Foods That Aren't as Healthy as You Think. That distinctive springtime smell: Asparagus pee - The Conversation "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. And it's not like smelly pee will stink up your vagina. The vegetable is still healthy and a good part of your diet, says Dr. Brant. The rest are unaware of the smell. Asparagus There are hills to die on, and this ain't one of 'em. The 6 Biggest Keto Diet Mistakes Yet, science does show that going keto can change the odor of your breath and urine, making both smell like nail polish remover. However, not everyone can smell it. You may notice the smell as the fluid mixes with your pee. You may go to the bathroom a lot if you have a UTI. I'm not drinking as much water because having to run home every time is a huge inconvenience as well as a huge embarrassing reminder. Whats more, there are further benefits primarily an increased ability to burn more fat during exercise. How long does it take to go away? Certain foods, including asparagus and fish, can make the urine smell. Drinkinglots of water throughout the day can help with these smells and keep your urine clear. 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). You can also use special indicator strips to measure the presence of ketones in your urine daily. Talk to a doctor about what vitamin doses are right for you. Asparagus might be the most common reason for stinky pee. So while plenty of people are sure the keto diet is the cause of their odorous vagina, no science yet supports this. Ever settle into the restroom to do your business and, amid the calming sound of your yellow stream, notice an awful smell? 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. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. On the low carb, high fat keto diet, your body enters a state in which you burn fat for your main source of fuel rather than carbs.Learn how to. 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. Atkins Vs. If this sounds horrible, it is. But, it's important not to overdo it by washing excessively or using scented products like perfumes, powders, and deodorant sprays. "Alcohol ferments and causes the odor of the urine to be like rotting greens," Dr. Gupta says. 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. The soap you use is also important. Watch out for these clear signs youre not eating enough vegetables. I'm five weeks on keto and I work in a leasing office. Helping people with diabetes, epilepsy, autoimmune disorders, acid reflux, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and a number of other issues, every day. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The only thing you should be using to cleanse your vaginal area is water. Your genes affect whether you can This article tells you how long it takes to enter. When adding these supplements, make sure to include sodium, potassium, and magnesium. This odor is because of the breakdown of a substance called asparagusic acid If your pee smells funny in a very distinct way, its time to drink up. 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). Health posed that question to an OB-GYN, who said keto crotch has never been scientifically investigated. Why Does the Keto Diet Cause ConstipationAnd How Can You Stop It? Pee Smell Some foods have compounds that naturally have astrong odor and can make your urine smell. 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. Pee Smell It's actually an inflammatory disease called prurigo pigmentosa thats often characterized by red, itchy bumps on the neck, back, and stomachand the keto diet can potentially trigger it. If there is such a thing, that is. Here are 7 tips for how to get into ketosis. There are many fast food options available that are low in carbs. Does a Healthy Penis Smell BadAnd What About Semen? But tbh, that's probably not what's going on here, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a minimally invasive gynecologist in Dallas and founder of Her Viewpoint. The rest are unaware of the smell. Coffee is also a diuretic, which doesn't help things. This unpleasant smell is from the buildup of phenylalanine in the body, and if untreated, could lead to serious health complications such as intellectual disability, seizures, and brain damage. Onions make you cry, and they also make your urine stinky. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use. 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. Urine smells like fish It was like a light switched one day I couldnt smell it, next time I ate asparagus the strong smell was there. Does Tiger urine smell like popcorn? These products may raise your blood sugar levels and reduce your ketone levels. There's actually a scientific explanation, though; asparagus has asparagusic acid, which is responsible for the distinctive scent in your urine. "Sweet-smelling urine typically indicates the presence of sugar or glucose," Dr. Ellerkmann says. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. 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. Keto vs. Mediterranean: Which Diet Is Really Better for You? 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.. Webketo crotch and the office. It can take a few days or weeks for this to start working properly. It may smell like cabbage. Some of these issues should subside after the transition period, but it may be important to be mindful of different foods that may be causing digestive issues. Many creatures rely on their sense of smell to survive. What Makes Urine Smell? - WebMD Foods. What is the link between genetics and asparagus pee? What does pee smell like when in ketosis? - Quora As you pee, these aspargusic acid-turned sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to smell that distinctive asparagus pee scent. It just absolutely shifted my whole mood for my job. Our doctors define difficult medical language in easy-to-understand explanations of over 19,000 medical terms. He says that one cannot prevent the breakdown of asparagusic acid if they have the enzymes present in their body.. Pee Smell If asparagus is on the menu, it may rear its ugly smell as early as a mid-meal bathroom break. Testing blood ketone levels with a monitor is the most accurate way to determine whether youre in ketosis. 