Have you ever noticed that your urine smells distinctly like noodles? If you have, know that you are not alone. This is a surprisingly common issue, and, as you might expect, can be cause for concern when it happens.
Moreover, there can be a few different reasons why your pee will smell like noodles and it’s going to take understanding these causes to be able to take the most appropriate steps to address the underlying issue.
So, if you find yourself asking “why does my urine smell like noodles?” Follow me after the break to find out. But first
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Let’s Talk About Urine
Urine, or pee, is an essential metabolic byproduct of the human body. Produced by the kidneys, which filter waste from the bloodstream, urine has a very distinct color and aroma.
While the specific smell of your pee can vary depending on your diet, hydration levels, and overall health, it will generally smell a bit like ammonia, a bit like a stale musk.
If your pee smells like noodles, then there’s probably something going on. So,
Why Does Your Pee Smell Like Noodles?
If your pee smells like noodles you may have a yeast infection or other type of urinary tract infection. Drink more water and check in with your doctor.
Another cause of a noodle-like smell coming from your pee is that you have diabetes, as higher-than-normal levels of sugar can alter the chemical balance in urine.
Finally, antibiotic use can cause disruptions in your body’s natural bacterial population, leading to a smell like chicken broth, noodles, or even making your urine smell like popcorn.
Causes of Noodle Smelling Urine
Urinary Tract Infections
Bacterial urinary tract infections, or UTIs as they are more commonly known, are one of the most common reasons why someone’s pee might smell like noodles. This happens because when bacteria enter and infect a person’s urinary tract, it will disrupt the normal balance of waste products in the urine, resulting in smelly pee.
Most of the time UTIs cause your pee to smell rotten, however, in some circumstances (depending on the type of bacteria and the severity of the infection) UTIs will cause your pee to smell like noodles.
Fungal infections, such as those caused by the yeast Candida can cause the smell of your pee to turn yeasty or “bready”, which to some people smells like noodles or like chicken soup.
Diabetes
If you suffer from diabetes, you may find that your pee smells either very sweet, cloyingly so, or that it smells like noodles.
Diabetes can change the smell of your pee because it alters the levels of sugar in your blood and in your urine, and when glucose (sugar) levels are too high, your kidneys suffer a reduction in their ability to filter out toxins from your bloodstream and urine.
As a result, your urine becomes more concentrated with chemicals that can alter its color and odor, and end up smelling very similar to the smell of noodles.
Diabetes is a serious condition and you should see a doctor if you notice a lasting change in the way your pee smells, especially if you notice a hint of uncharacteristic sweetness to your pee.
Other symptoms of diabetes you may want to look out for are:
- Abnormal thirst
- frequent urination
- Increased hunger
- Blurred vision
- Tingling
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
Antibiotic Use
Prolonged antibiotic use will almost always change the smell of your urine, and in many cases, it will make your pee smell like noodles.
This happens because antibiotics directly alter the delicate bacterial balance in your urinary tract. While antibiotics are designed to kill only harmful bacteria inside the body, they often end up decreasing the population of beneficial bacteria as well.
A side effect of this is that bacteria that normally would be kept in check are allowed to reproduce at accelerated rates, resulting in your pee having a distinctly different smell.
Moreover, the actual antibiotic medicine itself can alter the smell of your urine when it is excreted after it has been metabolized by the body. While this does not apply to all antibiotic medicine, some of it will certainly make your pee smell like noodles.
Generally speaking, if you are prescribed antibiotic treatment and notice a weird smell coming from your pee, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor.
Final Thoughts On Chicken Noodle Pee
The smell of your urine can change from time to time depending on several factors such as your diet, hydration levels, etc.
However, if your pee smells like ramen noodles or like bready yeast, the smell is likely the result of an active UTI, underlying diabetes, or the side effect of antibiotic treatment.
If you find yourself smelling noodles when you pee, don’t be alarmed, but If the smell persists, seek out medical advice.
