There are also long-term effects of a keto diet. Overconsumption of coffee not only makes you wired; it could make your urine smell like a venti latte. The research hypothesizes that this unexpected finding is due to a few modest women who did not want to acknowledge they could smell the stench or that the female stance during urinating makes them less likely to notice an odd odor. "I've been on the diet for about a month and a half now and I've noticed that my vaginal odors have gotten MUCH stronger(It smells like a mix between urine and dischargeI'm not exactly sure how vaginas are 'supposed' to smell like. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Well-known side effects can include weakness and fatigue (15). Douching with fluids or chemicals will kill the good bacteria and allow bad bacteria to move in instead. But the food isnt the only one to cause a switch in urine odor, Dr. Movassaghi says. But while theres no direct link, going keto could potentially have an indirect effect on whether you develop a rash. "Nobody knows if this is a real effect of the keto diet," Lauren Streicher, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University, told Health. Samantha Lauriello is a social media strategist and editor. Foods That Aren't as Healthy as You Think. It was darker in colour but it didnt smell the way asparagus infused pee does. 2023 Readers Digest Magazines Ltd. - All rights reserved, Photo: Dutourdumonde Photography/Shutterstock, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). Asparagus consumption provides a distinct odor to urine. You know eating asparagus makes your pee smell weird. This usually improves after a few weeks. It happens when your body cant break down trimethylamine. Asparagus Were talking headaches, fatigue, body aches, dizziness, and nausea. If asparagus is on the menu, it may rear its ugly smell as early as a mid-meal bathroom break. Whats more, there are further benefits primarily an increased ability to burn more fat during exercise. You may need to take antibiotics to get better. Here are 12 fast foods you can eat on a low carb diet. This will pass once your body becomes adapted to running on fat and ketones. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The smell of rotting fish is hard to ignore, and should especially be a red flag if you notice it in your pee. Here's what the keto flu is, why it happens. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If youre prone to infections or bacteria, then the bacteria will grow and grow until you pee them out, says Dr. Comiter. Just say you want their outrageous demand in writing. Initially used to treat epilepsy in children in 1921, this high-fat, very low-carb diet grew to become a tool for weight loss, according to the National Library of Medicine's StatPearls. asparagus pee smells B vitamins are water soluble, which means your body doesnt store them, and whatever you dont need is removed in your urine. As Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1781, A few stems of asparagus eaten, shall give our urine a disagreable odour.. And even a slight change in pH (even one doesn't impact the health of your vagina) can alter the smell you're used to. The most reliable and accurate method of measuring ketosis is to measure your blood ketone levels using a specialized meter. However, they tend to improve again after the initial adaptation phase is over. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. If you want a more accurate assessment, monitor ketone levels in your blood, urine, or breath every week. Learn these things your poop can teach about your health. They can tell you if its normal. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. More bacteria get released into your urine during a UTI, causing a distinguished rank odor that he describes as a "pungent rotten-egg smell, often fishy-like." 8 Things That Can Cause Odor, 5 Things That Can Change the Way Your Vagina Smells, Assessing Vaginal Health: 5 Clues From Your Vagina, Keto Flu Explained: Why Low-Carb Diets Can Make You Feel Sick and Tired, How to Start the Keto Dietand Ways to Stick With It. In this condition, your body cant break down acompound called trimethylamine. A change in vaginal smell could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis or an STD. You could have a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Tell your doctor if you have a fever, blood in your pee, or if youre in a lot of pain. Garlic, onions and brussels sprouts, for example, all break down into sulfur compounds when digested. Urinary tract infections can cause a foul odour that some patients describe as rotten food or sweaty socks. Benefits, Downsides, and More, 12 Fast Foods You Can Eat on a Low Carb Diet, The Keto Flu: Symptoms and How to Get Rid of It, Nutritionists Put Mediterranean, DASH, and Flex Diets at the Top of Their List Once Again, The 6 Best Sweeteners on a Low Carb Keto Diet (And 6 to Avoid). Its also packed with nutrients, including folic acid, calcium and antioxidants, including vitamins C and E. The only downside: Asparagus seems to cause an unpleasant smell in our urine. Yet, science does show that going keto can change the odor of your breath and urine, making both smell like nail polish remover. Some people are hypersensitive (or hyposensitive) to androstenone, a component of sweat. In fact, a study my colleagues and I conducted in 2017 found that only 40 percent of those surveyed reported detecting the odor in their urine. How To Prevent an Unpleasant Vaginal Odor, Keto Breath Is a Common Problem for Low-carb Dieters, Why Does Sex Have a Smell? B vitamins can also make your pee look a bright greenish-yellow. