Why does my wee smell when I’ve eaten asparagus?

The subject of “asparagus pee” has long been the subject of scientific debate. It is well known that some (but not all) people find that their urine has a strong, unusual smell after they eat asparagus, which is believed to result from the break down of sulfur-containing compounds. It was thought that people simply digest asparagus differently therefore making them either ‘excretors’ or “’non-excretors’. More recent evidence suggests that it is not so much about whether individuals excrete chemicals that makes the urine smell, but whether an individual can smell these chemicals. Most people certainly produce them, but many can’t smell them as they lack the necessary sensory cells in their noses!

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