Body Odor

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Body odor refers to unpleasant smells emitted from the body.

The most common cause of body odor is poor hygiene and uncleanliness. Sweat has no odor but, if left on the skin for a few hours, bacteria decompose the sweat. This can cause body odor. The next most common cause is sweat containing a high level of garlic, curry, or other spicy food. However, when a person is very healthy, usually the foods can be eaten without lasting odor effects. Other causes of body odor include nutrient deficiencies (usually zinc), underlying health problems (usually liver disease or diabetes), or gastrointestinal problems (such as parasites or chronic constipation).

Your feet can be most affected due to the warm, airless environment insides shoes, boots, and sneakers, so check the condition of your feet and footwear. Excessive caffeine consumption or emotional stress can also influence body odors.

The problem with using over-the-counter deodorants is that most deodorant sticks or sprays contain many chemicals that may be harmful to the body in the long run. Recent research has focused on certain preservatives (parabens) that are used in deodorants and antiperspirants. Parabens have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen (a hormone) in the body's cells. Since estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the use of deodorants or antiperspirants over the long run could cause the accumulation of parabens in breast tissues, which may contribute to the development of breast cancer.

There are natural cures for body odor that take into account your overall health, instead of merely trying to mask the symptoms.