Ketosis Breath: Causes & Solutions For Bad Breath
Ultra-low carb diets have grown in popularity over recent years. These so-called “keto diets” aim to facilitate rapid weight loss, through the consumption of minimal carbohydrates. Keto diets have become understandably popular on account of their rapid results, together with the practical benefits of consuming healthy volumes of the right foods, making hunger less of a problem than on more typical calorie-controlled diets. However keto diets are not without their issues, and one of the most common complaints comes in the form of “ketosis breath”. Quite simply many individuals making use of very low carb diets suffer from pungent and unpleasant breath. The question is what can be done to counteract such a problem? The Cause of Ketosis Breath In order to learn how to get rid of keto breath, we first need to understand why breath can smell under such a regime. As it turns out there are two potential reasons(1), both of which can operate independently, or in conjunction. Ketone Release The most typical source of energy used by the body is glucose. This is typically derived from carbohydrates, where the digestive system breaks down complex sugars into simple glucose molecules. On very low carb diets, however, the body is unable to utilize such a fuel. Instead, the liver utilizes the fat present in the body as an energy source, producing “ketones” in the process(2). This is known as “ketosis” – and is the process from where keto diets get their unusual name. These ketone bodies come in three common forms; acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetone(3). In large quantities they are removed from the body in the urine or through exhalation. Ketones can have quite a characteristic smell; they often make the dieter’s breath smell quite sweet and fruity, quit Continue reading >>
Ketosis Symptoms
Ketosis symptoms are a result of the way the body gets rid of the excess ketone bodies which build up in the blood stream when a person eats a low carb, ketogenic diet. In short, the body has three ways of dealing with excess ketone bodies: First, the muscles liver and brain can burn them for energy in the cells. Second, the body can breathe ketones out through the lungs. And third, the body can flush ketones out through the kidneys and urine. Legionella Testing Lab - High Quality Lab Results CDC ELITE & NYSDOH ELAP Certified - Fast Results North America Lab Locations legionellatesting.com The ketosis symptoms associated with the benign dietary ketosis caused by eating a low carb, ketogenic diet are not dangerous. They may differ for each individual, with the most common symptoms being: Ketosis breath, which has a fruity odor, and the person in deep ketosis may feel a sort of slight burning in the nose and a slight smell of ammonia. Dry mouth, which is alleviated by drinking more regular tap or bottled water. (Reverse osmosis water will make this worse.) In the first week of beginning a ketogenic diet, most people experience frequent urination followed by fatigue, as insulin levels come down, and the kidneys release extraneous water stores. Minerals such as sodium, magnesium and potassium are also lost with excreted urine, and it is the mineral loss that causes the fatigue. This can be offset by eating more salt, drinking more fluids, and increasing the intake of magnesium and potassium containing foods. (Dairy foods and avocados are high in potassium, and you can drink broth for more sodium.) A slight headache at first which goes away in a few days. This is usually a sign of not getting enough salt. Ketone bodies become detectable in the urine. Ketone bodies are molecu Continue reading >>
10 Signs And Symptoms That You're In Ketosis
The ketogenic diet is a popular, effective way to lose weight and improve health. When followed correctly, this low-carb, high-fat diet will raise blood ketone levels. These provide a new fuel source for your cells, and cause most of the unique health benefits of this diet (1, 2, 3). On a ketogenic diet, your body undergoes many biological adaptions, including a reduction in insulin and increased fat breakdown. When this happens, your liver starts producing large amounts of ketones to supply energy for your brain. However, it can often be hard to know whether you're "in ketosis" or not. Here are 10 common signs and symptoms of ketosis, both positive and negative. People often report bad breath once they reach full ketosis. It's actually a common side effect. Many people on ketogenic diets and similar diets, such as the Atkins diet, report that their breath takes on a fruity smell. This is caused by elevated ketone levels. The specific culprit is acetone, a ketone that exits the body in your urine and breath (4). While this breath may be less than ideal for your social life, it can be a positive sign for your diet. Many ketogenic dieters brush their teeth several times per day, or use sugar-free gum to solve the issue. If you're using gum or other alternatives like sugar-free drinks, check the label for carbs. These may raise your blood sugar levels and reduce ketone levels. The bad breath usually goes away after some time on the diet. It is not a permanent thing. The ketone acetone is partly expelled via your breath, which can cause bad or fruity-smelling breath on a ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diets, along with normal low-carb diets, are highly effective for losing weight (5, 6). As dozens of weight loss studies have shown, you will likely experience both short- and long Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis And What Are The Symptoms?
