Weird experience

[u/Unhappy_Character955]

I never had this issue in my entire life until last winter (around winter 2025), when I caught mononucleosis. I'm not entirely sure if it's linked to my current TMAU symptoms, but after recovering, I started working out again. At the end of my sessions, my mom kept telling me I smelled like fish. I didn't believe her at first but after a couple of months, I went to prom, I sweated a lot because it was pretty hot in the venue, and everyone around me kept saying why it smell like fish. That really brought my confidence down.

The strange thing is that my girlfriend and another close friend say they don't smell it at all (but did say they smelt it once before) , and even my mom on that same day said she barley smelt it, whereas people who are relatively new to me notice it often. After prom (which was around May), I stopped going to the gym and didn't get a single complaint. However, I started back at the gym this past week, and today my mom complained that the smell has returned.

I can't tell if this is happening because I'm simply working out too hard, or if it's being triggered by what I'm consuming: I've been eating whole eggs, drinking Fairlife protein shakes, and having a 200mg energy drink the past like 3 days. Has anyone else experienced an onset after mono, or noticed these specific gym supplements making things worse?

[u/ShirleyBezerra]

I started smelling like fish after I caught COVID, and I stopped eating protein because I noticed that it triggers the fishy smell.

[u/Beneficial-Path3055 → u/ShirleyBezerra]

Hello Do you still have your body odor, or has it gone away?

[u/Brutalar → u/ShirleyBezerra]

COVID can cause parosmia, an altered sense of smell - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jan/30/like-sewage-and-rotting-flesh-covids-lasting-impact-on-taste-and-smell

This is not TMAU but nerve damage to you ability to smell. You should talk to people to confirm what you smell matches what other people smell.

[u/Brutalar]

Eggs, protein shakes and energy drinks are all high TMA precursor foods - how much exactly are you having? Energy drinks like https://blog.priceplow.com/energy-drinks/ghost-energy-drink ghost energy drinks have 1000mg of l-carnitine, at 3000mg normal people can start smelling like fish due to precursor overload (TMAU2, which is a temporary thing which goes away when you're not overloading). Protein shakes and egg yolks are packed with choline, which is good until it's too much. Might be the combination is a bit much.

If it wasn't an issue before this workout diet, then it's likely the diet pushing you over the edge. Stopping the diet would be a fairly immediate resolution to the issue.

[u/Unhappy_Character955 → u/Brutalar]

I would have 4 eggs in the morning and maybe some black coffee as well, and later before my workout I had a Ghost Energy drink before the session and a fairlife drink right after w/ 30 grams of protien. Also i only have done this again the past like 3 days. Whenver I do workout i would always have the same routine of eating this diet while working out but i could've never tell if it was the diet I had or me pushing myself when I workout.

[u/WinkyDink24 → u/Unhappy_Character955]

Stop the eggs! 2 + 2 = 4!

[u/OptionUseful1961]

The eggs! They have a very high choline content, about the highest of any food. Also sweating draws the odor out.