Afraid you smell a little funky?
Body odor is 100% natural—but it’s also 100% embarrassing.
For many, slathering on deodorants and perfumes simply doesn’t do the trick. Luckily, there’s an all-natural (and tasty) way to support a balanced natural scent: your diet.
The foods you eat can influence your natural scent. Certain foods may contribute to body odor, while others support overall wellness. In this post, we’ll focus on vitamins that may help support skin health and promote a balanced natural scent from the inside out.
You’ll learn what to eat and which supplements may support your overall wellness and help maintain a balanced natural scent.
All of the tips below are backed by the latest research. So, if you’ve ever wondered whether supplements could play a role in supporting your wellness, keep reading.
Understanding Body Odor
Body odor, also known as bromhidrosis, is the unpleasant smell produced by the body when you sweat.
You probably know what BO is, but understanding how body odor works can help you manage it more effectively. The truth is, your body doesn’t naturally smell bad—and neither does your sweat.
Body odor generally arises from two main causes:
- Chemical compounds from the food and drink you consume, which are released through your sweat.
- Sweat interacting with bacteria on your skin.
How can food affect the way you smell? When you eat, your body breaks down food into smaller components called metabolites.
Some of these metabolites are expelled through your sweat. Certain foods, such as garlic, contain compounds that are converted into metabolites with strong odors [1].
Other foods that may contribute to odor through metabolites include:
- Sulfur-containing vegetables like onions and asparagus
- Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage
- Spices like cumin and curry
- Alcohol
- Spicy foods and chilies
Bacteria interacting with your sweat is the primary culprit of body odor. Your skin has two main types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine glands.
Eccrine glands are found all over the body and produce a watery sweat that helps regulate body temperature. This sweat is generally odorless.
Apocrine glands are found in areas with a lot of hair follicles, such as the armpits and groin. These glands produce a thicker sweat that contains proteins, lipids, and sugars.
This provides a food source for bacteria, which break down the compounds in sweat and release unpleasant odors.
Diet can have an impact on this process as well.
Certain foods can influence the concentration of lipids, sugars, and other compounds in apocrine sweat [1]. This can provide more food for bacteria, potentially resulting in stronger body odor.
These foods may include:
- Red meat
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Fried foods
- Processed foods
- Soy
- Legumes (beans)
Other factors that can affect the strength or noticeability of body odor include genetics, hygiene, and stress.
Stress can lead to increased sweating from the apocrine glands, which may contribute to stronger body odor [2].
These Supplements Support a Balanced Natural Scent
Don’t worry; you don’t have to give up all of your favorite foods to manage body odor.
Instead, you can support your overall wellness with vitamins and minerals that may help promote a balanced natural scent.
The following vitamins and minerals may help influence the composition of your sweat and support skin health.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in many bodily functions, including the regulation of various enzyme activities.
Magnesium may help support normal sweating processes by influencing the breakdown of sweat components [3]. By supporting these processes, magnesium may contribute to more balanced sweat production.
Magnesium is also closely related to stress management [5]. Low magnesium levels may be associated with higher stress levels, which can lead to increased sweating from the apocrine glands.
Most Americans (around 75%) may not get enough magnesium, as it is primarily found in dark leafy greens, nuts, and beans [6]. A magnesium supplement may help support overall wellness, including normal sweating processes and stress management.
Plus, magnesium contributes to a wide range of other important bodily functions, making it a beneficial supplement for general health.
Zinc
When apocrine sweat interacts with bacteria, body odor levels can increase. Zinc may help support healthy skin by maintaining balance in the natural oils produced by your skin [7]. By regulating sebum production, zinc may assist in reducing the appearance of body odor. Zinc is naturally found in foods such as meat, dairy, and beans.
If you’re concerned about body odor, a zinc supplement may provide a convenient way to support your skin’s natural balance.
