8 Therefore, it seems that aromatic chemicals in coffee are excreted in the urine of some people causing their pee to smell of coffee. Also, research has shown that not every person can detect the smell of metabolites in urine.
According to research into the causes of odor in urine, the journal Chemical Senses stated that some people excrete odor-causing chemicals in urine and other don’t. However, everyone is different and not every person who drinks coffee will notice that their pee has a coffee-like aroma. 7 Therefore, it could be that coffee makes us pee more and exert the aromatics from coffee quicker in the urine. The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport reported that coffee is a mild diuretic that can increase the frequency of urination. Some people are more sensitive to the smell of aromatics in urineĪnother reason why your pee can smell like coffee after drinking it is that coffee makes your pee more. 6 So, some odor-causing chemicals from coffee or other beverages and foodstuffs will appear in urine if they have not had time to metabolize in the body. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that urine samples can help doctors know what a person’s dietary intake has been when they analyze the metabolites (chemical substances) in the urine. In fact, it shouldn’t be surprising that these chemicals and other substances from coffee find their way into our pee and make it smell of coffee. Others have sweeter aromas with some being spicy or smoky.Īromatic compounds can be detected in the urine Some of these compounds on their own smell like rotten cabbage or have a “catty” odor. Interestingly, the researchers found that coffee also contains several sulfur-containing compounds.
According to an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, coffee contains chemical compounds with extremely high odor activity which give coffee its unique aroma. There are a few reasons why coffee seemingly affects the smell of urine more than other beverages.