What causes the smell of ammonia when you work out and how do you stop it?

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sabalsam844
sabalsam844 Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
Whenever I work out, shortly after I warm up and start to sweat, I can smell this really pungent smell of ammonia.

Typically I have finished eating about 2 hours prior to my workout and I am fairly well hydrated. I am not doing any sort of fad diet, just counting calories in and out. I drink between 8 and 16 glasses of water a day in addition to the 8 that I will drink while I am working out.

I am not stressing physical abilities that I am aware of, I have a resting heart rate of about 50 and once I am warmed up I am keeping my heart rate in the neighborhood of 133.

One of my friends told me that I was buying protein and that was what the smell was coming from. If that is the case, how do I stop it? I am sure that this is not normal as the gym I work out at would stink if it were the case.
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Replies

  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Ammonia is released in sweat when amino acids (protein) are broken down for enery. What are your macros currently set as? Are you getting enough carbs and fat?
  • sabalsam844
    sabalsam844 Posts: 4
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    KarenJanine wrote: »
    Ammonia is released in sweat when amino acids (protein) are broken down for enery. What are your macros currently set as? Are you getting enough carbs and fat?

    My current diet breaks down as 50% carbs 25% fat 25% protein.

    Also depending on how I feel, I will eat a banana just before leaving the house for the gym. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes to get there.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    edited January 2015
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    sabalsam844 wrote: »
    KarenJanine wrote: »
    Ammonia is released in sweat when amino acids (protein) are broken down for enery. What are your macros currently set as? Are you getting enough carbs and fat?

    My current diet breaks down as 50% carbs 25% fat 25% protein.

    Also depending on how I feel, I will eat a banana just before leaving the house for the gym. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes to get there.


    And what is your current total daily calorie intake (sorry, should have asked in my previous post)?
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    KarenJanine wrote: »
    Ammonia is released in sweat when amino acids (protein) are broken down for enery. What are your macros currently set as? Are you getting enough carbs and fat?

    That is not good. I did not know that .
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Are you sure it's coming from you and not your clothes? I've had to toss gym clothes before because they get a stink that you can't get out....bacteria can get trapped in the fibers and they'll smell when you put them back on.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    JTick wrote: »
    Are you sure it's coming from you and not your clothes? I've had to toss gym clothes before because they get a stink that you can't get out....bacteria can get trapped in the fibers and they'll smell when you put them back on.

    especially the newer fancier gym clothes. Cotton tends to get less funk.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    JTick wrote: »
    Are you sure it's coming from you and not your clothes? I've had to toss gym clothes before because they get a stink that you can't get out....bacteria can get trapped in the fibers and they'll smell when you put them back on.

    especially the newer fancier gym clothes. Cotton tends to get less funk.
    Yep, although I've managed to skunk cotton too haha. Normally a wash in really hot water with an extra rinse helps, and make sure you're not leaving sweaty clothes wadded up....they need to dry properly.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    JTick wrote: »
    Are you sure it's coming from you and not your clothes? I've had to toss gym clothes before because they get a stink that you can't get out....bacteria can get trapped in the fibers and they'll smell when you put them back on.

    especially the newer fancier gym clothes. Cotton tends to get less funk.

    yeah after a few years of working out- you figure out which clothes work with your body chemistry and those that don't. Some fabrics just will not agree with your sweat. Like under armour- I like it- but I don't go out of my way to buy them- why? because they stink.

    But generic brand from TJmaxx- or Target- I haven't had any issues with at all.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I've experienced it before. When I first started running I used to get it a lot. It didn't matter how or what I ate and I wasn't doing excessive distance or anything, I'd get it on an easy 5k. Eventually it just stopped.
    I noticed that when I started back running after being off while pregnant it started again.
    I'm not sure what the causes are but in my case, it seems like my level of fitness was the difference.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Try soaking your workout clothes in a weak solution of vinegar / water (ie 1 cup vinegar in a bucket of water) before washing them and you will probably notice that the problem goes away (it's pretty unlikely you're in ketosis if 50% of your calories are from carbs)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,553 Member
    edited January 2015
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    KarenJanine wrote: »
    Ammonia is released in sweat when amino acids (protein) are broken down for enery. What are your macros currently set as? Are you getting enough carbs and fat?
    Usually this. But in some cases it's also issues with your liver or kidneys. A check up on this wouldn't hurt.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    JTick wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    JTick wrote: »
    Are you sure it's coming from you and not your clothes? I've had to toss gym clothes before because they get a stink that you can't get out....bacteria can get trapped in the fibers and they'll smell when you put them back on.

    especially the newer fancier gym clothes. Cotton tends to get less funk.
    Yep, although I've managed to skunk cotton too haha. Normally a wash in really hot water with an extra rinse helps, and make sure you're not leaving sweaty clothes wadded up....they need to dry properly.

    When mine get that SOOPAH FUNK that won't wash out I throw them in the bath tub and soak them overnight with that Oxy laundry additive powder. Then wash them like normal and they always come out smelling fresh.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    I've experienced it before. When I first started running I used to get it a lot. It didn't matter how or what I ate and I wasn't doing excessive distance or anything, I'd get it on an easy 5k. Eventually it just stopped.
    I noticed that when I started back running after being off while pregnant it started again.
    I'm not sure what the causes are but in my case, it seems like my level of fitness was the difference.

    I've noticed this too. When I started back running after recovering from an injury for several months it would happen even on easy runs. It went away after a few weeks.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    edited January 2015
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    KarenJanine wrote: »
    Ammonia is released in sweat when amino acids (protein) are broken down for enery. What are your macros currently set as? Are you getting enough carbs and fat?
    Usually this. But in some cases it's also issues with your liver or kidneys. A check up on this wouldn't hurt.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    This is awesome.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
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    I'm in the sweaty, sweaty girl club. . .it's just genetics. With a lot of sweat, you get smell. I wash my workout clothes, every single, stinking time with a healthy dash of vinegar in the washer water and I try to stay downwind of people when I'm running and shower immediately as soon as I get in.
  • lchadwick3
    lchadwick3 Posts: 66 Member
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    Man... I'm glad I'm not the only one.

    I haven't noticed the problem while running or working out but if I don't wash the clothes pretty quickly afterwards the laundry basket lets me know its time. In fact, since I workout every day I am the official clothes washer at my house now.
  • sheltol
    sheltol Posts: 120 Member
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    L-citrulline helps reduce the ammonia pathway. A lot of preworkouts have l-citrulline but the amount isn't effective. You can buy l-citrulline in bulk and add it to your intraworkout drink or drink it day to day. IMO it reduces the cat pee smell but I still stink. ;)
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
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    I almost knock myself out in the shower when I raise my arms to wash my hair after exercising, particularly a run. For a while I was wondering if I had sweat glands on the inside of my nose and was washing out my nostrils - then I figured out the connection.

    True story. :p
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Lack of carbs usually
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
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    I never realized until just now how good I smell.

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