Sweating and body odor-Sweating and body odor - Symptoms & causes - Mayo Clinic (2024)

FAQs

Sweating and body odor-Sweating and body odor - Symptoms & causes - Mayo Clinic? ›

Sweating and body odor are common when you exercise or you're too warm. They're also common when you're feeling nervous, anxious or stressed. Unusual changes in sweating — either too much (hyperhidrosis) or too little (anhidrosis) — can be cause for concern. Changes in body odor also may signal a health problem.

Stress, certain medications, and alcohol use can also cause you to sweat more than usual. If you're still looking for a cause, look at your diet. Certain foods can change the way you smell. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower produce gas.

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.

Common causes include infections (night sweats from TB), malignancies (e.g. Hodgkin's disease), metabolic diseases and disorders (thyrotoxicosis, diabetes, hypoglycemia), menopause, and medications (e.g. Tricyclic anti-depressants, propranolol, venlafaxine) Mechanism: There are two types of sweat glands.

Liver or Kidney Problems - The kidneys and liver help remove toxins from our bodies. When they cannot function properly, toxins can build up in the blood and digestive tract, creating odor. Kidney disease can cause build of urea and make your sweat and urine smell like ammonia.

A healthy vagin* usually has a slight scent, but choices of food, drink, hygiene practices, and clothing can all affect it. A stronger odor can also indicate a health problem that needs medical attention. Nutrition, health status, and other factors can affect the natural fragrance of the vagin*.

A person living with a health condition such as diabetes or kidney disease may also have sweat that smells like ammonia. A person can try antiperspirants to reduce the amount they sweat, and deodorants to cover up any odors. A doctor can treat any underlying health conditions to help reduce the ammonia smell in sweat.

You may be prescribed a type of medicine called an anticholinergic or antimuscarinic. These work by blocking the effects of a chemical called acetylcholine, which the nervous system uses to activate the sweat glands. Anticholinergics are available as tablets or solutions that are applied to affected areas.

A hormonal imbalance may cause excessive sweating, as some hormones control your body temperature. Excessive sweating can also result from endocrine changes in conditions like hyperthyroidism, hyperpituitarism, pheochromocytoma, and diabetes, as well as at stages of life like perimenopause and pregnancy.

What does liver failure body odor smell like? ›

“In the case of liver disease, sufferers can experience excessive sweating and a foul-smelling odor that's been likened to rotten eggs; which is the result of a blood-sugar spike, causes both fruity-smelling breath and a pungent body odor; and excessive sweat and odor can occur in people with due to their overactive ...

Disease Overview

Trimethylaminuria is a rare disorder in which the body is not able to metabolize the chemical trimethylamine, and this causes body odor.

Parosmia is a distorted sense of smell. Things that used to smell pleasant now smell foul to people with parosmia. People get parosmia for many reasons, including infections, medications and trauma. You can't always prevent it, but in most cases, it's temporary.

One 2022 study identified the distinctive odor of study participants in stressful interview conditions as smelling “similar to stir-fried leeks.”

Limiting frequent bathing can lead to dirt, sweat and dead skin cells build up leading to Your clothes have a strong smell. You can reduce these effects by showering regularly and washing with mild soap and warm water. Sweating in the groin area can attract fungi and bacteria that lead to bad odors.