Why Your Urine Smells Like Ammonia? Know the Reasons and Possible Solutions

The smell, frequency, and color of urine indicate the health status of your urinary tract and kidneys, in fact, of your whole body.

Urine has a slight ammoniated odor which is not sufficiently noticeable most of the times. But sometimes this characteristic odor gets so strong that it becomes a cause of concern for some individuals.

When they urinate, it leaves an ammonia-like smell. In such cases, the color of urine is dark yellow or sometimes there is a tinge of orange color. Sometimes, the odor can be so strong that it may become a cause of embarrassment for some people.

“My urine smells like ammonia”

Is the thought constantly hovering in your mind?

What is the logic behind it?

Without talking much, let’s come to the point.

In this article, we’ll talk about the causes of the ammonia smelling urine and the possible solutions to get rid of Urine smells like ammonia issue.

Let’s discuss in detail!

Why Your Urine Smells Like Ammonia?

If you are totally healthy, your urine should be odorless and clear. However, your urine can have a strong color and odor in case of any associated health trouble.

In fact, ammonia smelling urine is a telltale sign that something is not right with the body.

Have You Ever Wondered Why your urine smells like ammonia? Check Out the Reasons below:

1. Dehydration
2. Kidney related illness
3. Diabetes Mellitus
4. Metabolic disorders
5. Jaundice
6. Holding it for long
7. Urinary Tract Infection(UTI)
8. Sexually Transmitted Disease(STD)
9. High protein levels in the body

1. Dehydration

The human body is made up of 80% of water. But the lack of adequate water levels in the body results in dehydration.

The urine will get concentrated due to an inadequate water content in the body. As a result, a darker colored urine will be produced which will smell like ammonia.

2. Kidney related illness

Kidneys are responsible for filtering out the wastes from your body. When these bean-shaped organs aren’t working properly, these wastes won’t get removed from the body leading to ammonia smelling urine.

Thus, any kidney related illness can lead such condition.

3. Diabetes mellitus

Increased blood glucose levels can lead to the production of ketones, which in turn, imparts a dark color to your pee and it may smell like ammonia.

4. Metabolic disorder

This can be a reason if you are suffering from a metabolic disorder and you are not taking regular treatment for that illness. It may lead to ammonia smelling pee.

5. Liver disorders

The liver is responsible for the breakdown of ammonia in the body. When you are suffering from a liver disorder, your liver becomes inefficient to break down ammonia. Ammonia is then excreted in the urine resulting in ammonia smelling urine.

6. Holding it for long

When you hold your urine for a long time. It becomes more concentrated. Therefore, more concentration leads to pungent smell and dark color.

So don’t clutch it for too long. It may affect muscles of your urinary bladder also.

7. Urinary Tract Infection

This complication is mostly seen in females. Females are more prone to urinary tract infection. So let’s come to the point. When there is any urinary tract infection, there is a scope of bacterial infections also.

It is the bacteria that produce bad smell. Therefore, it leads to ammonia-like smell and discoloration of urine.

8. Sexually Transmitted Disease

Sexually transmitted disease is also one of the sanity behind the bad smell of urine. The sexually transmitted disease leads to bacterial infections.

This problem is increasingly seen in females. STD’s lead to increased vaginal discharge. This discharge has a bad smell which imparts a characteristic odor to the urine.

9. High protein levels in the body

People who are health conscious or people who opt gym take more proteins to build their muscles. They experience ammonia-like smell when they urinate.

Let me explain you, why?

It ‘s because when you take an excess of proteins, the level of nitrogen goes up in the body. This nitrogen is then released in urine which smells like ammonia. Dark colored urine is also seen.

I have discussed many causes with you but we are not through yet! You need to learn more about this. I have some other reasons to tell you.

Why female urine smells like ammonia?

• Pregnancy
• Menopause
• Bacterial infection
• Not consuming enough water
• Medication and supplement effect

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be one of the reasons behind the ammonia-like smell of urine in females. In pregnancy, females have to take a number of supplements such as calcium, iron, multivitamins etc.

These are not completely sustained by the body. Some are excreted in the urine also. This is the reason urine smells like ammonia in pregnant females.

Another reason is inadequate water consumption. Females need to consume more water as they have to amount it for the nourishment of the growing fetus.

When they don’t consume the appropriate amount of water, urine becomes concentrated and hence leads to bad and pungent smell like that of ammonia.

Menopause

Menopause is the stage when the menstrual cycle ends in females. During this time, the body changes in a number of ways.

The menopausal women sometimes gain weight. Their dietary habits also change.

Another reason is that in the absence of menstrual cycle, they get more prone to bacterial infection. Bacterial infection also leads to urine smelling like ammonia.