What you should know about ketosis Ketosis is a state of metabolism whereby your body uses fat rather than carbohydrates as its main fuel source. In other words, ketosis occurs when insufficient amounts of glucose are consumed to meet the body’s needs and it turns to burning fat to make up for any deficit. This energy source is known as ketones. What are ketones? Ketone bodies are a by-product of the body burning fat stores for energy rather than glucose, think of them as exhaust fumes from when fuel is burned. To encourage ketones, the amount of insulin in your bloodstream must be low. The lower your insulin, the higher your ketone production. How do I know if ketones are present? You can test for ketones using strips you dip in your urine or you can buy a blood ketone testing meter. These are available from pharmacies or online chemists. If you’re diabetic you should have a ketone testing meter which you can get from your GP or diabetic nurse. Ketosis and Diabetes A ketogenic diet can help you lose excess fat, which is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome. So, what’s ketoacidosis? Less common in type 2 diabetes, but dangerous for type 1 diabetics with consistently high blood glucose levels, ketones can develop into a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This happens when there is a severe lack of insulin and the body cannot use glucose for energy. The body then starts to break-down fat and body tissue as an alternative energy source. Ketones are the by-product of this process. While a certain level of ketones can be safe in non-diabetics – they can build up to a high level they cause the body to become acidic – hence the name, ‘acidosis’. To make it even easier and give you an informative breakdown of what you ne Continue reading >>
5 Strategies To Overcome Keto Breath
5 Strategies to Overcome Keto Breath The ketogenic diet has absolutely exploded in popularity over the last few years and for good reason. The benefits of a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet are astounding and include improvements in inflammation, metabolism, brain function, and the list goes on. Because I often recommend this type of eating style, I have become well aware of some of the challenges that people face when making the switch and one of the biggest complaints I get is keto breath. Shortly after beginning a ketogenic or low-carb diet many people report a persistent breath odor or bad taste in the mouth. This is very common and fortunately it can be negated when you follow the right steps. This article goes over 5 strategies to overcome keto breath naturally. Causes of Keto-Breath A ketogenic diet has many great health benefits, including reducing inflammation and improving fat burning and brain function. While ketones have an incredible therapeutic impact in our body, they also cause a fruity breath. However, many times the cause of the bad breath is not the ketones…but excess protein or possibly poor oral hygiene or digestive distress. When it comes down to it, there are only two primary causes of bad breath that are directly related to a ketogenic eating style and they are: Ketones on the breath and over-consumption of protein. Breathing off Ketones: When we start burning fat as a primary fuel source over carbohydrates our bodies produce different byproducts as a result. The main byproduct of burning fat are the ketone compounds and, although these are what we want for energy, one type of ketone in particular (acetone) is released in the breath and may have a fruity odor in higher amounts (1). There are 2 ways to see if this is from ketones. The f Continue reading >>
Do Ketone Levels Matter? And Does Keto-smell Go Away?
So I thought I might be in ketosis. I don't eat a whole lot in the way of carbs, just potatoes, fruit, and a square or two of 85% dark chocolate, a few times a week. On potato or fruit days probably around 80g carbs, other days around 40g, I think. I'm estimating on the higher side because I don't really count them. I don't have a particular macro goal and weight loss isn't something I'm trying to do, but if it happens that is okay, too. I don't have keto-breath, but my armpit smell has been, ah, different lately (sharper, almost chemicallish which sounds kinda like the breath description, sorry if it's TMI) so I thought ketosis might be the cause. I got some ketostix and gave myself a test and came up on the trace level. (Also, last night was a potato night so perhaps that could affect it. I plan to continue testing for a few days, do a little N=1 experimentation.) Is this significant? Do you burn more fat/is it desirable when your ketone levels are higher or is it more of an on/off sort of thing? Also, if I am in ketosis and that's the cause of my yuck-smell, does that go away if you keep yourself in ketosis? Does it persist if you bounce around in and out of keto? I'm trying to decide, if I am in ketosis, if I want to stay here or not. I love my calendula deodorant, but to be honest Tom's of MAINE doesn't understand what summer in the South is like and I don't like the smell, assuming it is because of ketosis. If I am in ketosis and I like it, I can always go again in the winter when Tom's of Maine might have a chance. Continue reading >>
- American Diabetes Associations Twitter fiasco: Does it matter to patients?
