Does anyone else smell ammonia after an intense workout?

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shurders
shurders Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
It is so strong it takes my breath away, but no one else smells it coming from me, so I think it might be inside my body. My hubby says maybe that's the smell of fat burning. Anyone know what this is?

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  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
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    Are you on a low carb diet? Are you working out in a fasted state? What's your water intake like?
  • GolfBird1
    GolfBird1 Posts: 57
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    I Googled your question and a website called Run Tex suggested the following explanation


    Ammonia is actually a by-product of protein metabolism. When you run hard and long and your body lacks adequate carbohydrates, your body burns protein for fuel. When this is burned, the distinctive ammonia smell presents itself afterward.

    Hope this is helpful
  • brraanndi
    brraanndi Posts: 325 Member
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    Ketosis from vlcd and low carb has a smell.

    And do you take any prescription that has amphetamines in it? My husband says there is a weird chemical smell that comes from people who take them and he can spot pretty much anyone at work who takes things like Adderall. I googled it and apparently it's a thing that alot of people don't even notice.
  • tarmstrong7474
    tarmstrong7474 Posts: 1 Member
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    Ammonia Smell

    When too much nitrogen is present in your system, your body depends on the kidneys to process the excess nitrogen. This process creates urea, which can then be expelled through your urine. However, when there is too much for the kidneys to even process, then the excess nitrogen is secreted as ammonia through your sweat. When you exercise and sweat at a greater rate than normal, enough ammonia escapes for you to actually smell it.

    Treating Ammonia Smell

    To treat the ammonia smell in your sweat, switch your diet to consume more carbohydrates. Your body's first choice for energy is typically carbohydrates. When you consume enough carbohydrate sources, your body is less likely to use amino acids from protein to create energy, reducing the amount of nitrogen produced in your body. Choose complex carbohydrate sources such as legumes or whole-grain breads or cereals.


    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/448648-smelling-ammonia-after-exercise/#ixzz2ggBr888f
  • MrOutfit
    MrOutfit Posts: 30
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    Just like Golfbird said. I've done military training without any food, and all of us started smelling like that. It was our body eating muscle.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
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    made me think of pee.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
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    I'm not gonna lie. I smell horrible. I don't really stink, and my gym clothes don't really stink (too badly), but my gym towel always has a faint "cat pee" odor; an ammonia smell. That's what I am using to directly towel my skin off. I asked my husband if I smell. He said that he doesn't notice a stink when we are working out. It's my towel that smells the worst.

    I drink a TON of water...usually no less than 4 liters. I think my sweat stinks due to fairly high level of coffee consumption.
  • floop1207
    floop1207 Posts: 194 Member
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    yes!! i posted a while ago about this but i'm not on a vlcd or low carb diet and it was just in general, not particularly after a workout. i don't notice it so much now - whether my body has got used to whatever it was doing or i've just got used to the smell.
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
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    interesting things here...i smell amonia some days - others not so much. It isn't nearly as strong as the OP, but i will start taking a note of what my pre-workout snack consists of and see if high carb days are better...
  • asp415
    asp415 Posts: 1,492 Member
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    I Googled your question and a website called Run Tex suggested the following explanation


    Ammonia is actually a by-product of protein metabolism. When you run hard and long and your body lacks adequate carbohydrates, your body burns protein for fuel. When this is burned, the distinctive ammonia smell presents itself afterward.

    Hope this is helpful

    Thank you for this reply to the OP's ?. I noticed this my last two long runs, it was strange as I have never smelled this on me before. Now I know & will make sure I eat more carbs the day before a long run.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I have, so I'm following along.

    I've also heard/read that it's a by product of muscle breakdown. But I'd like to hear that form a more reliable source than random MFPers and google searches.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    It is so strong it takes my breath away, but no one else smells it coming from me, so I think it might be inside my body. My hubby says maybe that's the smell of fat burning. Anyone know what this is?
    It happens because the body has no more carbs to burn and starts to burn protein, it will happen after particularly hard runs for instance.

    Everybody has this smell, which is indeed amonia, emanating from them after working out, however, it varies in degrees of strength.

    One way to try to prevent the smell is to take on board more carbs so that your body has these to burn, but if it is because you were worried what the smell was and whether it was a danger sign, rest easy, it is natural. I know exactly the smell you are on about by the way, I have had this happen a fair bit myself.

    Below is a webpage with more info on this subject:

    http://site.runtex.com/index.php/2012/06/ammonia-smell-after-running-heres-whats-happening/
  • igoleft6
    igoleft6 Posts: 13 Member
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    Glad I'm not the only one! I'm not low carb but anytime I do long workouts I smell like ammonia.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    Regarding the point, "can other people smell this on somebody else", I was standing, spectating at a half marathon run a couple of years ago and as the runners ran past, one particular runner had a strong smell of amonia emanating from their body. I wondered how they were feeling, because they still had three miles to go at that point, but they were up near the front so must have been okay.
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    LOL! The first couple of times this happened to me I just thought my sweat was having some weird reaction to the laundry detergent I used to clean my gym clothes. I did look it up and as it doesn't happen often, I haven't really tested to see if it only happens when I am particularly carb deficient (well since I never try to be without carbs). No one else has ever told me they smell it on me, but then again that would be a weird thing to say to someone.
  • shurders
    shurders Posts: 5
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    Thank you all for the very informative replies. Now I know!
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Just to add in from another angle. My friend is diabetic and can smell ammonia when their blood sugar is low. The body works in weird ways I guess.
  • MayaSunRising
    MayaSunRising Posts: 1
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    Hi all,

    Thanks to all above who posted info regarding the ammonia smell. I have another questions however; I smell ammonia sometimes even when sitting idly at my desk or when reading a book. Has anyone ever experienced this? Like most I used to smell this only after exercise but I've notice this happening for a few months now.

    Given - as stated above - that the ammonia smell is caused by your body shedding excess nitrogen your kidneys can't handle, should I be concerned about this? My diet is pretty varied - paleo based in general.

    Any input advice would be appreciated. I'd like to get this sorted as it really freaks me out.
  • lasamford791
    lasamford791 Posts: 1
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    I can smell the same thing! When I am sitting down doing homework after a work out at the gym I get this smell lingering in my apartment that almost smells like something burning or like old pee or something. It drives me nuts! I really hope I don't smell like this. I also take Adderall 20mg a day instant release. I just took the Adderall about 20 minutes ago right when I started to smell the smell. I've read from other posts that it can give off a weird smell. I wonder if my metabolism is burning too much and I am not eating enough. What should I eat to help prevent this smell? It's not all of the time. It's usually when I am sitting down trying to focus on my homework. I just ate two hours ago, whole grain sand which, with lettuce tomato pickle online mayo mustard and turkey. Do I need to eat again?!
  • FromHereOnOut
    FromHereOnOut Posts: 3,237 Member
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    When you run hard and long and your body lacks adequate carbohydrates, your body burns protein for fuel. When this is burned, the distinctive ammonia smell presents itself afterward.


    Sure, I get this often. I notice it the most when I'm peeling out of my soaking wet workout clothes.

    But my question is: WHEN DOES MY BODY BURN *FAT* FOR FUEL?!?! (Serious question.) What am I doing wrong that it's either carbs or protein (evidenced by the ammonia smell), but not fat?? *sigh*

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