Bacterial infection in females

The genital tract of females is more sensitive than males. The genital tract of females is very prone to infection by foreign bodies. Bacterial infection is one of the reason.

Due to bacterial infection, females suffer from vaginal discharge. This vaginal discharge is quite itchy also. The discharge has a foul smell and hence when females urinate their urine smells like ammonia.

Not consuming enough water

When you don’t consume water, your urine becomes more concentrated. When it becomes concentrated, it leaves a smell like ammonia. The Color also changes. It becomes more dark yellow in color.

Females are more prone to such conditions as females need to consume more water.

Medication and Supplement Effect

Females take more medicines as compared to males. The females are more likely to develop arthritis and thyroid dysfunctioning.

Also, menopause is an inevitable condition that every female has to go through. Due to all these reasons, females have to take supplements.

They take drugs for maintaining thyroid levels and general health of the body.

The body doesn’t retain all the amount. Some of the amount gets excreted in the urine resulting in a foul smell urine in females.

Babies Urine Smell like Ammonia!? Know the Reason

Upbringing babies is a tough job. You experience new things and meet new challenges every day.

Many mothers are facing a common problem these days. They complain of an ammonia-like smell of urine when they change diapers of their newborn.

Eww! So foul smell it is! – This is the reaction. Right?

It’s ok! Don’t scratch your head so much. I have got many things to tell you.

Scroll down to know more!

The reasons that the urine of your babies smells like ammonia are as follows:

• Less amount of water
• Medications and supplements
• Bacterial or genital area infections

Less amount of water

The very first reason is that your baby is not drinking required amount of water. Due to low water levels in their body, the urine becomes more concentrated and their urine smells like ammonia.

Treatment:

Give him more water except if your child is under six months of age. You cannot give him water without consulting your doctor.

You feed your newborn. Right? So, I advise you to gulp more water and automatically he will get water from your mammary glands when he sucks for milk.

And thus, you won’t have to face the foul smell of urine anymore.

Medications and Supplements

The second reason may be the medications. We give many supplements to the babies like calcium during teething period, multivitamins etc.

They take medicines when they are suffering from loose stools, fevers etc. So, some amount of these medications and supplements are excreted in urine which leads to urine smelling like ammonia.

The color of urine may also change.

Bacterial or genital area infections

The third reason may be any bacterial infection or urinary tract infection. When there is any bacterial infection in the genital area, there are symptoms like smelly urine, and skin rash.

So if you’re noticing the above-mentioned symptoms since long, you should seek for the pediatrician.

Most of the times this complication is seen in girl child (as I told you that females are more prone to bacterial infection).

Treatment:

• Seek the immediate help of the doctor.
• Make sure the genital area is always properly cleaned.
• Don’t apply any talcum as talcum can be toxic. Apply when the medicated one is prescribed by the doctor.
• Your baby will be fine soon with the antibiotics.

Prevention is Better than Cure!

1. Maintain hygiene

Maintain your hygiene, as when you maintain your hygiene, there are fewer chances for infection to take place.

Change your underclothes every day.

Females should change their underclothes twice a day. As females need to maintain more hygiene because their genital area is more prone towards infection.

2.Take plenty of fluids

Take plenty of fluids. Modify your dietary habits. Take fruits which have high water content such as Watermelon or other watery fruits.

When you will have more water, there will be less concentrated urine and hence no smell of ammonia.

3. Be careful about the medications

Consult your doctor if you face any problems when you are taking your medicines. Read labels before you take medicines.

If your medicines are irritating you, Stop taking them.

Be careful! Look out for medicines, you will get rid of the symptoms.

4. Take less caffeine

Cut caffeine from your diet. Caffeine may lead to more concentrated urine. And hence more infection and smelly urine. So try to cut caffeine from your diet.

5. Cut proteins

Cut proteins from your diet. It is because when you take more proteins, your body excretes nitrogen in your urine. So you should take fewer proteins if you want to get rid of smelly and foul urine.

6. Maintain hygiene of your toilet

Maintain hygiene of your toilet. Because infections start from bathrooms and toilets. So, use clean toilet if you don’t want to get infected with bacterial infections.

What Have You Concluded?

I hope you have read everything very carefully. You have to look strictly at the symptoms when your urine smells like ammonia. Though this problem is very common, it may get exaggerate if you ignore.

Take all the above-mentioned precautions.

I know the feeling, I have been there at your place. I have got the solution and I am very happy now. Sometimes small things bring a huge change. Tell me if you have any queries. See you ahead with a new discussion.

Till then!

Stay fit Stay healthy.

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