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?. It doesnt mean youre unhealthy. Some foods and medications, such as asparagus or certain vitamins, can cause a noticeable urine odor, even in low concentrations. You may start producing smelly urine to the earliest as 15 minutes after eating asparagus, and the effects may last up to 14 hours. But that doesn't mean people aren't still experiencing some less-than-pleasant odors down there on the keto diet. You might get this kind of fistula if you have cancer or an inflammatory condition, like Crohns disease or diverticulitis. 7 Ways To Keep Your Vagina Healthy As You Age. This odor is because of the breakdown of a substance called asparagusic acid that is present in asparagus into sulfur-containing compounds. This rare, life-threatening genetic condition prevents the body from breaking down some amino acids. They work by forcing your body to burn fat for fuel instead of relying on glucose from carbs for energy. Fast weight loss can occur during the first week. If foods are responsible, the smell should go away after a few hours. The other hypothesis is that everyone produces the odor, but they may not actually smell anything. Once it gets there, it stays there. This issue does go away over time though. When your body is in ketosis (a.k.a., it breaks down fat for fuel instead of carbs), it produces ketones (chemicals like acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetoneyes, that last one is the same ingredient in nail polish remover). Ammonia (NH 3) is a colorless gas that is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. This chemical on its own smells like rotten eggs, rotting fish, or garbage. And just because you dont smell it doesnt mean youre not making it. After several decades of running on a carb-heavy fuel system, your body is forced to adapt to a different system. If youre holding on to it, you will get extra pungent urine.. This is because your sense of scent, like your perception of color, is determined by your genes. Its entirely possible that you were just unlucky enough to develop an infection or other gynecological issue at the same time as you went keto, and that it has nothing to do with your diet, says Dr. Greves. If youre prone to infections or bacteria, then the bacteria will grow and grow until you pee them out, says Dr. Comiter. Keto diets, along with other low carb diets, are highly effective for weight loss (4, 5). Yes, volunteers sniffed samples of other peoples asparagus pee. Why Your Pee Stinks While on the Keto Diet - LeftoverSwap The odor is caused by the buildup and release of toxins in your urine. Sulfa is found in some diabetes medication, antibiotics, migraine medicine, anti-inflammatories, and (quite fittingly) diuretics. I'm about to ovulate so maybe that with keto makes things a little more potent. You know eating asparagus makes your pee smell weird. While theres always waste in your urine, like ammonia, the smell is stronger if youre dehydrated. Amy Krambeck, MD, Michael O. Koch professor of urology, Indiana University School of Medicine. Unfortunately no, according to Smith. They can also make infections more likely. Im sorry they handled this so poorly, truly. 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, Related to Incontinence & Overactive Bladder. Were talking headaches, fatigue, body aches, dizziness, and nausea. This is dangerous and can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, the American Diabetes Association warns. asparagus pee smells "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. Ketones are chemical byproducts that provide a new fuel source for your cells. Maple syrup urine disease is an inherited condition in which the body can't break down certain amino acids properly, and creates a sweet smell in the urine. It can cause bad or fruity-smelling breath for people on a keto diet. While youre in there, you might get a whiff of something that doesnt smell good. It's pretty rare, and since it's genetic you'll see it in infants and other young kids. This may be water weight, but fat loss may soon follow. Health issues linked to douching include yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University. Here's what the keto flu is, why it happens. It's also a genetic thing -- not everyone who eats asparagus pees out that funky stench, and not everyone can smell it, although it's more common than not. Some antibiotics are made from mold and can make your urine smell yeasty. Instead, a more plausible theory is that going on the keto diet impacts your vaginal pHand that changes your vaginal odor, she says. When voided from the body, they become foul-smelling gas, wafting up from your asparagus pee. That's also why your pee becomes dark and bad-smelling, she adds, because as your body gets dehydrated from drinking too much coffee, the bacteria become more concentrated in your waste. The smell is present; you just can't detect it. Crystals made of waste products and minerals can build up in your kidneys and form hard stones, which can cause strong-smelling urine. Tell your doctor if you have a fever, blood in your pee, or if youre in a lot of pain. It comes with a whole slew of pretty gnarly side effects like the keto flu, keto breath, and keto diarrhea. Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. The stinky pee smell might not be related to your keto diet at all. The measurement of breath acetones has been used since the 1960s to judge the level of ketosis that occurs in the body, according to a November 2015 article published in Obesity. This is when you begin to reap the benefits of a keto diet. When these amino acids build up, their pee or earwax starts to smell sweet. And if you've been swimming or wading in a river, lake, or chlorinated pool, it can also help to shower or rinse off after you've been in water. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. Does Garlic Actually Treat Yeast Infections? The vagina, the urine, a lot of your body is supposed to have a certain type of acidity, says Brant. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid, an odorless acid that breaks down into volatile sulfurous byproducts, Dr. Christopher Smith, associate professor of urology at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. 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. Ketones can give your urine a sulfur smell.. Sulfur, in general, is not very pleasant to smell, notes Dr. Bobart. On a keto diet, your body undergoes many biological adaptations. Morning sickness may leave you dehydrated. Your body gets rid of nutrients you dont need through peeing. It monitors acetone, one of the three main ketones in your blood during ketosis (3). This may further increase focus and improve brain function (20, 21). Go see your doctor right away. So can vitamin B-6 supplements. In certain types of ultra-endurance sports and events, a keto diet could even be beneficial (22). Keto Crotch Is A Thing You Should Know About, The Real Difference Between Keto And Low-Carb. Well-known side effects can include weakness and fatigue (15). When your body isnt getting the glucose it needs for energy, your body begins to burn fat for energy, which produces ketones. 1996-2021 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. These are chemicals that are naturally produced by your body. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC. Maple syrup urine disease. However, it can often be hard to know whether youre in ketosis or not. When you enter a state of ketosis, usually by purposely forgoing almost all carbs and going on a keto diet, your body releases ketones as it burns fat for fuel. Tell them you are under the care of a medical doctor and if they are saying you are prohibited from using the common bathroom, you'll need that in writing on official company letterhead or email. 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). Scientists believe the odor in question is due to two chemicals: methanethiol and S-methyl thioester. You may end up having the keto flu, which is basically a bunch of flu-like symptoms that often appear at the beginning of the keto diet. Learn these things your poop can teach about your health. The Ayurvedic diet is based on the principles of Ayurvedic medicine and focuses on balancing different types of energy within your body. Sign up for Yahoo Lifes daily newsletter, Women who had ovarian cysts share their stories, A sugar replacement may be linked to heart attacks and strokes, but don't throw it out yet. These often cause people to quit the diet before they get into full ketosis and reap many of the long-term benefits. See additional information. Poor sleep and insomnia are common symptoms during the initial stages of ketosis. Anyone eating asparagus has the potential to produce pungent-smelling urine; however, not everyone can smell it. Your genes affect whether you can smell these sulfur byproducts. Genes for Smelling Asparagus Metabolites Determine Urine The Ketogenic Diet is a low carbohydrate method of eating. 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. When you pee, the sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to . Just say you want their outrageous demand in writing. "It's never normal for your vagina to have an odor," said Dr. Streicher. But, scientifically speaking, why would a diet high in fat and very low in carbs change the scent of your vagina? Experts say the Mediterranean, DASH, and flexitarian diets have the best foundations and are among the easiest to follow. When your body is in ketosis (a.k.a., it breaks down fat for fuel instead of carbs), it produces ketones (chemicals like acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and Odd smells along with feeling sick, pain, orbloody urine are a sign you should see your doctor. Wearing breathable fabrics can also help prevent unwanted moisture and scents from building up. Employer: "OP please contact your doctor to provide us with a doctor's note so we can properly file this. Asparagus is a big culprit for smelly urine; in fact, your pee can start smelling like asparagus just 20 minutes after you eat it. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. However, this usually improves in a matter of weeks. Short-term decreases in performance can occur. So when you catch a whiff of a not-so-usual odor, it can really freak you out. Though most everyone probably produces the scent to some degree, it seems not everyones noses pick up on it. Pee Smell To reduce fatigue during this switch, you may want to take electrolyte supplements. Asparagus pee is not the only aroma that causes anosmia in some people. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC. So keto rash is a real thing. This is termed the low carb flu or keto flu.. Fluids help water down, or dilute, your pee.