Probiotics
While we’ve discussed how certain bacteria can contribute to body odor, it’s important to remember that not all bacteria are harmful.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that support your gut microbiome. These “good” bacteria play a role in various aspects of health, including digestion, immune function, and metabolism.
By supporting a balanced microbiome, probiotics may help promote overall wellness. While they’re best known for their role in gut health, emerging research suggests they could have broader impacts on health and wellbeing.
A healthy gut microbiome supports digestion and overall wellness. By promoting a balanced gut environment, probiotics may help with the efficient processing of nutrients and contribute to general health [8].
Probiotics may also support skin health. Since the gut microbiome is connected to skin function, maintaining a balanced microbiome may positively impact your skin’s appearance.
Probiotics are commonly found in fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and pickles. If these foods aren’t to your taste, probiotic supplements are an alternative way to support your health.
Vitamin B Complex
Like probiotics, B vitamins are essential for a healthy metabolism. They help you digest food and turn it into energy.
B vitamins, such as B2 (riboflavin), B6, and B12, play a role in supporting the breakdown of proteins and fats in the diet. This process may help manage compounds in the body that can contribute to odor. B vitamins also support healthy skin and the function of sweat glands.
Getting enough B vitamins can contribute to overall well-being and support normal body functions, including sweating [4]. You can get B vitamins in meat, whole grains, dairy, legumes and vegetables.
There are a lot of B vitamins you need every day, which can make it tough to cover all your B bases. Taking a B complex supplement is the easiest way to get them all.
Say Bye Bye to BO
Body odor is natural, but it can still be embarrassing.
There are natural ways to feel fresh and confident without relying on chemical products.
Before investing in cosmetics, consider the root causes of body odor. Simple changes in your diet may have a positive impact on your overall well-being.
Studies suggest that diet can influence your natural scent, and the right nutrients may also support other areas of health, such as stress management, skin health, and metabolism [11].
It’s about more than just body odor—it’s about supporting overall health and wellness.
If you’re unsure where to start, consider a multivitamin like Manna Liposomal Multivitamin, which contains B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc—nutrients that support overall health.
Next, make a few changes to your diet to address potential triggers of body odor.
With these adjustments, you may notice improvements in your overall well-being.
FAQ
Vitamins play a role in overall skin health and may support the balance of sweat composition. Certain vitamins, such as magnesium and zinc, help regulate enzyme activity, support healthy skin, and promote general well-being, all of which can contribute to a more balanced natural scent.
Certain vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, probiotics, and the B vitamin complex (or a multivitamin that contains a lot of B vitamins!), may help support overall wellness and healthy bodily functions. These nutrients can support the regulation of sweat production, promote skin health, and contribute to balanced metabolic processes—all of which may positively influence body odor.
Yes, adjusting your diet can influence your body odor. Certain foods, such as those rich in sulfur compounds like garlic and onions, may contribute to stronger body odor. On the other hand, a balanced diet with vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and zinc may help support your overall wellness, potentially contributing to a more balanced natural scent.
To support a balanced natural scent, it may be helpful to limit foods that can release strong-smelling metabolites. These include sulfur-containing vegetables (e.g., onions, asparagus), cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower), spices (e.g., cumin, curry), alcohol, spicy foods, red meat, dairy, eggs, fried foods, and processed foods.
Yes, supplements like magnesium, zinc, probiotics, and vitamin B complex may help support a balanced natural scent. These nutrients can promote healthy skin, support normal sweat production, and contribute to overall wellness, which may influence body odor.
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/17865-body-odor
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482278/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- https://www.ausderm.com/do-you-suffer-from-hyperhidrosis-excessive-sweating/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507250/
- https://dining.nd.edu/whats-happening/news/magnesiumthe-invisible-deficiency/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6155029/
- https://www.nutravita.co.uk/blogs/news/3-surprising-causes-of-bad-body-odor-and-here-s-how-to-stop-it
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/7/1303
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9662251/
- https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/31/8/747/364338
