A persistent pee-like smell after showering often comes from bacteria interacting with sweat (especially from tight clothes or not drying well), diet, dehydration (ammonia in sweat), hormonal changes (puberty, menopause, stress), or underlying issues like UTIs, yeast infections, or diabetes, so see a doctor if hygiene changes don't help, as it could be a medical sign.
Some foods and medicines, such as asparagus or certain vitamins, can cause urine odor, even in small amounts. Sometimes, urine odor points to a medical condition or disease, such as: Bacterial vaginosis (irritation of the vagina) Bladder infection.
Drink plenty of water.
Your vagina may have a strong ammonia smell if you're dehydrated. Without enough water, the waste material in your urine can become especially concentrated and foul-smelling. Water can help with hydration and eliminate the smell.
Sweat that has a urine-like odor can result from various factors such as diet, hydration, or individual health. Foods high in protein, particularly red meat and certain fish, contain sulfur compounds that can impact body odor.
A vaginal odor that smells like chemicals could be attributed to a bit of urine in your underwear or around your vulva. But please note that it could also be the sign of a bacterial infection if this odor is accompanied with itching and burning.
Sometimes, despite regular showers and deodorant, body odor sticks around. This could be due to diet (like eating spicy foods, garlic, or onions), stress sweat that mixes with bacteria, hormonal changes during puberty or menopause, or even medical conditions like diabetes or hyperhidrosis.
“Some people just have very concentrated urine,” Dr. Goje says. “If you didn't wipe completely, you can be left with a lingering smell.” Leakage can also leave you with a stronger smell than you're used to.
Ways to Reduce Urine Odor
The main symptom of Trimethylaminuria is a strong odour that may be described as smelling like rotten fish, eggs, rubbish, or urine. The smell is usually noticeable in your sweat, urine, and breath.
People with uncontrolled diabetes can experience a fruity or acetone-like smell (think nail polish remover) on their breath or skin. This is due to the buildup of ketones in your bloodstream, which is a byproduct of fat breakdown.
The groin is a hotspot for sweat glands (apocrine glands), and sweat contains compounds like urea, also found in urine. If sweat or a small amount of urine gets trapped in your underwear or on your skin, bacteria can break it down, creating an ammonia odor.
Ensuring you drink enough water throughout the day can help dilute urine and reduce its odour. Cranberry juice can also bring many benefits to your diet and improve the acidity of your urine as well as naturally reducing odour.
To reduce the smell of urine, a person may try:
Everyone has sweat glands, but some people have overactive ones. This means you might sweat more than usual, even after a shower. More sweat equals more food for bacteria, which equals more odor.
Dark or smelly urine - This could be a sign of a kidney infection or something serious, or Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, or a UTI. A secretion or discharge from the genitals - This is a common symptom of Gonorrhea or Chlamydia.
You should worry about urine smell and see a doctor if it's persistent, accompanied by fever, pain/burning during urination, cloudy or bloody urine, or if it smells sweet (potential diabetes) or rotten (potential infection/kidney stones). While often temporary due to dehydration or food, persistent strong or unusual odors, especially with other symptoms, warrant medical attention to rule out UTIs, diabetes, or other conditions.
TMAU Relationship to Diet
Because of the biochemical nature of the excessive production of TMA, TMAU is linked to the intake of choline-rich foods, including eggs; broccoli; certain legumes such as soy, kidney beans; wheat germ; saltwater fish; and organ meats, including liver.
A core function of the kidneys is to clean your blood by expelling waste products and excess fluid as urine. So if you've noticed a change in your urine — such as color, cloudiness or unusual smell — it could be a sign that your kidney health is at risk.
Fetor hepaticus is defined as the characteristic breath odor of patients with severe hepatic parenchymal disease, resembling a mixture of rotten eggs and garlic, primarily caused by dimethylsulfide.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT BAD-SMELLING URINE? Internal deodorant tablets such as Derifil® or Nullo® have proven useful to many incontinent people. The deodorizing tablets are taken by mouth, and the manufacturers' instructions advise that it takes time (2 to 14 days) to get satisfactory results.
Those incontinent patients who had had a strong odor about them seemingly had less odor when receiving cranberry juice regularly.
Hyperhidrosis: Hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating from the eccrine glands. If someone sweats a lot, sweat may buildup on the skin and interact with bacteria. This may cause an odor, which may smell of ammonia. Kidney disease: The kidneys remove urea from the body.
Urinary Tract Infections
UTIs, including bladder infections and conditions like cystitis, can lead to an abnormal urine smell. The bacteria that causes UTIs and bladder infections can cause a foul odor.
Stick to drinking six to eight glasses of water a day or by having a glass of fruit juice that is noncitrus to dilute the odor. Cranberry juice is a great juice to reduce the acidity in your urine. If you cannot drink that much, ask your doctor if you can try taking deodorizing tablets or supplements.
A discharge that smells like urine can be caused by urine mixing with your natural vaginal secretions or due to changes in the bacteria, such as in bacterial vaginosis.