The need for energy

Your body always needs energy. It primarily draws this energy from food. If that is not enough, your body will tap into its internal reserves. These reserves are created when you consume more energy than you burn. The surplus energy is stored as fat — a very practical mechanism in earlier times, when food was not always readily available everywhere. Your body always had a little stockpile to help you get through the day.

Why energy can smell

When you take in less food — for example, after bariatric surgery or while using appetite suppressants — there is a good chance that your body cannot draw enough energy from food alone. It then draws the energy it needs from your fat stores. That is great news when you want to lose weight. But as your body releases energy from fat, waste products are also released. One of these waste products from fat is called ketones. When you have a high level of these, it can come with unpleasant odours from your skin and breath. This breath is also known as acetone breath, and it often resembles the smell of nail polish remover.

What can you do?

Having a temporary build-up of waste products in your body is not a medical problem. It is mainly very unpleasant for you personally not to smell fresh. Clean clothing and peppermints sometimes do not help enough either.

It is important, however, to prevent these waste products from accumulating in your body. They leave your body through sweat and urine. By drinking enough water, you help keep your body hydrated and allow waste products to be excreted as efficiently as possible. This often already makes a noticeable difference to the smell of your sweat and breath.

When does it become a problem?

If the unpleasant odour persists for an extended period and you also experience dizziness, mood swings, or significant fatigue, please contact your doctor. These can be signals from your body that you are losing weight too rapidly — which is unfortunately also unhealthy. Your doctor is best placed to assess whether things are going well and to provide personalised advice where needed.