What Stinks? Surprising Causes of Body Odor (and How to Prevent Them)

When was the last time you talked about body odor? Probably never. But chances are, you’ve spent time and money within the past 24 hours making sure you smell like springtime flowers or sprayed-on musk. You may have even skipped a morning at the gym to make sure you don’t bring your BO to work. But here’s a little secret: sweat is actually odorless [1]! What really stinks may be your diet, gut health, or stress levels—all are among the true causes of body odor. If you find yourself reapplying deodorant to keep the BO at bay, you may be able to improve your aroma by optimizing your overall health. Don’t worry; we’re not going to tell you to stop using deodorant. But we will let you in on the root causes of body odor and what you can do about it. 

The Source of Body Odor

Before we get to the causes of body odor, it’s important to understand the root of bad smells. If your sweat doesn’t actually stink, then what does? The culprit is all too familiar: bacteria. Dozens of volatile compounds (aka bacteria and their byproducts) in the body are transported by your blood and become odorous when emitted with breath, saliva, sweat, waste and reproductive fluids [2]. Sweat also causes odors when it comes into contact with bacteria on the skin. 

It’s important to note that not all of these bacteria are bad. Many of them help perform vital bodily functions. But lifestyle factors, vitamin deficiencies and health issues can cause excessive amounts of certain bacteria to build up, leading to BO, bad breath or generally unpleasant odors. Too many good bacteria can cause bad smells, as can a general unbalance of volatile compounds in your system. Luckily, there are non-pharmaceutical actions you can take to keep your bacteria balanced and your BO low. 

5 Causes of Body Odor (and How to Prevent Them)   

Certain things you do every day might be making your body odor worse. Here’s what they are—along with some simple tips to fight BO.

1. Dietary Choices 

Certain foods can boost your chances of smelling a little off. These include red meat, junk food, caffeine and alcohol. But it isn’t just the unhealthy stuff that boosts BO. Onions, garlic, cabbage, broccoli and leafy greens can also cause foul odors due to their high sulfur content [3]. Another reason you may need more deodorant is if you’re trying to cut back on carbs. A lack of carbs triggers the production of acetone, a volatile compound responsible for BO and bad breath [4]. 

To prevent diet-related body odor, eat a balanced diet and vary your food choices. Instead of eating broccoli and cauliflower 5 days a week, mix in some non-cruciferous veggies like roots, celery and cucumbers. Try to eat less red meat, and cut out junk food. Excess sugar from sweets provides food for bacteria to grow, potentially causing imbalances of volatile compounds and issues with your gut microbiome. 

If you can’t bear to stop binging on garlic and onions, there are some foods you can add to your diet that may make you smell better. Pineapple, fenugreek and citrus fruits are among them. 

2. Nutrient Deficiency 

Your body needs a number of essential vitamins and minerals every day in order to function properly. When you’re deficient in certain nutrients, your body can’t perform as well and your health falls out of balance. A possible consequence of this is a boost in BO. Here are a few nutrients that may impact your body odor.

• Zinc: Zinc helps the body’s natural detoxification mechanism, supporting the breakdown of carbs and removing waste. If you don’t get enough, bad bacteria and waste can build up and cause you to stink (a bit like letting garbage pile up on the curb). Studies have suggested that taking a zinc supplement may reduce body odor and fight off bad (and smelly) bacteria [5]. 
• Vitamin C: Bad-smelling sweat can be a symptom of vitamin C deficiency, so pour yourself a glass of orange juice if you don’t want to smell like old milk. You can deliver a one-two punch to putrid odors by eating more citrus fruits. The natural vitamin C may prevent BO and citric acid may control the growth of odor-causing bacteria. If you want to stay away from sugary juices, take a vitamin C supplement. 
• B vitamins: A deficiency of B vitamins, such as riboflavin (B2), may cause you to emit a fishy smell. This is especially true for those with a condition called trimethylaminuria. B12 deficiency, which affects up to 15% of people, can also cause you to smell worse—but not in the way you’d expect [6]. A lack of B12 can reduce your sense of smell, making it harder to realize when you need to freshen up. A B-complex supplement can provide you with all of the B you need (and none of the O).  
• Magnesium: Magnesium deficiency can throw your body out of whack and potentially cause your smell to spoil. Unfortunately, more than half of Americans don’t get enough of this essential mineral [7]. Magnesium helps your body detox your organs and your blood, minimizing bacteria that can cause body odors while keeping your body clean in general. Magnesium isn’t present in many foods (especially processed foods), so take a magnesium supplement definitely if you notice your BO is getting especially offensive.