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Renita White, MD, is an obstetrician/gynecologist at Georgia Obstetrics and Gynecology in Atlanta, Georgia. Other foods, including Brussels sprouts, onions, cabbage, and turnips can also make your pee smell funky because of a metabolic byproduct called methyl mercaptan, a gas with a putrid, sulfurous smell that emerges when your body breaks down these vegetables. Skip the medical care point. Theres also another condition called asymptomatic bacteria that can cause your pee to smell but doesnt necessarily mean you have a UTI. This one's also a rare genetic disorder, but for those afflicted, the odor can also impact breath and sweat, according to Dr. Ellerkmann, so it's hard to get away from. If youre female, it may happen after you give birth or have a certain kind of operation. One is that some people simply dont produce the smell. 7 Ways To Keep Your Vagina Healthy As You Age. It's true that if your vaginal pH is thrown off, you're at a higher risk for developing bacterial vaginosis (an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina), which can have a funky odor, said Dr. Streicher. After the initial rapid drop in water weight, you should continue to lose body fat consistently as long as you stick to the diet and remain in a calorie deficit. When these amino acids build up, their pee or earwax starts to smell sweet. And in the meantime, invest in some Poo-Pourri. For this reason, most people will just perform one test per week or every other week. It monitors acetone, one of the three main ketones in your blood during ketosis (3). Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine. The odor is caused by the buildup and release of toxins in your urine. If you notice your pee is smelling really foul (not just strong, like when you're a little dehydrated), it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection, says Dr. Mark Ellerkmann, director of urogynecology at the Weinberg Center for Women's Health and Medicine in Baltimore. Helping people with diabetes, epilepsy, autoimmune disorders, acid reflux, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and a number of other issues, every day. Pregnancy also raises your chances of urinary tract infections and ketonuria. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Smoking Pot Every Day Linked to Heart Risks, Artificial Sweetener Linked to Heart Risks, FDA Authorizes First At-Home Test for COVID and Flu, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox. Does a Healthy Penis Smell BadAnd What About Semen? If your urine smells sweet, you feel unwell, or you have other symptoms along with foul-smelling urine, though, talk to your doctor. Asparagus contains sulfur-like compounds. Chief among these molecules is methanethiolone of the six to eight sulfur molecules researchers have identified as likely culprits of smelly asparagus pee. This is great for weight loss, but not so great for your body odor. We asked almost 7,000 participants from two large cohort studies to respond to the prompt After eating asparagus, you notice a strong characteristic odor in your urine. By linking the questionnaire data with genetic data, we were able to show that the ability to smell or not to smell depends on a persons genetic makeup. Doing so may increase your risk of digestive issues and nutrient deficiencies. This may be water weight, but fat loss may soon follow. Medicines for diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis also can affect the way your pee smells. On a keto diet, your body undergoes many biological adaptations. If anything, it's something to be aware of if you notice a change in pee smell with no other explanation. We recommend our users to update the browser. Ever settle into the restroom to do your business and, amid the calming sound of your yellow stream, notice an awful smell? The disease can cause other serious symptoms like seizures, sleepiness, irritability, and poor feeding. Cleveland Clinic: Urine Smell: What Does It Mean?, Colorado State University: Water-Soluble Vitamins: B-Complex and Vitamin C 9.312., Journal of the American Medical Directors Association: Cloudy, Foul Smelling Urine Not a Criteria for Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Older Adults., Mayo Clinic: Diabetic ketoacidosis. Urinary tract infection (UTI), Urine odor., Merck Manual Consumer Version: Tyrosinemia., Metabolites: Quantitative Determination of Common Urinary Odorants and Their Glucuronide Conjugates in Human Urine., National Health Service: Kidney stones, Smelly urine., National Organization for Rare Disorders: Maple Syrup Urine Disease., Pacific Mens Health: Men's Health 6 Reasons Your Pee Stinks., U.S National Library of Medicine: Trimethylaminuria.. