Strong-smelling foods like garlic and onion are notorious for causing bad breath – and they contain compounds, such as sulfur, that can be released from your pores and contribute to body odor, too. Other sulfur-containing foods that might add to that stinky smell include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale.
Foods such as garlic, onions, cumin, and curry can also cause changes in body odor. The sulfur-like compounds that the body releases as it breaks down these foods can react with the sweat on the skin, producing body odor that may be different than a person's natural scent.
Japanese cosmetics maker Shiseido Co. has found that human bodies produce a distinctive odor that is similar to that of an onion or a long onion when they come under stress.
A person living with a health condition such as diabetes or kidney disease may also have sweat that smells like ammonia.
Some people with diabetes compare the smell of insulin to the scent of Band-Aids, printer ink, Lysol, or new plastic shower curtain liners (4). Apparently, phenols are responsible for the aroma associated with insulin (5).
Diabetes and acetone-like breath
If the body cannot get its energy from glucose, it starts burning fat for fuel instead. The process of breaking down fat for energy releases byproducts called ketones. Acetone is a type of ketone, and it is the same fruity-smelling substance found in some nail polish removers.
Description. Trimethylaminuria is a disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish.
In women, hormone levels change throughout the menstrual cycle, throughout pregnancy, during postpartum, or as a result of using medication with hormonal side effects. All of these changes can contribute to the intensity and pleasantness of body odor and there may be a link between our scent and attraction (5).
Phantom Smells, such as odd, strong, acrid, metallic, blood-like, sour, ammonia-like, acidy, and repugnant smells, to name a few, are common anxiety disorder symptoms. Many anxious people report having phantom and odd smells as an anxiety symptom.
A strong smell of onions is unlikely to be natural but could occur due to sweat, poor hygiene, specific foods in the diet, or infection. We look at the possible causes in more detail and explain how to treat this symptom.
Foods such as garlic and onions can give you what Dr Dey calls “garlic sweat” due to the high concentration of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they contain. Like your cabbage and cauliflower, these foods also typically contain sulphur.
Thioalcohols get their stinky odor from sulfur and, despite being present in only trace amounts, are some of the most pungent VOCs produced. 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3M3SH) is a thioalcohol, produced by Staphylococcus hominis, which makes the underarms smell like rotten onions or meat.
Why Do My Armpits Smell Like Onions After a Shower? Consider checking your body wash for antibacterial ingredients. The onion-like smell is a result of bacteria interacting with sweat on your skin. While you may feel clean after a shower, bacteria may still be present from before your shower.
The menopausal drop in estrogen also leaves our bodies with relatively higher levels of testosterone — produced by our ovaries in small amounts — than before. This can attract more bacteria to sweat, making it smell funkier.
During menopause, your hormonal balance shifts. This shift can also lead to stronger body odor. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall relative to your testosterone, while cortisol tends to increase. Higher levels of both testosterone and cortisol have been linked to stronger body odor.
Individuals with certain medical conditions are more susceptible to having body odour. These can include diabetes, urinary tract infections, an overactive thyroid, kidney and liver dysfunction and a genetic disorder called trimethylaminuria.
High ketone levels cause your blood to become acidic and your body odor to be fruity. In the case of liver or kidney disease, your odor may give off a bleach-like smell due to toxin buildup in your body.
Some metabolic diseases can cause a distinctive body odor, particularly in their later stages. These include diabetes, as well as advanced kidney and liver disease.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to urine that smells sweet or fruity. What does pre-diabetic urine smell like? In most cases, prediabetes won't cause changes to urine smells. Prediabetes is used to describe blood sugar levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
Bacteria love sweets, so eating too much sugar can cause an overgrowth of yeast on your skin, which in turn converts those sugars into alcohols that cause you to smell anything but sweet, according to Edward Group, a certified clinical nutritionist.
Uncontrolled Diabetes - High levels of blood glucose can increase body odor. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious condition in which your body lacks insulin, depriving cells of the sugar they need for energy.