Chemical smell in nose after exercise.

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Junojuno1233
Junojuno1233 Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone, I wonder if anyone would be able to help me / has the same thing. Recently, I have been on a couple of runs, one was 18km a few days ago, and one was a 5k yesterday. After each run, I got this weird chemical smell in my nose. This has never happened to me before, bearing in mind that I ran a marathon and did a super intense quadrathlon this time last year - but never got that chemical smell during those times or at all during my training. I have done a lot of research, and everything I am finding on the internet is saying that I am smelling ammonia, meaning my body is burning protein/muscle mass instead of carbs. But the thing is, I definitely fuelled enough for these runs: I had toast for breakfast and rice for lunch pre 18k and pre 5k I had a banana and a slice of toast... So I don't think it could be that. Other posts are saying it could be an acetone smell which indicates fat burning ketosis - but again, my carb intake indicate that it probably can't be that. The only thing that I can think of that I have changed is my strength training which I have upped quite a lot and never used to do as intensely when I was training last year. So unsure if it could be to do with that... Does anyone have any opinions or experience the same thing? Would love some advice!! Thanks.

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  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,921 Member
    edited March 15
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    Yeah, one is ammonia, this smell is the production of urea, a protein breakdown product, which is being generated faster than your kidneys can excrete it. Another one is acetone kind of smells like nail polish remover and that's from ketone production from generally a lower carb diet or when there's back to back intense exercise. You've mentioned both of these and I wouldn't discount them because needing to use protein doesn't mean it's automatically coming from muscle mass, it's actually the last place your body will go to get protein, it will prioritized dietary protein first and only breakdown muscle after all the carbs and fats in the blood are used first, basically we're talking extreme deficits and malnutrition. Ketones could easily be manufacturing during your routine and people will produce ketones everyday to some extent and especially at night or after and during intense exercise imo.
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I remember having a weird metallic or chemical taste in my mouth when I was pregnant due to hormone fluctuations. Don't remember if it seemed to be in my nose, too. Anyway, I'd get a check up and ask a Dr. !
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,675 Member
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    I get that sometimes when I run on the TM, not when I run outside. It may have to do with the intensity of the exercise.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Have you had COVID? Not all of my smell came back after I did and I often get random scents that have no identifiable source.

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