Ammonia and the Urea Cycle

Zinc reduces ammonia and urea levels in urine. Celery decreases ammonia and urea levels and helps detoxify ammonia. When the kidneys are damaged, the urea cycle breaks down and ammonia levels rise. The urea cycle converts toxic ammonia into the far less toxic compound urea, which is then excreted in urine. Protein digestion produces ammonia, one of the most toxic substances in the body. A strong ammonia smell in urine indicates the urea cycle is breaking down. The gut produces ammonia, and restoring gut flora with probiotics reduces the ammonia burden on the kidneys. When ammonia accumulates in the blood and crosses into the brain, it can cause dementia and severe neurological dysfunction.