Low-carb Diets Can Cause Bad Breath
Low-carb diets may be good for your waistline, but you might not be able to say the same for your breath. Low-carb lifestyle junkies are more likely to suffer from a seldom discussed side effect of such diets -- halitosis, aka bad breath. And since more than 25 million people say they have tried the Atkins diet (not to mention other low-carb eating plans), according to the National Marketing Institute, bad breath may be an epidemic! Bad breath in the low/no-carb sect is often caused by certain chemicals that are released in the breath as the body burns fat. They are called ketones, and entering into a fat-burning state of ketosis is the hallmark of the Atkins diet. So the good news is that if your breath stinks, you're probably doing a good job of sticking to that low-carb diet. "Carbohydrates aren't readily available, so you start to use other fats and proteins as your source of energy, and as a result you are going to get a breath problem," explains Kenneth Burrell, DDS, the senior director of the council on scientific affairs of the American Dental Association. Pass the Bread? This is not an oral hygiene problem, Burrell says, so "all the brushing, flossing, and scraping of the tongue that you can do is not possibly enough to overcome this." The bottom line is that you must "reconsider the diet and modify it so this doesn't happen," he says. Sure, "there may be some ways to mask it by using mouthwashes, but you can't overcome the fundamental problem other than by changing the diet -- or at least introducing some carbohydrates." "It's a difficult problem to solve because if one uses any sucking candy or lozenge, one has to be careful that it has no sugar in it" as sugar is a big no-no on many low-carb eating plans, says S. Lawrence Simon, DDS, a New York City periodon Continue reading >>
What Is Acetone?
You can find it in paint thinners, nail polish, and the manufacturing of plastics. But it’s also found naturally (and safely) in the human body, especially in those following a ketogenic diet. What we’re talking about here is acetone, a ketone body produced in the ketosis process, which has many benefits in the body. But what is acetone, exactly? What role does it play in ketosis? Those are questions we’ll be diving into below so you can better understand how this molecule fits into your ketogenic diet and why it’s important. What is Acetone? Acetone is a type of ketone. When someone is eating a high-fat and low-carb diet (namely, the ketogenic diet) or goes through prolonged fasting and there isn’t enough glucose in the body for fuel, the liver starts breaking down fatty acids for energy for the body and the brain. This is the process known as ketosis, the primary function and goal of the ketogenic diet. When ketosis happens, water-soluble molecules called ketone bodies, or just simply “ketones,” are released. These three ketones are: Acetoacetate Beta-hydroxybutyrate Acetone Acetoacetate is created first, followed by beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetone. Acetone is created spontaneously from the breakdown of acetoacetate and is the simplest and most volatile ketone. It diffuses into the lungs and exits the body from exhaled breath. Acetone Benefits on the Ketogenic Diet One way that those on a keto diet ensure they maintain their ketosis, and receive the benefits of ketosis, is by measuring the amount of acetone on the breath. Typically, the higher amount of acetone present, the further they are into ketosis. Weight Loss Benefits There are many reasons someone might choose to follow a keto diet and put their body in ketosis. Benefits of being in ketosis incl Continue reading >>
How To Eliminate Ketosis Breath
...that sometimes comes with living low carb! Some people complain they are plagued by a bad breath smell when their body shifts into ketosis when living a low-carb lifestyle. Let’s look at what causes that to happen and then what you may do to try to eliminate the unpleasant bad breath associated with it. Ketosis is a normal metabolic process, something your body does to keep working. When it doesn’t have enough carbohydrates from food for your cells to burn for energy, it burns fat instead. As part of this process, it makes ketones. If you’re healthy and eating a balanced diet, your body controls how much fat it burns, and you don’t normally make or use ketones. But when you cut way back on your calories or carbs, your body will switch to ketosis for energy. ~WebMD.com As you can see it is very natural for this to happen and if anything you should look upon this phenomenon, along with “Atkins flu” as a good sign that your body has made the shift from burning carbs to burning fat for fuel! That means you are going to start losing weight! However it is easy for people to make the wrong assumption that since you have bad breath you have poor oral hygiene and consequences can be devastating on one’s social, personal and professional life. Unfortunately, no matter how much you brush your teeth, floss or scrape your tongue this will not help to reduce the ketosis breath smell. There is no perfect ketosis breath cure, although you can try to reduce how noticeable it is. The best way to reduce the bad ketosis breath is to use mouthwashes or chew gum regularly. Be sure to check the nutritional label on each to ensure that you are not adding a bunch of extra carbs to your diet! Others try the natural approach and chew on herbs like Italian parsley, which they swea Continue reading >>
Bad Breath Remedies From The Kitchen: Don’t Just Cover It Up, Stop Halitosis At Its Source
