Changes in Body Odor

The term “body odor” (or B.O.) relates to the unpleasant smell that can emanate from the body when a person sweats. Sweating is a normal and essential bodily function that helps regulate body temperature, and it is released by eccrine glands and apocrine glands. Sweat secreted by eccrine glands is odorless and serves to cool down the body, whereas apocrine glands release a greasier secretion through hair follicles in areas like the armpits, groin, and scalp. Body odor is produced when bacteria starts breaking down apocrine sweat; thus, an unusually high production of apocrine sweat makes body odor more intense.

The production of apocrine sweat in women is more pronounced when hormonal fluctuations are taking place. Although this occurs naturally during a woman's menstrual cycle, many women suffer from accentuated hormonal changes, known as premenstrual syndrome or PMS. In this case, as well as during phases of significant hormonal changes such as puberty, pregnancy, post-partum - including breastfeeding - and menopause, changes in body odor are more likely to occur.

The odor produced by sweat can be a great indicator of a woman's overall health. When a woman is healthy and her body is in harmony, she can expect to experience normal body odor. However, changes in body odor can be linked to imbalance in the body, whether through imbalanced hormones, diet, or other illness.

Identifying Body Odor

While the individual experience of persistent body odor is different from woman to woman, this disorder can mainly be classified according to its intensity and the type of smell that is being produced.

Continue reading to learn about all the hormonal and other causes of body odor, in order to gain a greater understanding of this condition.

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To be able to treat body odor, first it is important to learn about the causes of this troublesome disorder. Although there could be many contributing factors, for women hormonal changes are a common and likely cause of the disorder, and should be considered first, before accepting other factors and medical conditions as a cause of changes in body odor.

Continue reading to learn more about both the hormonal, and other, causes of body odor.

Hormonal Causes of Body Odor

Hormones are chemical messengers that control all processes in the body. When fluctuations of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone occur, cells and organs don't receive the correct signals to be able to function adequately, which can lead to hormonal disorders. Medical researchers have found that fluctuating levels of hormones, especially estrogen, affect a woman's sensitivity to heat, causing symptoms such as hot flashes and causing the body to sweat more often and more profusely.

Estrogen deficiency during in the menstrual cycle and during phases of significant hormonal imbalance - puberty, pregnancy, post-partum, and menopause - causes the body to overheat and produce extra sweat. This in turn can lead to an increased incidence of more noticeable body odor during these transitional phases. In this sense, we can say that changes in body odor are largely caused by the hormonal fluctuations during the changes women go through during reproductive life.

There are also other hormonal causes and typical environmental factors - which may explain body odor problems - specific to the stage of a woman's reproductive life in which this disorder appears, such as around PMS and during puberty, pregnancy, post-partum, and menopause.

Hormonal Causes during Different Phases in a Woman's Life

Puberty is the stage in which a girl's body begins to produce reproductive hormones; these and other factors, such as body hair and life worries, contribute to body odor during puberty.

Pregnancy leads to extreme changes in the production of reproductive hormones, which along with other factors, like raised body temperature due to physiological changes, can lead to increased body odor.

Post-partum and breastfeeding is another stage where reproductive hormones are imbalanced, leading to symptoms like body odor. Other factors which contribute to body odor in post-partum include excess sweating caused by body changes.

Menopause is the stage in a woman's life when production of reproductive hormones naturally declines, signaling the end of a woman's fertility. As well as hormonal causes, other factors add to the reasons for body odor during menopause, including the experience of other symptoms of menopause.

Other Less Common Causes of Body Odor

For women experiencing body odor, hormonal imbalance is the most likely cause. However, there are other, less common conditions that may be affecting body temperature or sweat glands, leading to increased sweating and body odor. These include thyroid disorder, diabetes, or even tumors.

Keep reading to learn about the risk factors for excessive body odor.

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Risk Factors for Body Odor

The possibility of developing body odor is can be higher for women who have certain health risk factors, like diabetes or a sweating condition called hyperhydrosis. When these risk factors are present, body odor is more likely to occur, especially during phases of hormonal change during reproductive life.

Triggers of Body Odor

In addition to long-term risk factors, there are more immediate triggers that may cause a woman to start experiencing more noticeable body odor. These consist of immediate environmental factors and behaviors, such as eating spicy foods or extreme changes in body temperature.

Continue reading to learn about the signs and symptoms of body odor, and how a doctor can recognize and diagnose this condition.

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Women suffering from symptoms of hormonal imbalance can experience very different symptoms that will depend on the exact hormone that went off. Some women experience mild symptoms of body odor infrequently, while others have severe discomforts almost daily. However, most women are able to recognize that their own scent is changing and feel uncomfortable or ashamed because of it. For other women, it may be more difficult to notice it themselves.

Common Symptoms of Body Odor

• Unusually strong or unpleasant body odor
• A fishy, fruity, or vinegar-like body odor

Diagnosis of Body Odor

Some women may feel that their body odor can be so strong and so disruptive that they require medical attention. To diagnose and identify these symptoms, the doctor usually must perform a review of the patient's medical history and then a physical exam. In some cases, if necessary, the doctor may also order some tests.

Complications of Body Odor

If left untreated, it is unlikely that a woman will experience any worse physical symptoms, unless the body odor is caused or exacerbated by a lack of personal hygiene. Instead, many of the complications are psychological or social; women may suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, feelings of depression, and it may begin to affect her personal, social, and professional life. Many women become overly aware of their body odor, and may isolate themselves from social situations or avoid physical activity, further knocking their confidence.

Continue reading to learn some techniques and habits that can help prevent body odor, or manage the condition.

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