Foul smelling stool - when you need to consult a doctor

Testing for intestinal diseases by smelling stool is increasingly being used around the world. British doctors have developed a whole system for identifying intestinal disorders based on the putrid odor of feces.

And there is nothing strange about this - pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms cause food to rot and release certain harmful toxins that contribute to the formation of an unpleasant odor in stool. A similar testing system was created based on a sensor for recognizing odors characteristic of certain ailments.

Sour-smelling feces: causes, treatment, prevention

Testing for intestinal diseases by smelling stool is increasingly being used around the world. British doctors have developed a whole system for identifying intestinal disorders based on the putrid odor of feces.

And there is nothing strange about this - pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms cause food to rot and release certain harmful toxins that contribute to the formation of an unpleasant odor in stool. A similar testing system was created based on a sensor for recognizing odors characteristic of certain ailments.

The sour smell of feces is an alarming symptom. The reason may be hidden not only in digestive disorders. The pathology is influenced by chronic intestinal diseases, the development of life-threatening infections - dysbiosis, impaired transportation of food masses, damage to the pancreas. If the human body cannot adequately ensure the correct process of absorption of vital substances in the intestines, then a chronic illness develops. Poor absorption and very foul-smelling stool may be caused by:

• Food allergies;
• intestinal infections;
• celiac disease;
• food intolerance;
• Crohn's disease;
• inflammation.

Why does stool have an unpleasant, pungent odor? The consistency and smell of stool is influenced by bacteria and microorganisms present in the intestines. With various violations, bacteria are activated and begin to multiply quickly. The growth of pathogenic microflora increases. As a result, microbes poison the intestines more with their toxins and provoke increased rotting of food. Diarrhea with a sour smell indicates a chronic disorder of the digestive processes and intestinal infection. Nasty and loose stools in an adult can occur due to pancreatic insufficiency.

Important! If the diarrhea has an odor, you should consult a doctor. Smelly diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea, flatulence, and fever. All of these conditions can be extremely dangerous.

Normally, a healthy person has bowel movements no more than twice a day. Feces have a soft consistency. Evacuation occurs effortlessly and without pain. The color of the stool is brown, and in infants it is light yellow. The smell of feces is normally unpleasant, but without fermentative or putrefactive tones.

Why does stool smell so bad?

A very unpleasant odor emanating from feces can be caused by both pathological and non-pathogenic causes.

Non-pathogenic causes

A strong smell of stool in an adult is not always due to dangerous reasons such as intestinal dysfunction. Non-pathogenic factors that provoke this phenomenon include the following:

• features of the diet. Some foods consumed change the smell of stool after digestion. These include onions and garlic, as they contain phytoncides - substances that destroy pathogenic microflora. This makes the stool smelly. Other foods that cause an unpleasant odor in feces include legumes, cabbage, foods with a high fat content, industrially produced foods (convenience foods, canned food) that contain flavorings, chemical additives, and flavor enhancers;
• predominance of high-protein foods in the diet, lack of dietary fiber. If a person prefers protein (meat, dairy products), then he will have foul-smelling stools. This is due to the fact that during the processing of protein foods, nitrogenous compounds are formed, which act as a source of a nauseating odor;
• stool liquefaction. When a person has soft stools, which is due to the characteristics of the diet, the smell of excrement becomes more pronounced and unpleasant. This phenomenon is due to the fact that liquid feces contain a lot of moisture, which, when evaporated, gives off an odor.

Pathologies

The foul odor of feces often indicates pathological processes in the body, which pose a particular danger to human health and sometimes even human life.

Diseases and disorders in which feces acquire a foul odor include the following:

• digestive pathologies that manifest themselves in the absorption and movement of masses of food in the small intestine of a chronic nature - malabsorption. Such a deviation can be caused by carbohydrate intolerance, inflammation in the intestines, and gluten intolerance. A characteristic sign of malabsorption is foul-smelling diarrhea. The gases also have a pronounced unpleasant odor;
• intestinal infections caused by pathogenic bacteria or viruses. Such diseases include dysentery, salmonellosis, enterovirus and rotavirus infections. The patient develops diarrhea with foul-smelling stools, which lasts for 3-5 days. With intestinal infections, an adult develops a pronounced sour smell of feces;
• intestinal inflammation (enteritis, colitis). With such pathologies, the patient feels a strong smell of feces, and also suffers from painful cramps in the abdomen;
• intestinal candidiasis. With fungal infection of the digestive sections by microorganisms of the genus Candida, feces not only acquire an unpleasant odor, but also change their appearance: feces with the smell of rot contain traces of gray mucus and white, cheesy particles;
• malignant intestinal processes. With the development of malignant tumors of the digestive system, a sharp unpleasant odor appears from the stool. There are traces of blood and mucus in the excrement;
• short small bowel syndrome. This pathology is characterized by the absence of segments of the small intestine or significant impairment of its functions. The patient suffers from increased gas formation. Frequent loose stools with an unpleasant odor are observed;
• poisoning Intoxication of the body can occur through consumption of poor-quality food or inhalation or oral ingestion of toxic substances. For example, if the stool smells like rotten eggs, this is due to carbon disulfide or hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Intoxication is accompanied by severe pain in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, and fever;
• cystic fibrosis (or cystic fibrosis). This is a severe hereditary pathology, which is characterized by damage to internal organs that produce mucus (pancreas, liver, intestinal glands). Cystic fibrosis with intestinal manifestations is characterized by the development of putrefactive processes caused by pancreatic insufficiency. One of the characteristic symptoms is a putrid smell of feces. The stool is mostly liquid.

