If your urine has a fishy odor, it’s often related to diet or water intake, which is temporary and easily remedied. But, sometimes, it may signal an underlying condition that needs treatment.
Urine is made up of water and a small concentration of waste products. Urine typically has a subtle odor of its own, but this can change or fluctuate for a number of reasons. In some cases, your urine may even take on a fishy smell.
Keep reading to find out what may be behind your symptoms and what you can do to find relief.
In many cases, a fishy-smelling pee is simply indicative of what you eat or drink. Your urine contains some of the chemical compounds found in food you’ve recently consumed. These compounds will carry some of the food’s scent into your urine.
With that in mind, it’s unsurprising that eating fish can cause your urine to have a fishy smell. Other foods that can cause this include eggs, dairy, and some meat. This may be due to the fact that these foods contain choline, a substance associated with fishy body odor in general.
Other foods that can cause this include asparagus, which
Dehydration can also cause or aggravate the fishy smell in your urine. When you’re dehydrated, there’s less water to dilute the concentrations of chemicals. This will give your urine a stronger smell.
Since caffeine can also be a cause of fishy-smelling urine. It’s also a diuretic that can worsen dehydration, so it may be a good idea to limit it.
What you can do
You can avoid foods known to cause fishy-smelling urine, but this can be difficult. Instead, make sure you drink plenty of water—especially when drinking caffeine—to help dilute the scent and stay hydrated.
That said, there can be medical causes of fishy pee.
A UTI can cause bacteria from the infection to contaminate the urine, resulting in a distinct fishy smell. UTIs are
What you can do
If your symptoms haven’t disappeared within 24 hours, see your doctor. They’ll prescribe antibiotics to help eradicate the infection before it spreads to the kidneys.
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Bacterial vaginosis occurs when there is too much “bad” bacteria in the vagina, disrupting the balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria. This can cause a grayish, fishy-smelling vaginal discharge that may be noticeable when urinating.
What you can do
Sometimes bacterial vaginosis will go away on its own. If your symptoms persist for a week or more, see your doctor. Your doctor can treat it with antibiotics, though it may return after treatment is over.
Trimethylaminuria is a rare metabolic disorder that occurs when the body is unable to break down certain compounds properly. This includes fishy-smelling trimethylamine.
Trimethylamine is produced in the intestines after consuming certain types of food that are high in protein. With trimethylaminuria, trimethylamine is released into the urine instead of being broken down.
What you can do
Trimethylaminuria is inherited, and there is no cure. However, foods that contain choline
Prostatitis is an acute inflammation of the prostate gland in men. It’s caused by a bacterial infection. It can progress quickly. The bacteria in the urine can cause it to smell like fish.
What you can do
If you suspect prostatitis, see your doctor. Your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics to treat the infection.
While you’re waiting for the antibiotics to work, your doctor may prescribe you alpha blockers. These relax the bladder neck and reduce painful urination. Anti-inflammatory drugs —including over-the-counter options like ibuprofen (Advil) — can also be effective.
Kidney stones moving into or from the kidneys can cause an infection somewhere in the urinary tract. This infection will affect the urine and can cause urine that smells like fish. It may also cause blood in the urine or cloudy urine.
What you can do
Some kidney stones will pass on their own, but if you’re experiencing severe pain, you should see your doctor.
Your doctor can prescribe pain medication to make your symptoms more bearable. They can also prescribe an alpha blocker to relax the bladder and make it easier for the stone to pass.
If the stone is larger and at risk of becoming stuck in the urinary tract, your doctor may perform surgery to remove it.
Although liver problems usually don’t cause urine that smells like fish, it’s possible.
This is especially true of liver failure. This occurs when the liver isn’t functioning properly and is unable to process toxins as it should. These toxins are then released in the urine, causing a strong smell.
If liver problems are causing fish-smelling urine, you’re likely to notice other symptoms, too. This includes jaundice and more difficulty urinating.
What you can do
Your individual treatment plan will depend on the diagnosis. Some liver problems will be treated with lifestyle changes, including a modified diet and potentially losing weight. Others may require treatment, including dialysis or surgery.
Cystitis is bladder inflammation caused by a bacterial infection, such as a UTI. The bacteria can result in a strong fish smell in the urine.
What you can do
Your doctor will likely prescribe you antibiotics to get rid of the infection before it spreads to the kidneys. You can use a heating pad to relieve discomfort. Drinking plenty of water can help flush the infection from your system.
Phenylketonuria is an uncommon inherited disorder. It raises the number of phenylalanine in the blood. This can cause a buildup of the substance in the body and a high concentration of phenylalanine in the urine, which can cause a fishy odor. It usually affects infants.
What you can do
Phenylketonuria can’t be cured, but treatment can be highly effective at managing symptoms. It’s essential to follow a diet low in phenylalanine.
This means avoiding foods containing the substance, such as:
- milk
- cheese
- some artificial sweeteners
- fish
- chicken
- eggs
- beans
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a protozoan parasite. In some cases, the infection causes vaginal discharge that has a strong fish-like odor. This discharge may be clear, white, yellow, or greenish.
What you can do
If you suspect trichomoniasis, see your doctor. They’ll prescribe oral antibiotics to clear the infection. To prevent reinfection, wait 7 to 10 days after both you and your partner have finished treatment to resume sexual activity.
If your urine has started to smell like fish and there isn’t an obvious reason why — like diet or dehydration — make an appointment to see your doctor within the next couple of days. You can book an appointment with a urologist in your area using our Healthline FindCare tool.
You should see your doctor as soon as possible if you’re experiencing:
- painful urination
- blood in the urine
- fever
You should seek emergency medical attention if you’re experiencing:
- severe pain while urinating
- nausea
- vomiting
- severe back or abdominal pain
- fever of 103°F (39.4°C) or higher
In these cases, you may have a kidney stone or an infection that is spreading to your kidneys.
What does unhealthy urine smell like?
Your pee can have different smells, and a fish odor isn’t the only type that might indicate an underlying problem. In fact, what your urine smells like can often be subjective, and people will describe the odor differently. Other options include an ammonia smell or a sweet smell.
What does diabetic urine smell like?
Certain conditions have a distinct urine smell associated with them. One such condition is diabetes, which may cause urine to smell sweet.
Why does my discharge smell like fish?
In FAABs, fishy-smelling discharge may be a sign of bacterial vaginosis.
A fishy smell in your urine is often caused by your diet or dehydration and can be easily fixed by avoiding certain foods and drinking more water.
But it could also be a sign of a more serious medical issue that requires treatment, such as infection or kidney problems.