The sour smell of sweat is a sign indicating the formation of certain processes in organs or entire systems of the body. Only a qualified specialist will be able to identify the cause of the sour smell after carrying out the required procedures. Self-therapy or ignoring such signs can lead to significant complications and a blurred clinical picture.
The smell of sweat
Sweat is initially odorless and consists of 99% water. Materials that can form odors are added to it: salt, protein, amino acids, lactic acid, urea, sugar and fat. Sweat “smells bad” if its bacteria decompose on the skin. This process releases butyric acid, which leads to a sour odor. The longer the bacteria remain untouched, the more intense the smell becomes. We don’t smell “sweat,” but its decomposition.
During intense physical activity, the sweat glands secrete a lot of sweat with a characteristic sour odor. Photo: pixabay.com
Possible causes of manifestations in women
Inconsistent and incorrect adherence to the principles of personal hygiene. Women need to carry out water procedures every day, at least twice a day. During menstrual periods, it is necessary to change intimate hygiene products much more often and wash more often.
The spread of microbes in the armpit area causes a sour odor. It is better to shave your armpits constantly, as this reduces the formation of pathogenic microbes.
An incorrect diet and increased physical activity also affect the smell of sweat. For this reason, you need to plan your daily routine, review your diet, and reduce your consumption of junk food.
Artificial materials have a negative impact on sweat production. It is better to update your own wardrobe, wear underwear and things made of cotton fabric.
Mastopathy is considered a source of sour aroma, for this reason you should not risk your well-being. It is better to contact a specialist who will determine the appropriate treatment.
Can we smell disease?
Trimethylaminuria is a severe metabolic disorder. Sick people smell like rotten fish, not only when they sweat, but also when urinating. The culprit is trimethylamine, which turns the liver into an odorless material. If the liver no longer functions, the smell of fish fills the nose. In people with kidney problems, the sweat smells like urine. Damaged kidneys may not release enough keratin and urea into the urine, so these elements end up in sweat. Kidney problems include itchy skin, nausea, swollen eyelids, or urinating too much or too little. Dehydrating agents prescribed by the doctor help here. Diabetics often smell like acetone; in this case, they smell like rotten apples fermented in alcohol. This is already an alarming signal. The blood sugar level of sick people is too high, as a result of which fat metabolism occurs and the blood becomes oxidized. There is an immediate threat to life. “Stinkers” must be urgently taken to intensive care so as not to fall into a diabetic coma.
All kinds of smells
The sweat of diabetics smells like nail polish remover, that is, acetone. This material is formed in the body if there is not enough sugar in it. Even if a person has been on a diet for a long time, the smell of acetone still continues to develop. If there is liver disease, the affected person smells like a mixture of fresh animal liver from a butcher shop and musty earth. With increased sweating, the smell is slightly sour, since more sweat than usual is decomposed by bacteria. With typhus, the sweat smells like fresh bread. This smell is emitted by salmonella, which causes the disease.
The sweat of diabetics often smells like acetone due to a lack of sugar in the blood. Photo: pixabay.com
Reason 4: Drug treatment and dietary flaws
Certain foods, such as curry, garlic and spices, alcohol, caffeine, and certain types of medications, can also cause body odor. Eliminate foods that cause unpleasant body odor from your diet or, after finishing taking medications, take care to remove them from the body. I wrote about how to restore the body after taking potent medications here in the second part of the article.
Decreased thyroid function
If victims smell of vinegar, especially in the morning, then they may be suffering from low thyroid function, especially in women over 40 years of age. At this age, metabolism often slows down and the body produces excess acid. Also symptoms of thyroid dysfunction are: chills, fatigue, obesity, depressed mood, hair loss, dry and white skin. The doctor gives synthetic thyroxine, thus compensating for the hormone deficiency. As a preventative measure, you can consume more iodine, such as iodized salt or sea fish, and dairy products are also recommended.
