DEAR Dr. Fritz,
Cheers to you. I am Che che. I am just wondering because my pee kind of smells. I am starting to get worried. Do I need to really get worried? What could be the reasons for this?
I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.
-Che che of Davao Oriental
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Dear Che che of Davao Oriental,
Your pee is just a mix of water and what is left as waste from our kidneys. If your pee has a lot of water in it, you won’t expect much odor from it. But, if there are more ammonia odor to it, that means that you lack water and you need to drink more.
Of course, certain foods, like asparagus, or onions and garlic can make the smell of your pee different. Other supplements can too. You only need to add more water and other fluids that are free from caffeine.
Alright, let’s see what’s in store and what's likely causing your smelly pee.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones block or slow the urine flow, causing a buildup of salt and ammonia and can also make infections more likely. If the stones are made from cysteine, your urine may smell like rotten eggs.
Uncontrolled Diabetes
If your blood sugar is high, your pee or breath may smell fruity. This sweet smell is from ketonuria, or a buildup of ketones and you could have a serious condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis.
Maple Syrup Urine Disease
If you are born with this condition, you can’t break down certain amino acids. Thus, you may notice syrupy odor in your pee and earwax and a newborn may smell like this a day or two after they’re born.
Oops. We’re out of space. Let’s continue this next time. Until then!
-Dr. Fritz
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(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She is the co-host of digital page of Superbalita. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15-year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” For your questions, you may e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we can not answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)