Everyone remembers the first time their pee looked or smelled… different. It’s a small moment that makes you take a pause. You stare. You replay what you ate. Did you take any vitamins? Most of the time, the explanation is boring. Occasionally, though, it isn’t.
Here are 9 weird pee smells and colors that come up a lot, plus what they could mean.
1. Asparagus funk
Ah, yes. The infamous asparagus pee smell, the one that hits before you’ve even finished washing your hands. Medical research has shown that some foods alter urine odor as they’re metabolized, and asparagus announces itself with absolutely zero restraint.
2. Sweet or fruity smell
If urine starts smelling sweet, extra sugar in the bloodstream is one possible cause. Studies associate it with uncontrolled diabetes and rare metabolic disorders, which makes it a get-it-checked-now situation.
3. Ammonia smell
An ammonia smell in urine can be your body’s way of saying it’s dehydrated. If the odor persists or feels out of place, it’s time to consider infection or kidney health.
4. Dark yellow or amber
Another tell-tale sign of dehydration is darker urine. According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration can deepen urine color, which is your body’s low-budget reminder to drink fluids. You bought that Stanley, now use it.
5. Orange
Some medications can turn urine orange, which is annoying but harmless. But research also shows that liver or bile duct trouble can do the same, and that’s not something to brush off.
6. Pink or red
Sometimes it’s just beets. Sometimes it’s blood. Medical experts make it clear that red or pink urine warrants a quick evaluation rather than assumptions.
7. Brown or cola
Brown or cola-colored urine isn’t something to shrug off as a weird phase. A brownish color could indicate liver problems and muscle breakdown, especially when it appears after intense exercise or during illness.
8. Cloudy or milky
When urine looks cloudy, a urinary tract infection is one possibility to consider. If peeing also feels painful or uncomfortable, it’s usually a sign that something needs attention.
9. Greenish-blue
Yes, urine can turn greenish-blue, and it’s usually traceable to medication or something you ate. If that color change comes with pain or fever, it’s a sign to get medical advice sooner rather than later.
If a change shows up suddenly and sticks around, or you have pain or fever, call your doctor right away. And if you see red urine and can’t confidently blame a beet, don’t white-knuckle it through the week.
The post Why Is My Pee Blue? 9 Weird Pee Smells and Colors, Explained appeared first on VICE.
