Hi, I heard this same question from someone on the runningroom.com BB that I am a member of... here's what was said:

By Scott Benjamin (Clydeguy) on Unrecorded Date:

It seems strange but I have found that after a run, when I go inside and am cooling down, I detect an odour of amonia or something when I breathe in through my nose deeply. It is gone after 20 minutes or so. I only smell it after a run. Is my body trying to tell me something? Has anyone ever encountered this?

By Anonymous on Unrecorded Date:


Hi,
To quote from Runners World, working muscles produce small amounts of ammonia and runners sometimes notice the distinct odor if they can't clear the ammonia from their bloodstream quickly enough.This means that your carbohydrate stores are low, your body may be breaking down muscle protein to fuel your long runs, causing greater than normal ammonia production. To eliminate the ammonia odor, make sure you're consuming enough carbohydrates. It goes into greater detail in the answer to the letter, but that's it in a nutshell. I had it happen to me when I did repeats on an empty stomach. Burns the nose a wee bit. Hope this helps.

By Scott Benjamin (Clydeguy) on Unrecorded Date:


Thanks a bunch. I had never heard of that but it sure sounds like that could be it. I always run at least 2 hrs after I eat and I have not been paying much attention to the carbs. I'll give it a try. Thanks again, Scott.

By Chad Peckels (Drchad) on Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 06:05 pm:


The quote from runners world is absolutly correct!! This can be a very dangerous situation! Meaning hard on the liver and kidney systems with the potential for possible damage. Gel or GU shots work well to remedy this especially on longer and more demanding runs/workouts.

Good luck, Chad

By Anonymous on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 - 12:09 pm:


I just happend to look at this posting on an off chance... and I just want to say thanks for the info. I too have frequently noticed a smell after longer runs, and will now be eating even more carbs. Here's to our health!
J



Hope this helps!

Linnea