- World's first diabetes app will be able to check glucose levels without drawing a drop of blood and will be able to reveal what a can of coke REALLY does to sugar levels
- Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Young People: A Matter of National Concern
Ketogenic Diet Leads To Acetone Bad Breath
Q. I have been reading about the advantages of a ketogenic diet to lose weight and control blood sugar. I tried this in the past. I lost fat and felt healthy, but I had horrible acetone-smelling breath. This was even mentioned in my student evaluations, not a good thing for a professor. Is there any way to avoid this? A. A ketogenic diet gets very little of its energy from carbohydrates and most of it from fat. In this low-carb high-fat plan, protein intake is moderate. Under these conditions, the body burns fat for energy and produces chemicals called ketones as a by-product. Such a diet helps with body fat loss and improves metabolic markers such as HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Acetone is one of the ketones your body makes, and it shows up in the breath when following a strict no-sugar no-starch approach. According to Eric Westman, MD, a proponent of this diet, the acetone breath should eventually fade. Until it does, he suggests drinking plenty of water, brushing teeth (and tongue) regularly and chewing sugarless gum, mint leaves or cinnamon bark. Would you like to learn more about the ketogenic diet and why it works so well to shed pounds? We recently had the opportunity to talk to Dr. Westman about his research and the low-carb approach to weight loss, blood sugar control and heart health. Show # 958 titled Flipping the Food Pyramid Upside-Down aired a few weeks ago. It will be free for another two weeks as an mp3 download from this link. Don’t miss this chance to get specific details about the pros and cons of the ketogenic diet. Continue reading >>
Why Does My Breath Smell Like Acetone?
People often associate strong smelling breath with the food someone has eaten or poor dental hygiene. But it may reveal much more than that. If a person's breath smells like acetone or nail polish remover, it could indicate health conditions, including diabetes. The way a person's breath smells can be an indicator of their overall health. This article explores why a person's breath might smell like acetone and what this might mean about their health. Contents of this article: How diabetes can affect breath Diabetes can affect the way a person's breath smells and can cause bad breath, or halitosis. In a 2009 study, researchers found that analyzing a person's breath helped to identify prediabetes when diabetes is in its early stages. There are two conditions associated with diabetes that can cause bad breath: gum disease and a high ketone level. The proper name for gum diseases in periodontal disease, and its forms include: Diabetes can be associated with an increased risk of gum disease, which may cause a person's breath to smell bad. However, gum disease does not cause a person's breath to smell like acetone. If a person has diabetes and their breath smells like acetone, this is usually caused by high levels of ketones in the blood. Diabetes and acetone breath When diabetes is not managed well, the body does not make enough insulin to break down glucose in the blood. This means that the body's cells do not receive enough glucose to use as energy. When the body cannot get its energy from sugar, it switches to burning fat for fuel instead. The process of breaking down fat to use as energy releases by-products called ketones. Ketone bodies include acetone. Acetone is the same substance that is used in nail varnish remover and is distinguished by its fruity smell. When a pe Continue reading >>
The Causes And Solutions For Bad Breath (ketosis Breath)
If you’re on a low-carb diet, not all the outcomes are good. One of the side effects you could notice is bad breath. It’s commonly nicknamed ketosis breath, whether it happens when following the ketosis diet, but it can happen with all low carb/high protein diets. In fact, bad breath is becoming an epidemic. This is because so many people now are following these low carb diets. So, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, scientists say that 40% of people on these types of diets report bad breath as one of the worst side effects. I’ve been in your position before with my low carb diets. Your best friend likely has, too. We just get so embarrassed about our bad breath that we tend not to mention it. We just hope that we can mask it with some breath mints. But what is the real cause of bad breath on the ketosis diet? Just why do low carb diets make us stink? And is there anything that we can do to stop the problem? I can share some very positive news. You can stop ketosis breath becoming an issue. You don’t need to become part of the growing epidemic. I’m going to share everything that you can do to stop ketosis breath becoming a problem. So, Why Do We Get Bad Breath? Let’s start with how low carb diets work. When we stop feeding ourselves as many carbs, our bodies have to get the energy in other ways. They do this through the burning of fat, which means the release of ketones in the body. It’s a chemical process since the body can’t create the carbohydrates that it would need to help It’s this process that is causing the bad breath. The great news is that you’re sticking to your diet and you will see a smaller waistline. It will be successful, and you will be able to lose weight. Of course, the downside is that you have to deal with the breath. The mos Continue reading >>
