What Does Diabetic Urine Smell Like? One warning sign of diabetes or high blood sugar is urine that smells sweet or fruity. The sweetness comes from sugar in your urine and is a sign your body is trying to get rid of extra sugar in your blood.
Diabetes: Strong sweet-smelling urine is a sign of advanced diabetes, which can be diagnosed with urinalysis. With advanced diabetes, sugar and ketones, which are normally absent, can accumulate in the urine and create a strong odor.
Diabetes does not change the color of urine. If you notice sweet or fruity smelling urine, it could be a sign that you have hyperglycemia, or blood sugar levels that are too high. Let a healthcare provider know if you notice changes to either urine color or smell.
In most cases, people with ketoacidosis have sweet, strong-smelling urine. Ketoacidosis can develop within 24 hours of having consistently high blood glucose levels, called hyperglycemia.
Urine that contains a lot of water and few waste products has little to no odor. If urine becomes highly concentrated — a high level of waste products with little water — your urine may have a strong ammonia odor.
When you're dehydrated and your pee gets very concentrated, it can smell strongly of ammonia. If you catch a whiff of something really strong before you flush, it might also be a sign of a UTI, diabetes, a bladder infection, or metabolic diseases.
One warning sign of diabetes or high blood sugar is urine that smells sweet or fruity. The sweetness comes from sugar in your urine and is a sign your body is trying to get rid of extra sugar in your blood.
Some people with diabetes compare the smell of insulin to the scent of Band-Aids, printer ink, Lysol, or new plastic shower curtain liners (4). Apparently, phenols are responsible for the aroma associated with insulin (5).
If you have diabetes, a change in body odor could be a sign of diabetes-related ketoacidosis. High ketone levels cause your blood to become acidic and your body odor to be fruity. In the case of liver or kidney disease, your odor may give off a bleach-like smell due to toxin buildup in your body.
A urine glucose test is only a screening test. It cannot diagnose any conditions. If you have too much glucose in your urine, your provider may order blood tests for diabetes to help make a diagnosis.
Excessive thirst and increased urination are common diabetes signs and symptoms. When you have diabetes, excess glucose — a type of sugar — builds up in your blood. Your kidneys are forced to work overtime to filter and absorb the excess glucose.
Feeling very thirsty. Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating. Extreme fatigue. Blurry vision.
Urine often has a slight ammonia smell, especially first thing in the morning or when a person is dehydrated. Smelly urine can also be a sign of an infection, however, so if the smell does not go away on its own, or if additional symptoms develop, see a doctor.
People who have diabetes often have poor sleep habits, including difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Some people with diabetes get too much sleep, while others have problems getting enough sleep.
Diabetes can result in nerve damage so that for some people, the nerves that control sweat glands are always “switched on.” This can result in excessive sweating, known as hyperhidrosis.
Diabetes: People with diabetes often have too much sugar (glucose) in their blood. To get rid of the extra glucose, the body moves it from the blood into the urine. So, when someone has undiagnosed or untreated diabetes, they tend to pee more often. And their urine appears clear.
Liver disease and certain metabolic disorders may cause musty-smelling urine.
Pee that smells like ammonia
If you detect a hint of ammonia in your urine, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). The odor suggests that bacteria may be swimming around in your urinary system, most likely in your urethra, kidneys or bladder.
It's not necessary to see your GP about smelly urine unless you're concerned. This may be, for example, if you have other symptoms too. See your GP if: you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI), such as pain, presence of blood, or a burning sensation when urinating and a need to urinate often.
Kidney disease causes chemicals in urine to become concentrated and to cause a smell resembling ammonia. Kidney dysfunction can also cause high bacteria and protein levels in the urine, which will contribute to a foul ammonia smell.
Several vitamins, including vitamin B-6, can cause urine smell to change. Although a strong smell to your urine probably doesn't mean vitamin D toxicity, it may indicate that you are dehydrated, which can in turn be a sign of excess vitamin D. Strong-smelling urine could also indicate a urinary tract infection.