Dysbacteriosis

A change in the composition of the microflora in the intestines in favor of pathogenic microorganisms affects the digestion process. In addition, dysbiosis can provoke the development of dangerous pathologies such as intestinal infections, infectious colitis, and gastroenteritis.

In most cases, the development of dysbiosis is caused by taking antibacterial or antimicrobial drugs, since they destroy not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also representatives of beneficial intestinal microflora.

The first sign of dysbacteriosis is a strange smell of feces in an adult, frequent but false urge to defecate, and flatulence.

Food allergies

This kind of reaction of the body is expressed in the body’s refusal to accept certain foods.

The most common allergens are:

• chocolate;
• cocoa and products containing it;
• fish;
• seafood;
• honey;
• citrus;
• cow's milk.

In addition to diarrhea and foul-smelling stools, a person is bothered by dry and itchy skin, mucus flowing from the nasal passages and tears from the eyes.

Enzymopathy

Enzyme deficiency also affects the smell of stool. Poor nutrition, as well as the presence of congenital pathologies in which certain elements are not absorbed by the intestines, can cause a lack of enzymes, due to which food is fully digested. As a result, a foul odor emanates from the stool.

What does feces smell like?

What determines the smell of feces? The answer is obvious - from the food taken the day before. Feces without an unpleasant odor are practically never found - certain foods provoke a corresponding “aroma” of feces. When eating meat, there is a sharp-smelling poop; after eating dairy products or beer, a sour odor may occur. The stench appears when there is illness and the flow of bile into the intestines.

• A sour smell occurs if a person has consumed too much sugar, peas, legumes, or fruits. Foods rich in carbohydrates cause fermentation and dyspepsia.
• The stench develops with impaired pancreatic function and pancreatitis. Also, the stench occurs when there is hypersecretion of the intestines, if diarrhea occurs.
• A putrid smell is a sign of impaired digestion. Appears when proteins are poorly absorbed in the digestive system.
• Oily accents in the smell indicate the influence of bacteria and the decomposition of fats.

In the process of therapy and correction of digestive disorders, it is necessary to adhere to a certain diet. Overeating, drinking alcohol, fatty meats, fried and spicy foods are extremely harmful to the body. In case of obvious violations, you should consult a doctor. For therapy, medications are prescribed to restore digestion.

If an infection is detected, treatment requires the use of an antibiotic. In case of poisoning, drugs that relieve intoxication are used. If no infection is detected, it is enough to follow a diet and take a vitamin complex.

On a note! Diarrhea in adults is treated with medications that harden the stool. Infection is indicated by strongly foul-smelling stools and frequent bowel movements. In some dangerous situations, hospital treatment may be necessary.

Why is stool smelly?

If the digestive process is slow and poor, then digestion of food is difficult. In this case, food begins to rot in the intestines, creating optimal conditions for the growth of pathogenic flora. Some microorganisms release hydrogen sulfide into the environment. This is what causes the sour stench.

Important! A rotten, pungent odor indicates a malfunction in the entire gastrointestinal tract.

The sour stench occurs as a result of fermentative dyspepsia. This can happen after eating peas, sweet flour dishes, kvass and some fruits. When the flow of bile is disrupted, feces acquire a foul odor. If you consume too much protein, your stool will have a putrid “aroma.”

What determines the smell of stool? Often unpleasant, foul-smelling stools occur with colitis, constipation and slow digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract. If the digestive organs are attacked by harmful bacteria, the stool smells like rancid oil. Very often, a putrid aroma is accompanied by increased gas formation.

The norm is

• Unpleasant, but not pungent odor of feces;
• cylindrical stool;
• soft consistency of stool;
• brown color of feces;
• slight stool discharge.

Curdled, foamy or liquid stools indicate problems with the digestive system. Grayish-white feces indicate liver problems and the development of pancreatitis. Any change in the consistency of feces indicates problems in the intestines.

When a lot of dairy products predominate in food, they are poorly digested and give the stool a sour smell. If bacteria in the intestines produce hydrogen sulfide, the stool becomes rotten.

Prevention

To avoid various disorders in bowel movements and digestion, it is important to properly handle foods when preparing food.

