The NLM reports these symptoms: Some experts have theorized that the keto diet changes vaginal pH (the balance of bacteria in your vagina), which can alter your vaginal scent. I smelled so bad every time I tried keto. It means they dont have the right enzyme to break down the amino acid tyrosine. But, the good news is that it settles down and goes away after you've been keto for awhile. Find out the diseases you can prevent just by washing your hands. With WW And Walking, How To Lose Weight Fast Safely And Naturally. And it's not like smelly pee will stink up your vagina. Heres how much water you really need to drink to stay hydrated. A lower proportion of women were able to detect the odor, compared to men, despite women being thought to have a more keen sense of smell. Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun. Ever settle into the restroom to do your business and, amid the calming sound of your yellow stream, notice an awful smell? 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.. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. That bagged urine really smells because once its out of you, the bacteria flourish, says Dr. Comiter. For this reason, most people will just perform one test per week or every other week. You may start producing smelly urine to the earliest as 15 minutes after eating asparagus, and the effects may last up to 14 hours. If you follow keto and start noticing that your vagina smells bad, consider checking in with your OB-GYN. One small yet famous study found that athletes who had switched to a keto diet burned as much as 230% more fat when they exercised compared to athletes who werent following this diet (23). Check out more body parts youre not washing the right way. Asparagus consumption provides a distinct odor to urine. According to Smith, the odor can begin as early as 15 minutes after ingestion and last up to 14 hours. But the exact compound or how many are causing it is still unknown. There are some common foods and medications that can change the odor of urine. The quick evaporation of those asparagus metabolites when peeing causes your urine to have a sulfurous odor, like rotten eggs or cooked cabbage. UPDATE: For everyone saying asparagus, I just checked my food diary and I last ate asparagus on October 13th. Ketones can give your urine a sulfur smell.. B vitamins can also make your pee look a bright greenish-yellow. Douching with fluids or chemicals will kill the good bacteria and allow bad bacteria to move in instead. Why Does My Urine Smell Strong Like Ammonia. 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. If foods are responsible, the smell should go away after a few hours. But if you notice a rash down there and its not going away, its time to call your doctor, as you could be experiencing a yeast infection, STD, or other skin condition. Whats more, test kits can be expensive. And some say another unpleasant side effect of the keto diet exists: "keto crotch," or a foul-smelling vagina. However, not everyone can smell it. The harmless odor is caused by a breakdown of asparagusic acid. "If PKU is untreated, or if foods containing phenylalanine are eaten, the breath, skin, ear wax, and urine may have a 'mousy or 'musty' odor," Dr. Ellerkmann says. However, this particular side effect of eating asparagus doesnt happen to everyone, and some Along with many other delights, springtime brings the beginning of the asparagus growing season. Extra vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can give it a strong odor. These chemicals just happen to be things that we react to. Try drinking more water to mute the smell of your urine. Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. This is when you begin to reap the benefits of a keto diet. As you pee, these aspargusic acid-turned sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to smell that distinctive asparagus pee scent. There's actually a scientific explanation, though; asparagus has asparagusic acid, which is responsible for What is asparagus pee? 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." Your body needs water to dilute waste products in your urine. Asparagus pee is something that cannot be controlled by anyone. Byproducts build up and cause breath, sweat, and urine to smell like boiled cabbage. Dr. Ellerkmann has described it as smelling like maple syrup, burned sugar, or malt. This is the method is used in most research studies (7). Your perception of diverse odors is absolutely distinct. Ammonia occurs naturally in water, soil, and the air, and is also found naturally in plants, animals, and the human body. OtherUTI symptoms include: Liver disease. Things That Can Affect the Smell of Your Pee - WebMD They can stop or slow urine flow, leading to a buildup of salt and ammonia. Whats the Ideal Ketosis Level for Weight Loss? However, theyre not considered very reliable. 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. 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. While some people believe this to be fat loss, its primarily water weight (2). It also has its own odor profile that creates that familiar beer-pee smell. The culprit of that asparagus pee smell is a particular sulfur compound found only in that vegetable. When you get into ketosis, a large part of the brain starts burning ketones instead of glucose. Vaginal odor can be caused by these other factors as well: If changes in vaginal odor are accompanied by itching, burning, redness, or swelling, you'll want to see your healthcare provider to nail down the exact cause. The most reliable and accurate method of measuring ketosis is to measure your blood ketone levels using a specialized meter. The vagina, the urine, a lot of your body is supposed to have a certain type of acidity, says Brant. But unfortunately, no research exists showing that diet alone can alter vaginal pH. Yes, volunteers sniffed samples of other peoples asparagus pee. Staying in the metabolic state of ketosis on a low carb keto diet requires reducing sugar consumption. It just absolutely shifted my whole mood for my job. The more fat your body burns in ketosis, the more ketones, like acetone, your body produces as byproducts. 