Alternative medicine
Traditional recipes help eliminate sweating and unpleasant sour body odor. To combat the symptom, the following remedies are always available in your home medicine cabinet:
| Recipe | Application |
| Dilute hydrogen peroxide with water 1:1 | Wipe the problem areas with a cotton swab soaked in the solution. |
| Apple vinegar | Apply with a cotton pad to those places that smell most sour. After 5-10 minutes, rinse with water. |
| Soda solution – 1 tablespoon per 200 ml of water | Wipe the most sweaty areas immediately after a shower. |
| Lemon juice | Use a lemon slice or a cotton pad soaked in its juice to wipe your armpits and other necessary areas. After a few minutes, rinse with water. |
| Soda and lemon juice slurry | Apply as a mask to problem areas for 3-5 minutes, then rinse the skin with clean water. |
| A mixture of corn starch and baking powder in a 1:1 ratio | Use as a powder in the armpits and groin area. |
| Mint leaf decoction | Rinse the body daily after hygiene procedures. |
| A weak infusion of lavender, tea tree, chamomile, oak bark, yarrow, celandine | Wipe skin after showering or use as a base for baths or foot baths. |
Traditional medicine recipes are suitable for eliminating the sour smell of sweat in a child 2 years old and older. Before using them, it is necessary to check for the absence of allergic reactions.
Folk remedies can be used to reduce the intensity of the sour odor of sweat during the treatment of the primary disease, as well as in the absence of pathologies. Their use must be agreed with a specialist in the case of using creams, ointments and other local anti-sweating products.
When should we go to the doctor?
Warning signs appear if your body smells very sour for no known reason. If you smell after eating grilled chicken with raw onions or French chicken with a hundred cloves of garlic, it's not a cause for concern. Also, if you haven’t washed for a long time and are wearing just a T-shirt, this is really a reason to get up and take a bath. You are not sick, because the androstenone contained in the armpits is destroyed by testosterone. If, on the contrary, the unpleasant odor is accompanied by complaints, you feel, for example, tired or have pain in the limbs, head, or stomach, then you should consult a doctor. If your body constantly produces a sour odor, then you can assume acidosis, which, at best, will be detected by a doctor.
Summarizing
So, what does the sour smell of sweat mean? In most cases, it signals the emergence and development of a disease or infection in the human body. That is why it is extremely important to contact a specialist in a timely manner with such a problem.
Also, do not delay going to the doctor for those people who have experienced excessive sweating and the accompanying unpleasant odor suddenly and for no reason.
Treatment prescribed by a doctor will in most cases be accompanied by the use of special deodorizing agents.
And in order to prevent the occurrence of such an “illness”, you should follow the rules of hygiene, wear clothes made from natural fabrics, follow the regime and rules of proper nutrition, and, of course, take care of your health.
What is acidosis?
Acidosis is called hyperacidity and it means that certain acids in the body are beyond the normal range. Often the cause is a lack of minerals. You can prevent or counteract this by reducing sodium and eating more fresh vegetables and fruits. The optimal blood pH is -7.4. Values from 0 to 7 are considered sour, from 7 to 14, as basic. The body usually removes excess acids through the kidneys. We obtain acids not only through food, but also through the transformation of food into elements that the body can further use. Even when we exhale, we release acid, namely carbon dioxide. In the body, the intestines are responsible for the acid balance. If the body constantly secretes acid through sweat, this indicates that the metabolism is impaired. Increased acidity has a negative impact on health, but it is not an independent disease, but can contribute to the development of various metabolic diseases.
Diagnostics
First, a medical worker examines the patient, finds out how he lives, what he complains about, and clarifies the medical history.
To determine what exactly a patient is sick with, a physician can choose and use the following methods of diagnosing diseases:
- blood and urine tests;
- ultrasound radiation of internal organs;
- computed tomography;
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- electrocardiography;
- if there are neoplasms, biopsy them;
- checking for the presence of tumor markers;
- hormonal examinations.
If it is clear that the patient has diseased organs of the gastrointestinal tract, he is examined for relevant diseases.
Diseases caused by high acidity
The most famous disease due to high acidity is gout. It arises from uric acid crystals that accumulate in joints and cause inflammation. Increased acidity plays a role in the development of diseases such as: chronic inflammation, acne and neurodermatitis, urinary stones, ulcers, heartburn, diabetes, atherosclerosis and muscle strain, rheumatic diseases and osteoporosis are also possible. Eat less acids. As a rule, basic nutrition helps against high acidity, which includes: vegetables, fruits, cheeses, potatoes, lettuce, dates, dried apricots and raisins. There are no problems with pH neutral foods either. These include, for example, water, walnuts and oil.
