Ammonia smell when breathing in

auntstephie321

I am assuming this is ketosis, I did not have this in the beginning and I think I bumped myself out of keto mid last week but am back in now. Earlier this week I could smell ammonia constantly, today I thought it had passed but I just went for a walk on my lunch and now its back.

Has anyone else ever had this happen? It's awful, I hate to breath in cuz it literally makes my face hurt a little from the burning smell. How long should I expect this to last? I drink over 100 oz of straight water a day, plus fluids from other sources as well I would think that would flush it out, but not so far.

greenautumn17

I don't know about ammonia smell, but I have had acetone breath. My major sign of ketosis is the smell of my urine. Sometimes I smell it in my sweat, too.
So is your odor from your sweat or from your mouth? From your mouth, just breathe both in and out through your nose. From your sweat, I don't know other than keeping some wet ones handy to wipe off with.

auntstephie321

It's neither, it's only in my nose when I breath in. I had the breath and urine smell before, and lightly earlier this week but that seems much less now. Just not this in my nose its driving me nuts.

greenautumn17

Oh, I know what you are talking about, but I used to get that when I wasn't keto, too. I got it from pollen or other outdoor stuff. It is probably not related to diet, IMO.

ailsadell

I would hate to alarm you but breath smelling of ammonia is usually a sign of major kidney problems ... Leading to kidney failure ... If you're really sure it is an ammonia smell I would certainly get checked over xx

auntstephie321

would i have other symptoms though?

GSD_Mama

How do you feel overall, lightheaded, tired?

auntstephie321

feel pretty good, a little tired and cranky today but most of this week I've felt great

auntstephie321

the smell seems to have passed, and I'm noticing it happens after I exercise, I googled online and found sites that said it can happen when you are burning protein? I feel like I'm eating enough fat to not be burning protein, and I only walk, its not like I'm doing a hard core workout.

annalisbeth74

That always happens to me when I exercise! I always wondered what it was.

auntstephie321

going to doctor tonight, I'm thinking maybe a sinus infection, hopefully they can figure it out it's driving me nuts

KnitOrMiss

check your electrolytes. My second bought of carb flu struck me just like that about 4-6 weeks in, as I slid into adaption!

auntstephie321

How do I check electrolytes? Dr put me on anti biotic and nose spray for possible sinus infection, but she to hadn't heard of the ammonia smell.

KnitOrMiss

that would be a blood test to formally check, but I'd up your sodium, and take supplements with potassium (lite-salt is a good one too) and magnesium - or drink a clear powerade zero or sugar-free gatorade... Something like that would let you know pretty quick if it was an issue because you'd likely have a quick "pick-me-up" type feeling.

auntstephie321

Hmm I take potassium use lite salt take mag and drink powerade zero. I would've thought it would pass by now if it was that but who knows

wabmester

Ammonia = protein catabolic waste. You may be simply eating too much protein.

I don't really understand why some people exhaust ammonia directly through breath and sweat, while others seem able to neutralize it in the urine, but it might have to do with "keto-adaptation" in a way.

All I can tell you is that ketones are anions, and when you excrete them in the urine, they need to be coupled with a cation. Sometimes those are electrolytes, which is why we lose them during the "keto flu." As time progresses, we start losing ammonium ions instead. I'm not sure how/why that switch occurs, but it explains why guys like FIT_Goat don't smell bad.

auntstephie321

i did see that about burning protein is it possible this is too much protein, I actually thought I was too low most days?

wabmester

It's hard to know how much protein is adequate and how much will be used for fuel.

My sweat had an ammonia smell in the first months of exercise, but now it doesn't. I don't think my eating has changed much, but I think my insulin sensitivity has increased. That could mean that I am now able to use more of the protein I eat for muscle growth. Also, when I was less "fat adapted," that meant I would burn more sugar for fuel during exercise, and that may have triggered more protein catabolism (via gluconeogenesis).

The good news is that the smell seems to go away as you become fat adapted. It probably took me months because my carb intake wasn't very low.