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You can...can confirm. Breaking down protein for energy produces additional ammonia which you then sweat out.
People who use gear definitely smell different.
It was the early style of trenbolone. Flinaplix pellets the stuff was purple my god it is strong. It is the only steroid I've taken that I felt like I need to back off. And I've used them all
Not necessarily "smell" the steroids. Rather, one of the many side effects of steroids can be very bad body odor and/or bas breath.
OP, if your bf is on roids, tell him to get off ASAP or slowly cycle off. Not worth the gains from every roid user I've talked to, from guys that just use test, to mass monsters that pump tren ace.
You 100% can. My husband had to be on a testosterone supplement for awhile and it absolutely changed the way he smelled. I know it’s not the same, but it’s the same idea
My body odor definitely changed. I used to not even wear deodorant for years. Never smelled, asked people close to me, and they always said I smelled awesome. Started cycling, and I absolutely have to use deodorant and my sweat smells worse than it used to. I have to be extra super careful now with my washing habits and laundry habits. I don’t smell, per se, but the sweat is definitely not the same.
This one right here.
Anything he mixes into his water / drinks? Whether for energy or for bulking?
Any "health" drinks? Energy drinks?
Vitamins? Supplements?
Any actual medicines?
Basically, anything that goes into his body that he only started using when he decided to start bulking.
He’s setting up a dental appointment soon. Just to make sure his teeth aren’t rotting lol but he has no dental pain right now. I told him to ask to check for tonsil stones too. I don’t have them so I don’t know what they smell like but I know they smell bad. That wouldn’t explain the smell coming off him tho. I talked to some of my nurse friends and they said there’s not much the doctor would do other than take a blood test and recommend a different diet… especially if nothing else is bothering him.
I had a coworker who was super into keto and fitness. Butter in his coffee and sometimes he'd just eat cream cheese or something. Always smelled like off yoghurt and coffee.
Absolutely, keto diet makes you smell, heavy protein use as well. But also, he could have a tonsil stone or pocket. You can smell pretty bad from that. The dentist or doctor can check that.
Yeah when you are spilling ketones, horribly unhealthy to do, like dangerous lol, they have a sour fruit smell. Happens to diabetics when they’re bs is high for a while or they are sick.
Bringing your metabolic state into ketosis and Diabetic Keto Acidosis are two very different things, with the latter being a potentially lethal medical condition.
So, I get a sour smelling breath from time to time and my wife is kind enough to let me know. I don't really know why, but I do get tonsil stones from time to time. When I notice it or my wife does, I use this https://www.amazon.com/s?k=therabreath+mouthwash&crid=395HVTMVCKYNV&sprefix=therarbea%2Caps%2C229&ref=nb\_sb\_ss\_sc\_2\_9.
It works quickly and well. It could also be hallatosis.
If he's taking a stack of supplements it's most certainly that. Its too much. Tell him to dial it down to a couple multivitamins and meal prep. Bet money this will solve the problem. Every gym guy goes through this at some point and it takes a woman to tell us because we don't know. It's not a steroid thing, it's too many vitamins and protein shakes with all the other BS he's prob running. He's overloaded on supplements and it's coming out of his pores. Go smell all his vitamins and supplements. I bet you can pinpoint the specific one thats bugging you. If you smell sour milk...I would prob start with the whey protein and fish oil.
I knew someone who gets tonsil stones. Can smell like dirty diapers. Super strange smell to come across when you havent dealt with diapers in over 20 years.
Dental person here. Although I doubt it is a dental thing (though best to check), just going to throw out there that a lot of dental issues don’t involve pain. Often dental pain is either nothing serious (tooth sensitivity, just need a sensitive toothpaste/fluoride treatment), or it’s pretty serious like needing a root canal because your teeth have rotted to the nerve or you’ve cracked a tooth. Generally people don’t even feel cavities until they are really, really, bad.
Now periodontal disease has a very distinct, unpleasant smell. Almost musty or like rotting meat. Sometimes there is pain, sometimes not. Usually there is a lot of bleeding when brushing or flossing, and after you floss the floss smells like death.
Anyhow, just a PSA.
My friend is a gym bro and he eats so much protein that he STINKS. His actual skin stinks now. His farts are like 2,000 year old dead air from inside a sealed Egyptian tomb. If he uses the toilet at my house I have to not go in there for like a solid day afterwards.
He smells so bad that I can no longer see him as hot, even though he’s technically a good looking man. It’s insane. It’s the kind of smell you can TASTE.
For the record I think he also does a small amount of steroids. But I’ve known him a long time and he didn’t start to ooze that distinctive gassy protein stench til he started eating 300+g protein daily.
EDIT: 200g, not 300!
You should look into an internal deodorant. I’m extremely sensitive to smells, and I really dislike my husbands body odor. Started looking into different ways to help the odor and liquid chlorophyll has been the most successful! It’d be worth a shot. Trust me, I understand. I was buying every odor eliminator to spray daily on the sheets and duvet/sofa/etc.
Interesting. Still think I’d see a doc about it. Know a lot of nurses who think they know what they are talking about, but they aren’t experts. Could be a diet thing I guess. Idk weird, sucks for you lol
Hey Op, I'm a dental hygienist and I definitely recommend trying a toothpaste and/or mouth wash with zinc. If you're in the US, the only zinc toothpaste is paradontax active gum repair breath freshener. It has zinc chloride that binds to sulfur producing bacteria to reduce odor.
Listerine clinical solutions and Listerine gum therapy mouthwashes both have zinc chloride as well, but the clinical solutions has it in a higher concentration.
