Protein breaks down into amino acids, which the body converts into ammonia. The body then releases this ammonia through urine and sweat, which may produce an odor
. Dehydration can also make the sweat smell like ammonia. This is because the body needs water to get rid of ammonia through sweat.
What does it mean when your body smells like ammonia?
A type of ketone called acetone can make your breath smell fruity or lead to ammonia-like sweat. If your sweat smells like ammonia,
the reason could be hyperhidrosis
. This condition can cause your eccrine glands to sweat excessively. Around 15 million of the US population has hyperhidrosis.
What illness makes you smell ammonia?
When the excess urea in your body reacts with saliva, it forms ammonia–which you then exhale through your breath. If you have CKD, this is what gives your breath that ammonia scent. The medical name for this is “
uremic fetor
”.
How do you get rid of ammonia smell?
“If you're smelling ammonia in sweat, something's wrong,” Maharam says. Both he and Roberts agree you need to
add more carbohydrates to your diet
. “Whole fruits, potatoes, rice, pasta and breads are all traditional carb sources that should help correct the problem,” Roberts says.
What does diabetic sweat smell like?
In the case of liver disease, sufferers can experience excessive sweating and a foul-smelling odour that's been likened to rotten eggs; diabetic ketoacidosis, which is the result of a blood-sugar spike, causes both
fruity-smelling breath and a pungent body odour
; and excessive sweat and odour can occur in people with …
Should I be concerned if I smell ammonia?
If you can smell ammonia, health effects are possible.
If strong ammonia odors are present in your home or environment, and if eye, nose, or throat irritation is occurring, leave the area and call the fire department
. If someone has swallowed ammonia, call 911.
Why does my sweat smell like acetone?
The odor
may be signaling early or actual diabetes
. “If the person is not producing enough insulin, he will start burning his own fat instead of the usual sugar stores,” Abbott says. This process could cause an odor similar to acetone.
Why do I smell like pennies when I sweat?
Key takeaways. A metallic smell on your body is
typically a type of body odor triggered by handling copper or other metals
. It can also result from your body burning protein rather than glucose during a workout.
Why does my sweat smell?
Body odor happens
when bacteria on your skin come in contact with sweat
. Our skin is naturally covered with bacteria. When we sweat, the water, salt and fat mix with this bacteria and can cause odor.
Why does my sweat smell like sulfur?
Trimethylaminuria.
Trimethylaminuria is a rare genetic condition
. People who have it are unable to break down a chemical compound called trimethylamine. The compound leaves the body in the sweat, urine, and breath, giving off a smell resembling that of rotten egg, fish, or garbage.
Why does my sweat smell different?
Changes to body odor
may be due to puberty, excessive sweating, or poor hygiene
. Sudden changes are typically caused by the environment, medications, or foods that you eat. However, body odor, especially sudden and persistent changes to your normal odor, can sometimes be a sign of an underlying condition.
What causes too much ammonia in your body?
High ammonia levels in the blood are most often caused by
liver disease
. Other causes include kidney failure and genetic disorders.
Why do I smell ammonia in my nose after working out?
Either a low carbohydrate reserve in the muscles or a high-protein,
low-carbohydrate diet is the usual culprit for burning protein during exercise resulting in the ammonia odor in your sweat
.
Can liver problems cause body odor?
Some metabolic diseases can cause a distinctive body odor, particularly in their later stages
. These include diabetes, as well as advanced kidney and liver disease.
Can you smell liver failure?
It indicates liver failure because it results from an increase of dimethyl sulfide in the air that you exhale. So
liver failure results in this noticeable smell in your breath
. Liver disease is a serious condition that requires medical treatment.
What does Bromhidrosis smell like?
Bromhidrosis is
foul-smelling body odor
related to your sweat. Perspiration itself actually has no odor. It's only when sweat encounters bacteria on the skin that a smell can emerge. Other than body odor (BO), bromhidrosis is also known by other clinical terms, including osmidrosis and bromidrosis.
