1. You Are Dehydrated
The number-one cause of pungent pee? Not drinking enough water. When your body is dehydrated, the urine has a strong odor and appears dark in color.
2. Diabetes Is Lurking
Eat a few too many treats and you’ll likely have a sugar headache, but constant sugar overload can lead to high blood sugar or even Type 2 diabetes. And one of the first ways diabetes manifests is in the bathroom, causing you to have to urinate more frequently.
3. You’re Ovulating
The same hormones that gestate a baby (estrogen and progesterone) are also at work during your regular cycle, albeit on a smaller scale. Which means that you may be more aware of the scent of your own pee once you’re ovulating.
4. Or You Are Pregnant
Here’s a fun fact: The hormone changes that make it possible to grow a baby also make you have to go every five minutes—and all that pee can come with a new scent. Urine can have a more pungent smell from the hormones produced during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester.