Bad Breath After Weight Loss Surgery
Bad breath is one of the most under-expected concerns that frequently develops after weight loss surgery. While it is not something that impacts every weight loss patient in the same way, it is something that should be recognized following your bariatric procedure. There are several primary causes that can cause bad breath to develop following your bariatric procedure. These include: Dehydration The inability of food to exit the stomach pouch Ketosis caused by rapid weight loss While bad breath may not be as severe a health issue following surgery as other potential concerns, it is something that can interfere with your quality of life and general comfort level, and therefore is worth addressing. Luckily, bad breath is usually preventable or treatable by understanding the precise cause of the issue, and taking several basic preventative steps. Understanding Bad Breath Bad breath after weight loss surgery is most likely to happen following gastric bypass surgery. While it can still occur for some after Lap Band or gastric sleeve, it isn’t as common—which is good news. Rapid weight loss can cause bad breath to occur, though the smell of ketotic breath isn’t always thought of as unpleasant. Ketotic breath refers to the release of ketones, which is the breakdown of stored fat in the body. This happens to anyone that loses weight, but is more noticeable after weight loss surgery because of how fast the weight comes off. Ketosis is not permanent, and can be easily addressed by making small changes to your diet, like increasing your protein intake. Of course, before you make any changes to your diet you should consult your weight loss surgeon. One of the more common reasons people will experience bad breath is a result of dehydration. This can actually happen to anyone, Continue reading >>
Keto Breath: Cause And Remedies
You’ve been on a ketogenic way of eating for a couple of weeks now, and you’ve stayed under your 20g of carbs every day. Congratulations on your dedication, your reward is… stinky breath? That’s right, most people who try keto at some point in the first month or so of being in ketosis will experience some unpleasant breath. Some people describe it as “metal smell” or having “metallic taste in the mouth”. What a fun reward for choosing a healthful way of eating! The Cause of Keto Breath The explanation is simple, though it’s usually unavoidable, at least until you’re fully fat adapted. As the body shifts into ketosis, it turns fats into ketone bodies, specifically beta hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone. They are all completely normal and healthy to have in the body in the amounts it produces. These ketone bodies, especially acetone, can be detected by smell on the breath. This is actually one of the most reliable ways to tell when you have gotten into ketosis, and can be smelled more easily when you are deeper into this fat burning carbohydrate deprived state. Studies have shown this, and there are devices such as breath ketone test monitor that can measure the amount of acetone in your breath, and tell you the level of ketones that you’re producing (1). The science of this lays in the lungs, and the blood vessels that supply them. Since ketones circulate in the blood, they interact with the small air sacs in the lungs. As these ketones are exposed to the air in your body, they are expelled as a gas, with the distinctive odor of acetone. How Long Does Ketosis Breath Last? Some people never experience this phenomenon, even when they are doing the keto diet correctly and healthfully. Others experience it more as a taste than as an odour. For Continue reading >>
How To Get Rid Of Ketosis Breath
Keto is one of the best ways to lose weight and get healthy. It’s attributed to everything from weight loss to curing MS and autism. Yet keto can also have some pretty intense side effects. What many people call the keto flu might start to set in within the first few hours to days. Headaches, muscle aches and nausea can all accompany this diet. The good thing is that’s how you know it’s working. One of the most unusual side effects can be bad breath. Your oral hygiene is perfectly fine, but you still find yourself getting strange looks from coworkers. You might even be able to notice the smell yourself. What Causes Ketosis Breath? This side effect is caused by the excess influx of protein. When your body doesn’t get very many carbs it can’t use glucose as a form of energy. Instead, it turns to stored fat in your body for this energy. Your body starts releasing ketones when this energy is utilized. Unfortunately, ketones don’t have a great smell when they’re released from your body. Your bad breath is simply your body letting go of these excess ketones. Many people notice their bad breath goes away after a few weeks, but an unfortunate few never see a change. Find out what you can do to minimize bad breath and get back to your day-to-day life. 1. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Your bad breath may not be the result of bad oral hygiene, but it doesn’t hurt to brush up on your hygiene anyway. Try to keep your mouth as clean as possible. You don’t want mouth bacteria to worsen your ketosis breath. Brush your teeth twice a day minimum. Try to brush your teeth after every meal if possible. Invest in an electronic toothbrush to remove as much plaque from your mouth as possible. Floss twice a day and after every meal. Use mouth wash after brushing morning and night Continue reading >>
Symptoms Of Ketosis:
If you are considering the ketogenic diet or have already started down this carb-free road, you may wonder what you can expect. Here’s the thing. Ketosis looks different for everyone, but I will share many of the most common symptoms with you today. If something other than what’s listed here is happening to you, just do a quick Google search for that symptom and keto. You should be able to find what you’re looking for! The Early Signs: The early signs of ketosis vary from person to person. The biggest impact on how quickly you notice the symptoms of ketosis will have a lot to do with how you ate before you started the diet. If your diet was very high carb, you might get hit pretty quickly and furiously with what we like to call the “Keto Flu.” This can last anywhere from 3 days to a week or more. Once your body has adapted to burning ketones for energy instead of glucose, you’ll be golden so don’t give up! Here’s what you can expect within the first 2-3 days of starting the Ketogenic Diet: Fatigue & Weakness (lack of concentration) Headaches Metallic taste or sweet taste in your mouth (I experienced this, and it tasted like blood in my mouth) Lightheaded / Dizzy upon standing Heightened Thirst Hunger / Sweet or Carb Cravings Dry Mouth possibly paired with “Keto Breath.” Stomach Discomfort / Mild Nausea / Cramping Trouble Sleeping or Staying Asleep (early waking) Water weight loss (perhaps an excessive loss of weight within the first two weeks) Frequent Urination Allergies or cold like symptoms may flair up For the ladies: Period issues: You may experience a longer, shorter, earlier, later period because of Keto. Seriously it causes all of that. Each woman is different, and I have experienced every one of those issues with my period since starting ket Continue reading >>
How Diet Can Cause (or Help Fix) Bad Breath
Bad breath isn’t a life-threatening problem, but it’s socially embarrassing and it can make life pretty rough, especially if your job has some kind of social component. And even though it sometimes comes from poor oral hygiene, even people with totally solid brush/floss/mouthwash/tongue scraper routines can get breath problems, because not all bad breath is caused by germs in your mouth. Here’s a look at the relationship between diet and breath, including the infamous “keto breath,” but also including other factors like the bacterial population of your mouth and how different foods you eat can affect odor-causing bacteria. Diet and Breath The obvious connection between diet and breath is smelly foods, like garlic, coffee, and fish. Obviously, these foods do have an effect, but it’s temporary: you can brush your teeth and get rid of it. A harder problem is bad breath that persists even if you aren’t eating anything particularly smelly – clearly there’s something else going on here. This study goes over some of the causes of bad breath. In 90% of cases, the problem has something to do with the bacterial population of the mouth. The human mouth naturally plays host to a lot of different bacteria, just like the gut. Just like healthy gut flora, healthy mouth bacteria don’t cause problems, but if something goes wrong, various species of mouth bacteria can produce several different compounds that make your breath smell bad. The study also goes over some other related problems. For example, the inflammation involved in gingivitis and other inflammatory diseases can make the problem worse. Another problem is saliva. Saliva basically “washes” the mouth at regular intervals If you’re not making enough saliva for some reason, bacterial populations in the Continue reading >>
No More Dragon Breath!
Too many people who eat low carb diets believe that they have to live with the intense bad breath nicknamed "ketobreath" if they are to keep their carbs down either to control their blood sugar or lose weight. That's because they believe that the bad breath is a sign that they are eating what is called a "ketogenic diet" which some dieters and low carb enthusiasts believe makes it much easier to burn off fat. The term "ketogenic" simply means "producing ketones." Ketones are a byproduct of fat digestion. They become significant when you are eating so few grams of carbohydrate each day because at that point most of your cells switch over to burning fats, including ketones, rather than glucose. You can tell when you have entered a ketogenic state because your body will dump a great deal of water when this happens, causing a weight loss of anywhere from two to six pounds within a day or two. When you exit the ketogenic state, those same water-related pounds come right back. Why this happens is explained in greater detail on this web page. Unfortunately, most people who cut carbs low enough to remain in a ketogenic state for more than a few weeks develop a distinctive and truly awful bad breath that they assume is a necessary part of eating a ketogenic diet. This is not true but widely believed. It is also the major reason why the loved ones of low carb dieter, after a period of patience, may start undermining the low carbers' diet, tempting them with carbs in the hope that if they ruin their loved one's diet they will no longer have to live with the wretched smell of that "ketobreath." This is rational behavior on the part of those loved ones. The bad breath--which the dieter usually can't themselves smell--is often so strong it makes riding in a car with the dieter unplea Continue reading >>
