Final answer:
Urine that smells like ammonia could indicate dehydration, which causes urine to be more concentrated and possess a slight ammonia odor. Persistent strong ammonia scent could suggest a urinary tract infection or liver dysfunction. Food intake and various medical conditions may also influence urine's color and odor.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you smell urine that has a strong scent of ammonia, it might be troubling because it could indicate dehydration, which leads to more concentrated urine that may possess the slight odor of ammonia.
Normally, fresh urine has barely any ammonia scent because most ammonia produced from protein breakdown is converted into urea by the liver before being excreted.
However, if the odor is persistently strong and not influenced by factors such as certain foods (like asparagus or onions), this could suggest a urinary tract infection, liver dysfunction, or other medical conditions.
Dehydration can result in darker urine and a faint ammonia smell, typically when the body is trying to conserve water.
If the urine has a sweet smell, it may indicate the presence of sugar, a sign of diabetes.
On the other hand, if the urine is dark with a "tea" or "cola" hue, this could be an indication of a liver disorder or bile drainage obstructions.