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. The Keto Diet: What's The Difference? B vitamins are water soluble, which means your body doesnt store them, and whatever you dont need is removed in your urine. Asparagus isnt the only food that has genetically linked controversial smell or taste effects. It is a normal phenomenon and is not related to the overall health of the individual. Your genes affect whether you can Thomas Mayo, a physician in the 1670s, described the taste of diabetic urine as wonderfully sweet as if it were imbued with honey or sugar. If you have uncontrolled diabetes, your body tries to get rid of extra blood sugar or glucose in the urine, creating the sweet smell, she says. Asparagusic acid is broken into volatile compounds that are discharged through the urine. They provide the main and most efficient fuel source for all forms of high intensity exercise. If your urine smells like metal, you might have a pseudomonas infection. So when you catch a whiff of a not-so-usual odor, it can really freak you out. 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. 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.. I'm diabetic and thinking about starting keto again but I smelled sooooo bad. The sweet smell is from ketonuria, or a buildup of ketones. 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). Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine. Maybe you can conduct your own survey at the next family meal that includes a platter of asparagus or soon after. People often report brain fog, tiredness, and feeling sick when starting a very low carb diet. Liver disease can make your pee and breath smell musty. Okay, so people are definitely experiencing something funky going on with their vaginal scents. Like any other body part, your vagina needs to be kept clean. They can tell you if its normal. PKU, short for phenylketonuria, is another inherited disorder where the body can't break down phenylalanine, an amino acid found in protein. If you need to go, let it flow. 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. Ultimately, if you are following the guidelines of a keto diet and staying consistent, you should be in some form of ketosis. This article, Breakfast cereals boast impressive health claims, but many are high in sugar and refined carbs. See additional information. Like Brussels sprouts, methyl mercaptan occurs naturally in the vegetable. I'm eating leafy greens. But that doesn't mean people aren't still experiencing some less-than-pleasant odors down there on the keto diet. Studies report that 22 to 50 percent of the population have smelly urine following consumption of asparagus. Helping people with diabetes, epilepsy, autoimmune disorders, acid reflux, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and a number of other issues, every day. Thats called hyperosmia. Theyre commonly used to treat UTIs and other infections. Sulfa is found in some diabetes medication, antibiotics, migraine medicine, anti-inflammatories, and (quite fittingly) diuretics. If you're on the keto diet and develop a rash, dont just blame it on the diet, she says. 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. Those are chemicals your body makes when you burn fat, instead of glucose, for energy. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Here are 7 tips for how to get into ketosis. They have even been tested in a medical setting to treat brain diseases and conditions such as concussion and memory loss (16, 17, 18, 19). Water-soluble vitamins are excreted into your urine, Dr. Kielb says. One big issue for many keto dieters is sleep, especially when they first change their diet (14). After several weeks, many keto dieters report that their performance returns to normal. Asparagusic acid is only found in asparagus, though Smith says there are plenty of other foods that can change the smell of your urine. Here are 10 common signs and symptoms of ketosis, both positive and negative. The inability to smell this asparagus pee is an example of. Fast weight loss can occur during the first week. And that means that even if your pee is the same, it may seem like the odor is weird or more intense. When followed correctly, this low carb, high fat diet will raise your blood levels of ketones. Lycra or spandex is not very breathable, so it's better to go for cotton instead. 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. The stinky pee smell might not be related to your keto diet at all. In most cases, a strong smell isnt a sign of disease. Urine Some medicineslike antibiotics can make your urine stink. It happens when your body cant break down trimethylamine. These side effects are natural. You may start producing smelly urine to the earliest as 15 minutes after eating asparagus, and the effects may last up to 14 hours. If your urine smells sweet, you feel unwell, or you have other symptoms along with foul-smelling urine, though, talk to your doctor. Keto flu, keto breath, keto diarrheait's no secret the keto diet comes with side effects. As for hours my pee smells more like days. Douching can open you up to a whole host of other issues and increase your risk of infection.) Or your genitals may itch, and it might burn when you pee. Many people report decreased hunger while following a keto diet. The other hypothesis is that everyone produces the odor, but they may not actually smell anything. Bacterial infections like chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. A 2016 study found that whether or not someone could smell asparagus pee is associated with a genetic variation near multiple olfactory receptor genes. You know eating asparagus makes your pee smell weird. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. See additional information. 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). Here's what the keto flu is, why it happens. Another way to measure blood ketone levels is a breath analyzer. If your baby has the disease, you may notice this syrupy odor a day or two after theyre born. Youll need another kind of medicine for viral infections. Too much of this compound can give body fluids, like urine, a rotten odor. Here is everything you need to know about these. Despite its unfavorable odor after you eat it, its still recommended to keep enjoying asparagus so you can reap all of its health benefits. Like not a nasty infectious smell, just like a stronger natural smell? Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 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. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It could, for example, be caused by urinary tract infection. As trimethylamine collects in your body, your sweat, breath, and urine will smell rotten or fishy. It has a strong odor that smells like urine or sweat. Since women are generally better able to detect smells, its possible some women were either too polite to mention the smell or didnt pick up on it due to their position while peeing. Coffee contains caffeol, the fragrant oil you smell after it's brewed, which you smell again when you pee it out, especially if you've downed a lot of it. This content is imported from poll. Given that the keto diet is high in fat, it can end up making your poop a little more liquidy than usual, Barbie Boules, RDN, founder of Nyoutrition previously told WH. This is dangerous and can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, the American Diabetes Association warns. Asparagus consumption provides a distinct odor to urine. 7 Ways To Keep Your Vagina Healthy As You Age. As you progress into a keto diet, youll start to burn fat and ketones as your main fuel sources. You might experience digestive issues, such as constipation or diarrhea, when you first switch to a keto diet. Pregnancy also raises your chances of urinary tract infections and ketonuria. But while theres no direct link, going keto could potentially have an indirect effect on whether you develop a rash. Many people on keto and similar diets, like the Atkins diet, report that their breath takes on an unusual, fruity smell. But a lack of fluids does raise your chances of getting kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Ammonia (NH 3) is a colorless gas that is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. Yes. pee smell In this day and age, urologists run blood tests, not taste tests, to check for diabetes. Digestive issues such as constipation and diarrhea are common side effects in the beginning (14). It was darker in colour but it didnt smell the way asparagus infused pee does. 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. What Makes Urine Smell? - WebMD Tell your doctor if you have a fever, blood in your pee, or if youre in a lot of pain. It can cause bad or fruity-smelling breath for people on a keto diet. These products may raise your blood sugar levels and reduce your ketone levels. Press J to jump to the feed. But some foods -- especially asparagus, which has a smelly sulfur compound -- can change the odor. 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. Vitamins dissolve either in fat or water before they are absorbed by your body. Your vagina and nose will thank you. The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a popular, effective way to lose weight and improve your health. Keto crotch sounds similar to the keto breath phenomenon. Some stones are made from cystine, a substance with sulfur in it. Your genes affect whether you can smell these sulfur byproducts. Yes, there's actually a disease for your pee named after the sweet breakfast condiment. Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell? Cleveland Clinic Amy Krambeck, MD, Michael O. Koch professor of urology, Indiana University School of Medicine. When you pee, the sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to A change in vaginal smell could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis or an STD. This is termed the low carb flu or keto flu.. Keto diets, along with other low carb diets, are highly effective for weight loss (4, 5). "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. /r/keto is place to share thoughts, ideas, benefits, and experiences around eating within a Ketogenic lifestyle. The soap you use is also important. And then theres keto diarrhea, which is about as fun as it sounds. Asparagus is the perfect springtime vegetable. Brushing your teeth several times per day or using sugar-free gum can resolve the issue. 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. There are 3 types of tyrosinemia, which cause problems breaking down theamino acid tyrosine. The short-term side effects of a keto diet are better known. 