“Metal mouth” is a symptom of ketosis that I get frequently. It’s a very common symptom. But my husband never gets it, even though his impressive weight loss, keto-driven unplanned fasts, and breath acetone levels all show he is usually in ketosis. Instead of metal mouth, the symptom he gets all the time is what he calls “cream cheese lips.” I’ve never heard of anyone else experiencing this. He says his lips and sometimes cheeks taste and feel like cream cheese. He says it’s a result of body fat being metabolized. That makes sense, I guess. Anyone out there experience this or know someone who does? If so, is it something that goes away once you get to certain body fat percentage?
Signs of ketosis: "Metal mouth" vs "cream cheese lips"
Mangusdog
#2
I’ve never had that, but I’ve had the metallic taste as well as a sweet taste sometimes. Usually lately it’s the metallic, where the sweet taste came closer to the beginning of my keto journey. But I haven’t had the mouth coating before.
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#3
Never mind what his lips taste like to him; it’s what they taste like to you that counts, lol! 
warburg
#4
LOL, good point! They don’t taste of cream cheese. Bacon, maybe. Cigars, definitely.
The reason I’m asking around is I’m trying to figure out if he is having a unique experience or just one I’ve never heard of. And to find out whether he should expect this to be a permanent condition or one that will pass.
Wahinewanders
(Brandy)
#5
Sometimes I get the metallic (like right now actually). But sometimes I get something that I call “the cow pasture”. It tastes like cow farts, particularly when there’s still residual dairy product in my mouth. I’ve found that it decreases with a cut in protein.
warburg
#6
Wow, that is even stranger than “cream cheese lips!” Thanks for the info; I’ll tell my husband about it.
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#7
“Metal mouth,” “cream cheese lips,” the “cow pasture”—these all sound like lyrics from “Lucy in the Sky with Keto”!
Telmo_Baia
(Telmo Baía)
#8
I’m actually getting a butter flavor in my lips for the past few weeks. At first i wasn’t understanding, so i googled it and found this thread. It’s good to see someone experiencing the ‘same’.
What got my attention was a couple of people i saw online talking about Keto who had strange lips… 
Hope it’s nothing to worry about… But i don’t think so. I feel great!
warburg
#9
Definitely nothing to worry about. My husband rarely gets it anymore, but for several months his lips tasted like cream cheese ALL THE TIME. I rarely get “metal mouth” anymore either, but it happens sometimes. Thanks for posting…It’s reassuring to know he’s not the only one.
Alimac617
(Allison )
#10
I don’t get the sweet taste in my mouth every day. I may get it once a week. Stupid question but does this mean I’m going in and out of ketosis?
warburg
#11
It’s not a stupid question, but it is one that I can’t answer because I’ve never gotten the sweet taste. But the “metal mouth” was definitely something that fluctuated with my level of ketosis. I rarely get it now, though, even when I know I’m in ketosis. Maybe it’s something that’s associated more with the process of adjusting to keto and once you’re doing keto for a year or so it subsides. That’s what happened with me, anyway. Same with my husband. He has continued to lose weight, but only has “cream cheese lips” occasionally and it’s not very pronounced when it happens.
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#12
If you are keeping your carbohydrate intake consistently under 20 g/day, then you have to be in ketosis, or you’d be dead.
