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Body Odor – Symptoms and Causes

When the bacteria which is living in our skin is breaking down sweat into acids body odor emanates. Some people say that bacteria is developing but the truth is that bacteria is just breaking down the seat and then our body has unpleasant smell. This is a situation which is known as body odor. This situation is happening when the bacteria is breaking down the protein in acids. You should visit your doctor when are feeling that you have cold sweats; when you are sweating during the night; when your sweating is making changes in your every day activities and when you are sweating lot more than you were sweating in the past and you are not seeing the right reason for your sweating.

When the body odor is happening and which parts of out body are having the biggest risk getting body odor?

Body Odor symptoms causesBody odor usually is happening in teens. Girls are most likely to get body odor between fourteen and sixteen years old. Boys are most likely to get body odor between fifteen and seventeen years old.  [1] People who are having problems with their weight (patients who are suffering from overweight or from obesity) and diabetics who are taking medicines for their condition are having the biggest chances to get body odor [2]. Hyperhidrosis is a condition when people are sweating too much. People are thinking that people who are suffering from hyperhidrosis are having the biggest chances to get body odor but in fact the salt levels which are on their skin as the result of the sweating are too high and often bacteria cannot break down [3]. When we have said this, then we are suspecting if this is true fact. We all know that sweat is unpleasant smell to all of us. Body odor is affecting belly button, behind the ears, genitals, feet, armpits, groin, anus, public hair and other hair and in some cases other parts of the skin which have some extent. In some cases people are thinking that this condition is having a nice smell. This smell is used by dogs to identify their owners. Every individual has different smell which can be result from health, diet, medications and gender. Men are having bigger chances to get body odor because it is known fact that guys are sweating more than girls. [1] Also when you eat spicy or rich food your chances to get body odor is increased [4,5]. You should clean all parts of your body which are sweating. In this way you will prevent your body from body odor and you will be sure that bacteria cannot be found in your body.

Two types of acid: There are two types of acid which are having people that are having body odor. Here are those types of acids:

  • 3 – methyl butanoic aicd or also known as isolaveric acid: The Staphylococcus epidermis which is bacteria is the reason for this acid. This acid is one of the main causes for body odor. This bacteria can be found in some kinds of cheeses.
  • Propanoic acid or also known as propionic acid: This kind of acid is usually taking part of every individual because this acid is can be found in a sweat. Propinoic acid is break down by bacteria which are known as propionibacteria. In adults and adolescent humans propionibacteria is living in the ducts of the sebaceous glands. There are many people who have thought that this acid smells like vinegar. Vinegar has acetic acid which is similar to propionic acid and here is the part where people are confusing about the smell of the both acids.

Sweat glands: In our body are three to four million sweat glands but there are two types of sweat glands.

  • Apocrine glands – This kind of glands are located in the parts of our body which have hair such as genital area and armpits. When people are in their puberty period, then these kinds of glands are developing. Pheromones are chemicals which are released by apocrine glands.
  • Eccrine glands – This kind of glands are found on the skin. When you are getting hot this kind of gland is cooling your skin with sweat. This kind of gland is regulating the temperature of your body. In many cases the sweat which is released by this kind of gland is odorless. But also the chances to get odor in the parts with eccrine glands is not forgotten because if the bacteria which is in the eccrine glands is breaking down, then the body odor is starting.

References:

[1] Mitro S, Gordon AR, Olsson MJ, Lundström JN. The smell of age: Perception and discrimination of body odors of different ages. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e38110.

[2] Riera CE, Tsaousidou E, Halloran J, et al. The sense of smell impacts metabolic health and obesity. Cell Metabolism. 2017;26(1):198-211.

[3] Heckmann M, Teichmann B, Pause BM. Amelioration of body odor after intracutaneous axillary injection of botulinum toxin A. Archives of Dermatology. 2003;139(1):57-9.

[4] The Science Times. Does eating spicy food make someone smell bad? 2020. Retrieved from www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27176/20200905

[5] Havlicek J, Lenochova P. The effect of meat consumption on body odor attractiveness. Chemical Senses. 2006;31(8):747-52.

Hanan Marshal
Hanan Marshal
Hanan, a medical student (MBBS) having passion for writing and is very much interested in holistic living along with nature. He is very much interested in doing community service and watches anime and play PS4 during his free time. You can reach him through [email protected]

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