The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be notoriously difficult to spot and often develop slowly over long periods of time. If they fly under your radar long enough, experts say the disease can wreak silent havoc on your blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, extremities, and nervous system. This is exactly why it is so important to know the signs that could be pointing you to a problem. In addition to the most common symptoms of diabetes – such as frequent urination, increased hunger or thirst, blurred vision, or wounds that are slow to heal – experts have identified another warning message that could alert you to your diagnosis. The weird part? It can happen every time you go to the bathroom. Read on to find out if you have this one subtle symptom.
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If you notice a sudden onset of sweet-smelling urine, it could be due to hyperglycemia, says Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, urologist and chief surgeon at Orlando Health South Lake Hospital. “This change in urine odor is a sign that the glucose in your blood is too high,” a characteristic of undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes, he recently told Verywell Health. “For some, fruity-smelling urine is the first sign that they have diabetes,” added Brahmbhatt.
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In rarer cases, sweet-smelling urine can be the result of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a condition that is considered a life-threatening medical emergency. It can occur as a result of type 1 or type 2 diabetes and is more common if the disease has not been diagnosed for a long time.
“When cells don’t have access to glucose, they begin to break down fat for energy. The resulting chemicals are called ketones, ”explains Brahmbhatt. In patients with DKA, ketones then build up in the blood, which leads to an excess of acid in the bloodstream. This “poisons” the body, the doctor says, and can lead to a diabetic coma or death.
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While sweet-smelling urine can be the result of diabetes or DKA, it can also be the result of something more temporary: a urinary tract infection (UTI). In this case, the change in your urine occurs because bacteria were released into the urine. In addition to this symptom, you are also likely to experience more frequent and painful urination.
If you suspect a urinary tract infection, check with your doctor, who may prescribe antibiotics to help relieve your symptoms.
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Under normal circumstances, you can expect your urine to be clear, odorless, and painless. It is still considered healthy when the color is light yellow, a pigmentation that results from the breakdown of the hemoglobin in the blood during waste disposal in the kidneys. Contact your doctor if you notice any sudden changes in the color, smell, or frequency of your urine.
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