With increased acidity, you need to eat more vegetables, leafy salads and fruits. Photo: pixabay.com
Avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar. This applies, first of all, to sugar and all food products that contain sugar. So avoid processed foods, which almost always contain sugar as a flavor enhancer, even in things few would expect, such as in spice and soup blends or ketchup. Such products can be produced without sugar. Too much red meat makes it difficult for the body to break down protein and amino acids. The body then releases them through the sweat glands, and the bacteria decompose on the skin. The sweat smells sour. A lot of acid is found in flour products such as bread or noodles.
Methods for solving the problem
The sour smell of sweat can be eliminated only with an integrated approach to this problem. In complex cases of the disease, therapy must include the use of pharmaceuticals, compliance with hygiene rules, and a review of nutrition.
Diet correction
Strict adherence to the diet will help in a short period to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and remove the unpleasant salty aroma and taste of sweat. It is necessary to eliminate fatty foods from the diet, which contain large amounts of cholesterol. It is possible to reduce the degree of sweating in a person if you give up spicy, smoked and salty foods.
It is better to eat more vegetables and soups. It is recommended to eliminate strong coffee, alcoholic drinks, and carbonated water from drinking. To ensure normal functioning of the digestive system, it is better to drink green tea and still mineral water.
Hygiene rules
Painstaking adherence to hygiene rules in most situations will help quickly solve the problem of sweating in men and women. Taking a shower 2-3 times a day, using toilet soap or shower gel is the main component of personal hygiene for any person. In addition, after such procedures, people feel much better and more energetic.
You need to take special care of your own body in the summer and after sports exercises and loads. At this time, sweat is especially intense. If there is an unpleasant odor from the feet, then you should use special aerosols against the unpleasant odor. There is no possibility of showering on a train or bus, but it is possible to use special wet deodorizing wipes.
Hair in the armpit area is a place for sweat to accumulate and bacteria to spread, which causes an unpleasant odor. Constant shaving of the armpits has become an indispensable procedure for many women today. However, men are not enthusiastic about this process, even despite the recommendations of dermatologists.
Disinfectants
Common ways to combat sweating are deodorants. Due to the fact that disinfectants are present in their structure, pathogenic microorganisms that cause an unpleasant odor are destroyed. Such products protect the sweat glands from germs for up to several hours. The effectiveness will depend on their structure and release formula: gel, cream, aerosol, pencil and others.
Alcohol and nicotine
Excessive alcohol consumption can cause increased acidity. The “typical” sour smell from alcoholics, also known as “old man sweat,” is not a result of poor hygiene. Alcohol abuse disrupts the metabolism to a greater extent, the liver and kidneys can no longer perform their tasks and the body tries to eliminate the excess acidity through sweat. This is often accompanied by a sour breath odor. Often in alcoholics, this is accompanied by a violation of the acidic environment of the stomach and intestines, especially if, due to their addiction, they eat less and less healthy food. Nicotine and alcohol promote, for example, the production of stomach acid. This caustic gastric juice does not receive anything to digest, because the person consuming alcohol does not eat constantly or such a diet is facilitated by the fact that instead of eating, he smokes more than one pack a day. Thus, the system no longer works and the stomach becomes acidified. The stomach is constantly producing acid to process the alcohol being poured in, but it cannot find anything nutritious to process. The result is excess stomach acid. A lot of acid is also found in black tea and coffee, fatty sausage and fish.
Features of sweating
Sweat glands in women, like men, are located throughout the body. Thanks to this, thermoregulation of the body is carried out. More than 90% of sweat secretions are water, the rest are organic compounds, which affect body odor.
An absolutely healthy woman who takes care of her hygiene only has an individual skin odor. A specific aroma of sweat appears when dysfunctions of internal organs appear or pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria enter the body.
If the smell of sweat resembles the smell of vinegar or fermented milk products, this indicates the presence of a psychological or physiological problem that requires an urgent solution.
