Sweat Smells Like Ammonia: Causes And Treatment

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhy does my sweat smell like ammonia?

Medically reviewed by Sara Perkins, MD — Written by Lois Zoppi — Updated on February 18, 2025

What is sweat?
What is ammonia?
Causes
Prevention
Treatment
Contacting a doctor
Summary

A person’s sweat may smell like ammonia due to a high protein diet, exercise, or health conditions such as kidney disease and diabetes.

The purpose of sweat is to help the body cool down. Sweat droplets transfer body heat onto the surface of the skin, where they evaporate. This can make the skin feel cool and reduce a person’s body temperature.

This article explains why a person’s sweat may smell like ammonia and what treatment options are available.

What is sweat?

A sweaty person who has just been exercising — MoMo Productions/Getty Images

Sweat can act as a barrier against bacteria on the skin, and it can also moisturize the skin.

Sweat contains water and sodium chloride, as well as small amounts of:

potassium
calcium
ammonia
urea
lactate
ethanol

A person may sometimes be able to smell the ammonia content in their sweat.

Sweat glands all over the body release sweat. There are three types of sweat glands, which are called the eccrine, apocrine, and apoeccrine glands.

Eccrine glands are the most abundant across the body. This type of sweat gland produces the most sweat, but it does not have a smell.

Apocrine glands are in specific areas of the body, such as the breasts, face, scalp, perineum, and the underarms.

They produce sweat that comes through hair follicles rather than through the skin’s pores. Sweat from apocrine glands can have an odor. It contains lipids, sugars, and ammonia.

Apoeccrine glands are only in the underarms. They release sweat onto the skin’s surface in the form of salt water.

Sweat from apoeccrine glands is not thought to help regulate a person’s temperature as it cannot evaporate easily from the underarms.

What is ammonia?

Ammonia (NH3) is a colorless gas that is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. It has a strong odor that smells like urine or sweat.

Ammonia occurs naturally in water, soil, and the air and is also found naturally in plants, animals, and the human body.

The human body makes ammonia when it breaks down protein into amino acids. The liver then converts ammonia into urea before it leaves the body through urine or sweat.

Causes of odor in sweat

There are many possible causes of sweat smelling like ammonia. These may include:

Diet

Older research in a 2021 review suggests that a diet low in carbohydrates may affect the amount of ammonia in sweat. However, the researchers highlight that most research examines diet’s effects on other nutrients in sweat.

The body usually uses carbs for energy by converting them into glucose because carbs are the fastest energy supply. However, if there aren’t enough carbohydrates, the body will use protein for energy.

Protein breaks down into amino acids, which the body converts into ammonia. The body then releases this ammonia through urine and sweat, which may produce an odor.

Certain spices and foods with strong smells can also change a person’s sweat odor.

Dehydration may also make sweat smell like ammonia because the body needs water to get rid of ammonia through sweat. If there is not enough water to dilute the ammonia as the body releases it, the smell of ammonia may be stronger.

Exercise

Some research suggests exercise affects ammonia levels in sweat. For example, a 2020 study analyzed the concentration of various biomarkers, including ammonia, in sweat and blood with increasing exercise intensity.

The researchers found that concentrations of ammonia and lactate were consistently higher in sweat than in blood. Ammonia concentrations were also higher on the arms than the back.

Ammonia concentrations in sweat on the upper arms reduced as exercise intensity increased. However, ammonia concentrations in sweat on the upper arms increased after exercise.

This suggests people may notice that their sweat smells more strongly of ammonia when starting to exercise or after exercise.

Health conditions

Certain health conditions can cause a person’s body odor to change. They include:

Hyperhidrosis: Hyperhidrosis causes excessive sweating from the eccrine glands. If someone sweats a lot, sweat may buildup on the skin and interact with bacteria. This may cause an odor, which may smell of ammonia.
Kidney disease: The kidneys remove urea from the body. If they are not working properly, urea may enter the bloodstream, a symptom called uremia. If someone has high levels of urea in their body, the body may release urea through sweat, causing an odor.
Diabetes: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a complication of diabetes that occurs when ketones buildup in the blood. This may make the breath smell fruity or change a person’s body odor.
Trichomycosis: Trichomycosis is a bacterial infection that affects the hair in the underarms. Some people may experience changes in odor.
Trimethylaminuria: Trimethylaminuria is a rare condition. Increased levels of the compound trimethylamine (TMA) in the body cause trimethylaminuria. TMA has a fish-like smell. The body releases TMA through the urine, sweat, or breath.

Stress

A person may sweat due to stress. The International Hyperhidrosis Society states that the apocrine glands are responsible for producing stress-related sweat.

Sweat from the apocrine glands is thicker and contains more proteins and lipids. When this type of sweat sits on the skin and mixes with bacteria, it can create a smell.

Hormones

According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, hormonal changes may worsen body odor.

