What should you know about urine very dark and smelly?

Urine becomes more concentrated when fluid intake does not keep pace with sweating, fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea. Foods, vitamins, and medicines can also alter smell or colour. A strong smell with burning, urgency, frequent urination, pelvic discomfort, or blood may occur with a urinary problem. Fever, chills, nausea, or pain in the side or back needs prompt attention. Tea-coloured urine with yellow eyes or skin, pale stools, nausea, or upper abdominal discomfort can point to a liver problem such as [Hepatitis A](/conditions/hepatitis-a/) or [Hepatitis B](/conditions/hepatitis-b/).

Check a fresh sample in a clean container and drink fluids normally unless you have been told to restrict them. Consider recent heat exposure, exercise, food, vitamins, and medicines before assuming infection. Do not take antibiotics left from an earlier illness. If the colour stays very dark or the smell remains unusual, arrange review and ask about the symptom pattern described as [Dark Urine](/symptoms/dark-urine/).

Seek urgent care for confusion, fainting, severe weakness, very little urine, repeated vomiting, or suspected [Heat Exhaustion](/conditions/heat-exhaustion/). Contact a clinician promptly for dark fresh urine with fever, back or side pain, yellowing, pale stools, blood, or pain when passing urine. Worsening symptoms should not be explained away by smell alone.

Ask whether you need a urine test, which medicines or supplements could affect the sample, and whether your symptoms suggest fluid loss, urinary illness, or a liver problem. Tell the clinician how long the change has lasted and whether it improves after normal drinking.