The common causes of a popcorn smell include diabetes, pregnancy, and a diet high in protein.
This article will discuss some of the reasons a person's urine may smell like popcorn and explain when to see a doctor about changes in urine odor.
Causes and symptoms
Popcorn-smelling urine is a not uncommon.
People may worry if their urine smells like popcorn, but this is not uncommon. Most cases are temporary, but if the smell persists, it is worth seeing a doctor to determine the underlying cause.
Urine consists mainly of water. When it looks or smells different than usual, it is because of waste products that come from the body. This means that the look and smell of urine can tell a lot about a person's health.
Common reasons for urine to smell like popcorn include:
Diabetes
People with diabetes may have a very high level of ketones in their bloodstream. When the body excretes these in urine, they can make the urine smell like popcorn. A high level of ketones in the urine or blood is called ketosis.
The body will produce ketones when it does not have enough sugar or glucose for fuel. This might happen overnight or when a person is fasting.
Having a small number of ketones in the bloodstream is normal, especially for people who exercise a lot or do other activities that encourage the body to burn fat. However, if a person with diabetes does not control their condition, a dangerously high level of ketones can build in their blood.
This is called ketoacidosis, and it is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. For some people, it is the first sign that they have diabetes.
In most cases, people with ketoacidosis have sweet, strong-smelling urine. Ketoacidosis can develop within 24 hours of having consistently high blood glucose levels, or hyperglycemia.
It is possible to measure urinary ketones using ketone strips, which are available in drugstores or online.
Additional signs and symptoms of ketoacidosis include:
increased urination
excessive, unquenchable thirst
sweet-smelling, or "fruity" breath
rapid heartbeat
vomiting
confusion and disorientation
hyperventilating or Kussmaul breathing, which is deep, labored breathing
fainting
Ketoacidosis constitutes a medical emergency, so if anyone suspects this condition, they should call the emergency services immediately.
Other than diabetes, the most common causes of ketoacidosis are starvation and drinking a lot of alcohol.
Eating a lot of protein
Another way to cause ketosis is by eating a lot of protein. When a person eats a lot of protein instead of carbohydrates, their body uses protein and stored fat for energy instead of using carbohydrates as it would usually do. This can cause the ketone level in the blood to rise. When these ketones leave the body in the urine, it may smell sweet or similar to popcorn.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy may cause changes to a person's sense of smell.
During pregnancy, urine may change for a few reasons, including:
Altered sense of smell. Because a person's sense of smell changes slightly during pregnancy, everyday scents may smell different than usual.
Hormonal changes. In the very early stages of pregnancy, increased levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) circulate in the blood, which can cause urine to smell different or more strongly.
Gestational diabetes. According to Diabetes.co.uk, around 1 in 20pregnant women develop a form of temporary diabetes known as gestational diabetes. Ketoacidosis is a serious but rare complication in women with gestational diabetes.
Dehydration
When someone is dehydrated, they excrete less water in the urine, meaning their urine is more concentrated, darker in color, and smells much stronger than usual. If the waste products in urine have a popcorn smell, the urine may also smell like popcorn since it is more concentrated.
Aside from strong-smelling urine, additional symptoms of dehydration include:
exhaustion
dizziness
reduced urination
a headache
weakness
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