Meat must be subjected to strong heat treatment. Do not cook meat and vegetables on the same cutting board. Vegetables may be contaminated with salmonella or other pathogenic flora. Bacterial infection of the intestines must not be allowed.

For various pathologies, obesity, and chronic illnesses, it is important to adjust your own diet. The menu should not contain food that causes fermentation in the intestines or irritates the walls of the stomach. These measures will significantly reduce the risk of complications.

It is necessary to observe not only the diet, but also the drinking regimen. Drinking plenty of water should be done daily. You need to drink a lot, using clean table water, and avoid soda. It is allowed to drink teas, fruit drinks, compotes. It is better to avoid freshly squeezed fresh juices.

Daily exercise and walks in the fresh air help improve health. Physical activity stabilizes the functioning of the digestive system and improves peristalsis of organs. The food entering the body is absorbed much faster.

All of the above measures contribute to the fact that the digestive organs will soon begin to work like a clock. The diet prevents the development of constipation and diarrhea, strengthens the immune system and ensures normal feces and bowel movements.

What to do if foul gas forms

When gas with an odor appears, you need to immediately reconsider your diet. Diet is always the basis for the treatment of flatulence and any gastrointestinal diseases. A properly designed menu helps improve digestion and reduce the release of smelly gases. It is also a good idea to seek advice from a gastroenterologist. If frequent gases with an unpleasant odor appear, an examination is prescribed. Can be assigned:

• colonoscopy;
• blood biochemistry;
• Ultrasound of the peritoneum;
• general blood, urine and stool tests;
• coprogram;
• fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

If the examination reveals pathologies, then treatment will initially be aimed at eliminating the disease. In other cases, it is enough to simply reconsider your diet.

Drug therapy

In some cases, when there is strong gas production with an unpleasant odor, drug therapy is necessary. It includes carminatives, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Agents that restore microflora are also prescribed. If following a diet does not help, medications that reduce flatulence are indicated:

Some medications (more often used for children) are available in the form of suspensions or absorbable tablets. For example, "Motilium", "Motilak".

Traditional methods of therapy

Drug therapy is not always used. Sometimes folk remedies are enough to eliminate the strong smell of gas from the intestines. There are many recipes from medicinal plants and herbs. The most effective infusion is made from dill seeds. Take 2 tsp of them. They are filled with 400 ml of boiling water. The product should be infused for half an hour, and then it should be drunk before each meal, 100 ml.

Reasons for changes

The smell of feces depends on the food consumed. If a person eats a lot of meat, the excrement smells more pungent. The aroma weakens when the daily diet includes a lot of plant foods, fermented milk products, and milk. Eating fish, garlic, onions, and kvass can affect the smell. With diarrhea, the stool smells more pronounced, but with constipation, the aroma is practically absent.

Why does the smell change? This is influenced by microorganisms that live in the intestines. If there is any failure, they begin to develop rapidly, which leads to the growth of pathogenic microflora. As a result, bacteria poison the intestines with their toxins, which increases the process of food rotting.

This may be caused by the following factors:

• food allergies;
• dyspepsia;
• colitis;
• liver disease;
• enteropathy;
• rotavirus or “stomach flu”;
• dysbacteriosis;
• inflammation.

In a healthy person, the stool has an odor, but it does not smell rotten. Defecation should be painless. It is unacceptable for the stool to be liquid and contain blood, mucus, and pus. The color of stool should not change much: it is normally brown in both men and women.

Acetone in urine during pregnancy

Normally, carbohydrates entering the body undergo complex chemical processes in which glucose, the main source of energy, enters the blood. If for some reason there is a disruption in the supply of glucose, the body begins to process its own proteins and fats. As a result of their incomplete oxidation, ketone bodies are released, which are excreted through body fluids, which is why urine smells like acetone. Circulating through the bloodstream, ketones, like any toxic substance, have a detrimental effect on the cells of the brain, blood, liver, pancreas, etc.

Also, acetone compounds irritate the lining of the stomach, leading to prolonged vomiting, which can lead to severe dehydration.

Damage to heart tissue and blood vessels can lead to the development of heart failure, and therefore serious conditions.

The most dangerous of the possible complications is coma, which can lead to death.

But, ketonuria is a reversible condition if the diagnosis is made in the early stages. At the same time, acetone levels in the urine return to normal 1-2 days after the start of treatment. Therefore, the smell of acetone in urine, vomit, saliva or sweat should be a reason to urgently consult a doctor.

In pregnant women, acetone is found in the urine more often than in other people. The most common causes of this condition are toxicosis and poor diet.

Ketonuria in pregnant women requires special attention, since even small doses of acetone in the blood can adversely affect the health of the unborn baby

What changes does the specific aroma of stool indicate?

The fetid and pungent odor of feces in an adult is observed when the pancreas does not function properly, in which bile does not enter the gastrointestinal tract.

