Ah, the keto diet. On the plus side, it's helped tons of people lose weight. On the not-so plus side, it comes with a whole slew of pretty gnarly side effects like the keto flu, keto breath, and keto diarrhea.

Now, people are talking about another not-so-pleasant side effect of the keto diet: keto crotch. Yep, some people online (shout-out to r/keto!) noticed that their vaginas started to emit an intense order after going on the low-carb diet.



Is keto crotch a real thing?

To make one thing super-clear first, there's no research confirming that keto crotch is, in fact, a thing. But that doesn't mean people aren't still experiencing some less-than-pleasant odors down there on the keto diet.

Keto crotch sounds similar to the keto breath phenomenon. When your body is in ketosis (a.k.a., breaking down fat for fuel instead of carbs), it produces ketones (chemicals like acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone—yes, that last one is the same ingredient in nail polish remover). These are chemicals that are naturally produced by your body, but, because your body produces more of them on the keto diet, the excess can make your poop, pee, and breath a little more smelly (again, like nail polish remover).

But, tbh, that's probably not what’s happening here, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a minimally invasive gynecologist in Dallas and founder of Her Viewpoint. Instead, it’s more likely that going on the keto diet changes your vaginal pH—and that changes your vaginal odor, she says. “Any diet can change your vaginal pH,” she says, which can then change the odor a bit.

What should I do about it?

If you notice you have a weird odor going on down there right after you go keto, you may want to give it a few days to see if it goes away, says Dr. Shepherd. (Also, definitely don't douche. Douching can open you up to a whole host of other issues and increase your risk of infection.)

But if the smell persists or you start to notice other symptoms like itchiness, burning, and abnormal discharge, it’s time to see your doctor,. You could have an infection that's unrelated to your diet.

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Korin Miller Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more.

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