Odorous urine can indicate numerous medical issues or be completely benign, according to The Washington Manual Nephrology Subspecialty Consult by David Windus and Katherine E. Henderson. Urinary tract infections, diabetic ketoacidosis, cystine decomposition and several others may be suggested by telltale smells. However, the simple presence of certain foods in the diet can also have this effect, and in such cases is not typically cause for concern.
Asparagus
Asparagus is well-known to produce especially pungent urine, and there have been multiple studies conducted to investigate this phenomenon. According to articles published by the National Institutes of Health, a study conducted in France in the 1980s found that every one of its 103 test subjects produced odorous urine after consuming five asparagus spears and 250 ml of water. Another study involving 307 subjects in Israel found that only some of the subjects could actually smell the trademark odor in urine samples that were verified to contain the odor-causing compounds, leading researchers to hypothesize that nearly everyone who eats asparagus produces pungent urine, but that only some people can actually smell it.
Onions
The Urine in Health and Disease by Arthur Hill Hassall states that onions contain certain compounds that cause odors detectable in urine. This effect is also documented in Chemical and Microscopical Analysis of the Urine in Health and Disease by George Bingham Fowler.
Garlic
Hassall notes that consumption of garlic may result in garlicky-smelling urine. According to Basic Medical Laboratory Techniques by Barbara H. Estridge, Anna P. Reynolds and Norma J. Walters, this smell can also be similar in quality and intensity to that of asparagus-affected urine.
Fish
Consumption of fish may yield fishy-smelling urine, according to Pediatric Nephrology and Urology: The Requisites in Pediatrics by Bernard S. Kaplan and Kevin E. C. Meyers.
Cubebs
The cubeb is a small tropical plant that bears pepper-shaped fruit of the same name, sometimes called cubeb berries. Hassall and Fowler cite cubebs as imparting their natural odors into urine.
Juniper Berries
Hassall also identifies juniper berries, the spicy, aromatic berries traditionally used to flavor gin, as a food that gives urine a scent reminiscent of the plant.
Coffee
Windus and Henderson note that heavy consumption of coffee can result in coffee-scented urine.
Saffron
Hassall identifies saffron, the sweet, yellow spice common to many Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, as another food that affects urine odor. Carl Neubauer, Julius Vogel and Edward Stickney Wood's A Guide to the Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Urine mentions saffron as a food that can lead to a false medical diagnosis or mask a genuine issue in cases where urine odor is considered as a symptom.
References
- "The Washington Manual Nephrology Subspecialty Consult"; David Windus, Katherine E. Henderson; 2004
- National Institutes of Health: Odorous Urine in Man After Asparagus
- "The Urine in Health and Disease"; Arthur Hill Hassall; 1903
- "Chemical and Microscopical Analysis of the Urine in Health and Disease" George Bingham Fowler; 1876
- "Basic Medical Laboratory Techniques"; Barbara H. Estridge, Anna P. Reynolds, Norma J. Walters; 2000
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