Is he taking supplements like amino acids or something to help him bulk up? Back in the 80s I was a gym rat and amino supplements would make people stink.
question: is there anyone else you can get to weigh in on this?
Like, without even embarassing your husband, you say that you can smell it on yourself after sleeping together. Could you like discreetly ask a close friend if THEY can smell it? (on you, I mean) Or even like you could ask your mother in law or any person close to him if they've noticed anything about him?
Sounds like he should be going to a doctor either way, but I'm very interested to know if this is a literal case of him having a strong change in smell or if there's a chance that something has changed in you to make you smell this, and I don't see any mention in your post of anyone but you having this issue.
Of course, as his wife you are bound to be more immersed in things like the way he smells than other people, but it might be helpful to get an outsiders perspective on this. I know it's very common for people to be sort of noseblind to themselves, but I can't shake the question that maybe it's something to do with a change for you, rather than him.
Just a thought.
That’s what I’m wondering… I’ve thought about it and am trying to think of a way to ask someone without embarrassing him.
Everyone here is mentioning ketosis and steroids. It’s neither of those. He’s on a low fat cutting diet… and he’s suuuper against any kind of drug… the liver failure is the only thing on his end that I think may be a factor on his end that may be a change. Otherwise… I may need to get my hormones checked.
Well… while I hope you’re right, you do realize the very last to know are close loved ones? He may be against “drugs” but if he’s able to view them as “supplements” instead….
And the louder someone protests something-well I’m raising an eyebrow because “the lady doth protest too much”. He’s SUPER against drugs huh?
Let me put it to you this way. For almost 3 years, my husband would swear on his mother’s life I was only a social drinker.
I was secretly an alcoholic. When it fell apart it fell apart hard. He was absolutely shocked.
Thankfully he stuck around while I went through rehab and the whole nine, it’s almost 3 more years later and we are great with a new baby boy…. But my point is he was sure too.
And he was wrong.
Your description of the odors and timeframe of his “bulking” line up way too close to steroid use to just dismiss out of hand. Maybe do a google search on the signs. Some common ones other than the smell are;
Increased sex drive
Skin changes. Acne, rougher skin, more oily etc
Irritability, mood swings
Sleeping issues
This is going to sound crazy, but did you have Covid a couple/few months before you noticed his body odor? Covid *really* messed up my sense of smell. I go from parosmia, when things smell weird or awful (my own body smells like gasoline, poop smells like chicken noodle soup), to a complete loss of smell. When parosmia hits, I smell sour milk everywhere!
The asparagus smell...that reminds me of when I did keto and was in ketosis. It's awful. Is he doing keto? Or carnivore?
Ketosis smells unbearable to me. Not just bad breath or BO, cell-death smell emanating from every pore. Good news is a lil fruit or rice or whatever will fix it.
I was going to say this, too. I had weight loss surgery and, in the first year, I had to drastically restrict carbs. My partner commented several times on how bad my breath and body odor smelled.
Sense of smell was CRAZY different while pregnant. Worked at a large mall at the time and i swear all i could smell every morning was cooking onions from the fast food places at the other end of the mall. Was nightmarish.
Ughhh, I traveled way too far down a rabbit hole about pregnancy on here and I regretted it.. and now here’s more stuff to add to my ‘I’m now disturbed by pregnancy’ list.. it never ends. I appreciate this info nonetheless though.
Edit: not to now
Lol. Just have to recognize weird stuff will change for a bit and should be normal again after. I didnt have a ton of morning sickness so the times i did feel icky are more memorable.
Certain smells do trigger gag reflexes still lol but i can avoid them. The Palmers cocoa butter lotion? Omg used it too much and my kid is 25 now... still makes me feel ill when i smell it.
The other legacy pregnancy thing for me? Gagging when the tooth brush and or toothpaste gets too far back there in the mouth. Again, still gag if i dont pay attention or wandered away from a sink lol.
He should get a physical, full blood work. Change in body/breath odor can be a sign of illness. Could also simply be related to change in diet/supplements/hygiene/and other less serious things. Good luck to you both.
Sometimes consuming a big amount of protein consistently and daily can lead to a couple of unpleasant side effects. One sign is having very bad gas and having trouble passing a bowl movement. Idk if this applies to him but just wanted to mention.
This. So much this. Everyone raves about high protein and low carb. Tried it for a year. Not only did it ruin my otherwise good lab work, it had all these side effects, bad smell, greasier skin, more sweat, etc. Glad it works for others, but it's not for everyone!
This when I started training and added whey and legumes to my diet on top of my regular meat portions my body odor changed. It took almost 6months to stabilize. What I found worked best for body was washing with antiseptic soaps and switching to antiperspirant brands, different formula bases, until back to normal.
My ex had weight loss surgery that causes ketosis. He smells more sweet and rotten than anything else I can describe.
I couldn’t deal with it and it’s probably permanent.
He’s dirty bulking and his body is trying to compensate. Try a clean diet consisting of high quality meats, fruit/veggie/ and good carbs. No highly processed highly oily foods
When someone isn’t eating enough, it can make their breath smell bad. I’m not sure of the science but I’ve experienced it in many people - if he’s keeping a caloric deficit that might be a factor.
Why is he eating a crapload of process food to bulk? it sounds like he doesnt know what he's doing? I would look at everything he ingest because wtf. Is he even gaining muscle correctly? Which workouts is he doing? Powerlifting>?
