If a person smells of acetone, then this always indicates serious he alth problems. Most often, this is a sign of metabolic disorders. What pathologies cause an acetate smell? And what examinations should be taken to identify its cause? We will answer these questions in the article.
How the smell appears
Fat metabolism disorders are the main reason why a person smells like acetone. What does it mean? In the process of metabolism of fatty acids, their decay products are formed - ketone bodies. It is they who emit the acetate smell.
Normally, the level of ketone bodies in the body is very low. They are rapidly oxidized in the muscles and lungs, releasing large amounts of energy.
If a person smells like acetone, it means that ketones accumulate in the body. Similar is noted in violation of the metabolism of carbohydrates. Ketone bodies negatively affect the acid-base balance in the body. They areshift the pH to the acid side. Doctors call this disorder ketoacidosis. This condition poses a great he alth hazard. An excess of ketones has a toxic effect on various organs.
Possible causes
At what disease does a person smell like acetone? The accumulation of ketones can be observed in various ailments. Most often, ketoacidosis develops against the background of the following pathological conditions:
- diabetes;
- pathologies of the liver and kidneys;
- thyroid disorders;
- infectious diseases;
- carbohydrate deficiency in food;
- long fasting.
Next, we will take a closer look at the above diseases and how to treat them.
Diabetes
Why does a person smell like acetone from his mouth? Most often it is associated with diabetes. In this disease, the patient has reduced production of insulin by the pancreas. This hormone is necessary for the processing and absorption of glucose, which serves as a source of energy for the body. Insulin deficiency leads to serious consequences. Unsplit glucose ceases to be absorbed by tissues. The body has to take energy from proteins and fats. There is an active breakdown of lipids, which causes an excess of ketones.
If a person with diabetes mellitus smells like acetone, then this is an alarming sign. Such symptoms indicate a decompensated form of pathology, which is difficult to treat. In severe cases, the patient falls intoketoacidotic coma. This is a life-threatening condition.
Diabetic ketoacidosis comes with other symptoms:
- thirst;
- frequent and profuse urination;
- sharp weakness;
- drying of mucous membranes and skin;
- drowsy;
- nausea and vomiting;
- sluggishness;
- headache.
Ketoacidosis in diabetes is treated in a hospital setting. If the patient is in a coma, then he is placed in the intensive care unit. Patients are administered infusion solutions, this helps to eliminate metabolic disorders. The patient selects the optimal daily dosage of insulin. The therapy is carried out under the control of the level of sugar and ketone bodies in plasma and urine.
Liver disease
If a person smells of acetone when breathing, this may indicate liver pathology. It is in this organ that the process of splitting fatty acids and the formation of ketone bodies takes place. When liver cells are damaged, lipid metabolism is disrupted. This results in a buildup of ketones.
Ketoacidosis is most often observed in hepatitis. Inflammation of the liver is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- yellowing of mucous membranes and eye proteins;
- itchy skin;
- feeling of heaviness on the right under the ribs;
- fatigue;
- nauseous;
- poor appetite.
The patient is prescribed hepatoprotectors, antiviral drugs, as well as a diet with restriction of spicy, s alty and fatty foods.
Renal pathologies
Why from a mansmells of acetone from the body? This may be due to kidney disease. With nephrosis, metabolism is disturbed. As a result, the excretion of ketones through the kidneys increases. The acetate smell comes from the patient's urine and sweat.
Nephrosis is a disease accompanied by degenerative changes in the tissues of the kidneys. Signs of pathology are as follows:
- increased thirst;
- weakness;
- swelling of the face and limbs;
- reducing the amount of urine;
- joint pain.
If left untreated, this condition can lead to kidney failure. Usually a person smells like acetone in the early stages of the disease. As the pathology develops, an ammonia smell appears. This indicates a significant deterioration in kidney function.
The patient is put on a high-protein diet with limited s alt and water. Corticosteroids and diuretics indicated.
Thyroid disorders
The appearance of a ketone smell may be one of the signs of thyrotoxicosis. With this pathology, the thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of hormones. This leads to the following symptoms:
- strong weight loss;
- bulging eyes;
- enlargement of the front of the neck (in severe cases, a goiter appears);
- tachycardia;
- nervousness;
- excessive sweating and feeling hot;
- fatigue;
- tremor of limbs.
Why does a person smell like acetone with thyrotoxicosis? Thyroid hormonesstimulate the fat burning process. Their excess leads to accelerated lipid metabolism. As a result, the patient loses a lot of weight, and ketone bodies accumulate in his body. This is what causes the smell.
A patient with thyrotoxicosis needs to take iodine-based drugs. After normalization of the thyroid gland, the unpleasant odor disappears.
