7 Surprising Body Odor Causes

Have you ever wondered why you smell so bad, despite the amount of your time dedicated to washing, scrubbing or even spraying perfumes on yourself? You might be surprised to discover that there are other outside factors that contribute to your “smell”.

Medicine’s side-effects

Medicine can help cure your sickness, however, some can make you smell. For example, morphine or fever-relieving drugs can make you sweat. Besides, according to Mayo Clinic, antihistamines, decongestants, muscle relaxers and nerve-calming medications can cause you to have a dry mouth, which, in most cases, leads to bad breath.

Addiction to spicy food

Spices like garlic or onion require your body to release sulfur-containing gasses in the process of breaking them down. These compounds circulate in the bloodstream and result in body odors. Other kinds of food that can cause body smell are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and other veggies in the cruciferous family.

High-stress level

As commonly apparent as normal sweat can be, they are, in fact, less odorous than sweat produced by stress. This kind of sweat glands is called Apocrine glands. This fluid is less watery yet highly attractive to bacteria. Of course, you should try to relax to reduce stress, but you should also wash your clothes on a regular basis to get rid of most of the bacteria.

Alcohol

The intake of alcohol can cause the body to react very quickly. As alcohol runs in the bloodstream, your body mechanism treats it as a toxin. Therefore, your body will try to excrete alcohol as fast as possible. Buddy T., the About.com expert on alcoholism explained the mechanism of alcohol excreting process. The liver is the place where alcohol is metabolized and after that, alcohol is excreted from your body into the urine. If the alcohol intake is higher than the liver’s capacity, the foul result is released through breaths and sweat.

Overused and under washed bras

Women often neglect washing and changing bras. In fact, the bra covers areas of your body that are easily sweaty such as the underarm, your back, and your chest. The materials that are used to make bras can easily absorb moisture, and moisture is the best incentive for fungus and bacteria to grow at great speed.

Genetic disorders

Some genetic mutations are believed to create Trimethylamine, a chemical that gives off a smell of fish. According to the National Institutes of Health, people with Trimethylamine is prone to depression and social alienation.

Diabetes

In cases of untreated diabetes, the body starts to excrete fat for energy, which results in a higher level of ketones inside the body. Later on, this buildup transfers into body odor. A low-carb diet is said to be a good solution to bad breath smell.