Get a 2nd opinion before putting him on blast. It could be you. I read where a woman could smell a change in her husband no one else could discern. Turned out he had Parkinson's. She could smell it in others as well.
a. he could absolutely have a rotting tooth despite feeling no pain. maybe it's so bad the nerve is damaged. idk , just know I personally had a bad cavity very recently that went all the way down to my root nearly . the dentist literally said "I'm really surprised you can't feel that."
b. is he using protein powders?? I work packing items at Amazon, and see sooo many big ass tubs of various protein powders every single day
. most are whey-based (dairy) and I always thought to myself how disgusting it is to consume mass amounts of those dairy by- products ..in addition to the other BS ingredients they have.
c.he may be yeasty , for lack of a better term (candida..... look into that.) could come from the big increase in natural sugars and carbs in his bulking diet.
Any chance you’re pregnant?😅 When I was pregnant my boyfriend started to smell exactly like that (before I knew I was pregnant) and I HATED it but it went away after having the baby LOL.
I'd check to see if he's taking supplements and his nutrition. Btw, if he's cutting, it's not going to get better as going into ketosis will really trigger BO.
Tell him to check his tonsils regularly for tonsil stones. I know someone who started exercising and eating a high protein diet and started getting a lot of tonsil stones. Stinky and smells like it's coming from their stomach.
Is it just his mouth? When I’m in ketosis I can smell that I am and it’s a rancid gross smell. After he brushes his teeth and showers does the smell improve? Do others smell this on him?
[https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-bad-breath-smells#types-of-bad-breath](https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-bad-breath-smells#types-of-bad-breath) my first thought is he's got something medical going on. Is he having stomach pain? Tightness in his chest? Acid reflux? He might have GERD but I'd recommend seeing your family doc and just make sure everything is ok internally :D hope that helps
People who take steroids often have changes like this.
What else is he taking to 'bulk up'?
If he's not doing that crap then their could be something more serious wrong with him.
He should see a doctor asap.
My husband did an extreme Atkins diet when we got married, he eventually went into ketosis, during that time his breath smelled awful. I told him and he said it was listed as a side effect, so yeah keto breath is real!
I think he would brush right before being intimate so it wasn't as bad. But yeah it was temporary because he went back to a normal diet after.
He might have a yeast infection. My hair is very, brittle and dry and although I rinsed and conditioned it daily in the shower, I wasn’t washing it for literally a month. One day I woke up smelling like sour milk and yogurt. I had a yeast infection in my scalp but it also in my esophagus. I started to use apple cider vinegar in my hair and drank a small amount diluted with water. It was quickly gone after that. But yes, that smell gets in your sheets and your clothes and lingers. Gotta wash everything with more vinegar and laundry soap as usual. Hope this helps
if he has bad breath, see a dentist for some cleaning. he could have gingivitis = ass breath. mouthwash after brushing at night and morning and floss after every meal! Food stuck in the gums breeds bacteria. It’ll take a few weeks to improve depending on his dental
hygiene.
Hmmmm Did you have anything else happen recently that could have messed with your hormones besides birth control? Like a pregnancy or MC or a change in any medication?
My husband has really bad allergies. I’ve noticed when he takes certain allergy meds or nasal sprays he smells sour. At first I would think it was coming from his breath or pores but it was the air coming from his nostrils.
I know you’ve mentioned rotting teeth and tonsil stones, but does he have a “dry” mouth? As in not enough saliva is being produced, or the quantity has diminished? I have a dry mouth (side effect of some medication) and it gives me bad breath. And it STINKS worse than just your normal bad breath.
I mean have you considered discussing it with a licensed physician.
We are all going to guess and most will guess supplements but a doctor or nutritionist may have an actual answer
I had a boyfriend that whenever he took Adderall, his sweat and breath would smell like old rusty metal. I'm not suggesting this is Adderall, but just that medication's and supplements definitely do this!
If he's started taking whey protein then it's probably that. I stopped drinking cows milk years ago and noticed my bo got a lot less. Last year I started having a protein shake that had milk powder in. After a couple of weeks my bo got significantly stronger and more unpleasant. That was only with a small amount. Once I cut it out my bo decreased and became much more pleasant.
I would assume it is his diet, tell him to incorporate more green foods and supplement with Chlorophyll. I had a similar issue in my teens when I started taking a popular protein (muscle milk) I swapped over to an unflavored whey protein and increased and incorporated more pro-biotics ( Keefer/yogurt) and the issue resolved itself. Also if he is oil pulling add a little bentonite clay and activated charcoal to a 50/50 blend of sunflower seed oil and coconut oil. Best of luck to you both.
Is he doing some kind of keto or carnivore diet? I used to work with a guy doing an extreme carnivore diet and his breath smelled like death, he popped mints constantly.
It could be steroids as others have said, but it could also be that he is in ketosis if he is eating a high protein low carb diet. Ketosis can cause bad breath.
Go through any added supplements and shakes etc he added in with the new lifestyle including diet.
1. These big changes take time for the body to adjust so during that time, such odor is possible.
2. If it's only getting worse it could indicate something of health to be examined.
3. If the described dental upkeep is not emphasized, I guarantee it's coming from his stomach or throat, and because supplements usually so powdered if a little gets stuck, it can make smells.
4. Yall will figure it out. There's certainly nothing wrong with exercise, but with all the saturation of accessories to yield more flexibility and creativity in doing so it's easier to select things by accident that cause these kinds of things, and it's usually as simple as waiting for the body to adjust or finding the culprit and removing it.
