bizarre side effect of running????

mboski2
mboski2 Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have started jogging/running on my treadmill now that the temperatures are 108-112 routinely now. Since it is in the air conditioner I find I can run longer and I am up to fast jog/running for 60 min but since starting this the past week, when I am done and breathing deeply, it smells like I am sniffing ammonia. I get dizzy, lightheaded and my nose burns and I truly smell something awful. It only happens after exercising and no one else in the house can smell it. Weird huh????? Any suggestions on this one?

Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    That's really odd...

    Do you ever smell that after other types of vigorous exertion?

    I've never had that happen to me, nor have I heard of it. I was expecting something common, like having to pee.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    http://site.runtex.com/index.php/2012/06/ammonia-smell-after-running-heres-whats-happening/


    "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."

    *Quoted from above article
  • hiraethed
    hiraethed Posts: 26 Member
    That is... super weird. Are you on a high protein/high fat diet? If so my theory would be you have excess ketones in your sweat, and are smelling yourself.
  • gil_u
    gil_u Posts: 165 Member
    http://site.runtex.com/index.php/2012/06/ammonia-smell-after-running-heres-whats-happening/


    "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."

    *Quoted from above article

    This was a very interesting read
  • SinCityFit
    SinCityFit Posts: 96
    Wow, now I want to go running on all protein to experience that :D
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    Sounds like ketones to me. Watch out. There's a risk you are burning lean body mass if you are going into high heart rate zones without adequate fuelling. The body can only burn so much fat per minute before turning elsewhere. It happened to me. I'd rather cut fat slowly, with low intensity exercise that doesn't require too much repair, and the body can fuel by not tapping into the good stuff.

    Or, learn how to fuel properly, eating different releasing carbs 2/3 hours before your run (you'll have to experiment with this, depending how sensitive your stomach is).
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    This has actually happened to me as well, and I didn't know why. I wasn't on a low carb diet either. Weird.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    This has actually happened to me as well, and I didn't know why. I wasn't on a low carb diet either. Weird.

    You can eat carbs and still be depleted before you start exercising. Ie eat breakfast with carbs and that just refuels the night time depletion, then by lunchtime you've used all that energy up and you're depleted again. Then you run, harder than your fitness can aerobically cope with, you go anaerobic, body looks for fuel, ketosis can occur.

    The more muscle you have, the more glycogen you can store, I see them like engines. I really don't want to fuel my training with fat stores, it's terribly draining on the body. I prefer to burn fat with a deficit and walking, pottering around.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I have started jogging/running on my treadmill now that the temperatures are 108-112 routinely now. Since it is in the air conditioner I find I can run longer and I am up to fast jog/running for 60 min but since starting this the past week, when I am done and breathing deeply, it smells like I am sniffing ammonia. I get dizzy, lightheaded and my nose burns and I truly smell something awful. It only happens after exercising and no one else in the house can smell it. Weird huh????? Any suggestions on this one?

    YES! This has happened to me too, years ago when I first started running on a treadmill. It was EXTREMELY strong ammonia smell and I couldn't figure out what on earth it was. It was only after pushing myself really hard on the treadmill.

    Read this: http://site.runtex.com/index.php/2012/06/ammonia-smell-after-running-heres-whats-happening/

    Just know you're not alone, but I also don't think it's anything serious.
  • healthysista66
    healthysista66 Posts: 35
    I'm glad I stumbled on this post. Very interesting.
  • mboski2
    mboski2 Posts: 13 Member
    Wow....i really didn't think anyone would have a serious answer. I am 5'4 and currently weigh 152.5. I just can't get below the 150 mark so I amped up my Cardio to see if it would help. I am eating the 1200 calories est by mfp and eating back my exercise calories but that article makes it sound like that is not enough. Our am I reading it wrong. Do I just need to move the times of day that I eat my carbs? If its protein that my body wants to burn, couldn't I drink a protein shake so it would burn that protein and not the protein in my musclesand that way I would not have to eat more carbs?
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
    Wow....i really didn't think anyone would have a serious answer. I am 5'4 and currently weigh 152.5. I just can't get below the 150 mark so I amped up my Cardio to see if it would help. I am eating the 1200 calories est by mfp and eating back my exercise calories but that article makes it sound like that is not enough. Our am I reading it wrong. Do I just need to move the times of day that I eat my carbs? If its protein that my body wants to burn, couldn't I drink a protein shake so it would burn that protein and not the protein in my musclesand that way I would not have to eat more carbs?

    I think your calorie intake maybe a bit low.

    I lost 16 pounds by eating 1640(give or take) calories a day. Starting weight was 147 and I am down to 131. I am trying to maintain that weight . I lost most of that weight in about six months.

    As far as the other questions you have about the carbs and protein, not really sure about that. But what I know is what worked for me was all foods in moderation and I weigh my food(most of the time). I have always been very active so I didn't really need to increase that.

    Maybe it would be helpful to open your diary so that people can get a better idea of how to help answer your questions.

    Best of luck to you!
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    Wow....i really didn't think anyone would have a serious answer. I am 5'4 and currently weigh 152.5. I just can't get below the 150 mark so I amped up my Cardio to see if it would help. I am eating the 1200 calories est by mfp and eating back my exercise calories but that article makes it sound like that is not enough. Our am I reading it wrong. Do I just need to move the times of day that I eat my carbs? If its protein that my body wants to burn, couldn't I drink a protein shake so it would burn that protein and not the protein in my musclesand that way I would not have to eat more carbs?

    You're just not in deficit, or you're retaining water for muscle repair.

    The exercise burn numbers are way too high here, and on machines, for most people. That's why you have to be careful not to muddy the water too much with lots of sports.

    Eating more isn't going to make you lose weight.

    Log everything exactly. Find out your burns by using a heart rate monitor programmed with your stats.

    Be really patient. I've stalled twice for six weeks before, but the second time I trusted my numbers and just....waited.
    The drop comes eventually, but you have to be super accurate, weigh all your foods etc.

    As far as carb timing, I load up with slow and fast release carbs ie oats, bananas, Greek yoghurt and honey 2/3 hours before exercise. I aim for a steady stream of amino acids so eat 25g/30g protein 4 x day. Try to eat quick carbs and protein soonish after workouts. Try not to fast carb load if I don't have activities to fuel for. Omega 3 for sports health.
  • decagrog
    decagrog Posts: 4 Member
    I've the same issues and in my case the smell is not coming from the sweat but only in my nose.
    Also I don't think is related to a carbo deficit, I weight 56kg for 174cm in height, actually on a 2200cal/day diet (for building mass) with a 55% carbs, 25% protein, 20% fats ratio and I feel the ammonia smell plus burning nose just after a 30min cardio exercise.

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