Introduction

Body odour is the unpleasant smell produced bybacteria on the skin that break down the acids in your sweat.The medical term is bromhidrosis.

Anyone whohas reached puberty can produce body odour, as this is when the apocrine sweat glands develop, which produce the sweat that bacteria can quickly break down.

Menare more likely to have body odour, because they tend to sweat more than women.

Things that canmake body odour worse include:

  • being overweight
  • consuming rich or spicy food and drinksuch as garlic, spices and alcohol
  • some types of medicationsuch as Antidepressants
  • certain medical conditionsa fruity smell can sometimes be a sign of diabetes , while a bleach-like smell may indicate liver or kidney disease
Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 18 Jan 2017