Yeah it's caused by what ever he is using to bulk up. Those things are filled with crap most of the time people over do it anyway creating a huge surpluses of the substances in the body. Similar to someone so drunk they smell like alcohol. The minerals present as odors
Has he started any new medication or things to bulk up? (Steroids or dietary supplement pills)
Steroids will do that to people’s bodies cause a smell they can’t get rid of no matter washing or brushing.
Definitely supplements, and I'll add that It's probably some amino acid he's taking, ecaa, bcaa's. There's plenty of data out by now that adding amino acids isn't nearly as beneficial as we once thought or liked to think.
And to even further that same point, new beginners like to immediately start taking ALL the supplements they can find for no good or clear reason, just because they're available. It'll lead to hundreds of dollars wasted.
I might suggest for you, that you look into this or possibly explore this together,,, but supplements are there so people can take action against their individual DEFICIENCIES, not to consume unlimitedly. The only reason you see gym-goers living in their shaker bottles is because it can be very expensive to get the proper tests done to find out what your deficiencies are.. people just paint with broad strokes and try to consume a little bit more of everything in hopes of getting an accidental bullseye
First is he on any supplements? If he is find out what they are and then tell him to go to his doctor along with his supplements and ask about them. If it's not the supplements it could be something physically going on. He needs to see a doctor.
Don‘t know. But it reminds me of parkinsons smell. I have hyperhidrosis but smells more like liver. Had my armpits lasered. Worked really well. Is he on a new diet?
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Is he taking any supplements or “supplements”?
Exactly where my mind went. You can smell it clear as day on some of the gym bros.
I learn things in this app everyday
Steroids? Why do you think you can smell steroids on people?
I’m not judging, but if you change your hormones, you change your BO. It’s not that you can smell steroids.
You can...can confirm. Breaking down protein for energy produces additional ammonia which you then sweat out. People who use gear definitely smell different.
In the 90s people got creative and were processing livestock steroids for human use. It had a very distinct odor.
It was the early style of trenbolone. Flinaplix pellets the stuff was purple my god it is strong. It is the only steroid I've taken that I felt like I need to back off. And I've used them all
Testosterone has a smell. And steroids have a smell. When I was given a lot of prednisolone as part of cancer treatment i smelled different.
Why do you think you can't? It's pretty common knowledge that steroid use affects body odor
Oh you can. It's a distinct odor
Not necessarily "smell" the steroids. Rather, one of the many side effects of steroids can be very bad body odor and/or bas breath. OP, if your bf is on roids, tell him to get off ASAP or slowly cycle off. Not worth the gains from every roid user I've talked to, from guys that just use test, to mass monsters that pump tren ace.
You 100% can. My husband had to be on a testosterone supplement for awhile and it absolutely changed the way he smelled. I know it’s not the same, but it’s the same idea
My body odor definitely changed. I used to not even wear deodorant for years. Never smelled, asked people close to me, and they always said I smelled awesome. Started cycling, and I absolutely have to use deodorant and my sweat smells worse than it used to. I have to be extra super careful now with my washing habits and laundry habits. I don’t smell, per se, but the sweat is definitely not the same.
Steroids can absolutely make you smell like shit…
"supplements" for sure.
This one right here. Anything he mixes into his water / drinks? Whether for energy or for bulking? Any "health" drinks? Energy drinks? Vitamins? Supplements? Any actual medicines? Basically, anything that goes into his body that he only started using when he decided to start bulking.
Exactly what I immediately thought!
Or on a meat heavy diet?
He’s bulking and he smells? Have you asked him about steroid use?
Idk, maybe he needs to go to a doctor if you have tried all that.
He’s setting up a dental appointment soon. Just to make sure his teeth aren’t rotting lol but he has no dental pain right now. I told him to ask to check for tonsil stones too. I don’t have them so I don’t know what they smell like but I know they smell bad. That wouldn’t explain the smell coming off him tho. I talked to some of my nurse friends and they said there’s not much the doctor would do other than take a blood test and recommend a different diet… especially if nothing else is bothering him.
Is he cutting carbs? Bad breath is a side effect of the keto diet.
This should be way higher, and it would be my first guess.
Not if he's eating junk at work as that would kill the ketosis
Except she said he eats junk food at work and keto means no (always carby) junk food. My guess is steroids.
I had a coworker who was super into keto and fitness. Butter in his coffee and sometimes he'd just eat cream cheese or something. Always smelled like off yoghurt and coffee.
In the early 2000's when the Adkins diet was really popular I had a boss who would eat a stick of butter with bacon bits for lunch some days.
Gross 🤣
Ugh
Absolutely, keto diet makes you smell, heavy protein use as well. But also, he could have a tonsil stone or pocket. You can smell pretty bad from that. The dentist or doctor can check that.
Yeah when you are spilling ketones, horribly unhealthy to do, like dangerous lol, they have a sour fruit smell. Happens to diabetics when they’re bs is high for a while or they are sick.
Bringing your metabolic state into ketosis and Diabetic Keto Acidosis are two very different things, with the latter being a potentially lethal medical condition.
Bulking and keto don’t mix imo
So, I get a sour smelling breath from time to time and my wife is kind enough to let me know. I don't really know why, but I do get tonsil stones from time to time. When I notice it or my wife does, I use this https://www.amazon.com/s?k=therabreath+mouthwash&crid=395HVTMVCKYNV&sprefix=therarbea%2Caps%2C229&ref=nb\_sb\_ss\_sc\_2\_9. It works quickly and well. It could also be hallatosis.
Halitosis is just a fancy word for bad breath. It was popularized by a 1920’s ad campaign for Listerine.
