Before you start your keto diet, you must have a few concerns, such as whether ketosis causes body odor.
While finding the basics about the keto diet, you must have stumbled upon body odor as one of the common side effects of this diet.
Now, this can put you in a dilemma!
No carb, low-carb, no-fat, high-fat, pills, shakes, powders – you are ready to try out anything it takes to lose weight.
But, body odor?
That’s not acceptable!
We can understand your concern. After all, most men and women follow a ketogenic diet to lose weight primarily because they want to be socially acceptable and look attractive.
However, a body odor does just the opposite and put you on the other side of being the center of attraction for all wrong reasons.
If you are concerned about does ketosis causes body odor, read on to learn the facts about the same, why it might occur, and some innovative ways to avoid them.
First of All…
Does Ketosis Really Cause Body Odor?
Well…we don’t want to disappoint you right at the beginning of this article. But, let’s accept the fact that yes, the keto diet does cause body odor.
This odd symptom shows up in the first few weeks of starting your new diet for most people.
However, the intensity of body odor can vary from one person to another depending on the state of his or her health and how well the body handles or adapts to the process of getting into ketosis.
If your general health is poor, your chances of developing body odor are higher. Let us make it clear that my poor health, I do not mean weak and malnourished, but a state that’s the result of your unhealthy lifestyle habits such as:
- Years of following a typically unhealthy diet
- Erratic routine with changing meal times and sleeping schedule
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol
- Consuming recreational drugs
These lifestyle habits mean your body will need to remove loads of toxins you have accumulated over the years.
As your body attempts to achieve this by stimulating the detoxification processes through increased sweating or expiration, you will experience body odor and even bad breath!
But did you see, your body is actually doing it for your own good!
The body odor would signify that you have successfully entered the phase when you will begin losing all the toxins and emerge cleaner and healthier. It would also indicate you have begun losing weight.
The bad odor will also be a sign that ketosis is going to happen soon. At the same time, there is also a process going on to cleanse your blood to restore all organs’ health.
The cleansing processes will rid your body of excess fats, dangerous chemicals, toxic metabolites, free radicals, pollutants, and everything else that is not good for your body.
This will improve your body’s ability to adapt itself to the fat-burning processes and allow you to enter ketosis.
If this has got you beaming with joy, why not learn something more about how detoxification and other processes cause body odor?
Let’s begin…
Why Does Ketosis Cause Body Odor?
1. Stimulates Detoxification
This process of detoxification occurs naturally throughout your body at all times. However, your large intestine plays a huge role in allowing your body to eliminate toxic substances.
If you have been following a not-so-healthy lifestyle, there is a chance that you have been consuming foods that are high in refined carbs and gluten and low in fibers.
Your consumption of fresh fruits and wholesome foods must also be on the lower side in the past.
These unhealthy dietary choices are likely to have left your intestine with a good amount of cleansing to do.
This can be the primary source of the body odor that commonly occurs in the first phase of ketosis that begins when your body goes into detox.
The toxins eliminated from the body during this phase can cause unpleasant body odor.
Though this is a sign of your unhealthy lifestyle habits in the past, it can provide better outcomes for your weight loss results in the future when you follow the keto diet strictly and adopt healthy habits.
2. Ketones Released During Ketosis
Chemically, ketones are nothing but a form of acetone. Acetone is better known to all as the substance found in the nail polish remover and paint removers.
Ketones, just like the nail polish removers, have a fruity smell.
When your body releases ketone bodies from the keto diet, this fruity smell emanates from sweat as well as your breath, causing body odor and bad breath.
How Can You Avoid Body Odor while on a Ketogenic Diet?
1. Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking plenty of water can help your body flush out toxins accumulated in different tissues and organs.
Increased water intake is also recommended during ketosis because it causes your body to lose water resulting in fatigue and weakness.
2. Daily Salt Baths
Daily salt baths can be a great way to avoid body odor caused during ketosis.
Since the skin is one of the excretion organs, bathing using the mineral-rich saltwater can allow your skin to stay on top of the sourness you may notice in your sweat and reduce body odor.
3. Colonic irrigation
Colonic irrigation offers a faster way to eliminate toxins from your body by stimulating the intestine’s motility and excretory processes.
4. Massage Techniques
Gentle massage of the skin using coconut oil can encourage the blood flow to your skin and enhance toxins’ drainage. This can cleanse the skin faster and reduce body odor.
The Bottomline: Does Ketosis Cause Body Odor?
Yes, ketosis does cause body odor. But, so what? Are you going to keep yourself from enjoying the immense benefits of this special diet?
Of course not!
Now, you know why exactly does ketosis causes body odor and how you can avoid them.
We are sure this clears your concerns about being the town’s talk for being that person with an unpleasant body odor.
Instead, you can begin your keto diet with greater enthusiasm, follow the tips to avoid body odor, and lose oodles of weight.
This way, you will surely be on the right side of being the center of attraction for all good reasons!
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