Ammonia Smells

Pancakelovessyrup
Pancakelovessyrup Posts: 14
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
So I just hit my 6 week post- partum mark from having my wonderful son. I stopped losing the "baby weight" at week two. I have been on a diet since day one; so I have continuously lost weight though (4lbs woot). My question is this: since I hit my 6 week mark, I have been working out all week. In the weeks 3-6, I only worked out two- three times a week and only for about twenty minutes. This week I have been working out everyday for an hour. Previous to pregnancy this was completely of the norm for me. Every workout I have been smelling a strong scent of ammonia. I have read there are two reasons for this: dehydration and me running out or glucose, so my body is burning carbs/muscle mass. This still confuses the crap out of me. I drink a 32oz bottle of water about 4-5 times a day. I have eaten carbs twenty minutes before my workout and still the ammonia smell. Any help on how to make this stop?

Replies

  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
    I've heard/read similar to you. I think if you are dehydrated the smell is from your breath, but if it is from your skin/sweat it probably means you are burning protein for fuel instead of sugar. Ammonia is a by-product of protein metabolism and that's why you are smelling it. This used to happen to me and it doesn't anymore. The only different thing is that I have been drinking protein water (just a bottle of water to which I add a scoop of whey protein powder) a couple of time during the day. Also back off on the cardio and do some more weight bearing exercises. I don't like lifting weights, but I've been doing more push ups, squats, lunges, yoga and less cardio.
    Hope this helps.
  • moniquelessard
    moniquelessard Posts: 418
    I replied, but when I re-read your post I realized that you drink enough water (so I edited my reply)... I sometimes have the ammonia smell too, but only on days when I am dehydrated. I don't have any suggestions, although I'm curious what other carbs you are eating. You mention carbs 20 mins before a workout.. but it takes a bit longer than that for the carbs to absorb into your system. Are you holding off on carbs the rest of the time?
  • cathylovestim
    cathylovestim Posts: 41
    This has happened to me too from time-to-time. Thanks for the info slimkitty!
  • JulieSD
    JulieSD Posts: 567
    I just googled it and came up for two other options, you're drinking too much water (124 to 160oz right?) or its bacterial infection? I think you should get a blood test from your doctor to make sure everything is alright.

    Good luck.
  • Pancakelovessyrup
    Pancakelovessyrup Posts: 14
    I replied, but when I re-read your post I realized that you drink enough water (so I edited my reply)... I sometimes have the ammonia smell too, but only on days when I am dehydrated. I don't have any suggestions, although I'm curious what other carbs you are eating. You mention carbs 20 mins before a workout.. but it takes a bit longer than that for the carbs to absorb into your system. Are you holding off on carbs the rest of the time?

    Maybe that is it. How long should I wait for the carbs to absorb? No, I have not cut down my carbs. I had just read to combat this, eat carbs before your workout.
  • Pancakelovessyrup
    Pancakelovessyrup Posts: 14
    I just googled it and came up for two other options, you're drinking too much water (124 to 160oz right?) or its bacterial infection? I think you should get a blood test from your doctor to make sure everything is alright.

    Good luck.

    I hope its not drinking too much water. My doctor convinced me to switch to drinking water all day long; rather then drinking 12 diet sodas a day (yes 12; I had a problem I know). I use to drink even more water and had gotten to the point of feeling nausea, headache, lightheadedness, so I eased up on the water to my current level and never feel sick. Thanks for the info.
  • Pancakelovessyrup
    Pancakelovessyrup Posts: 14
    good tip slimkitty!
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    So I just hit my 6 week post- partum mark from having my wonderful son. I stopped losing the "baby weight" at week two. I have been on a diet since day one; so I have continuously lost weight though (4lbs woot). My question is this: since I hit my 6 week mark, I have been working out all week. In the weeks 3-6, I only worked out two- three times a week and only for about twenty minutes. This week I have been working out everyday for an hour. Previous to pregnancy this was completely of the norm for me. Every workout I have been smelling a strong scent of ammonia. I have read there are two reasons for this: dehydration and me running out or glucose, so my body is burning carbs/muscle mass. This still confuses the crap out of me. I drink a 32oz bottle of water about 4-5 times a day. I have eaten carbs twenty minutes before my workout and still the ammonia smell. Any help on how to make this stop?