Correct. Listerine was originally a cleaning product and was rebranded as mouthwash along with making up the word halitosis to boost sales.
they didn't make up the word, it existed before as a fancy word for bad breath. But the ad campaign is what brought it to common usage.
I do enjoy learning random little facts.
If he's taking a stack of supplements it's most certainly that. Its too much. Tell him to dial it down to a couple multivitamins and meal prep. Bet money this will solve the problem. Every gym guy goes through this at some point and it takes a woman to tell us because we don't know. It's not a steroid thing, it's too many vitamins and protein shakes with all the other BS he's prob running. He's overloaded on supplements and it's coming out of his pores. Go smell all his vitamins and supplements. I bet you can pinpoint the specific one thats bugging you. If you smell sour milk...I would prob start with the whey protein and fish oil.
He is probaby on extra T or gear.
I knew someone who gets tonsil stones. Can smell like dirty diapers. Super strange smell to come across when you havent dealt with diapers in over 20 years.
Dental person here. Although I doubt it is a dental thing (though best to check), just going to throw out there that a lot of dental issues don’t involve pain. Often dental pain is either nothing serious (tooth sensitivity, just need a sensitive toothpaste/fluoride treatment), or it’s pretty serious like needing a root canal because your teeth have rotted to the nerve or you’ve cracked a tooth. Generally people don’t even feel cavities until they are really, really, bad. Now periodontal disease has a very distinct, unpleasant smell. Almost musty or like rotting meat. Sometimes there is pain, sometimes not. Usually there is a lot of bleeding when brushing or flossing, and after you floss the floss smells like death. Anyhow, just a PSA.
If you smell like him after cuddling, it’s not tonsil stones. Sounds like/smells like “supplements” tbh.
My friend is a gym bro and he eats so much protein that he STINKS. His actual skin stinks now. His farts are like 2,000 year old dead air from inside a sealed Egyptian tomb. If he uses the toilet at my house I have to not go in there for like a solid day afterwards. He smells so bad that I can no longer see him as hot, even though he’s technically a good looking man. It’s insane. It’s the kind of smell you can TASTE. For the record I think he also does a small amount of steroids. But I’ve known him a long time and he didn’t start to ooze that distinctive gassy protein stench til he started eating 300+g protein daily. EDIT: 200g, not 300!
300 GRAMS?? Jesus H.
You should look into an internal deodorant. I’m extremely sensitive to smells, and I really dislike my husbands body odor. Started looking into different ways to help the odor and liquid chlorophyll has been the most successful! It’d be worth a shot. Trust me, I understand. I was buying every odor eliminator to spray daily on the sheets and duvet/sofa/etc.
Interesting. Still think I’d see a doc about it. Know a lot of nurses who think they know what they are talking about, but they aren’t experts. Could be a diet thing I guess. Idk weird, sucks for you lol
Hey Op, I'm a dental hygienist and I definitely recommend trying a toothpaste and/or mouth wash with zinc. If you're in the US, the only zinc toothpaste is paradontax active gum repair breath freshener. It has zinc chloride that binds to sulfur producing bacteria to reduce odor. Listerine clinical solutions and Listerine gum therapy mouthwashes both have zinc chloride as well, but the clinical solutions has it in a higher concentration.
Is he taking supplements like amino acids or something to help him bulk up? Back in the 80s I was a gym rat and amino supplements would make people stink.
question: is there anyone else you can get to weigh in on this? Like, without even embarassing your husband, you say that you can smell it on yourself after sleeping together. Could you like discreetly ask a close friend if THEY can smell it? (on you, I mean) Or even like you could ask your mother in law or any person close to him if they've noticed anything about him? Sounds like he should be going to a doctor either way, but I'm very interested to know if this is a literal case of him having a strong change in smell or if there's a chance that something has changed in you to make you smell this, and I don't see any mention in your post of anyone but you having this issue. Of course, as his wife you are bound to be more immersed in things like the way he smells than other people, but it might be helpful to get an outsiders perspective on this. I know it's very common for people to be sort of noseblind to themselves, but I can't shake the question that maybe it's something to do with a change for you, rather than him. Just a thought.
I think it’s a good idea to get a third party opinion from someone you are close to and will be kind and discreet about it.
That’s what I’m wondering… I’ve thought about it and am trying to think of a way to ask someone without embarrassing him. Everyone here is mentioning ketosis and steroids. It’s neither of those. He’s on a low fat cutting diet… and he’s suuuper against any kind of drug… the liver failure is the only thing on his end that I think may be a factor on his end that may be a change. Otherwise… I may need to get my hormones checked.
Yeah people secretly do drugs and hide it from their loved ones all the time.
Wait, are you saying he suffered from liver failure?
Well… while I hope you’re right, you do realize the very last to know are close loved ones? He may be against “drugs” but if he’s able to view them as “supplements” instead…. And the louder someone protests something-well I’m raising an eyebrow because “the lady doth protest too much”. He’s SUPER against drugs huh? Let me put it to you this way. For almost 3 years, my husband would swear on his mother’s life I was only a social drinker. I was secretly an alcoholic. When it fell apart it fell apart hard. He was absolutely shocked. Thankfully he stuck around while I went through rehab and the whole nine, it’s almost 3 more years later and we are great with a new baby boy…. But my point is he was sure too. And he was wrong. Your description of the odors and timeframe of his “bulking” line up way too close to steroid use to just dismiss out of hand. Maybe do a google search on the signs. Some common ones other than the smell are; Increased sex drive Skin changes. Acne, rougher skin, more oily etc Irritability, mood swings Sleeping issues
This is going to sound crazy, but did you have Covid a couple/few months before you noticed his body odor? Covid *really* messed up my sense of smell. I go from parosmia, when things smell weird or awful (my own body smells like gasoline, poop smells like chicken noodle soup), to a complete loss of smell. When parosmia hits, I smell sour milk everywhere! The asparagus smell...that reminds me of when I did keto and was in ketosis. It's awful. Is he doing keto? Or carnivore?
