Many people believe body odor emanates from sweat, but it is more accurate to say it is the result of sweat reacting to bacteria on the body, according to Medical News Today. People have two types of sweat: from eccrine glands, which produce no odor, and from apocrine glands, which react with bacteria to produce body odor. Apocrine glands don't become active until puberty. Strong body odor can come from other causes, as well.
Bacteria and Sweat
Apocrine sweat forms on the scalp, underarms and groin, and produces body odor when it reacts with bacteria on the skin, according to Columbia University's Go Ask Alice! website. This means both excessive perspiration and poor hygiene can cause strong body odor. The more you sweat or the more bacteria you have on your skin, the more opportunity for odor-producing reactions.
Excessive perspiration, a condition known as hyperhidrosis, has a variety of causes. Some people have congenitally overactive apocrine glands, dermatologist Selma Targovnik of Phoenix's Good Samaritan Medical Center points out. Various health conditions can trigger excessive perspiration as well, including menopause, anxiety disorders, cancers, overactive thyroid, heart or lung disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and stroke, according to the National Institutes of Health. Clothing made from synthetic materials that don't allow the skin to breathe also induces sweating, notes Columbia University's Go Ask Alice! website.
Diet
The foods you eat can produce strong body odor. Food with pungent smells, such as garlic, onions, curry and spicy ingredients, can cause body odor. So can caffeine and alcohol consumption, as well as zinc or magnesium dietary imbalances, according to Columbia University's Go Ask Alice! website. Red meat consumption has demonstrated the ability to do the same, Oxford Journals report.
Medical Conditions
The Mayo Clinic says that diabetic ketoacidosis or kidney failure can cause a change in body odor. Diabetes, urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal abnormalities may produce a strong, fruity body odor, notes clinical associate professor Dr. R. Kenneth Landow of the Department of Medicine and Dermatology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Some disorders that prevent the body from properly metabolizing amino acids, especially phenylketonuria, may create strong body odor as a symptom, according to the Merck Manuals. Liver disease, kidney disease and menopause sometimes are associated with the production of strong body odor, says Columbia University's Go Ask Alice! website. Body odor is also a function of genetics, at least to some degree. If other immediate family members have a similar smell, this may be the sole cause of your strong body odor, the website points out.
Member Comments
grossedna January 23
My body odor suddenly became very masculine smelling at age 47, probably related to peri-menopause, and I starting frantically researching online sites for help. After visiting many ?expert? websites and reading the same ridiculous suggestions on every one, such as: don?t eat certain foods, use anti-bacterial soap, etc., I looked for a real solution. The ?medical? sites all act as though this is a problem of poor hygiene, one that suddenly presents at age 47 ? I think not. I believe this problem is related to a hormone change, much like those we experienced at puberty. I've found two options that have eliminated the issue. The first thing I tried was using "steel soap" for 30 seconds under each arm in the shower every morning. Steel soap a metal "bar of soap" sold to remove odors on your hands when preparing foods like onion and garlic. This almost completely eliminated the odor on the first use and is a chemical free option. After using the steel soap and still noticing some odor coming from my ?clean washed? clothes in the afternoon, I realized I needed to use a stain treatment product on the underarms, which eliminated the residual odor. The second thing I tried, which worked like a charm, was applying an acne face pad containing salicylic acid to each underam every morning - I use Stridex Maximum. Good luck to those of you still searching. Hope this helps!