Maybe you have noticed it, after a big or short run, your sweat has a strong cloying smell, sort of like a public restroom, perhaps. You may disregard it as an inevitable byproduct of a strenuous workout, but that ammonia smell may be a red flag your diet isn’t keeping up with your energy needs.
Your body normally metabolizes carbohydrates to create the fuel it requires for exercise, says Dr, William Roberts, a professor of sports and family medicine at the university of Minnesota. But if you are exercising hard and do not have enough carbs to meet your body needs, your system will switch over to protein metabolism.
When your body breaks down protein, ammonia is one of the byproducts. Normally your liver would convert that ammonia into urea, a benign organic compound that your kidneys would dispel of in the form of urine. But if you are starved of carbs and turning to protein for most of your energy, your liver may not be able to handle all the ammonia your body produces. In those instances, your sweat becomes the vehicle through which your body throws all of the extra ammonia in your system. You see this more in people who eat low-carb and high protein diets, or people who are over-exercisers.
Dehydration can also contribute to the smell because it makes your sweat more concentrated. If your urine is very dark, yellow or brown you are not drinking enough water, this could be part of the reason your sweat is smelling that ammonia.
Ammonia scented sweat is not normal or healthy. If you notice such kind of smell something is really wrong. you need to add more carbohydrates in your diet. Whole fruits, potatoes, rice, pasta, and breads are all traditional carb sources that should help correct the problem. If you are engaging in super long workouts, sport drinks and bars tend to be carb heavy, so they can help your body avoid a switch to protein synthesis.
If adding carbs in your diet does not help, see a doctor. People with liver or kidney disease also have trouble disposing of ammonia. Balance is key to health especially when it comes to what you are eating.