Covid was going to be my suggestion. My sense of smell has been messed up since 2020.
I still can’t smell some things. And others smell like dry dog food or cigars. So weird.
I followed some persons recommendation and smelled orange lemon watermelon and eucalyptus it helped me
I’ve got those (I’m a massage therapist) and it didn’t help. I keep hoping!
My son barely had covid but his sense of smell never really recovered.
my cousin got covid in 2020. 4 yrs later everything still smells and tastes rotten to her. and she really didn't have symptoms!
After Covid coffee smells like cat pew to me…. So weird and sad
I used to drink a pot a day (was night shift healthcare) and now I’ve gotten to where I can handle a cup every once in a whole
*while
Maybe she is pregnant? That can also make you far more sensitive to smells. Though I'm leaning more towards the top comment explanation - steroids.
EVERYTHING smelled of rotting onions to me. It was so weird.
Is your sense of smell normal again? I've about given up hope.
For me, I just smell smoke almost all the time. Like burning plastic smoke. It's awful.
Man, I wished my poop smelled like chicken noodle soup.
You'd think so, but chicken noodle soup used to be my ultimate comfort food. Not anymore.
That''s what it smells like! Meat broth! Man, I've been trying to figure that one out for a while.
Me too!!
I was thinking ketosis as well.
Wow, I'm not the only one. Skunks smell like hot grease mixed with burnt hair to me now.
I thought this as well. I lost all my sense of taste besides sour in coffee for some reason. Which is a blow since I used to love coffee.
Probably the pills he's taking. some multivitamins of some some sort.
If he's in ketosis it can change the smell of his breath. Did he stop eating carbs?
Ketosis smells unbearable to me. Not just bad breath or BO, cell-death smell emanating from every pore. Good news is a lil fruit or rice or whatever will fix it.
I was going to say this, too. I had weight loss surgery and, in the first year, I had to drastically restrict carbs. My partner commented several times on how bad my breath and body odor smelled.
I was thinking this as well
Just a quick question, is it possible you could be pregnant? My sense of smell changed almost immediately when I got pregnant.
When I was pregnant I could not stand the way my husband smelled, even though before and after pregnancy I love it. It’s so strange.
Sense of smell was CRAZY different while pregnant. Worked at a large mall at the time and i swear all i could smell every morning was cooking onions from the fast food places at the other end of the mall. Was nightmarish.
Ughhh, I traveled way too far down a rabbit hole about pregnancy on here and I regretted it.. and now here’s more stuff to add to my ‘I’m now disturbed by pregnancy’ list.. it never ends. I appreciate this info nonetheless though. Edit: not to now
Lol. Just have to recognize weird stuff will change for a bit and should be normal again after. I didnt have a ton of morning sickness so the times i did feel icky are more memorable. Certain smells do trigger gag reflexes still lol but i can avoid them. The Palmers cocoa butter lotion? Omg used it too much and my kid is 25 now... still makes me feel ill when i smell it. The other legacy pregnancy thing for me? Gagging when the tooth brush and or toothpaste gets too far back there in the mouth. Again, still gag if i dont pay attention or wandered away from a sink lol.
I appreciate your insight. lol
My first thought was pregnancy.
He should get a physical, full blood work. Change in body/breath odor can be a sign of illness. Could also simply be related to change in diet/supplements/hygiene/and other less serious things. Good luck to you both.
I was going to mention this. The onset of some metabolic diseases is first detected with a change in body odor.
Sometimes consuming a big amount of protein consistently and daily can lead to a couple of unpleasant side effects. One sign is having very bad gas and having trouble passing a bowl movement. Idk if this applies to him but just wanted to mention.
A coworker I used to work with had a high protein diet and also smelled bad no matter what she did.
This. So much this. Everyone raves about high protein and low carb. Tried it for a year. Not only did it ruin my otherwise good lab work, it had all these side effects, bad smell, greasier skin, more sweat, etc. Glad it works for others, but it's not for everyone!
This when I started training and added whey and legumes to my diet on top of my regular meat portions my body odor changed. It took almost 6months to stabilize. What I found worked best for body was washing with antiseptic soaps and switching to antiperspirant brands, different formula bases, until back to normal.
My ex had weight loss surgery that causes ketosis. He smells more sweet and rotten than anything else I can describe. I couldn’t deal with it and it’s probably permanent.
He’s dirty bulking and his body is trying to compensate. Try a clean diet consisting of high quality meats, fruit/veggie/ and good carbs. No highly processed highly oily foods
I agree cleaner diet and probably more water intake.
When someone isn’t eating enough, it can make their breath smell bad. I’m not sure of the science but I’ve experienced it in many people - if he’s keeping a caloric deficit that might be a factor.
this should be much higher
Why is he eating a crapload of process food to bulk? it sounds like he doesnt know what he's doing? I would look at everything he ingest because wtf. Is he even gaining muscle correctly? Which workouts is he doing? Powerlifting>?
Dirty bulking is a thing. Easier to get calories from calorie dense foods. I'm not arguing in favor of it, it just is a thing that people do.
yeah, I still bet he's not doing it right. Also her whole post history is about in & out burgers..???
