Bad Odor Causes, How to Get Rid of Really Bad Odor, Best Deodorants, in Men & Women

What causes bad body odor? How can I get rid of bad body odor? If these questions sound familiar to you, then you have come to the right place. This article will start by highlighting some of the common causes of bad body odor so that you can know how to prevent the problem in the first place or prevent its recurrence. We’ll also show you how to tell if you have the genetic condition called trimethylaminuria. Most importantly, we will highlight the various ways to stop bad body odor.

What Causes Bad Body Odor – Why Do I Have Bad Body Odor

You are probably wondering, “Why do I have bad body odor?” If you are, then your first suspect should be sweat. Sweating is often associated with body odor but in reality sweat doesn’t smell.

The bacteria that naturally thrive on our skin are usually the cause of the problem. They break down the compounds in sweat to give off propionic and isovaleric acids which are principally responsible for bad body odor. Sweat and the related bacterial activities rank top among the causes of body odor.

Other likely causes of bad body odor are foods such as spices, beans, coniferous types of foods e.g. asparagus, certain medications, and medical conditions such as trimethylaminuria.

Really Bad Body Odor – Is it Trimethylaminuria?

So you have a really bad body odor and are wondering whether you are suffering from trimethylaminuria, Well, paying closer attention to the scent involved can tell you if you have a case of trimethylaminuria at hand.

Trimethylaminuria has a characteristic odor that is close to that of rotting fish but at low concentrations it can smell like garbage. The bad odor associated with trimethylaminuria is linked to the compound Trimethylamine which is released during breakdown of choline rich foods such as egg yolks and organ meats (e.g. liver).

If you suspect trimethylaminuria, you should see your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Bad Body Odor Disease

I was reading around online when I came across the question, “is there a bad odor disease?” Well, diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, trimethylaminuria, and hyperthyroidism are all potential causes of bad body odor.

How to Get Rid of Bad Body Odor – How to Stop Bad Body Odor

Bad body odor is not only irritating but also embarrassing and no one fancy the idea of walking around with an offensive smell trailing behind them. Here is how to get rid of bad body odor.

Proper personal hygiene

It is important to shower every day. This helps to reduce the number of bacteria on your skin and to remove sweat from your skin. This is very important because bad body odor is commonly the result of by-products of bacterial breakdown of sweat. It is advisable to se an antibacterial soap to reduce the number of bacteria on your skin.

If you sweat very much, you should consider having 2 to 3 showers a day whenever possible.

You should especially pay close attention to the groin, and armpit areas since these areas have high number of apocrine glands that are majorly responsible for body odor.

It is also very important to changes your clothes daily to avoid an accumulation of sweat and bacteria. Washing the clothes thoroughly is also an important step towards getting rid of bad body odor.

Shaving your armpits should as well be part of your personal hygiene routine since the hairs in the armpits traps in sweat, thus creating an ideal environment for bacterial growth and metabolism.

Proper nutrition

In addition to getting a balanced diet, you might also want to reduce your intake of foods that contain sulfides and other compounds associated with bad body odor, and spicy foods that often make you sweat more.

You will in particular want to consider cutting down your intake of spicy foods, garlic, seafood, cabbages, onions and cruciferous veggies such as asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts among others.

Adding Chlorophyllin supplements in your diet can also help. This water soluble derivative of plant chlorophyll has been shown to be able to bind numerous compounds associated with bad body odors which then reduces or eliminates the odor due to such compounds.

Deodorants and antiperspirants

Deodorants and antiperspirants can also help to get rid of bad body odor. Deodorants use a fragrance to mask the smell of sweat while antiperspirants work by cutting down on your rate of sweating.

For people who tend to sweat a lot, a roll-on is an especially great option. Because they usually contain varying ingredients which could have varying results, it might be worth trying a few brands to see which one works best for you.

Antibacterial/Antiseptic solutions

You may also want to try an antibacterial and antiseptic solution such as chlorhexidine 0.05% which is available in most local pharmacies. When used daily, the solution can considerably reduce the number of bacteria growing on your skin.

Aluminum chloride solution

20% Aluminium chloride solutions are also known to help with the problem of body odor. Such solutions are usually available over-the-counter in most pharmacies under such brand names as Driclor and Anhydrol Forte. Be sure to follow the instructions given by your chemist to the letter.

Medical interventions such as surgery and treatment with botulinum toxin can also be used in severe cases that won’t go away even with all the above options.

Bad Body Odor in Men and Bad Body Odor Women

Men tend to sweat more than women and are more likely to have bad body odor if proper hygiene measures are not observed. Anyway men and women get bad body odor for all the same reasons [visit the above section for more details on causes of bad body odor] with the only exception perhaps being for the hormonal changes typically occur at menopause (in women only) and as a result of hypogonadism (in men).

How to Prevent Bad Body Odor

Wondering how to prevent bad body odor? Your first course of action should to adopt a stringent personal hygiene routine and including antibacterial soap, deodorants and antiperspirants. Daily change of clothes is also paramount. You can also try chlorhexidine 0.05% solution or a 20% aluminum chloride solution (Driclor or Anhydrol) which are all available over the counter.

Best Deodorant for Bad Body Odor

How to Get Rid of Bad Body Odor - Deodorant — Deodorant

Now that we have mentioned deodorants as one of the ways to get rid of bad body odor, the question then is, “What is the best deodorant for bad body odor?”

The effectiveness of deodorants varies for each case since they are made of different ingredients. You might have to test 2 or 3 different brands before identifying a suitable on for your case.

Here are some of the deodorants that you may want to consider in your bid to get rid of that bad body odor.

Secret’s Clinical Strength Antiperspirant and Deodorant – Perhaps the best deodorant for bad body odor
Ban’s Shower Fresh – Great choice for men
Gillette Clinical Strength Antiperspirant Deodorant
Suave Everlasting Sunshine Clinical Protection PROsolid – Great choice for women

Bad Body Odor – Causes, How to Get Rid, Bad Body Order in Men and Women