Infections
If a person smells of acetone from the body, then this may be a sign of infectious diseases. Such pathologies are accompanied by severe intoxication of the body. The ketone smell usually appears during the acute stage of the disease, when the patient has a sharply elevated temperature.
Most often, ketoacidosis occurs with rotavirus infection. This disease in everyday life is called "intestinal flu". It is most often transmitted through dirty hands, less often by airborne droplets. The signs of a rotavirus infection are as follows:
- sore throat (in the early days of illness);
- diarrhea (faecal color turns gray);
- fever;
- vomiting frequently;
- strong weakness.
Why does the human body smell like acetone during rotavirus infection? During vomiting and diarrhea, the patient loses a large amount of fluid. In addition, fever is accompanied by severe sweating. This leads to dehydration and poor carbohydrate metabolism. Ketone bodies begin to accumulate in the body, which is the cause of the smell.
Special drugs against rotavirus have not been developed. Therefore, treatment can only besymptomatic. During illness, you should try to drink as much liquid as possible. This will help to avoid dehydration and the accumulation of ketone bodies.
Unhe althy diet
Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine why a person smells like acetone. After all, the examination does not reveal any pathologies in him. In this case, you need to pay attention to your diet. The cause of bad breath can be a diet with insufficient carbohydrate food.
A lot of people are into ketogenic diets these days. Such a diet involves a sharp restriction of carbohydrates and a large amount of fat in the diet.
The keto diet is believed to lead to rapid weight loss. However, such a menu can provoke serious metabolic disorders. With a deficiency of carbohydrates, active fat burning occurs. In the process of accelerated lipid metabolism, an excess of ketone bodies is formed, which do not have time to be excreted from the body. These substances adversely affect the tissues of the liver, kidneys and pancreas.
If a person smells of acetone, then he needs to immediately review his menu. Otherwise, it can lead to serious pathologies. Acetate smell signals a sharp shortage of carbohydrates. In this case, you need to urgently stop following the ketogenic diet.
It is not uncommon for a person to smell of acetone when breathing during complete starvation. The ketone smell is formed by the same mechanism as in diabetes. During a long refusal of food, the body begins to use as a sourceenergy own fat reserves. This releases a large amount of ketone bodies. These substances are toxic to organs. Therefore, it is better to refuse starvation diets. Too long breaks between meals should also be avoided.
Ketone smell in children
Acetate smell in children can be caused by the same diseases as in adults. Therefore, the child should be shown to the doctor. It is important to remember that diabetes often begins in childhood.
However, in many cases, the smell is not associated with pathology. In childhood, ketone bodies are oxidized very slowly. This leads to the smell of acetone. This symptom is often noted during puberty, especially with long breaks in eating. Sometimes the smell appears in a child during stress. Doctors suggest that those children whose mothers abused protein foods during pregnancy are prone to ketoacidosis.
Acetonemic syndrome is also noted in childhood. This pathology is characterized by the accumulation of ketones in the body and acetate odor from the mouth and skin. The causes of the disease have not been precisely established. Acetonemic syndrome occurs in the form of seizures. Suddenly, the child has severe vomiting, motor and mental anxiety, headaches. Then this state is replaced by lethargy and drowsiness. Such children are shown a diet high in carbohydrates and limiting fatty foods. Infusion solutions are administered to combat dehydration. Usually signs of pathology disappearindependently after the child is 12-13 years old.
Diagnosis
If a person smells of acetone from the mouth or from the body, then this may be a sign of dangerous diseases. It is necessary to undergo a diagnosis as soon as possible to identify the cause of ketoacidosis. Which doctor should be visited? First you need to see a therapist. If necessary, the general practitioner will refer the patient to a specialist of a narrower profile.
If ketoacidosis is suspected, the following examinations are prescribed:
- blood test for biochemical parameters;
- urinalysis for ketone bodies;
- blood test for thyroid hormones;
- Ultrasound of the kidneys and liver.
During the appointment, the doctor also finds out the peculiarities of the patient's diet. After all, ketoacidosis is often triggered by a deficiency of carbohydrates in food.
Today, special glucometers with the determination of ketone bodies are produced for diabetics. This helps at home to detect signs of ketoacidosis in time.
How to get rid of the smell
What to do if a person smells like acetone? You can completely get rid of an unpleasant odor only after eliminating its cause. Therefore, first of all, you need to treat the underlying pathology and avoid too strict diets.
The following recommendations from doctors will also help reduce odor:
- You should try to drink enough fluids.
- Long breaks between meals should be avoided.
- Shouldshower regularly and use antibacterial soap.
- Reducing sweating will help wearing clothes and underwear made from natural fabrics.
- Recommended to use deodorants with zinc and aluminum.
Acetone odor is a rather dangerous symptom that should never be ignored. Timely treatment will help to avoid intoxication of the body and damage to organs by ketones.
