diabetes manifests is in the bathroom, causing urine to smell sweet or fruity. This is because urine contains extra glucose, a type of sugar. People with diabetes may have very high levels of ketones in their bloodstream. When the body excretes these in the urine, they can make the urine smell like popcorn. A high level of ketones in the urine or blood occurs when a person enters ketosis, which is when the body does not have enough sugar or glucose for fuel. This might happen overnight or when a person is fasting.
If a person’s urine smells different than normal but no other symptoms are present, it is not usually a cause for concern. However, if the unusual smell persists, it is worth seeing a doctor to determine the underlying cause. If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes and then start having sweet-smelling urine, you should talk to your doctor about making adjustments to your treatment or lifestyle.
If you have other symptoms, such as blood in your urine, burning when you go to the bathroom, or frequent trips to the bathroom, it may be a sign of a condition like diabetes, liver disease, kidney stones, renal failure, or a urinary tract infection. Diabetic ketoacidosis can make people feel very thirsty, even when they drink lots of fluids. It can also cause abdominal pain or nausea, intense pain in the back, abdomen, or genitals, and nausea, vomiting, and yellow skin or eyes. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many reasons why your urine may smell like cheese. The most common cause is dehydration, which can cause a stronger odour. Eating certain foods, such as asparagus, garlic, or onions, can also cause a cheese-like odour. Taking certain medications, vitamins, or supplements can also alter the smell of urine.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause changes in the smell of urine, and may also be accompanied by symptoms such as pain when urinating, increased frequency of urination, and cloudy or bloody urine.
A strong urine odour may indicate an underlying medical condition, such as diabetes, liver disease, kidney stones, or metabolic disorders. If the smell persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, it is recommended to consult a medical professional.