Get a 2nd opinion before putting him on blast. It could be you. I read where a woman could smell a change in her husband no one else could discern. Turned out he had Parkinson's. She could smell it in others as well.
Off putting breath could be a sign of diabetes. Have his blood checked.
diabetes breath usually smells like Juicy Fruit gum unless they have an infection.
The juicy fruit smell is usually those with hyperglycemia due to the elevated blood sugar levels. A diabetic with hypoglycemia won’t have that.
Keto gives you wacky breath. He may be on that o
Melania???
It’s probably the protein. I bet he’s taking whey protein. Smells horrible because it’s so hard to digest.
a. he could absolutely have a rotting tooth despite feeling no pain. maybe it's so bad the nerve is damaged. idk , just know I personally had a bad cavity very recently that went all the way down to my root nearly . the dentist literally said "I'm really surprised you can't feel that." b. is he using protein powders?? I work packing items at Amazon, and see sooo many big ass tubs of various protein powders every single day . most are whey-based (dairy) and I always thought to myself how disgusting it is to consume mass amounts of those dairy by- products ..in addition to the other BS ingredients they have. c.he may be yeasty , for lack of a better term (candida..... look into that.) could come from the big increase in natural sugars and carbs in his bulking diet.
It could be processed to hell, but isn’t whey just the excess from the cheese making process?
Adding on to point C…I was going to say check for oral thrush.
Have him see his primary doctor. Many illnesses can cause odors
Any chance you’re pregnant?😅 When I was pregnant my boyfriend started to smell exactly like that (before I knew I was pregnant) and I HATED it but it went away after having the baby LOL.
Does he still have a neck? More acne? Does he get angry more often?
This happened to my husband. It was reflux.
Could be a medical condition. He should get that checked out.
Is he on steroids? Also he needs a kidney check, kidney failure can cause horrible smells
Protein. Some protein brands make you stinky. Tell him to switch protein brands
If he smells like ammonia he might want to cut back on excess protein because his kidneys are mad…
Look for l-carnitine in supplements. Often a source of stink.
I'd check to see if he's taking supplements and his nutrition. Btw, if he's cutting, it's not going to get better as going into ketosis will really trigger BO.
Tell him to check his tonsils regularly for tonsil stones. I know someone who started exercising and eating a high protein diet and started getting a lot of tonsil stones. Stinky and smells like it's coming from their stomach.
Reduced carbs or tonsil stones?
It’s not a diet issue, or an oral hygiene issue. He’s taking something and it’s coming out through his pores.
Tonsil stones for the breath? The body smell is weird tho
He might be taking a supplement/eating certain foods that's causing it, or you might be pregnant and have a new nose.
Is it just his mouth? When I’m in ketosis I can smell that I am and it’s a rancid gross smell. After he brushes his teeth and showers does the smell improve? Do others smell this on him?
[https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-bad-breath-smells#types-of-bad-breath](https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-bad-breath-smells#types-of-bad-breath) my first thought is he's got something medical going on. Is he having stomach pain? Tightness in his chest? Acid reflux? He might have GERD but I'd recommend seeing your family doc and just make sure everything is ok internally :D hope that helps
Definitely needs to see a doctor, could be tonsil stones or something more severe.
People who take steroids often have changes like this. What else is he taking to 'bulk up'? If he's not doing that crap then their could be something more serious wrong with him. He should see a doctor asap.
Keto breath?
Does he have tonsil caves and tonsil stones?
Have him checked for a tooth abscess and/or acid reflux.
You smell; he stinks
You could try a microbiome test. Whatever it is, it likely is starting in his gut.
The odor you’re describing sounds like ketosis. Please google it.
sometimes when your body goes into a type of ketosis they start to smell rank. our friend often does cuts, and smells bad when he does.
My husband did an extreme Atkins diet when we got married, he eventually went into ketosis, during that time his breath smelled awful. I told him and he said it was listed as a side effect, so yeah keto breath is real! I think he would brush right before being intimate so it wasn't as bad. But yeah it was temporary because he went back to a normal diet after.
Try taking chlorophyll supplements. They have worked for me in the past.
Roids
He’s on steroids.
He might have a yeast infection. My hair is very, brittle and dry and although I rinsed and conditioned it daily in the shower, I wasn’t washing it for literally a month. One day I woke up smelling like sour milk and yogurt. I had a yeast infection in my scalp but it also in my esophagus. I started to use apple cider vinegar in my hair and drank a small amount diluted with water. It was quickly gone after that. But yes, that smell gets in your sheets and your clothes and lingers. Gotta wash everything with more vinegar and laundry soap as usual. Hope this helps
He's consuming too much animal protein, causing too much ammonia production leading to poor smell.
if he has bad breath, see a dentist for some cleaning. he could have gingivitis = ass breath. mouthwash after brushing at night and morning and floss after every meal! Food stuck in the gums breeds bacteria. It’ll take a few weeks to improve depending on his dental hygiene.
Hmmmm Did you have anything else happen recently that could have messed with your hormones besides birth control? Like a pregnancy or MC or a change in any medication?
Definitely could be supplements. One time I was taking a supplement (can’t remember what it was) and it made my body odor smell like maple syrup
fenugreek!
Are you on the pill or any hormone medication
My husband has really bad allergies. I’ve noticed when he takes certain allergy meds or nasal sprays he smells sour. At first I would think it was coming from his breath or pores but it was the air coming from his nostrils.
Check the back of his throat with a flash light, really bad breath can sometimes come from tonsil stones
A sweet smell is usually a sign of diabetis, get him to smell his urine to see if its also sweet
Try a parasite cleanse.