1996-2021 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. The harmless odor is caused by a breakdown of asparagusic acid. This odor is because of the breakdown of a substance called asparagusic acid A problem with your liver can make yourskin and eyes yellow and your urine dark and smelly. According to some experts on the keto diet, nutritional ketosis is defined as blood ketones equal to or above 0.5 millimolar (mM) (8). 9 Causes of Smelly Urineand What To Do About It - Health Unfortunately no, according to Smith. Or it could just be something you ate. It monitors acetone, one of the three main ketones in your blood during ketosis (3). Here are the biggest culprits of why you're stinking up the toilet bowl. There are hills to die on, and this ain't one of 'em. 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. They can be a quick and cheap method to assess your ketone levels each day. "Too much coffee will make your urine concentrated, and hence will impart a foul odor to your urine," internist Dr. Aditi Gupta, head of the doctor's panel at JustDoc, says. Asparagus Pee If you mess with the acidity, things dont work out very well. The lesson here is to just leave your vagina alone. 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. 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. These receptors are regulated by hundreds of genes. With Walk At Home And MIRROR', This Mom Lost 95 Lbs. To reduce fatigue during this switch, you may want to take electrolyte supplements. Maxine Yeung is a registered dietitian and personal trainer. However, they tend to improve again after the initial adaptation phase is over. The group of peeps who have experienced smelling an off scent down below seems to be pretty large, at least on the Internet. 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). How long does it take to go away? The study Asparagus Pee Smell You may lose a noticeable amount of weight as early as your first week on the keto diet. Well-known side effects can include weakness and fatigue (15). Some women on Reddit have reported the smell going away after a while, while others said it persisted. asparagus pee smells She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day. This odor is because of the breakdown of a substance called asparagusic acid that is present in asparagus into sulfur-containing compounds. It was like a light switched one day I couldnt smell it, next time I ate asparagus the strong smell was there. If the odour persists or your urine becomes cloudy, seek a physicians care. 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. Chief among these molecules is methanethiolone of the six to eight sulfur molecules researchers have identified as likely culprits of smelly asparagus pee. That's because your body breaks down fat for energy instead of carbs. The only thing you should be using to cleanse your vaginal area is water. This may happen more often in children who dont pee when they feel the urge. 13. The smell is present; you just can't detect it. 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. 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. One of the hallmarks of a keto diet is a reduction in blood sugar levels and an increase in ketones. Most everyone knows about asparagus pee, but there are some other foods and medications that can also change the odor of the urine. 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). Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. If youre holding on to it, you will get extra pungent urine.. When these amino acids build up, their pee or earwax starts to smell sweet. 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. The rest are unaware of the smell. Some people avoid eating cilantro because they claim it has a soapy aftertaste. Initially, you may suffer from tiredness and low energy. Why Does My Pee Smell? Asparagus, UTIs & More Things It It causes symptoms like fruity breath, sweet-smelling urine, excessive thirst, and tiredness. 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. Foods that convert tosulfur compounds in your body can make your urine smell rotten. Sarah Coseo Markt receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. Garlic, onions and brussels sprouts, for example, all break down into sulfur compounds when digested. The specific culprit is acetone, a ketone that exits the body in your urine and breath (3). Keto Crotch Is A Thing You Should Know About, The Real Difference Between Keto And Low-Carb. It doesnt mean youre unhealthy. Unravel The Science Mysteries Of Asparagus Pee What it is, how it works, what to eat, what to avoid and a sample paleo meal plan for one week. In certain types of ultra-endurance sports and events, a keto diet could even be beneficial (22). 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. You may need to take antibiotics to get better. Now, people are talking about another unpleasant side effect of the keto diet: keto crotch. 2023 Readers Digest Magazines Ltd. - All rights reserved, Photo: Dutourdumonde Photography/Shutterstock, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). Your pee or breath may smell fruity if you dont treat high blood sugar. This smell is commonly compared to rotten cabbage or rotten eggs and can come from eating asparagus, garlic, and onions. In addition to having an unfamiliar smell down there, some women are also reporting that theyve noticed a rash in their crotch area on the keto diet (fun!). So while plenty of people are sure the keto diet is the cause of their odorous vagina, no science yet supports this. Pee Smell It then disposes of the ketones through both exhalation and urination. Thats why its important to drink water when youre thirsty.