A putrid and pungent odor of feces can occur in stomach diseases associated with the consumption of large quantities of foods containing protein.

If it tastes somewhat sour, this may indicate digestive problems. This sometimes happens after consuming carbohydrate foods, as well as drinks made using the fermentation process.

When stool smells weak, this indicates insufficient digestion of food and the possible development of constipation.

Oily feces with a smelly aroma indicate the decomposition of fats, but if the feces smell like rotten eggs (sulfur), this indicates poisoning with hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide.

Stool that smells of vinegar, ammonia, rubber, ammonia, or has a chemical aroma is an indicator of the growth of bacterial colonies in the body. The ammonia smell occurs when nitrogen is not broken down and absorbed properly. Sweetish - may appear when infected with cholera.

When stool smells like acetone, we are talking about the possible development of diabetes mellitus, improper nutrition (fasting, eating large amounts of protein foods, fats, lack of carbohydrates), heavy physical activity, and alcohol abuse.

If your waste smells like rotten fish and you have loose stools, you are talking about infection with parasites – worms.

Features of manifestation

The appearance of intestinal ailments in both children and adults is indicated not only by foul-smelling diarrhea. There are also other signs of indigestion, thanks to which you can accurately determine the cause of stool liquefaction.

Features of symptoms depending on provoking factors:

• Poisoning . Foodborne illness can begin with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and acute abdominal pain.
• Infectious pathologies . Bacterial or viral damage to the intestines can also be accompanied by vomiting and pain; an additional symptom of malaise is fever. Literally within a few hours the patient begins to have diarrhea with a strong unpleasant odor, there is foam in the stool, and parts of undigested food.
• Dysbacteriosis. The pathology is quite common in young children and adult patients. It is characterized by unstable loose stools with an unpleasant odor, loss of appetite, and general weakness.
• Allergy. With lactose intolerance, the consistency of the child’s stool changes, the stool becomes watery, greenish, and contains inclusions of food.
• Pancreatic dysfunction. With pancreatitis, food in the stomach does not undergo the necessary processing, therefore, when it enters the intestines, it begins to rot there. The pathology provokes diarrhea in children and adults with the smell of rotten eggs, leading to heartburn, flatulence, and severe pain in the side.
• Colitis. Intestinal malaise is characterized by weakness, nausea, slightly elevated temperature, and pain in the lower abdomen. Feces with colitis may have a pasty or watery structure, it contains a large amount of mucus, and sometimes blood.

Important! High fever, bloody streaks in the stool, repeated profuse vomiting and diarrhea should be a reason to immediately consult a doctor. If the patient is not treated promptly, severe dehydration may develop.

Sour stool in children

If children's feces smell of something sour, then the reason may be related to the development of the disease. We are talking about the following pathologies:

• fermentation dispersion;
• colitis;
• dysbacteriosis;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

The sour smell of feces in a baby does not always indicate a serious problem. Sometimes this is triggered by a banal stomach upset in the baby. This can occur both in a breastfed (breastfed) child and when fed with artificial formula. Mixed feeding can also affect this, after introducing complementary foods to an infant up to a year old.

A sour smell of feces in a child under 2 years of age indicates a possible food allergy. If vomiting and fever are observed, these are symptoms of rotavirus infection.

What should you do if your child’s stool has no odor at all? There is no need to panic about this. For example, for a newborn this is a completely normal phenomenon that is observed in the first 2-3 days of his life. Original feces (meconium) are dark green or tar-colored and have no odor at all. The baby's stool also does not have a characteristic odor after prolonged use of antibiotics.

What does diarrhea with the smell of rotten eggs mean in a child?

Diarrhea in a child that smells like rotten eggs is a symptom that should never be ignored. Diarrhea with odor always indicates the development of diseases in the child’s body, which can be very dangerous and require mandatory treatment.

In addition to the fact that the disease that causes diarrhea can significantly harm the baby’s health, frequent discharge of liquid feces leads to dehydration, which is also a very dangerous condition.

Changes in stool in adults

The appearance of an unusual aroma - putrefactive, sour, bitter or reeking of something metallic - is an indicator of a serious illness in the body or a disruption of the usual digestive process.

The most common cause of a strong and strange odor is changes in the intestinal microflora. A sour smell can appear when eating large amounts of plant foods. Feces begin to smell rotten when there is a lack or complete absence of digestive enzymes in the intestines. Excrement that smells like glue can be seen in dysentery. The appearance of an abnormal odor may be accompanied by bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, and flatulence. If you have these symptoms, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to find out the cause.

Treatment

During the treatment process, it is necessary to achieve the appearance of feces without a sour odor and restore the consistency of feces. Therapy is prescribed only after diagnosis.

Smelly diarrhea is often the result of an infection. It is necessary to identify the causative agent of the disease. Elimination of foul-smelling stool is possible with the use of absorbent medications. These drugs bind toxic substances and carefully remove them from the body.

