Why does my poop smell sweet?

Inside your gut, tiny bacteria help break down your food and make chemicals that give your poop its usual smell. When you eat foods high in sugar or if your blood sugar is very high—as sometimes happens in diabetes—the digestive process may be altered.

High blood sugar can cause the body to break down fats instead of using sugar, leading to the production of ketones. These ketones might make bodily wastes, including poop, smell sweeter than normal.

Additionally, eating lots of modern dietary sugars and sweeteners can change the mix of your gut bacteria. This change may lead them to produce different compounds with a sweet odor during the digestion process.

In rare cases, certain genetic conditions that affect how the body processes proteins and sugars might also cause a sweet smell in your stool. If the sweet smell continues or you feel unwell, you can use a free AI symptom checker to help identify potential causes and determine whether you should seek medical care. A healthcare provider can check your blood sugar levels, review your diet, and make additional recommendations.