Surprising Sources Of Body Odor
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Ever wondered why body odor occurs? Yes, the heat and the bacteria on your skin are an obvious cause, but not the one and only! Body odor can be attributed to multiple reasons — most of which will surprise, maybe even shock you! Let’s discover why you get that stench from your armpits, mouth or anywhere else. Read on.
1. Stress And Anxiety
If you have a supremely stressful job that always keeps you on the edge of your seat, anxiety will ensue. You’ll often find yourself nervous, and gingerly wiping damp hands and forehead with a neatly folded handkerchief as you try to control your heartbeat. The stress hormone — cortisol can make you sweat and the added bacteria on your skin can make you stink (1).
2. Blood Sugar Spikes And Drops
No matter which way your blood sugar levels swing, a fruity breath is something you can very well expect (2). Both diabetes and hypoglycemia can be a cause of this phenomenon. The term “fruity odor” might sound nice in theory, but in reality, it can get very bad. Besides, dramatic spikes in your blood sugar levels can get dangerous, so you should take this odor seriously.
3. Birth Control Pills
Plenty of medications have side effects such as body odor, and birth control pills are not an exception to that. Certain types of birth control pills can make your mouth dry, leading to an accumulation of sulfur in this area. Sulfur, as you know, has a rotten egg odor, which is quite nasty. Other medications that can have the same effect include antidepressants and dieting pills (3).
4. Bowel Issues
An excess of fiber in your diet can lead to flatulence, while a lack of it can cause constipation (4). The latter not only results in stinky farts but contributes to overall body odor as well. If you have severe constipation, the toxins that your digestive system releases might get to the surface of your skin, giving you what is known as ‘fecal body odor.’
5. Mineral And Vitamin Deficiencies
Magnesium is absolutely crucial for your body as it helps in carrying out many vital functions. One of those functions is reducing too much of body odor. Magnesium supplements can even rob fecal matter of its odor. Dark chocolates and nuts have a lot of magnesium FYI!
6. Fried Foods
Certain foods lead to bad breath such as garlic and onions. These foods can also cause smelly sweat. However, they’re not the only ones to blame! All the rich and deep fried foods you have, such as French fries, can lead to digestion issues, which in turn, can make you stink more than before! This happens because baked and fried foods become rancid too quickly.
7. Candy And Other Sugary Items
Your diet can largely control the odors your body gives off. Having too many sugary items can not only lead to an increase in the pounds but also your body odor. Foods that contain high amounts of refined sugar can cause an overproduction of yeast (5). The yeast will transform the sugar to alcohol, which is equal to a foul smell. Besides, candies and other sweets can also result in gas and associated odors.
8. Urinary Tract Infection
Of the many symptoms of UTI or a urinary tract infection, one of the first ones is the emanation of fishy or ammonia-like smell from your nether regions (6). Or from your pee for that matter. However, since peeing is difficult when you suffer from a UTI, in all likelihood, the smell will come from your skin. This happens when the infection becomes concentrated in nature. A visit to the doctor and a course of antibiotics can cure it though.
9. Deodorant
Sounds counterproductive right? But it’s true! Your deodorant might actually be contributing to your body odor rather than keeping it at bay (7). Deodorants, sprays, and lotions contain certain ingredients, which promote the growth of bacteria on your skin. The growth of bacteria can obviously make your body odor much worse. Medical experts recommend using water to clean your armpits as sweat is odorless. You can also try lemon juice mixed with water if you want to kill the bacteria.
10. Diet Low In Carbs
A diet low in carbs is another reason for body odor. Medical experts say that every person has a different body chemistry, which might be responsible for their inability to digest foods that are high on choline such as fish, eggs or legumes. This can cause a fishy smell.
Body odor can get quite offensive. Especially, when you’re in public! Hence, a knowledge of the cause of your body odor is necessary. It can help you combat it in a more effective manner.