3. Poor Gut Health

Most of the bacteria in your body live in your gut. In fact, there are about 100 trillion bacteria in there, making up an entire organ called your gut microbiome. Science has begun to discover that the gut microbiome has a massive influence on whole-body health from immunity to mental health and more. Because bacteria are the source of BO, an imbalanced gut microbiome can lead to an overflow of odors. 

An unhealthy gut can produce excess gasses and cause issues with acid—both of which can cause you to excrete some foul smells. An increase of bad bacteria in your gut may also lead to an excess of bacteria circulating in your blood. This gut-to-bloodstream bacteria path is one of the primary causes of body odor [2]. In order to keep those bad bacteria at bay and boost the helpful bacteria in your gut, eat a balanced diet rich in whole foods and natural fiber. You may also want to take a probiotic supplement to add more good bacteria to your gut. 

4. Stress

You probably know that stress can cause you to break a sweat. The most common area for nervous sweats to break out is in your armpits, which are a breeding ground for bacteria. To make things worse, stressed sweat is actually worse than normal sweat. It’s thicker and full of proteins and fats, and when it hits the bacteria on your skin, they bloom with a revolting funk [8].  

To stop stress sweat from making you extra smelly, try some stress-fighting techniques such as meditation, exercise and spending time in nature. But before you do any of that, make sure you get a good night’s sleep every night. Sleep is probably the most important factor for fighting stress. If you have trouble sleeping, consider a natural sleep supplement to help you relax and ease into a more fulfilling night of shut-eye. 

5. Hormonal Imbalance 

Hormones have a big impact on BO. That’s why children don’t usually have body odor. The sweat glands that produce odor-causing sweat (called your apocrine glands) don’t start pumping until you hit puberty. Your natural scent might fluctuate with other hormonal changes in your life as well. This is especially true for women, who often deal with body odor issues during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause [3]. This is because a drop in estrogen levels tricks the body into believing that it’s heating up, triggering sweat and even hot flashes [9]. 

Hormonal fluctuations are not easy to control, but there are some nutrients that help promote estrogen production and metabolism to prevent unexpected sweating and odors.

• Magnesium (a key ingredient in the production of estrogen)
• Zinc (necessary for estrogen metabolism)
• Probiotics (gut bacteria signals hormonal activity, including estrogen production)

You may have noticed that all of these nutrients were mentioned previously in this article for their various odor-fighting effects. Coincidence? We think not. While it’s important to get all of your essential nutrients each day, these are especially effective at keeping your personal hygiene pristine. 

To Bash BO, Ask “What Stinks?”

Your sweat doesn’t stink—that’s a fact. But some of your lifestyle choices might. That’s actually good news because it means you can decide the fate of your own fragrance. You have free will to determine your smell. Taking a few of the tips listed above can improve your natural perfume and your overall well-being. 

Having trouble getting started? Start by building a base of foundational nutrition. This means getting all of the essential nutrients you need to support your body’s basic processes each day. Foundational nutrition supports a healthy diet, gut microbiome, hormonal health and stress management—everything on the list above. And achieving it is as easy as taking a highly bioavailable multivitamin.

Enjoying holistic health (and a pleasing personal aroma) is a marathon—not a race. You have to do a little every day to build a strong foundation of health. Luckily, it’s easy to do with Manna Liposomal Supplements. And a little deodorant doesn’t hurt, either.