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Health issues linked to douching include yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. When your ketone levels are elevated, youre considered to be in ketosis. Maybe you can conduct your own survey at the next family meal that includes a platter of asparagus or soon after. She was previously an assistant editor at Health before moving over to Travel + Leisure as a social media editor. And if you're a type 1 or type 2 diabetic who takes insulin, ketones could also affect your urine if your insulin levels are off, and there's not enough glucose for your body to use, Dr. Ellerkmann explains. Some STIs can lead to a smelly discharge in males and females. People who use catheters and urine drainage bags may complain of a stinky urine odour in their bags. Check the nutrition label for carbs if youre using gum or other alternatives like sugar-free drinks. In general, you can expect the keto flu to last anywhere from 24 hours to up to two weeks, as your body adjusts to being in ketosis. Vanillin, the primary chemical present in vanilla, is difficult to identify in two or three people out of a hundred. If youre holding on to it, you will get extra pungent urine.. "Oh thank God I am not the only one with a stinky vajayjay. Keto vs. Mediterranean: Which Diet Is Really Better for You? If you have more waste than water inyour urine, it can smell more strongly. It also has its own odor profile that creates that familiar beer-pee smell. If you have this condition, your urine might just smell like regular ol' pee (to you, at least) even if your urine contains post-asparagus sulfuric compounds. When you get into ketosis, a large part of the brain starts burning ketones instead of glucose. There's actually a scientific explanation, though; asparagus has asparagusic acid, which is responsible for It has been reported 62 percent of women were unable to smell the odor, whereas 58 percent of men reported being unable to smell the odor. Its crunchy yet tender and can be used in everything from salads and soups to pasta dishes. Kidney stones. The initial switch to a keto diet can be one of the biggest issues for new dieters. You might also feel sick, have pain that comes and goes, and have bloody urine. Why does your pee smell after eating asparagus? Experts I'm drinking water like a fish and peeing like it's going out of style. It can also cause stomach pain, throwing up, and feeling sick. When you pee, the sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to It could, for example, be caused by urinary tract infection. These chemicals just happen to be things that we react to. Try drinking more water to mute the smell of your urine. However, its been suggested that this hunger reduction may be due to alterations to your bodys hunger hormones, along with an increased intake of proteins (11, 12). As trimethylamine collects in your body, your sweat, breath, and urine will smell rotten or fishy. Employer: "OP please contact your doctor to provide us with a doctor's note so we can properly file this. But theres no particular reason the keto diet would cause you to break out only around your crotchat least, none that the scientific community has found a direct link to, says Christine Greves, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. Here are 7 tips for how to get into ketosis. Watch out for these clear signs youre not eating enough vegetables. This odor has become so well known that post Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Mens Health, Womens Health, Self, Glamour, and more. Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. After several weeks, many keto dieters report that their performance returns to normal. From vegan to keto, which diet has the highest carbon footprint. All rights reserved. Your pee smells funny (think old and smelly) when you frequently hold it in throughout the day. This includes a reduction in insulin levels and the increased breakdown of fat (1, 2). But, the good news is that it settles down and goes away after you've been keto for awhile. It means they dont have the right enzyme to break down the amino acid tyrosine. Those are chemicals your body makes when you burn fat, instead of glucose, for energy. However, this usually improves in a matter of weeks. But it can also be normal if eating this vegetable doesn't change the smell of your pee. It goes from being mild and lovely to being forceful and pretty terrible. Surgery can fix fistulas. Atkins Vs. So keto rash is a real thing. This gives you an idea of your bodys ketone levels since more acetone leaves the body when youre in nutritional ketosis (9). When these build up in your blood, a compound called abranched-chain alpha-keto acid shows up in your urine and makes it, along with your earwax, smell like maple syrup. Changes in diet can lead to potential changes in vaginal health, which could mean more rashes, says Dr. Shepherd. Most importantly, dont make the mistake of eating a diet that lacks diversity. A healthy vaginal pH is acidicbetween 3.8 and 4.5and foods like onions, garlic, red meat, dairy, asparagus, broccoli, alcohol, and fruit can all affect the natural balance youve got going on, Mary Rosser, MD, PhD, ob-gyn at Montefiore Medical Center in New York previously told Women's Health. Pee doesnt usually have a strong smell. The digestion of asparagus produces methanethiol and S-methyl thioesters, chemical compounds containing stinky sulfur, also known as brimstone. Strong, ammonia-like urine is a sign that youre alittle dehydrated. