If your breath smells like acetone -- the same fruity scent as nail polish remover -- it may be a sign of high levels of ketones (acids your liver makes) in your blood. It's a problem mainly of type 1 diabetes but also can happen with type 2 if you get a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Some people with diabetes compare the smell of insulin to the scent of Band-Aids, printer ink, Lysol, or new plastic shower curtain liners (4). Apparently, phenols are responsible for the aroma associated with insulin (5).
a smell of ketones on your breath, which can smell like pear drops or nail varnish remover. confusion. drowsiness or loss of consciousness (coma)
Diabetes has been associated with decreased olfactory sensitivity, as well as impaired olfactory discrimination and odour identification scores as compared with controls, using Sniffin' Sticks [7].
The process of breaking down fat for energy releases byproducts called ketones. Acetone is a type of ketone, and it is the same fruity-smelling substance found in some nail polish removers. If the breath of a person with diabetes smells of acetone, this suggests that there are high levels of ketones in their blood.
The NIH (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/phenol#section=Top) tells us exactly what to expect when we drop a vial on the oor: “a sweet tarry odor that resembles a hospital smell.” And there's a reason it's familiar.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to urine that smells sweet or fruity. What does pre-diabetic urine smell like? In most cases, prediabetes won't cause changes to urine smells.
Body odor may be a sign of diabetes in some people. It happens when there is too much glucose in the blood. Diabetes is a long-term condition, meaning that there is no cure, but people can manage it.
You have many symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis. These include excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, weakness or fatigue, shortness of breath, fruity-scented breath, and confusion.
What Does Diabetic Urine Smell Like? One warning sign of diabetes or high blood sugar is urine that smells sweet or fruity. The sweetness comes from sugar in your urine and is a sign your body is trying to get rid of extra sugar in your blood.
Fruity-smelling breath is a sign of high levels of ketones in someone who already has diabetes. It's also one of the first symptoms that doctors look for when they check for DKA.
Trimethylaminuria is a disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish.
Apocrine bromhidrosis is the most common form of bromhidrosis in adults and is localised, usually to the armpits and/or anogenital area. Eccrine bromhidrosis presents as a generalised malodour, and may be associated with bad breath (halitosis), anogenital odour, and smelly urine.
People who have diabetes often have poor sleep habits, including difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Some people with diabetes get too much sleep, while others have problems getting enough sleep.
Transparent and lacking in color
Transparent, colorless urine could also be a sign of some other health disorders, including diabetes and kidney disease, or from taking diuretic medication.
What does diabetes itching feel like? If you have diabetes, itching can be intense. It's an irritating feeling that makes it hard not to scratch, but scratching can make the itch worse. You can itch anywhere, but if you have nerve damage (neuropathy) associated with diabetes, your lower legs may itch.
Perspiration and bacteria
Bacteria generally cause sour-smelling sweat. Everyone has bacteria on their skin, and when the bacteria start to break down the sweat, it creates an odor. If you run hot at night, causing sweating, try reducing your room temperature or wearing cooler clothing.
REASON: For extreme low-carbers: When ketones (the by-product of a body burning fat instead of carbs) become too elevated in the blood, they can release an alcohol-like odor.
A person's diet can make their sweat smell like ammonia. A person who eats a diet high in protein but low in carbohydrates may produce ammonia that the body then releases in sweat.
When a person eats a lot of protein instead of carbohydrates, their body uses protein and stored fat for energy instead of using carbohydrates as it would usually do. As a result, the ketone level in the blood will rise. When these ketones leave the body in the urine, the urine may smell sweet or similar to popcorn.