Strange breath odor warns of diabetes

If you eat garlic, chili, or other strong-smelling foods, you may notice a lingering taste in your mouth. Some foods can even change your breath.

However, if you notice a fruity taste on your breath even though you haven't eaten any fruit, it could be a warning sign of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the human body is unable to produce a hormone called insulin that helps regulate blood sugar. Without this essential mechanism, blood sugar levels can rise to dangerous levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and nerve problems.

However, when blood sugar levels tend to increase, there are warning signs. Although the symptoms may seem vague, there are ways to recognize them.

Bad breath is often linked to poor diet or oral hygiene, but it can also indicate an underlying health condition such as type 1 diabetes. According to the University of Maryland (USA), if your breath smells fruity, you may have diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication.

This condition occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. The body lacks a primary source of energy, so it turns to alternative sources. Fat is quickly converted into fuel, creating acidic chemicals called ketones.

However, the body cannot process the fat quickly enough. Acids then begin to build up in the blood and can eventually poison the body. This process is called ketoacidosis.

High levels of ketones in the blood are what causes fruity breath. The UK's National Health Service advises people to get checked if they have these symptoms.

In addition to fruity breath, type 1 diabetes causes symptoms that include extreme thirst, urinating more than usual (especially at night), fatigue, unintentional weight loss, recurring thrush, blurred vision, and cuts and scrapes that take a long time to heal.

When you go to the hospital, your doctor will do a urine test and may check your blood sugar level.

There are three types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. The patient's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. The disease is most common in people under 30 years old.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, the body cannot use insulin effectively. The disease often appears in adults over 40 years old, with obesity.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed in pregnant women with no previous history of the disease.

According to VTC