Why Does My Pee Smell Sweet?

Sweet-smelling urine is the hallmark symptom of diabetes. When blood sugar levels are too high, the kidneys can’t filter out all the sugar, so some of it spills into the urine. This causes the urine to smell sweet, almost like maple syrup.

Eating Sweets or Drinking Sugary Drinks

Eating sweets or drinking sugary soft drinks can temporarily make your pee smell sweet. Because there’s so much sugar in your system at one time, your kidneys just can’t keep up with it all and some leaks into your urine.

Medications

Some medications, like antibiotics or diabetes drugs, can have side effects that include urine that smells sweet. If you’re not sure if your medication is the cause, check the patient information leaflet that comes with it.

Other Conditions

In rare cases, urine that smells sweet can be caused by other underlying conditions, such as:

- Ketones in urine (can be a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition)

- Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (narrowing of the tube between the ureter and the kidney)

- Maple syrup urine disease (a rare metabolic disorder)

When to See a Doctor

If you haven’t eaten anything sweet or sugary recently and your urine still smells sweet, it’s a good idea to see your doctor.

This is especially important if you have any other symptoms, such as:

- Increased thirst

- Frequent urination

- Unexplained weight loss

- Fatigue

- Blurred vision

- Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet