Why does my poop smell like ammonia?

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, you can use our free symptom checker to help determine whether you should see a doctor.