Why do I stink like ammonia?

[johnny-longtorso]

Hi all -
Newbie here. Got a couple questions. Forgive the life story but I want to paint a clear picture of where I'm at.

Me:
43
average to slight frame; mostly legs (38 inseam)
6'3" tall
Currently 218#, 30% body fat (according to Health-o-Meter)
In generally OK health other than a relatively flabby body

My goal:
A great physique. Don't need to be huge, and frankly I don't believe my frame or metabolism are such that I ever would be anyway....

I underwent something of a lifestyle change at 28 and started to care for myself. At 33 I was aboot 195# and in excellent shape. I was lifting regularly with a couple of natural bodybuilders (one took #3 in Ohio at the time). Then my career and life in general slowly took precedence.

Fast-forward to last Nov. I'm now 43. While on vacation in Florida I stay in a hotel room with a full length mirror. It was not pleasant.

So, mid-December I finally get my sh!t together and start to exercise again. Unlike many attempts in the last decade the desire to keep at it seems to (thankfully) be sticking with me.

Around December 15th I was 235 pounds. Yesterday morning I was just over 216.

I have altered my diet only slightly - I still eat regularly but I have cut out all the crap I used to eat. Nothing crazy - no avoiding this or loading that - just smart choices, controlled portions, and better timing of what I eat when.

I'm taking some basic vitamin supplements. Yesterday I started to add some milk/egg based protein. I'm drinking a decent amount of water.

My workout has been 5 days of aerobics and 3 of those days with weight training. My aerobics is on a rowing machine that I have, 15 minutes on lifting days and 45 minutes to an hour on non-lifting days.

My lifting is progressing slowly. I'm "skinny-flabby", and concentrating as much on form as anything. My routines are aimed mainly a large muscle groups right now (yes, I am squatting) and are somewhat constrained by the equipment I have on hand and the fact that I am working out alone in my basement (I refuse to join the local gym until the "New Years Resolution" crowd thins around March or April).

I'm happy with my progress, but of course wish it were far more instantaneous. I am also "feeling my age" as it were.


So - finally - my question.

After my initial weeks of workouts I finally got into a "groove" and sessions that lasted an hour or more. And naturally, I worked up a sweat.

I started to notice that I smelled like ammonia. After a couple instances of this I noted more specifics:

• it comes on suddenly. I'll be doing whatever, and suddenly, I smell like ammonia
• it is really, REALLY strong. I don't just get whiffy like a diaper pail or something - I smell like someone doused me with Mr. Clean
• at times it lasts past a shower - as I towel off I still smell really really strongly of ammonia

So what gives?

I have a sister who's an RN and she suggested that I get a diabetic urine tester kit and look for ketones. She says that she thinks my body is not able to mobilize fat for fuel, so it's actually eating up my muscles. Further, while I am healthy, the Longtorso's have a history of bum tickers and she expressed concern that this could be a bad thing as it affects heart muscle just as readily as anything else.

She suggested that do some carbo and/or protein loading.


So this has been going on for a couple weeks now. What is it and how do I fix it? I hope to God that along with the troll-hair on my ears and the ever-increasing gray pubes this not another side-effect of my approaching middle age.....

Cheers -
J-L

 

[medical]

could be ketoacidosis.......you can buy ketone test strips OTC at any pharmacy.

 

[johnny-longtorso]

could be ketoacidosis.......you can buy ketone test strips OTC at any pharmacy.

Hmm - I'll look into the test strips, but I exhibit none of the other "classic" symptoms....... Perhaps an overall physical (with blood work) is in order. Its been a long time since I did that as well.....

I did find this:
Sweating and Body Odor ...that points to kidney or liver disease. Fun! Other sources say it can be _too much_ protein...

 

[medical]

Hmm - I'll look into the test strips, but I exhibit none of the other "classic" symptoms....... Perhaps an overall physical (with blood work) is in order. Its been a long time since I did that as well.....

I did find this:
Sweating and Body Odor ...that points to kidney or liver disease. Fun! Other sources say it can be _too much_ protein...

We refer to renal patients as smelling "uremic". Not exactly an ammonia smell but close I guess.

 

[MOmedic]

It would stand to reason that it's possible to associate the ammonia smell to kidney issues since there is a trace amount of ammonia in urine, but I'd suggest a physical from your doc and request a BMP which will detect most metabolic abnormalities.

 

[guest username]

You really should see a physician. I do not think you have ketoacidosis as this results in production of acetone in your lungs (by spontaneous breakdown of acetoacetate, one of the ketones in your blood). Therefore, you would smell acetone (a sweet smell) and not ammonia (a pungent odor).

One of the most important things you should figure out is can other people smell the ammonia smell? If so, then it's a metabolic derangement causing your ammonia smell. If others cannot smell the ammonia when you can, then you need a CT scan of your head with contrast to make sure you do not have a brain tumour. You could also be having focal seizures that cause this smell. The fact that it suddenly comes on unrelated to exercise makes me think of one of these two causes, but if others smell it, then it rules them out.

You should really see a physician.

 

[blut wump]

Just drink more water. Don't stop until you pass a gallon per day and aim for two since US gallons are so small. On a high-protein diet you need more water to flush out all the urea. If you don't flush it out then you sweat it out as ammonia.

I used to get the same and it goes away if you increase your water comsumption. The extra water is good for your kidneys. Just learn to live with always having to know where the nearest bathroom is.

 

[Cucumber_Jones]

To smell like ammonia, you have to eat a lot of protein or be infected with a germ called helicobacter. Many weightlifters eat tremendous amounts of protein because they mistakenly think that it will make them stronger. The food you eat contains carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Of the three, only protein contains nitrogen. The body has no way to store extra protein, so when you take in more protein than your body needs, your liver knocks nitrogen off the protein and the nitrogen is eventually converted to ammonia and passes through the sweat glands and kidneys.

Some people smell like ammonia when they do not take in large amounts of protein. An article in the February issue of the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology showed that many people who smell like ammonia are infected with helicobacter, a bacteria that knocks nitrogen off protein also. When helicobacter grows in your stomach and intestines, it causes ulcer symptoms characterized by belching, burping, a sour taste in your mouth and a burning pain that often become more severe when you are hungry and better when you eat. More than 80% of people who have duodenal ulcers are infected with this bacteria. If your sweat smells like ammonia, ask your doctor to do a blood test for helicobacter. If you are infected, you can be cured with a one week course of metronidazole, amoxacillin and omeperazole.

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News

 

[woodward]

As others have mentioned it could be ketoacidosis, but this is caused by acetone in the blood and not ammonia. Does the smell come primarily from your breath? The higher acetone levels in the blood cause the air you exhale to contain acetone which boils at a lower temperature than water.

I've heard that a lot of people on Atkins have acetone breath. Also people with anorexia. I think it comes from burning muscle - either your own, or maybe if you are consuming far more protein than carbs.

I agree you should see a doctor.

There is a new site that has a lot of info on pharmaceuticals and biotech. They do not sell anything. I think it is mostly technical and legal info but you can check it out.

The site is uPharma and the link to the site is here: uPharma.

There is also the uPharma blog : uPharma blog.

 

[Selene]

could be ketoacidosis.......you can buy ketone test strips OTC at any pharmacy.

yes, this will do it, and if you are glutamine 5mg 3x a day will get rid of that amonia smell and you may also notice you have bad breath as well. Again the glutamine will help with all of this