Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
Smelly armpits occur when bacteria break down the otherwise odorless sweat on your skin. Some people sweat more than others and have a condition called hyperhidrosis. This excess sweating can lead to body odor. While it might cause people to be self-conscious, there are many solutions that can help.
Body odor is caused by bacteria breaking down the sweat from the apocrine glands in your armpits, groin, and pubic area. You may be more prone to body odor if you are overweight, eat certain foods, have certain health conditions, or are under stress. Genetics may also play a role.
Internal health issues may result in unpleasant body odors (BO), as well, such as liver and kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, which can lead to excessive sweat and increased BO. Stagg recommends talking with your doctor if you notice a strong smell from your skin.
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.
Certain health conditions.
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.
Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA
In addition to bacteria, oftentimes there is deodorant residue and other impurities that are trapped in the underarm pores and within the hair if you have armpit hair.
What causes the unpleasant smell is the bacteria that build up on your sweaty skin and react with sweat and oils to grow and multiply when sweat reacts with bacteria on the skin. These bacteria break down proteins and fatty acids, causing body odor in the process.
ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA
In addition to bacteria, oftentimes there is deodorant residue and other impurities that are trapped in the underarm pores and within the hair if you have armpit hair.
The two B-vitamins that might have some connection to body odor are vitamin B-1 (thiamin) and the B vitamin choline, Jasonides tells Lucy.
Less body odor
When you remove hair under the armpits, it reduces trapped odor. A 2016 study involving men found that removing armpit hair by shaving significantly reduced axillary odor for the following 24 hours. Similar results were first found in a 1953 paper .
If your breath smells like acetone -- the same fruity scent as nail polish remover -- it may be a sign of high levels of ketones (acids your liver makes) in your blood. It's a problem mainly of type 1 diabetes but also can happen with type 2 if you get a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
When the bacteria break down the sweat they form products called thioalcohols, which have scents comparable to sulfur, onions or meat. "They're very very pungent," says Bawdon.
Foetor hepaticus is a feature of severe liver disease; a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in urine. It is caused by the excretion of dimethyl disulphide and methyl mercaptan (CH3SH)2, arising from an excess of methionine.
What are the symptoms of fetor hepaticus? The main symptom of fetor hepaticus is breath that smells like a combination of rotten eggs and garlic. Other people describe it as a slightly sweet smell.
Acute liver failure can develop quickly in an otherwise healthy person, and it is life-threatening. If you or someone you know suddenly develops a yellowing of the eyes or skin; tenderness in the upper abdomen; or any unusual changes in mental state, personality or behavior, seek medical attention right away.
Internal factors, like what you're eating, and external factors, like your environment, can impact how well your deodorant works. Increased humidity and altitude affect your “BO” profile, not just how much you sweat but also your microbiome and how it reacts to sweat.