Bad breath can ruin just about anyone’s day, and although we all suffer from it occasionally, regular spells of halitosis can be not only socially alienating but also indicative of underlying health conditions. It’s best to check with a doctor if you find your bad breath constantly makes an appearance. However, if the unpleasant odors remain even after you’ve sought professional help, here are some natural alternatives that may prove useful. While quick remedies such as gum and mints can mask bad mouth odors, most are not able to stop bad breath at its source: a buildup of food debris between your teeth, or plaque. In more rare cases, bad breath originates from another source. This is when it may be a telltale sign of a health problem. Certain conditions such as diabetes and kidney failure can also cause one’s breath to take on a peculiar scent. So what do you do if you don’t just want to hide bad breath but actually cure it? Drink Some Water! So often we invest in expensive complex products when the easiest solution to a problem is also the most simple. When it comes to bad breath, simply increasing the amount of fresh water you drink every day can do wonders. Dry mouths mean less saliva, and believe it or not, saliva is our body’s natural way of keeping bad-smelling bacteria at bay. Drinking water not only keeps you hydrated, thus helping maintain your saliva amounts, but gulping down a nice glass of water can also work by literally flushing bacteria and leftover food particles out of your mouth. Eat Some Carbs! Yes, following a low-carb diet is helpful in keeping your waistline in check, but going too far with your carbohydrate restrictions can actually cause bad breath. Ketosis is a serious condition caused when one’s keytone level gets too high, Medic 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 >>
Ketosis Breath Have You Down? Beat It Today!
Your Ketogenic diet is going great! You’re losing weight, feeling better, and your prepared for a healthy life in Ketosis! Only problem is when you go to tell anyone about your diet they get a look of disgust and cover their nose. You ask a friend what he thinks the issue might be, and he only has one thing to say: “Ketosis Breath.” Ketosis Breath is an unfortunate side effect that befalls many Keto dieters. The important thing to remember is that it’s not just you, and it isn’t forever. There’s also an explanation and a solution for it. Why does Ketosis Breath happen? The Ketogenic diet is predicated on your body using fat as fuel instead of carbs. As you know, when your body begins to use fat as fuel, it releases Ketones into your bloodstream. Physicians suspect that the Ketosis breath comes from one of the Ketones know as Acetone. Acetone on your breath can manifest itself in a fruity, or rotten fruit smell. You have to remember, Acetone is the same chemical that’s in Nail Polish remover, which isn’t known for it’s amazing smell. The good news is that Ketosis means you’re hitting your dietary needs. The bad news is that you’re not getting a date any time soon. Just kidding, you’ll get dates just fine. Below we’ve listed out ways to deal with Ketosis breath. The wrong ones and the right ones. The Wrong Way to deal with Ketosis Breath A common reaction to having bad breath is to go to the nearest store and buy some breath freshening gum to mask the scent. No harm no foul, right? Well not exactly. Since you’re on the Ketogenic diet, you have to be aware of which brands of gum you’re going to chomp into. The same brands that produce the sugar spiked candy that we steer clear of produce some of the most popular breath enhancing gums on the ma Continue reading >>
The Solution To Keto Breath – An Annoying Low Carb Side Effect
The keto (low carb, LCHF or whatever you want to call it) diet isn’t all bacon, weight loss and happiness. One of the side effects of being in ketosis can be bad breath, also known as keto breath. Sometimes you get it when you’re starting out with a ketogenic diet and have the keto flu. I’ve learned how to keep keto breath under control so it doesn’t bother me much these days. But when I get dehydrated I start getting that metallic taste in my mouth and know it’s probably keto breath. Luckily I know how to fix it now! Who gets it? Since I’ve been on my keto journey, I’ve encountered 3 types of people: People who don’t get keto breath at all – I don’t know why they’re so lucky. Ketosis just doesn’t seem to affect their breath at all. I have no idea why their bodies react differently. People who sometimes get keto breath – Some people don’t feel the keto breath for days and then suddenly it hits them. It can also be worse around the same time each day. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s when they’re starting to get hungry. People who constantly have keto breath – They have it 24/7, some of them can get rid of it temporarily with tricks (I´ll list some below) but some are unfortunately just beyond that. Honestly, I’m not a medical professional and I can’t explain why everyone’s different when it comes to keto breath. You can have two people who eat the exact same low carb food, one of them gets it and the other one doesn’t. Maybe it has something to do with the individuals metabolism. I’d love to hear from anyone who can explain this to me. What is keto breath like? Most people describe it as a fruity, acetone like smell. It can be quite strong. Some people who suffer from it say that they can feel it and almost taste it, like a Continue reading >>
Low-carb Side Effects & How To Cure Them