A person’s hormones may change during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

Preventing sweat that smells of ammonia

People can take several steps to prevent sweat smelling like ammonia. These may include:

Change the diet: If a person eats low levels of carbohydrates or high amounts of spices and other strong-smelling foods, adjusting their diet may help to change the odor of their sweat.
Drink more water: Staying hydrated may help to dilute sweat and make its odor less noticeable.
Deodorants and antiperspirants: Deodorants can help to cover up the ammonia smell from sweat. Antiperspirants block the sweat glands and stop sweat from happening, which may also help to prevent odor.
Change clothes: People can try changing their clothes more frequently to keep their skin dry and free of bacteria that can react with sweat and cause odor.
Washing: Washing regularly with antibacterial soap can help to reduce bacteria on the skin that may mix with sweat and cause an odor.
Reduce stress: People can try stress management techniques to reduce the amount of sweat they may produce. Techniques may include yoga, meditation, and journaling.

Treatment for sweat that smells of ammonia

To help control body odor, the International Hyperhidrosis Society recommends:

keeping the skin dry
washing with antibacterial soap
reducing sweating by using antiperspirants
masking odors with deodorants

A person can also contact a doctor to discuss potential medical treatments.

Medical treatments

People may require medical treatments to manage excessive sweating or underlying conditions causing their sweat to smell. Potential treatments include:

Microwave thermolysis: Microwave thermolysis uses microwave energy to stop the sweat glands from working properly. Patient outcomes suggest it may effectively improve sweat and odor for 3 months after initial treatment.
Botox: Botox may be an effective treatment for hyperhidrosis as it blocks the chemical that signals the sweat glands to produce sweat.
Prescription antiperspirants: Prescription antiperspirants may contain higher amounts of active ingredients than over-the-counter options.
Laser treatment: Laser treatment may help to reduce armpit odor by destroying apocrine sweat glands, hair follicles, and surrounding tissues.
Antibiotics: A doctor may prescribe medications to address any underlying conditions causing sweat to smell like ammonia. For example, antibiotics may help treat trichomycosis.

When to see a doctor

A person whose sweat smells like ammonia should look out for symptoms of an underlying condition.

If their urine has a strong ammonia smell, this may be a sign of diabetes. If a person notices blood in their urine, or that their urine is foamy, this may be a sign of kidney disease.

Fungal infections may cause rashes, sores, or blisters. A person should contact a doctor if they think they may have a fungal skin infection.

»MORE:Get a skin condition evaluation in as little as 15 minutes with Optum Now Online Care.

Optum Now is operated by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

Summary

Many things can influence the smell of a person’s sweat. Diet, exercise, and bacterial infections may all alter body odor.

Someone with a health condition such as diabetes or kidney disease may also have sweat that smells like ammonia.

People can try antiperspirants to reduce the amount they sweat and deodorants to cover up any odors. A doctor can treat any underlying health conditions to help reduce the ammonia smell in sweat.

Dermatology
Biology / Biochemistry

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Baker LB. (2019). Physiology of sweat gland function: The roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6773238/
Ballard A. (2017). 6 ways to control stress.https://www.sweathelp.org/sweat-help-home/press-releases/391-6-ways-to-control-stress-sweat.html
Bhupathiraju SN, et al. (2024). Overview of nutrition.https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/nutritional-disorders/nutrition-general-considerations/overview-of-nutrition
Body odor (BO). (2021).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-odour-bo/
Bromhidrosis (sweat and odor). (n.d.).https://www.sweathelp.org/home/sweat-and-odor.html
Fungus infections. (n.d.).https://www.aocd.org/page/FungusInfections
Grove GL, et al. (2022). Impact of microwave thermolysis energy levels on patient‐reported outcomes for axillary hyperhidrosis and osmidrosis.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10092657/
Harshman SW, et al. (2021). The impact of nutritional supplementation on sweat metabolomic content: A proof-of-concept study.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8138560/
Klous L, et al. (2020). The (in)dependency of blood and sweat sodium, chloride, potassium, ammonia, lactate and glucose concentrations during submaximal exercise.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-020-04562-8
Oco-Loyola MLM, et al. (2023). An overview of trichobacteriosis (trichomycosis): An underdiagnosed disease.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10600505/
Severe primary trimethylaminuria. (2025).https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6447/trimethylaminuria
Zhang J, et al. (2024). Advances in the treatment of axillary bromhidrosis.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11297419/

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Medically reviewed by Sara Perkins, MD — Written by Lois Zoppi — Updated on February 18, 2025

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Tag » Why Do I Smell Ammonia When I Breathe In

Sweat Smells Like Ammonia: Causes And Treatment

What is sweat?

What is ammonia?

Causes of odor in sweat

Diet

Exercise

Health conditions

Stress

Hormones

Preventing sweat that smells of ammonia

Treatment for sweat that smells of ammonia

Medical treatments

When to see a doctor

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

Latest news

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