The drug Imodium is also prescribed. It improves gastrointestinal motility and digestive functions. As a result of the action of the medicine, food is easily and completely digested, and feces of the desired consistency are formed.

When treating foul-smelling diarrhea, it is necessary to normalize the microflora of all parts of the intestine. For this purpose, probiotics and prebiotics are taken. They eliminate pathogenic flora and saturate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines with bacteria beneficial for digestion. Probiotics contain beneficial microorganisms that, when entering the gastrointestinal tract, actively populate its mucosa.

To combat dehydration, it is necessary to replace lost fluid and saturate the body with water. To achieve this, drink plenty of fluids frequently. Solutions of Regidron and Polysorb are also used. The medicinal powder is diluted with water and taken for diarrhea according to the instructions. You need to drink the product in small sips every 20 minutes.

Important! A small amount of incoming liquid will be better absorbed into the gastric mucosa and will not cause vomiting.

To restore the intestinal mucosa, the following are used:

• Smecta;
• Activated carbon;
• Enterosgel.

These drugs remove harmful toxins from the body and help restore intestinal microflora. In some cases, the doctor prescribes an intestinal antiseptic - Sumetrolim, Stopdiar, Enterofuril.

Diagnostics and tests

To prescribe treatment, it is necessary to conduct a chemical analysis of the excrement. The identification of undigested food particles in the stool is of great importance in making a diagnosis. These include residual fat or muscle fibers from meat products.

Macroscopic examination for the presence of bacteria, protozoa and parasites will also be required. The tests will allow you to assess the state of the enzymatic function of the stomach, gall bladder, and see if there is inflammation or dysbiosis in the small intestine. Blood tests may also be needed.

When a change in the properties of stool is accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound examination of the intestines, FGDS, MSCT of the abdominal cavity, and sometimes a biopsy of the small intestine.

Diet for diarrhea

Instead of feeding your child three large meals a day, divide the food into six to eight small meals throughout the day.

The following products should be included in the diet:

• bananas;
• White rice;
• toast;
• baked fish, chicken, beef or turkey;
• pasta;
• corn flakes and oats;
• vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, asparagus, peeled zucchini, beets, green beans and zucchini;
• baked potato;
• boiled eggs;
• pancakes and waffles made from white refined flour.

Let your child eat dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese. However, from time to time they can make diarrhea worse. If this happens, do not give these foods for several days.

Just knowing what to feed your child when he has diarrhea is not enough. You should also be aware of the foods you need to avoid.

Some foods increase the symptoms of diarrhea, and they

• fried and fatty foods;
• processed meat products such as sausages and sausages;
• donuts;
• cakes;
• Apple juice;
• carbonated drinks with caffeine;
• vegetables and fruits that lead to flatulence and gas (broccoli, peppers, peas, beans, prunes, corn and green leafy vegetables);
• concentrated fruit juices.

If you see blood, mucus in your baby's stool, shiny, greasy stool, or very unpleasant odors, this indicates a serious problem such as cystic fibrosis or the presence of helminths. In general, when you notice that your baby's bowel movements are abnormal for several days, consult a doctor.

What do various diseases smell like?

A person can be called a complex biochemical factory. In the process of its life, the body synthesizes or absorbs a wide variety of odorous substances.

Since the disease changes the normal operation of this “factory,” the smell of the sick person’s exhaled air and the smell of his discharge often changes.

The issue of disease odors is of practical interest, although it is not usually mentioned in modern medical literature. Meanwhile, old medical textbooks (especially those from the late 19th century) are full of notes about what death smells like, scrofula, what a typhoid patient smells like, etc. Old doctors knew how to recognize painful conditions by their characteristic odors. Today this knowledge is almost lost.

Perhaps in the future, devices will be created that will allow a diagnosis to be made by analyzing the content of certain chemical components in the exhaled air. So far, there are only narrowly targeted electronic “dog nose” prototypes, which are used by the US Department of Defense to search for and clear TNT mines.

Interestingly, since 2002, British and Swedish veterinary scientists have been trying to train dogs to recognize bladder or prostate cancer by the smell of urine. Successful experiments have already been carried out with Labradors, German Shepherds and Spaniels. The training methods are practically no different from training dogs to smell drugs or explosives.

The smell emanating from the patient and his secretions, indeed, sometimes allows the doctor to make an assumption about a particular disease. You should not place too much diagnostic value on smell (as it is still a subjective sensation), but it would also be wrong to ignore smell when it acts as a clue.

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You know, as the great Mao once said: “From defeat to defeat until the final victory.”

Ultrasound gives only the structure, but not the functions. A person who has just died will have exactly the same kidneys on an ultrasound as a living person. The nephrologist must understand the excretory system. And this is very close to what is happening to you. There is no smell doctor. I think like this, for example...