Are you struggling while starting out on a low-carb or keto diet? Do you get headaches, leg cramps, constipation or any of the other more common side effects? Use the information on this page to avoid them – and feel great while losing weight. The main solution to most common problems when starting low carb is to increase the intake of water and salt. It’s even better to do it preventatively during the first week. If you do, you’ll most likely not experience any of these problems, or they’ll only be minor. Use one of the shortcuts below for specific problems – or just continue reading for all of them. Top 6 common problems when starting Less common issues on low carb Low-carb myths Leg cramps Leg cramps are not uncommon when starting a strict low-carb diet. It’s usually a minor issue if it occurs, but it can sometimes be painful. It’s a side effect of the loss of minerals, specifically magnesium, due to increased urination. Here’s how to avoid it: Drink plenty of fluid and get enough salt. This may reduce loss of magnesium and help prevent leg cramps. If needed, supplement with magnesium. Here’s a suggested dosage from the book The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Drs. Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney: Take 3 slow-release magnesium tablets like Slow-Mag or Mag 64 a day for 20 days, then continue taking 1 tablet a day afterwards. If the steps above are not enough and the problem is bothersome, consider increasing your carb intake somewhat. This should eliminate the problem. The more carbs you eat though, the weaker the impact of the low-carb diet. Bad breath On a strict low-carb diet some people experience a characteristic smell from their breath, a fruity smell that often remind people of nail polish remover. The smell is from acetone, a ket Continue reading >>
Why Does Your Breath Stink On Low-carb Diets?
Why It Happens Carbohydrates normally comprise your body's main source of energy, because carbohydrates break down quickly and easily into glucose and pass into cells, supplying them with the energy they need. When you follow a low-carbohydrate diet, your body doesn't ingest enough carbohydrate to fuel all your cells. So your body begins to break down stored fat as an energy source. During this process, your body creates incompletely burned byproducts called ketones. Ketones pass from your body in urine -- that's why people on low-carb diets often test their urine -- and, less pleasantly, through exhalation. Ketones produce an acetone-like smell, which causes the distinctive breath of ketosis. Carb Limits Not all people on a low-carb diet produce ketones. While everyone enters ketosis at their own pace, most people don't until their carbohydrate intake falls below 50 grams of carbohydrate per day, Dr. Peter Attia explains on his website, The Eating Academy. In many cases, you won't enter ketosis unless you take in 20 grams of carbohydrates or less each day, MayoClinic.com states. Some diets that call themselves low-carbohydrate diets deliberately keep the amount of carbohydrates you ingest well above this level, specifically to keep you from going into ketosis. Steps to Take Keto breath means that your diet is working; you're breaking down fat and using it for energy. But that doesn't mean you -- or your closest friends -- have to like it. You can take steps to reduce the smell. Drinking plenty of water washes the ketones out in your urine, leaving fewer to expel via your lungs. Gums, mints and other breath fresheners can help temporarily, but watch out -- many contain carbohydrates. Look for brands that use artificial sugars or you might unwittingly put yourself out of 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 >>
Keto Diet Bad Breath, How To Cure It
When eating according to a low carb diet it is easy that you could get a bad breath. This phenomen is usually called keto diet bad breath or low carb bad breath. The bad breath from the low carb diet is usually caused by certain chemicals that are released in the breath when your body is burning fat. This is called ketones and happens when you get into ketosis. You can use this bad breath as a way to tell that you have actually come into ketosis. According to Kenneth Burrell who is the senior director of the council on scientific affairs of the American Dental Association this is very natural. Carbohydrates aren’t readily available, so you start to use other fats and proteins as your source of energy, and as a result you are going to get a breath problem Usually when having a keto diet bad breath or a low carb bad breath people assume it is due to poor oral hygiene. This is however not true since that brushing, flossing and scraping your tongue or teeth will not help with this bad breath. How to help to hide keto diet bad breath You can hide the bad breath with things like mouthwashes or chewing gum but there might still be a possibility that the smell will come through. Another option is to get some sugarless mints that will not impact your low carb diet. If you have a metabolic cause of bad breath, there is very little the dentist can do; you have to change your diet Other options to help with the keto diet bad breath is to drink more water and swish it around in the mouth to at least get out the food particles that could add to the odor. Another option might be to even add on some carbohydrates to your diet. It is not optimal for someone on a low carb diet but if you really need to avoid the keto diet bad breath this might be something you need to do. However you n 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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
