A healthy individual who drinks lots of water, usually does not produce strong smelling urine. Smelly urine or strong odor from urine often indicates some underlying problem. The smell of the urine can range from being sweet to being stinky or foul. The odor of the urine depends upon its concentration and the excretion of various chemicals and waste products from the kidneys. What does sweet smell of urine indicate?

What Causes Sweet Smelling Urine?

1. Diabetes Mellitus

The most probable illness that leads to sweet smell from urine is diabetes mellitus which is quite common these days. Diabetes is characterized by insulin deficiency, leading to high blood sugar levels. It can affect metabolism of fat, carbohydrate and electrolytes. A person whose diabetes is uncontrolled may develop smell in the urine. In such cases, ketones are passed in the urine, a condition referred to as ketoacidosis.

Your urine can smell sweet even if you don’t suffer from diabetes or if your diabetes is not uncontrolled. This happens if you are on strict dieting or fasting. In such cases, ketones are also passed in the urine.

2. Maple Sugar Urine Disease

Sweet smell in urine can also be caused by a rare disease of childhood, referred to as maple sugar urine disease. It is a type of genetic disorder. The disease is so named because the urine passed by the child or infant smells like maple syrup. Apart from sweet smelling urine, it is also associated with neurological symptoms.

Are There Any Related Symptoms?

1. Diabetes Mellitus

Other symptoms associated with sweet smell in urine due to diabetes mellitus are:

• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger or appetite
• Frequent and increased urge to urinate
• Increased perspiration
• Unintentional weight loss even though the patient is eating enough
• Feeling tired and weak
• Minor wounds taking time to heal
• Vision difficulties

2. Maple Sugar Urine Disease

If the cause is maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), then the condition is present only in children and infants and is not found in adults. The condition may be associated with neurological symptoms and mental retardation. Some other symptoms of classic MSUD present in the initial stages are:

• Decreased appetite
• Lethargy
• Loss of weight
• Weak ability to suck
• Irregular patterns of sleep
• Alternating episodes of hypotonia (limpness of muscles) and hypertonia (rigidity of muscles)
• High-pitched cry

Symptoms of thiamine response and intermediate MSUD are:

• Neurological deficiencies
• Seizures
• Problems with feeding
• Developmental delays
• Poor growth

How to Deal with the Sweet Smelling Urine

1. How to Control Diabetes Mellitus

The key to treat sweet smell in urine is to control diabetes mellitus. You can control diabetes but cannot cure it. There are various types of anti-diabetic medicines available nowadays. Alternately, a diabetic patient may follow some home remedies that can help in controlling blood sugar effectively along with the mainline treatment.

• Syzygium Jambolium, also referred to as Java plum fruit, is purple in color and is famous for its blood sugar controlling effects. You can extract the fruit juice from the pulp and drink it regularly. You can also make fine powder out of dried seeds of this fruit. Take 1 tsp. of this powder once daily with water.
• Fenugreek is another remedy that can be utilized for controlling blood sugar. Soak around 10-15 seeds of fenugreek in water overnight. Eat them in the morning with water or milk.
• Bitter gourd juice has insulin-like properties. You can drink this juice regularly to control your blood sugar.
• It is very important to follow a diabetic diet. A diet containing less sugary foods and more protein containing foods helps in controlling calories. Eat six small meals at regular intervals instead of eating 3 large meals. Don’t eat sweets, cookies, ice creams, confectionaries, etc.
• Eat lots of salads and vegetables.
• Doing regular exercise such as simple brisk walking is very important in controlling diabetes.
• Don’t do fasting or dieting as this may lead to ketonuria and sweet smelling urine, apart from other adverse effects on your overall health.
• Practice meditation and yoga regularly to reduce mental stress and strain.

2. How to Treat Maple Sugar Urine Disease

After diagnosis and during episodes of the disease, it is recommended to eat a diet that is devoid of proteins. Sugars, fluids and sometimes fats are given intravenously (via a vein). To decrease the levels of abnormal chemicals in your blood, dialysis may be done either through a vein or through your belly.

A special diet is recommended for long-term treatment of MSUD. In infants, the diet consists of a formula that has low levels of amino acids isoleucine, leucine and valine. Patients suffering from MSUD must eat a diet that has fewer amounts of these amino acids for the entire life.

It is imperative to follow this diet regularly to prevent neurological damage. This needs regular blood tests as well as close supervision by a physician and a registered dietitian.