Smelly Urine in Men

Urine excreted by a healthy person is usually clear, straw-yellow in color, and has a bearable mild odor. Urine's odor is due to the amount and concentration of various chemicals and toxins excreted by the kidneys. The urine has a peculiar odor due to the presence of urea; higher its concentration, stronger is the urine's odor. Usually, the smell of urine depends upon the urine consistency, i.e., less diluted urine has a strong smelly odor. Although, smelly urine symptoms may not be a sign of serious illness and can be temporary, here are some causes that may contribute to smelly urine in men.

Foul-smelling Urine in Men

Possible Causes

Dehydration: Dehydration is one of the main causes for smelly urine in males. Due to excessive loss of fluids from the body and inadequate intake of water or fluids, especially during hot climate or while exercising, the water level in the body drops which results in highly concentrated urine having strong ammonia smell.

UTI: Smelly urine is the most common symptom of urinary tract infections (UTI), which occur as a result of bacterial invasion in the urinary tract. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli cause tissue damage and may spread up to the urethra, bladder, and sometimes kidneys also. Stress, weak immune system, poor diet, sexual intercourse with an infected person, etc., are some common causes that may lead to urinary tract infections in men.

Diabetes: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused due to high blood sugar levels as a result of inadequate insulin secretion in the body. The raised sugar levels in the blood cause spillage of glucose into the urine which leads to the formation of sweet smelly urine.

Bladder Infection: Cystitis, a bladder infection, though more common in women, is another reason for urine odor in men. It is a bacterial infection which begins in the urethra, spreads into the prostate and then into the bladder, causing frequent urge to urinate and pain or burning sensation while urinating.

Asparagus: Eating asparagus, a green vegetable belonging to the Liliaceae family, can also be a cause for smelly urine in men. Although there are no negative effects of asparagus on urine, the odor is normally compared to rotting cabbage, ammonia, or rotten eggs.

MSUD: Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a metabolism disorder caused by a gene defect, in which the body is incapable of decomposing certain parts of proteins like amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. As the name suggests, the urine in people suffering this disorder may smell like maple syrup.

Other Causes: Vitamin B-6 supplements, dietary factors, certain medications, kidney infection, acute liver failure, kidney stones, ketonuria, prostatitis, etc., are some other causes of smelly urine.

Associated Symptoms

Smelly urine can be a result of an underlying problem. For identification of the problem, it is important to look out for other symptoms that accompany foul-smelling urine.

Indicating Life-threatening Conditions

• Blood in urine
• Severe pain in the abdomen
• Unresponsiveness
• Sudden change in behavior

Indicating UTI

• Abdominal pain
• Foamy urine
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Burning sensation when urinating
• Urinary bladder spasms

Indicating Problems with Other Body Systems

• Unexpected gain or loss in weight
• Fever, weakness, and dry mouth
• Abdominal edema
• Jaundice
• Pain in the rectum
• Unreasonable hunger

Diagnostic Tests

People usually do not pay attention to changes in urine. But when the difference is quite evident like color change in urine or change in urine odor, only then people notice it. As mentioned before, there can be several causes behind smelly urine in men, and diagnosis of the actual cause is only possible when the initial step of testing the patient's urine sample is done. Following tests are performed when a person has a foul-smelling urine.

Urinalysis: This is a thorough examination of the patient's urine sample. It involves several tests that are used to establish the quantities of compounds that are excreted out of the body via urine. Urinalysis results showing deviation from normal levels of compounds indicate the existence of other health problems in the patient.

Urine Culture Test: This test is performed to check for the presence of bacteria or other microorganisms in the patient's urine sample. It helps in finding out if the patient is suffering from any urinary tract infection or not. Around 1-2 days are required to obtain test results from the laboratory.

Treatment Options

One of the most simple yet effective treatment for smelly urine is to keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough fluids or water. Drinking one to two liters of pure, unflavored water daily will definitely help you to get rid of the odor. Having unsalted yogurt blended with a teaspoon of honey, raw cranberries, or drinking cranberry juice which is a natural urinary antiseptic, are some other ways to overcome the odor. Wearing loose inner clothing made from skin-friendly fabric like cotton, maintaining proper hygiene, and cleaning the genital area regularly are some other smelly urine treatments. Medications or drugs like nitrofurantoin, cephalosporins, sulfa drugs, amoxicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, or quinolones can be given to patients having urinary tract infections that cause urine odor.

However, if the aforementioned cures and medications don't help in treating smelly urine in men, and with time the odor becomes extremely strong and the urine appears cloudy or dark, it is advisable to consult a urologist for necessary treatments.