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. These infections are commonly found in hospital or nursing home patients because the bacteria that causes it (and also gives your pee a metallic scent) thrives in those environments. This odor is because of the breakdown of a substance called asparagusic acid Lycra or spandex is not very breathable, so it's better to go for cotton instead. Ketones can give your urine a sulfur smell.. I have to think happy thoughts during squats," another woman posted on Reddit. Does Tiger urine smell like popcorn? "It's never normal for your vagina to have an odor," said Dr. Streicher. In certain types of ultra-endurance sports and events, a keto diet could even be beneficial (22). Although, many do not consider doing this just for the sake of smelly urine. If you follow keto and start noticing that your vagina smells bad, consider checking in with your OB-GYN. This issue does go away over time though. That's because your body breaks down fat for energy instead of carbs. How dehydrated you are can not only change its color, but also create a much more pungent smell, as can dietary choices and medical conditions. Not everybody, Louis. While its unlikely that a keto diet can maximize performance for elite athletes, once you become fat-adapted, it should be sufficient for general exercise and recreational sports (24). During the first few months there was some extra smell stuff happening all over - crotch and otherwise. But, because your body produces more of them on the keto diet, the excess can make your poop, pee, and breath a little more smelly (again, like nail polish remover). The most common ones that can be experienced for up to two years after following the keto diet, according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), include: These short-term symptoms usually go away within a few days or weeks. Why Your Pee Stinks While on the Keto Diet - LeftoverSwap See additional information. 1996-2021 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. The Keto Diet: What's The Difference? Since you will be taking in more protein when you are following a keto diet, this can increase the amount of ammonia in your pee. During the metabolism of asparagus, sulfur compounds in the asparagus are eliminated from the body through urine, which results in the pungent smell of urine. "One type of ketone, acetone, is an ingredient in some nail polish removers, which is why your breath may smell like this familiar scent," said Cynthia Sass, RD, Health contributing nutrition editor. However, it can often be hard to know whether youre in ketosis or not. Many people report decreased hunger while following a keto diet. Some antibiotics are made from mold and can make your urine smell yeasty. Webketo crotch and the office. pee smells What Is Keto Crotch? - Health That bagged urine really smells because once its out of you, the bacteria flourish, says Dr. Comiter. Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. Here are 10 common signs and symptoms of ketosis, both positive and negative. To make one thing super-clear first, there's no research confirming that keto crotch is, in fact, a legit side effect of the keto diet. Drinkinglots of water throughout the day can help with these smells and keep your urine clear. It can cause bad or fruity-smelling breath for people on a keto diet. Or it could just be something you ate. Morning sickness may leave you dehydrated. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day. A different Reddit user agreed, responding: "Oh boy, yes. But your doctor can help you manage the smell. Tyrosinemia. But whether this is actually being caused by following the keto diet remains up for debate. Sometimes, unusual urine Keto flu, keto breath, keto diarrheait's no secret the keto diet comes with side effects. So can vitamin B-6 supplements. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC. It's pretty rare, and since it's genetic you'll see it in infants and other young kids. Is Keto Crotch Real? Doctors Explain The Keto Diet Side Effect Although the correlation isn't strong or that widely understood, Dr. Ellerkmann says taking a medication that contains sulfa might make your pee smell funky. Wearing breathable fabrics can also help prevent unwanted moisture and scents from building up. Some medicineslike antibiotics can make your urine stink. Dr. Ellerkmann has described it as smelling like maple syrup, burned sugar, or malt. Ammonia (NH 3) is a colorless gas that is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. One of the hallmarks of a keto diet is a reduction in blood sugar levels and an increase in ketones. That's because, like coffee, alcohol is a diuretic that makes the bacteria in urine more concentrated as you pee more and become dehydrated. The truth is, going on a high-fat, low-carb diet can be a little rough on your body at first. These side effects are natural. You dont need to say anything about being under medical care. You can lessen these symptoms by drinking plenty of fluids and getting enough electrolytes. noticed that their vaginas started to emit an intense order after going on the low-carb diet. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Urine odor Causes - Mayo Clinic You can also use special indicator strips to measure the presence of ketones in your urine daily. Urine Metabolites: Quantitative Determination of Common Urinary Odorants and Their Glucuronide Conjugates in Human Urine., Indiana University Health: Urine Trouble If You Eat Asparagus., UnityPoint Health: What Causes Urine to Smell Bad?, CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology: Crowdsourced Asparagus Urinary Odor Population Kinetics., BMJ: Sniffing out significant Pee values: genome wide association of asparagus anosmia., Yale Medicine: 5 Ways You Could Pee Better., Family Practice: Accuracy of urinary symptoms and urine microscopy in diagnosing urinary tract infection in women., CDC: Urinary Tract Infection, Chlamydia: Treatment and Care., Kidney Health (Australia): Fact Sheet: Kidney Stones.. If you get one between your bladder and bowels, poop or gas may come out when you pee. Thats why its important to drink water when youre thirsty. Sulfur, in general, is not very pleasant to smell, notes Dr. Bobart. Asparagus might be the most common reason for stinky pee. Mayo Clinic: Hyperglycemia in diabetes, Strong-smelling Urine Not Necessarily Cause for Concern., American Family Physician: Urinalysis: A Comprehensive Review., American Diabetes Association: DKA (Ketoacidosis) & Ketones., Nutrition & Metabolism: Branched-chain amino acids in health and disease: metabolism, alterations in blood plasma, and as supplements., National Organization for Rare Disorders: Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Tyrosinemia Type 1, Trimethylaminuria., MIT Medical: Ask Lucy: Could it B-vitamins?, Harvard Health Publishing: Urine color and odor changes., Frontiers in Psychology: Pregnancy and olfaction: a review., British Journal of General Practice: A nose for trouble., Urology Care Foundation: What is a Bladder Fistula?. Washing inside of it could upset the balance of good and bad bacteria. All rights reserved. Hundreds of variants in the DNA sequence across multiple genes involved in sense of smell are strongly associated with the ability to detect asparagus metabolites in urine. ", On a separate thread, another user slash keto dieter wondered: "Does anyone else's lady bits smell different too? Fun! The meter measures your ketone levels by calculating the amount of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in your blood. As excess sugar spills into your urine, it creates a sweet, sugary smell (and taste), explains Stephanie J. Kielb, MD, an associate Professor of Urology, Medical Education and Obstetrics and Gynecology (Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. You know what your pee should smell like -- you experience it anywhere from six to eight times a day -- so an unfamiliar scent might be a sign that something is awry; a warning message flowing from your body to the toilet. Health posed that question to an OB-GYN, who said keto crotch has never been scientifically investigated. You could just be super sensitive to scents. But, scientifically speaking, why would a diet high in fat and very low in carbs change the scent of your vagina? But a lack of fluids does raise your chances of getting kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Ammonia occurs naturally in water, soil, and the air, and is also found naturally in plants, animals, and the human body. According to some experts on the keto diet, nutritional ketosis is defined as blood ketones equal to or above 0.5 millimolar (mM) (8). If you notice it's a common occurrence, definitely see your doctor. When they follow up verbally--it will be verbal response--reply all on the same email chain and thank them for stopping by to confirm XYZ. Some people say their pee smells like Cheerios, which might be a sweet smell that you should tell your doctor about. Like any other body part, your vagina needs to be kept clean. Asparagus anosmia specifically is caused by a genetic variation that alters olfactory (re: smell) receptors so you're unable to perceive the sulfuric odor, explains Ehsani. Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell? Cleveland Clinic It causes strong or sweet urine. If the Byproducts build up and cause breath, sweat, and urine to smell like boiled cabbage. This chemical on its own smells like rotten eggs, rotting fish, or garbage. You know eating asparagus makes your pee smell weird. That includes sulfonamide antibiotics. Asparagus is a big culprit for smelly urine; in fact, your pee can start smelling like asparagus just 20 minutes after you eat it. Your body gets rid of nutrients you dont need through peeing. All rights reserved. Humans, on the other hand, rely heavily on their visual sense, so various mutations may have occurred in humans that degenerated the capacity to smell asparagus pee as a random error. Certain foods, including asparagus and fish, can make the urine smell. The rest are unaware of the smell. Dr. Comiter refers to this condition as teachers bladder or truckers bladder because those are the people who tend to hold it in a lot since they dont have as much time in the day to go to the bathroom due to their hectic schedules.