Photo: Rick Han

Why does my night sweat smell like urine?

The body converts carbohydrates to glucose for energy. But in the absence of enough carbohydrates, the body consumes protein by breaking it down to amino acids. It then converts proteins to ammonia and releases it through urine and sweat, producing an odor. Dehydration is another cause of sweat smelling like ammonia.

sanramonurgentcare.com - Your sweat smells like ammonia? | 11 common reasons

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Sweat may not always be full of odor. But if your sweat smells like ammonia, it may be due to exercise, high protein intake, or kidney disease. This blog will list down the reasons why your sweat may smell like ammonia and how you can get rid of smelly sweat.

Causes of odor in sweat

Diet

If your sweat smells like ammonia, one possible reason can be your diet. If the food you eat contains a high amount of protein but is low in carbohydrates, your body may produce ammonia to be released through sweat. The body converts carbohydrates to glucose for energy. But in the absence of enough carbohydrates, the body consumes protein by breaking it down to amino acids. It then converts proteins to ammonia and releases it through urine and sweat, producing an odor.

Dehydration

Dehydration is another cause of sweat smelling like ammonia.

Your body eliminates ammonia using water. If there isn’t sufficient water to dilute ammonia as the body releases it, the odor of ammonia may be powerful.

Exercise

According to some research, exercise can affect the level of ammonia in sweat. More intense exercise is associated with higher ammonia levels. A person may find their sweat smells strongly of ammonia when exercising or right after.

Kidney disease

Kidney disease can alter the odor of your body. Kidneys eliminate urea from the body. Improper working of the kidney can cause urea to enter the bloodstream. High amounts of urea in the body are released through sweat, causing a bad odor.

Diabetes

Diabetes can lead to a complication called diabetic ketoacidosis. This occurs when your body starts burning fat for energy due to insufficient insulin to consume glucose present in the cells. Fat burning for energy produces ketones. A type of ketone called acetone can make your breath smell fruity or lead to ammonia-like sweat.

Hyperhidrosis

If your sweat smells like ammonia, the reason could be hyperhidrosis. This condition can cause your eccrine glands to sweat excessively. Around 15 million of the US population has hyperhidrosis.

There are two types of hyperhidrosis:

Primary focal hyperhidrosis: In this condition, your forehead, underarms, hands, and feet are most affected. It doesn’t happen due to any disease or side effects from medication. Secondary hyperhidrosis: It occurs due to a medical condition or a side effect of medication. If a person sweats excessively, sweat on their skin can combine with bacteria which can cause an ammonia-like odor.

Other causes of bad body odor include:

Trimethylaminuria

Meat consumption

Eating eggs and milk

Stress

Hormonal changes

Spices such as cumin or curry

Whatever the reason behind your smelly sweat, our doctors at San Ramon Urgent Care Clinic can provide appropriate treatment for the underlying cause. To schedule an appointment, contact our Manteca location by calling 209-825-5155.

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Why does my sweat smell like bacteria?

The culprit is an enzyme called C-T lyase, found in the bacterium Staphylococcus hominis, which dwells in human armpits. These bacteria feed on odorless chemicals released in sweat, which the enzyme then converts into thioalcohols—a pungent compound responsible for the offending smell.

science.org - Scientists discover the secret behind bad body odor | Science | AAAS

Scientists have uncovered the secret behind the unpleasant stench of body odor, The Guardian reports. The culprit is an enzyme called C-T lyase, found in the bacterium Staphylococcus hominis, which dwells in human armpits. These bacteria feed on odorless chemicals released in sweat, which the enzyme then converts into thioalcohols—a pungent compound responsible for the offending smell. After identifying the gene in S. hominis that codes for C-T lyase, the researchers inserted it into a different species of bacteria—one that usually plays no part in body smells. That bacteria suddenly began to produce body odor, confirming the enzyme as the guilty party, the researchers write this week in Scientific Reports . Knowing the precise enzyme responsible for body odor opens up possibilities for targeted, longer lasting deodorants and antiperspirants, the team says.

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