why do I smell like peroxide?

after my cardio sessions??????

At first I thought it was someone else's shower paraphernelia....then it happened in MY shower?

You are what you eat.  Different people smell different mostly due to the foods that they eat.  I knew a vegan who smelled awlful.  In her defence she thought I smelled awful.

The other possibility is hair or body products.  If you are using anything on your hair or body that smells like peroxide it could reactivate when you sweat.  Not likely but possible.

It could be a reaction to your skin ph and whatever you are wearing that is scented.

For example... Ilove the smell of Clinique happy Heart. But when I tried it on, it smelled terrible on me. My friend it smelled great on.

Another example is that I can not use the Dove fresh scent stuff... it really smells bitter on me. Like very very cheap scouring powder.

Try changing up your products it may help.

When your body breaks down protien in your reserves or muscles.  It is a sign that you worked pretty hard and you might want to up your carb intake.  I have personally experienced this from time to time too, but only recently decided to research this further and have found consistent info in this regards out there.  The link below to the article in bodybuilding.com is especially insightful into why it happens.

http://www.starling-fitness.com/archives/2006 /11/18/ammonia-scented-sweat/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ammonia.htm

and here I thought I was just going crazy lol - thanks for the article

agree with pete-- i tend to get an 'ammonia' sort of whiff when i have just hit it too hard for too long-- especially after lifting then doing 2+ hours of cardio-- at a certain point-- the body just reaches for muscle to sustain and you get some sort of funky-toxic exhalation odor that your body is releasing/throwing away thru heavy respiration-breathing (not your breathe!) that lets you know you are now burning muscle-protein and not food-fuel or dreaded flab-fat...

either add more protein in to your diet along with a complex carb like an hour before working out-- eat your body weight in protein grams a day-- it works-- since i have upped my protein & kcals-- i notice the exhalation odor less--

if you work out hard cardio wise-- seriously-- consider a BIG diet change-- people who exert great cardiovascular effort need to be aware of how the body dips into the best energy reserves the boy holds to sustain long workouts every-single-day-- i am a cardiovascular junkie - and a heavy lifter-- but the cardio after lifting will often just deplete whatever fuel or reserves i have and eat away muscle-- NOT GOOD!!!

what workouts do you do? how long? curious!

when i FIRST started seriously working out last spring I had the same thing happen, after only ten minutes on an elliptical because my muscles were sooo unused to being pushed. I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. the fastest remedy is eating something very small, like a yogurt or an apple before you go to the gym.

Original Post by on_my_way:

after my cardio sessions??????

At first I thought it was someone else's shower paraphernelia....then it happened in MY shower?

i had this happen after the hardest kickboxing class i've had yet, this past tuesday morning.  i got int he shower at home, and i could barely stand in the shower the smell was so intense....it wasn't quite peroxide, but i can see where you are saying that.

my only guess is that its toxins being released OR it could be stomach juices that we are breathing out.  i was on an empty stomach at the time of the shower....

 

Atleast you don't smell like farts...

danilk -- oh, that happens too sometimes

;)

iamme -- I lift on every other day and, admittedly, I am still on the bottom of a HUGE learning curve there...my w/o is only about 30 minutes with dumbbells (I do squats, curls, shoulder somethings, crunches and push-ups -- I can only do 5 push-ups!!  paaaathetic, switched from the machines to the dumbbells only one month ago according to the advice here on this site -- no smell at these times.  All this lifting is because I have read about maintaining muscle while trying to lose weight -- I understand that I likely won't GAIN muscle while I am in a calorie deficit (I have lost 40lbs,  still got about 15 more lbs to lose).....and I don't want my muscle to whittle away -- so this smell and its cause is alarming -- though over the past 6 months I HAVE increased my lifting weights considerably.  I guess I need to focus on protein and carbs, then -- which means I need to do more research on waht the heck these complex carbs are.  And I'll read those articles in a second.....I only recently, one week ago, added a protein supplement to my morning smoothie -- still smelt last night.  Can protein be stored up in my body?