Ja v prjatnicu idu v GP …raspecataju vse sto nalsa v internete po povodu nasej problemi,stob vrac opjat ne delal kvadratnie glaza.Pokazu emu i skazu stob napravili k metabolic specialistu. Trimethylaminuria ( Fish odor syndrome) is a disease in which an unpleasant odor emanates from the patient's body, reminiscent of the smell of fish, sometimes rotting fish.

The disease is caused by the accumulation of trimethylamine (German) Russian. in the patient's body. This substance, released in sweat, urine and exhaled air, creates an unpleasant odor.

This smell, often not felt by the patient himself, but felt by others, leads to psychological problems, difficulties in communication, study, work, career, leading to depression, aggressiveness and social isolation.

Dietary precursors of trimethylamine are choline, carnitine, and lecithin, an increase in the content of which in consumed food can lead to exceeding the capacity of the enzyme system and thereby increasing the level of unmetabolized trimethylamine.

For treatment, it is necessary to reduce or avoid dietary intake of trimethylamine precursors.

In addition, one treatment option may be to suppress the intestinal flora that contributes to the development of trimethylaminuria: There is at least one study[1] that suggests daily consumption of activated charcoal and/or chlorophyllin helps improve the quality of life for some patients suffering from trimethylaminuria. According to other studies, taking small doses of antibiotics (neomycin, metronidazole [2]) can also lead to positive results in some patients. Fish syndrome is a very rare genetic disorder in which certain enzymes stop processing trimethylamine. It is produced by special bacteria in the stomach. A healthy person doesn’t even know what it is, and the substance itself is destroyed inside. But in a sick person the process is disrupted, and the substance comes out through sweat or urine. The problem is that the smell from trimethylamine is reminiscent of rotten fish; there is simply no cure for this genetic disease, and you can reduce the terrible smell with a special diet.

Acetone smell from the body: why the skin smells, causes of discharge

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A characteristic sign of diabetes mellitus is the smell of acetone emanating from the patient's body. At first, the smell comes from the mouth, but if appropriate measures are not taken in time, the patient’s skin also acquires a sour smell.

The human body is a collection of complex mechanisms, where all organs and systems clearly perform their functions. In order to understand where acetone comes from, you need to delve a little into the chemical processes occurring in the human body.

Note! The main substance that provides energy to the brain and many organs is glucose. This element is present in many foods, even those that do not seem sweet. In order for glucose to be well absorbed in the body, the production of insulin is necessary.

The hormone is produced by the islets of Langerhans located in the pancreas.

Diseases that can cause odor

The smell of acetone from the body can signal several diseases:

1. Diabetes.
2. Eating disorder.
3. Thyrotoxicosis.
4. Kidney problems (dystrophy or necrosis).

Why does your body smell like acetone?

The answer to this question can be obtained if you understand what happens in the body when the pancreas fails to cope with its duties and insulin deficiency occurs, or even worse - it is not produced at all.

In such a situation, glucose cannot independently penetrate cells and tissues, but accumulates in the blood, while the cells are starving. Then the brain sends a signal to the body about the need for additional insulin production.

During this period, the patient's appetite worsens. This is due to the fact that the body is “sure”: it lacks energy supply - glucose. But the pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin. This imbalance causes the level of unused glucose in the blood to increase.

In other words, blood sugar levels increase. Excess unclaimed glucose causes a reaction in the brain, which sends a signal for ketone bodies to enter the body.

Acetone is a type of these bodies. Unable to use glucose, the cells begin to burn fats and proteins, and the characteristic odor of acetone begins to emanate from the body.

Diabetes mellitus and acetone odor

There is no need to immediately fall into depression and panic if you suddenly discover that the smell of acetone emanates from your body. This is not at all proof that diabetes is developing in the body.

Important! Only doctors in the clinic can establish an accurate diagnosis and cause of the smell by ordering appropriate laboratory tests of the patient’s blood and urine.

Ketone bodies, and therefore acetone, can gradually accumulate in the blood and poison the body. This condition is called ketoacidosis, followed by diabetic coma. If therapeutic measures are not taken in time, the patient may simply die.

You can check your urine for the presence of acetone even at home. To do this, take an ammonia solution and a 5% sodium nitroprusside solution. If acetone is present in the urine, the solution will turn bright red. In addition, you can buy tablets at the pharmacy that can be used to measure the level of acetone in the urine:

What changes does the specific aroma of stool indicate?

The fetid and pungent odor of feces in an adult is observed when the pancreas does not function properly, in which bile does not enter the gastrointestinal tract.

A putrid and pungent odor of feces can occur in stomach diseases associated with the consumption of large quantities of foods containing protein.

If it tastes somewhat sour, this may indicate digestive problems. This sometimes happens after consuming carbohydrate foods, as well as drinks made using the fermentation process.

When stool smells weak, this indicates insufficient digestion of food and the possible development of constipation.

Oily feces with a smelly aroma indicate the decomposition of fats, but if the feces smell like rotten eggs (sulfur), this indicates poisoning with hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide.

