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If Your Pee Looks Or Smells Like This, It's Time To See A Doctor

There are a few contributing factors to a change in your urine's smell or color. Here are the biggest red flags that indicate you should get it checked out. (Photo: Kasipat Phonlamai / EyeEm via Getty Images)

When taking a trip to the bathroom, you probably don’t notice your pee’s appearance or smell most of the time.

Typically our urine is made up of 95% pure water and 5% other compounds. For the most part, “normal” urine doesn’t smell if you’re healthy and well-hydrated. Additionally, urine is typically a light yellow color, similar to lemonade. (If it’s clear, you may be drinking too much water.)

However, when there’s something going on, odors can start to arise and pee may change color. Here are some changes that might warrant a trip to the doctor’s office:

Pee with a sweet or fruity scent

If your pee smells sweet or fruity, that can be a red flag that something is going on that you’ll want to see a doctor about. 

“Diabetes is a condition in which the body is not able to shift sugar into the cell and thus excess sugar remains in the bloodstream,” said Dr. Katherine Klos, a board-certified urologist and Uqora medical adviser. “Excess sugar eventually makes it into your urine, causing an increase in urine volume along with a characteristic sweet scent.”

Alongside a sweet smell, you may also notice more frequent trips to the bathroom, which can also be an indication of diabetes.

An ammonia scent

You may be familiar with the scent of ammonia from cleaning products or smelling salts. If your pee starts to smell like ammonia, that may be a cause for concern. 

“If urine becomes highly concentrated, a high level of waste products with minimal water, it may have a strong ammonia odor,” said Dr. Larry Orbuch, the medical director of GYN Laparoscopic Associates in Los Angeles.  

Dr. Jodie Horton, chief wellness adviser for Love Wellness, also noted that ammonia-smelling pee could indicate liver disease. If this is happening to you, make an appointment with your physician.

(editor：)