Men prepping themselves for a hot date like to make that they are in as sexy and appealing a condition as possible - and penis odor is one of the last things they want. It’s a situation that causes many men embarrassment and frustration. But the good news is that it can lead a man to look into possible issues, either with penis health itself or with overall general health. And in some instances, one thing penis odor might point to is called ketonuria.

What is ketonuria?

Simply put, ketonuria refers to the presence of ketone bodies in the urine. The name pretty much says that, but that explanation doesn’t help if a man doesn’t know what ketone bodies are - or why they shouldn’t be in his urine.

Ketone bodies

Ketone bodies (simply called ketones) are an end product of the body’s fatty acid metabolism process. When fatty acids get metabolized in the liver, the residue that’s left over is called ketones. In most cases, the amount of ketones produced is tiny. These ketones exit through the urine, but they’re in such small amounts that they’re not really noticeable.

So what happens to make amounts that are noticeable and bring about ketonuria? Usually it happens when the body needs energy and it tries to burn carbohydrates to produce that energy - only to discover that there aren’t any (or aren’t enough) carbohydrates to do the job. It then looks around, sees that there are fats available, and decides to convert those into energy instead. And when it does that, it creates a greatly increased amount of ketones.

Conditions

If this exchange of fats for carbohydrates as fuels is only an occasional occurrence, there’s not much to worry about. But when it happens consistently, or if the amount of fats used is really excessive, it can indicate a more serious health issue.

The most common indication would be the possibility of diabetes, as ketonuria can occur much more frequently in individuals with this condition. However, it can also indicate the possibility of hyperthyroidism or fever, as well as a significant need to alter dietary habits.

The penis odor connection

So what does ketonuria have to do with penis odor? Well, there are a number of symptoms associated with ketonuria, such as dehydration, thirst, nausea - and in some cases, penis odor.

Why should this be? When ketones are in the urine in a large amount, they contribute a "sour" or "fishy" smell to the urine. The larger the concentration of ketones, the more pronounced the smell. When ketone counts are especially high, the aroma may escape through the skin when a man sweats (and the penis is a part of the body where sweat is more frequent than others).

In addition, when a man urinates, dribblings or droplets often remain behind when the urine stream has ceased. These dry on the penis, and as they dry the intensity of the ketone-based aroma can strengthen.

If a man suspects his penis odor could indicate ketonuria, he should check with a doctor, especially if he has other symptoms commonly associated with it. However, he shouldn’t panic; there can be many, many causes for a foul-smelling manhood.

Whether penis odor is caused by ketonuria or not, the smart man regularly applies a superior penis health crème(health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) to his member daily. It’s essential that such a crème includes vitamin A, as this vitamin possesses anti-bacterial properties that attack the bacteria most commonly associated with rank penis odor. It also pays to search for a crème with vitamin D, the so-called "miracle vitamin" which is lauded for its proven ability to help maintain penile cell health.