Stool that smells of vinegar, ammonia, rubber, ammonia, or has a chemical aroma is an indicator of the growth of bacterial colonies in the body. The ammonia smell occurs when nitrogen is not broken down and absorbed properly. Sweetish - may appear when infected with cholera.

When stool smells like acetone, we are talking about the possible development of diabetes mellitus, improper nutrition (fasting, eating large amounts of protein foods, fats, lack of carbohydrates), heavy physical activity, and alcohol abuse.

If your waste smells like rotten fish and you have loose stools, you are talking about infection with parasites – worms.

What to do if foul gas forms

When gas with an odor appears, you need to immediately reconsider your diet. Diet is always the basis for the treatment of flatulence and any gastrointestinal diseases. A properly designed menu helps improve digestion and reduce the release of smelly gases. It is also a good idea to seek advice from a gastroenterologist. If frequent gases with an unpleasant odor appear, an examination is prescribed. Can be assigned:

• colonoscopy;
• blood biochemistry;
• Ultrasound of the peritoneum;
• general blood, urine and stool tests;
• coprogram;
• fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

If the examination reveals pathologies, then treatment will initially be aimed at eliminating the disease. In other cases, it is enough to simply reconsider your diet.

Drug therapy

In some cases, when there is strong gas production with an unpleasant odor, drug therapy is necessary. It includes carminatives, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Agents that restore microflora are also prescribed. If following a diet does not help, medications that reduce flatulence are indicated:

Some medications (more often used for children) are available in the form of suspensions or absorbable tablets. For example, "Motilium", "Motilak".

Traditional methods of therapy

Drug therapy is not always used. Sometimes folk remedies are enough to eliminate the strong smell of gas from the intestines. There are many recipes from medicinal plants and herbs. The most effective infusion is made from dill seeds. Take 2 tsp of them. They are filled with 400 ml of boiling water. The product should be infused for half an hour, and then it should be drunk before each meal, 100 ml.

Sour stool in children

If children's feces smell of something sour, then the reason may be related to the development of the disease. We are talking about the following pathologies:

• fermentation dispersion;
• colitis;
• dysbacteriosis;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

The sour smell of feces in a baby does not always indicate a serious problem. Sometimes this is triggered by a banal stomach upset in the baby. This can occur both in a breastfed (breastfed) child and when fed with artificial formula. Mixed feeding can also affect this, after introducing complementary foods to an infant up to a year old.

A sour smell of feces in a child under 2 years of age indicates a possible food allergy. If vomiting and fever are observed, these are symptoms of rotavirus infection.

What should you do if your child’s stool has no odor at all? There is no need to panic about this. For example, for a newborn this is a completely normal phenomenon that is observed in the first 2-3 days of his life. Original feces (meconium) are dark green or tar-colored and have no odor at all. The baby's stool also does not have a characteristic odor after prolonged use of antibiotics.

Diagnosis of the causes of the pathology

Diagnosis is made based on patient complaints. If, along with changes in odor, there are other signs indicating the presence of pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tube, then they require in-depth analysis and the appointment of additional examination:

• Coprogram. Reveals the cellular and biochemical composition of feces, which will allow you to judge the insufficiency of digestion, the presence of pathological impurities, and blood.
• Ultrasound of the digestive organs. Detects structural disorders of the parenchymal digestive organs (liver, pancreas), dysfunction of the gallbladder and the formation of stones in it, biliary dyskinesia.
• Endoscopic diagnostics. Among the techniques, FGDS, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy are widely used, which can detect structural disorders of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of tumor-like formations, ulcers and erosions.

Changes in stool in adults

The appearance of an unusual aroma - putrefactive, sour, bitter or reeking of something metallic - is an indicator of a serious illness in the body or a disruption of the usual digestive process.

The most common cause of a strong and strange odor is changes in the intestinal microflora. A sour smell can appear when eating large amounts of plant foods. Feces begin to smell rotten when there is a lack or complete absence of digestive enzymes in the intestines. Excrement that smells like glue can be seen in dysentery. The appearance of an abnormal odor may be accompanied by bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, and flatulence. If you have these symptoms, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor to find out the cause.

Causes and treatment of acetone taste in the mouth

If there is a taste of acetone in the mouth, the reasons may be associated with serious diseases. It is recommended to immediately seek help from a doctor.

• 1Pathologies in adults
• 2Thyrotoxicosis and other diseases
• 3Childhood diseases

1Pathologies in adults

Often this symptom is caused by diabetes. This pathology reduces insulin production. Excess sugar is excreted in the urine. The patient is constantly thirsty. He complains of weakness, fatigue, and insomnia. In diabetes mellitus, ketonemia and acidosis are observed. In this case, the concentration of ketones increases to 80 mg%. Therefore, the patient’s breath smells of acetone. This organic substance can be detected in urine during laboratory tests.