    Eat more, and rest.
  • plagirl227
    plagirl227 Posts: 134
    I always associate that "smell" with fat burning. Whenever I smell it, I feel I had a good workout!

    But I think of it as a ketone smell and ketones are a by-product of fat metabolism. At least for me, it's not as strong a smell as ammonia. I only smell it for a few minutes after I stop exercising and no one else smells it or even understands when I try to explain...
  • moniquelessard
    moniquelessard Posts: 418
    I replied, but when I re-read your post I realized that you drink enough water (so I edited my reply)... I sometimes have the ammonia smell too, but only on days when I am dehydrated. I don't have any suggestions, although I'm curious what other carbs you are eating. You mention carbs 20 mins before a workout.. but it takes a bit longer than that for the carbs to absorb into your system. Are you holding off on carbs the rest of the time?

    Maybe that is it. How long should I wait for the carbs to absorb? No, I have not cut down my carbs. I had just read to combat this, eat carbs before your workout.


    This is a total guesstimate, but what I know (as a graduating nursing student), is that food takes max of 4 hours to mechanically digest in your stomach. No food is absorbed in the stomach . Its all soft and squishy now, moves into the small intestine where everything you need is absorbed into the body. The large intestine is responsible for the re-uptake of water (explaining why your stools are formed). So fruits are broken down quickly in the stomach (lets say 30-60 mins), Vegs (30-90mins) and Grains probably take about 90min plus, depending on their density.

    Remember to chew well! Chewing is part of mechanical digestion and makes the job your stomach does a bit easier, so that food will move a bit quicker. ;)

    I hope this helps
  • moniquelessard
    moniquelessard Posts: 418
    I should mention that my time frames for mechanical digestion are based on the reasoning that carbs are broken down much faster than other foods - depending again on their density and nature (fruit = faster). xo
  • littleenginethatcan
    littleenginethatcan Posts: 264
    This happens to me, too!

    This article was interesting: http://drmirkin.blogspot.com/2007/06/ammonia-odor-caused-by-common-stomach.html
  • Jensey76
    Jensey76 Posts: 18
    You can drink TOO much water and it can be dangerous. The reason is that it causes your sodium level to drop to dangerously low levels (it basically dilutes the sodium which lowers the level in your bloodstream). It is called water intoxication. I am an ER nurse and actually had a baby once that started having seizures and then stopped breathing and lost his heart rate for a few minutes, requiring CPR. When we got the lab results back, the sodium was low. Come to find out, the family was poor and had been substituting water for formula every other feeding. The baby had water intoxication. We replaced the sodium and the baby was fine. But it can be serious. Why don't you start drinking Powerade Zero in place of half of your water? It has some sodium in it, so it will replace some sodium, but no calories and it will still keep you hydrated. There are a lot of flavors. That is what I drink most of the time. If you are exercising, you are sweating which also causes sodium loss. Just a thought.
  • Jennyzfit
    Jennyzfit Posts: 175 Member
    Awesome thread thank you
  • its_betty
    its_betty Posts: 104 Member
    I have the same ammonia smell after exercising issue. My doctor couldn't find a definitive answer. A dermatologist said that it could be that I have an enzyme that breaks down protein in sweat. Not dangerous; only way to treat it is to prevent sweat. (Some people have severe problems that are treated with botox injections.) I decided to just shower. :)
  • ptrain987
    ptrain987 Posts: 30
    so glad this thread is goin on...i used to have the same problem but it stopped and i don't know what i'm doing different for it not to happen anymore or i just don't notice it anymore lol...but i didn't feel as if it was important because i took it as a sinus thing lmao
  • Pancakelovessyrup
    Pancakelovessyrup Posts: 14
    Thanks all for your replies; everything was insightful. I have the opportunity to see a nutritionist; so I am going to ask him/her just to make sure.
  • moniquelessard
    moniquelessard Posts: 418
    If the nutritionist tells you anything enlightening, let us know pls! xo
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