Popcorn smell in urine

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

I promise I am not the pee troll. I'm just an anxious woman in her early 40s who has scared herself silly before by googling, and would prefer not to panic if it's not necessary.

I have noticed today that my wee smells like popcorn. I wondered if it could be linked to eating some ridiculously sweet cereal on Sunday morning (Lucky Charms, which are pretty much 100% sugar and more a dessert than a balanced meal). I haven't noticed the smell before, but also haven't eaten that cereal for a long time. Sorry for TMI but my wee does tend to smell fishy after eating seafood, to the point where I reduced how much fish I ate because the smell is embarrassing - if i don't eat fish, there is no smell. I don't have any effect from asparagus although I know a lot of people do. Could my body just react strongly to certain foods or could it be something else? I wondered if it could be because I'm perimenopausal?

My mum is type 2 diabetic (only diagnosed 2 years ago, is really slim and eats healthily so not weight related). I am overweight but had a check up just before lockdown and was pronounced as fit as a butchers dog apart from sciatica (which started during pregnancy 20 years ago!) and sleep apnoea which I've had all my life.

Any advice?

[anxiousannies]

If you’ve noticed that your urine just started smelling like popcorn, ask yourself if you’ve recently made changes in your diet.
Foods all contain their own unique combinations of chemical compounds, and a change in diet can lead to a change in urine smell.
Some common foods that may cause your urine to smell like popcorn include:
• popcorn (no surprises there!)
• large amounts of protein, which is high in ketones
• coffee, which contains large amounts of chemical compounds that leave the body through urine

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

Thanks for the reply. No, I haven't changed anything really - haven't eaten any popcorn recently, diet is similar to what its been for a while although I've been losing weight so eating a bit less crap, and I don't drink coffee. I wonder if it could be the cereal then.

[sergeilavrov]

I had this, and it was ketones. I was malnourished and dehydrated, and my muscles/organs had started breaking down as nutrients. Ketones can occur from diabetes as well I believe, so go and speak to a GP as soon as possible!

[Oblomov20]

As a diabetic my urine has smelt like that when my blood sugars are very very high, and I also sometimes have ketones. Please get this checked out.

[joystir59]

Get tested for diabetes.

[HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime]

Leave it 24 hours and see if it changes. Sugar puffs used to make urine small sweet too so entirely possible it's the cereal.

[Unshriven]

It could be the cereal.

As HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime says, sugar puffs are notorious for it.

I wonder what in them!?

[Apocalyptichorsewoman]

Sugar puffs made my wee smell too!

[imstillbreathingbarely]

@Apocalyptichorsewoman

Sugar puffs made my wee smell too!

I have the opposite issue. My wee smells like sugar puffs. am pre-diabetic and I don't eat sugar puffs.....wee is weird at times lol

[iwilltaketwoplease]

I think it was more than likely the cereal.

Sugar puffs make my wee smell like sugar puffs too!

[Titsywoo]

I get this sometimes when I have more sugar than normal the day before. I was tested for diabetes and don't have it.

[Addler]

Every now and then my wee smells like popcorn, but it's never for more than a day. I've never had raised blood sugars picked up, but if it's lasting longer than a day or two definitely get it checked out.

[Pineapplemonkey]

I get this all the time and am not diabetic. It means I’m peeing ketones which means I’m low on carbs (sugars) and my body is burning fat (which is good, I have a lot of it)

[bluefoxmug]

some cereals and rice do that for me.

[HappyAsASandboy]

I don't want to alarm you, but my wee has always smelt like sugar puffs/popcorn during early pregnancy. It's been the single biggest symptom I've had every time (5 pregnancies).