The smell occurs after my runs.  They are only about 40 minutes (6ks twice a week) and once a week 10ks for 65 minutes.  THAT is when the smell comes.  Since I am plannning on training for a half I had better get this under control.

Thanks for all your advice.  I truly take it to heart. I should add that I only started this fitness jouney 10 months ago after being on the couch for 36 years.  The wealth of knowledge on this site is awesome!

Original Post by sszcar:

You are what you eat.  Different people smell different mostly due to the foods that they eat. 

 I once binged on shortbread made from goats butter... My mum made it specially as I was off cows milk. Anywho it took me a week to understand why I smelled goaty in my armpits lol

pete: from that article which was pretty freakin' scientific, I got the following advice (thanks) so I'll get on the carbs/water electrolyte drink while running and a wee snack before I head out! http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ammonia.htm A little oatmeal, a small apple, or even a piece of sprouted grain bread can provide the fuel that your body needs. Remember, your body requires fuel to burn fat! So don't think that providing some carbs before cardio is going to eliminate the fat burning process. In fact, most of my clients who consume a light meal before working out report that their energy levels go through the roof, and they have an incredible workout. If adding 80 calories in the form of a slice of sprouted grain bread kicks your energy levels into high gear and helps you burn 100 more calories during exercise (while sparing your muscles from being used as fuel), there is no reason to worry about dropping fat! Learning Your Body Your body can only process a certain amount of food at each meal. Therefore, it may not be possible to avoid that ammonia smell during prolonged activities. The smell is common, for example, amongst marathon runners, who are engaging in continuous cardiovascular exercise for hours at a time. In that situation, it is advisable to consume "sports drinks" or other sources of energy during the activity to fuel your body (and especially your brain) and prevent your amino acids from being burned for energy. The next time you smell ammonia, don't worry. It doesn't mean that your muscle tissue being broken down, and it doesn't mean that you're doomed to stink for the rest of eternity. Consume a nutritious meal immediately after exercising - a balance of lean protein and whole, unprocessed carbohydrates - and then increase your carbohydrate intake throughout the day, or add a small "snack" prior to your next workout. An apple a day can help keep the ammonia smell away!

don't worry- a learning curve is what everyone starts with! point is you are doing it -- and make sure you are doing it correctly! just double check form etc-- weights seem easy to fling around when you start-- but the outcomes double when you have proper form and use! Heavy or light lifting doesn't matter at this point- if you are lifting and then doing heavy cardiovascular-- you can eventually reach into reserves other than fat - esp if your body is NOT used to heavy workouts!

just stick with eating like an hour before working out-- i'd mix protein with a complex carb-- it is harder to break down and keeps you fuller and will be uptaken to build muscle-- please eat some protein and complex carbs after working out too-- that's when you need it most!

i was never big on sports drinks bc they have soooo much sugar- but there are sugar free or low cal options now- like propel *make sure you get the low cal sports version* not their 'health water' which is crap w/sugars and useless-- powerade makes an *Option* version- but again- it has some sugar too- just watch what you get-- sometimes i think the smell comes with dehyrdation too- i swear-- but not sure on that scientifically!

I have come to grips with the fact that I do too much cardio-- and don't eat enough-- double check your routine- talk to a trainer or dr or nutritionist- bc for me- 6 months later- i've not lost weight only gained mass and lost some fat- but it's now a problem for me and i can't stop working out-- i've just given up restricting calories this week- and while not doing up to 5 hours of cardio and 2 hours of lifting a day- now more like 2.5 cardio 1 hr lifting a day and eating 1800 cal a day vs the 700 cal i was-- i still get an ammonia smell sometimes but only after a HARD run or bike or swim-- and it's faint-- but it's not like it was.

i damaged my body-- not improved it-- so balance your workouts and get advice-- before you run into bigger issues in the end-- again 6 months for me and I weigh the same! i don't really know what i've done to my body-- other than the horrific state it's in and I can't stop exercising! Making myself eat is making me sick!

balance & nutrition is key!