The symptom in question may appear against the background of hyperglycemic coma. Pathology develops in stages. The patient has an increased heart rate, constricted pupils, pale skin, and pain. Due to the increase in glucose concentration, fats are intensively burned, ketones are formed, which poison the body.

If the first signs of a diabetic coma appear, urgent hospitalization of the patient is required. Otherwise, the patient will lose consciousness and coma will occur. Therefore, if you notice the smell of acetone coming from your mouth, it is recommended to make an appointment with an endocrinologist.

A similar symptom is observed in renal pathologies. This is due to the main function of the organ - the removal of breakdown products of nutrients. The acetone smell indicates the development of nephrosis or kidney dystrophy, provoked by a pathological change in the renal tubules. This pathology is characterized by disruption of fat and other metabolic processes and the appearance of ketones in the body. Nephrosis is often accompanied by symptoms of chronic infection (tuberculosis):

• swelling;
• difficulty urinating;
• lower back pain;
• high blood pressure.

If the smell of acetone is accompanied by swelling on the face, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Timely treatment of nephrosis prevents the development of complications. The patient makes a full recovery. If the disease is severe, kidney activity stops.

2Thyrotoxicosis and other diseases

The symptom in question may be caused by thyrotoxicosis. This pathology of the endocrine system is accompanied by high production of thyroid hormones. The main signs of this pathology include increased irritability, sweating, and strong heartbeat. Symptoms are accompanied by changes in appearance - hair, skin, upper limbs. The patient is losing weight quickly, but his appetite is good. The patient complains about the functioning of the digestive system. If acetone from the mouth is accompanied by the above symptoms, it is recommended to consult an endocrinologist. The success of the patient’s recovery depends on timely treatment.

A strong odor of acetone from the mouth can appear due to an unbalanced and monotonous diet, after prolonged fasting. Therefore, this symptom is often observed in women who adhere to a strict diet (due to a sharp restriction of high-calorie foods). A similar symptom appears in models who adhere to the Kremlin diet or the Atkins diet. Due to the low intake of carbohydrates in the body, fat breakdown occurs. This emergency breakdown of fats promotes the formation of ketones. The latter substances accumulate in the blood, poisoning the body from the inside. Such diets affect internal organs such as the kidneys and liver.

In this case, in order to establish the exact cause of the acetone taste, a comprehensive examination of the patient is carried out. Before prescribing treatment, the doctor must find out the amount of nutrients in the body. You cannot get rid of an unpleasant odor with a mouth freshener. The main thing is to cure the underlying pathology (since a long-term diet can provoke the development of various diseases).

The acetone taste may be associated with a long course of chronic pathology or an infectious process. In this case, massive breakdown of proteins begins, which provokes this symptom. Scientists have proven that excess protein contributes to changes in acid and alkaline balance. This disrupts metabolism. A high concentration of acetone in the body is fatal.

3Childhood diseases

The risk group includes children predisposed to acetonemia.

The specific taste of acetone in a child’s mouth is observed several times in a child’s life.

Some children experience this symptom up to 8 years of age. More often, this symptom appears after a viral infection and poisoning, which is accompanied by high body temperature. This phenomenon is associated with low energy reserves. If during this period the child gets a cold or other infection, then his body will not have enough glucose to fight microorganisms.

More often in children, the value of the latter indicator is minimal, and in case of an infectious process it is less than the lower limit of normal. In this case, fats are broken down to produce additional energy. New substances enter the bloodstream, causing nausea and vomiting. This condition is not dangerous for the child. The above symptoms will go away after recovery.

Diagnostics and tests

To prescribe treatment, it is necessary to conduct a chemical analysis of the excrement. The identification of undigested food particles in the stool is of great importance in making a diagnosis. These include residual fat or muscle fibers from meat products.

Macroscopic examination for the presence of bacteria, protozoa and parasites will also be required. The tests will allow you to assess the state of the enzymatic function of the stomach, gall bladder, and see if there is inflammation or dysbiosis in the small intestine. Blood tests may also be needed.

When a change in the properties of stool is accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound examination of the intestines, FGDS, MSCT of the abdominal cavity, and sometimes a biopsy of the small intestine.

Prevention and nutrition

If the cause of the strange smell of stool is poor digestion, the patient will have to follow a special diet. It is necessary to remove smoked foods, fatty meats, spices and hot sauces from the diet. Another important condition is complete abstinence from alcohol.

Taking antibiotics will help get rid of the infection. When eating food, medications are prescribed that can relieve intoxication. If the infection has not been detected, then the patient will only need to eat properly and take vitamins.

To prevent problems with digestion and bowel movements, it is important to properly process foods. The meat should be exposed to heat, the vegetables should be washed well. It is necessary to drink enough clean water per day. It is best to exclude soda and freshly squeezed juices from your diet. The functioning of the digestive system is improved by physical activity, so do not forget about daily exercises, which can be done at home.