The Atkins diet, the Zone, the South Beach diet, the Paleo diet and other ketogenic diets advocate limiting carbohydrate consumption to force the body to draw upon its own stored fat for energy. Whether or not diets that trick the body into switching into starvation-fighting mode are the safest and healthiest ways of losing weight and keeping it off is a matter of dispute. Bad breath and body odor are among the unpleasant and potentially embarrassing side effects of high fat, low-carb diets.
Starvation Ketosis
In normal circumstances, the human body energizes itself by converting dietary carbohydrates into its fuel of preference, glucose. In times of famine, when people have little access to carbohydrates or any other food, the liver increases production of ketones, also known as ketone bodies, to provide a substitute fuel source for metabolizing stored fat until carbohydrates are reintroduced into the diet. Similar biochemical changes to this condition -- starvation ketosis -- can be induced with a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Any diet designed to trick the body into starvation ketosis by deliberately restricting carbohydrate intake is called ketogenic.
Seizure Control
An extremely strict version of the ketogenic diet, with 90 percent of calorie requirements coming from fat, is often prescribed -- always under medical supervision -- as an alternative epilepsy treatment for children whose seizures aren't adequately controlled by medications. Nobody knows why flooding the bloodstream with ketones seems to suppress seizures, but the success rate is impressive. According to Children's Memorial Epilepsy Center in Chicago, about two-thirds of children put on this diet experience a 50 percent reduction in the frequency of seizures, and a third of those experience a 90 percent decrease or even become completely seizure-free. Supplements make up for nutritional shortcomings.
Breath and Body Odor
A common but dreaded side effect of ketogenic diets, "keto-breath," is caused when excess ketones in the bloodstream are absorbed into the lungs and then exhaled in the breath. Often described as similar to acetone, one chemical component of ketones, the odor is accompanied by a foul taste in the mouth. When the body is in ketosis, urine may also take on a peculiar smell. The body's capacity to store glucose is limited, so when its reserve has been exhausted by fasting, skipping meals or strenuous exercise, it switches into ketosis mode even when you aren't following a ketogenic diet. The presence of ketones in sweat may give it an acrid, ammonia-like odor.
Remedies
According to the Atkins Center, one way of counteracting unpleasant breath or body odor from ketosis is to increase carbohydrate consumption slightly, although the trade-off is that this is likely to slow down weight loss. Sugarless breath sweeteners include chlorophyll, fresh parsley and dark green, leafy vegetables. Drinking plenty of water -- the Atkins recommendation is eight or more glasses a day -- can also help neutralize odors. Chewing licorice-flavored anise seeds is a traditional way to freshen breath in India.
References
- Vanderbilt University; The Key Into Ketogenic Diets; Anna Temlock
- Epilepsy Action: Ketogenic Diet
- Stellenbosch University; Faculty of Health Sciences; Post-Exercise Ketosis; Johan H. Koeslag
- BioCarta; Pathways; Formation of Ketone Bodies from Acetyl-CoA; Glenn Croston, Ph.D.
- Children's Memorial Hospital: Children's Memorial Epilepsy Center: The Ketogenic Diet
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