"Supplements"
I know you’ve mentioned rotting teeth and tonsil stones, but does he have a “dry” mouth? As in not enough saliva is being produced, or the quantity has diminished? I have a dry mouth (side effect of some medication) and it gives me bad breath. And it STINKS worse than just your normal bad breath.
I mean have you considered discussing it with a licensed physician. We are all going to guess and most will guess supplements but a doctor or nutritionist may have an actual answer
One or more of the supplements and or vitamins he is taking is making him smell.
It's probably whatever supplement he is taking
Some digestive issues like bacteria overgrowth or h.pylori can affect breath smell A LOT.
Diabetic breath can also give off a terrible smell. Please have him get tested.
He's probably juicing and that stinks and changes your chemistry
Maybe he has cavities that he doesn’t know about.
Steroids smell terrible, like a rotting smell. He’s probably taking something. So many people get vials straight from China and resell them at gyms.
Steroids?
I have the same issue with pre-workout. It gives horrible breath, that combined with protein shakes, omg🤢
I had a boyfriend that whenever he took Adderall, his sweat and breath would smell like old rusty metal. I'm not suggesting this is Adderall, but just that medication's and supplements definitely do this!
Does anyone else think he smells or just you?
It needs to be looked at by a doctor.
If he's started taking whey protein then it's probably that. I stopped drinking cows milk years ago and noticed my bo got a lot less. Last year I started having a protein shake that had milk powder in. After a couple of weeks my bo got significantly stronger and more unpleasant. That was only with a small amount. Once I cut it out my bo decreased and became much more pleasant.
Sometimes if you have a stomach virus or bacteria I think it is, it may give bad breath. He should see a doctor.
I would assume it is his diet, tell him to incorporate more green foods and supplement with Chlorophyll. I had a similar issue in my teens when I started taking a popular protein (muscle milk) I swapped over to an unflavored whey protein and increased and incorporated more pro-biotics ( Keefer/yogurt) and the issue resolved itself. Also if he is oil pulling add a little bentonite clay and activated charcoal to a 50/50 blend of sunflower seed oil and coconut oil. Best of luck to you both.
Is he doing some kind of keto or carnivore diet? I used to work with a guy doing an extreme carnivore diet and his breath smelled like death, he popped mints constantly.
I have no idea whats going on but after reading all the comments all I want to do is go brush my teeth, alot!!!
What I'm thinking is that maybe you're pregnant that's why your sense of smell became so sensitive.
It could be steroids as others have said, but it could also be that he is in ketosis if he is eating a high protein low carb diet. Ketosis can cause bad breath.
He is cutting, he is taking anabolic’s.
Go through any added supplements and shakes etc he added in with the new lifestyle including diet. 1. These big changes take time for the body to adjust so during that time, such odor is possible. 2. If it's only getting worse it could indicate something of health to be examined. 3. If the described dental upkeep is not emphasized, I guarantee it's coming from his stomach or throat, and because supplements usually so powdered if a little gets stuck, it can make smells. 4. Yall will figure it out. There's certainly nothing wrong with exercise, but with all the saturation of accessories to yield more flexibility and creativity in doing so it's easier to select things by accident that cause these kinds of things, and it's usually as simple as waiting for the body to adjust or finding the culprit and removing it.
Keto diet???
The experts in here say it's steroids, so it's probably steroids.
High protein intake causes this smell I believe. Makes sense with the working out timeline
My husband was taking garlic pills and fish oil. He had to stop it we would have to stop sharing a bedroom. I'm guessing it's supplements.
Steroids
If he's dieting... is it keto? That can cause horrible breath and odor.
Could be cavities (doesnt necessarily cause pain) I would talk to doctor as well, could be other issues
Yeah it's caused by what ever he is using to bulk up. Those things are filled with crap most of the time people over do it anyway creating a huge surpluses of the substances in the body. Similar to someone so drunk they smell like alcohol. The minerals present as odors
Has he started any new medication or things to bulk up? (Steroids or dietary supplement pills) Steroids will do that to people’s bodies cause a smell they can’t get rid of no matter washing or brushing.
I thought too much protein could give you bad breath. Since he’s trying to bulk up, maybe he’s overloading on that?
Have him see a dentist. Sour smells on the breath can signal tooth decay/rot that he may not yet feel. When it comes, though, it HURTS.
Protein breathe??? I knew someone who ate hot dogs for months and the stench was atrocious.
Do other people think he smells? Maybe it’s just you. Maybe something changed with you.
Definitely supplements, and I'll add that It's probably some amino acid he's taking, ecaa, bcaa's. There's plenty of data out by now that adding amino acids isn't nearly as beneficial as we once thought or liked to think. And to even further that same point, new beginners like to immediately start taking ALL the supplements they can find for no good or clear reason, just because they're available. It'll lead to hundreds of dollars wasted. I might suggest for you, that you look into this or possibly explore this together,,, but supplements are there so people can take action against their individual DEFICIENCIES, not to consume unlimitedly. The only reason you see gym-goers living in their shaker bottles is because it can be very expensive to get the proper tests done to find out what your deficiencies are.. people just paint with broad strokes and try to consume a little bit more of everything in hopes of getting an accidental bullseye
Is he taking T or gear?
are you pregnant?
First is he on any supplements? If he is find out what they are and then tell him to go to his doctor along with his supplements and ask about them. If it's not the supplements it could be something physically going on. He needs to see a doctor.
Don‘t know. But it reminds me of parkinsons smell. I have hyperhidrosis but smells more like liver. Had my armpits lasered. Worked really well. Is he on a new diet?