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Published on: 3/5/2025

Why My Poop Smells Like Ammonia?

Poop that smells like ammonia can happen when there isn’t enough water in your body, or when your gut or liver makes extra ammonia from breaking down protein.

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Explanation

Inside your body, food is broken down by tiny bacteria called microbes and your liver helps process nitrogen to be removed in the stool. When you don’t drink enough water, your body can get dehydrated, and this makes the waste in your poop more concentrated. This extra concentration can make it smell strongly, like ammonia. When you eat a lot of protein, some of it is broken down by the microbes in your gut. This process sometimes creates ammonia as a byproduct. In a healthy gut, the balance of bacteria usually keeps this smell under control. But if that balance changes or if the liver isn’t working as well as it should, more ammonia can build up and mix with your poop. If you notice this smell is long-lasting or develop other symptoms like fatigue or abdominal pain, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor.

(References)

  • van Nieuwenhoven MA, Vriens BE, Brummer RJ, Brouns F. Effect of dehydration on gastrointestinal function at rest and during exercise in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000 Dec;83(6):578-84. doi: 10.1007/s004210000305. PMID: 11192068.

  • Atluri DK, Prakash R, Mullen KD. Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2011 Sep;1(2):77-86. doi: 10.1016/S0973-6883(11)60126-6. Epub 2011 Nov 9. PMID: 25755319; PMCID: PMC3940085.

  • Zhao J, Zhang X, Liu H, Brown MA, Qiao S. Dietary Protein and Gut Microbiota Composition and Function. Curr Protein Pept Sci. 2019;20(2):145-154. doi: 10.2174/1389203719666180514145437. PMID: 29756574.

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