Body Odour : 4 Reasons You Have It

What's worse than shuffling between floors in a crowded elevator? The stale smell of sweat as you wait.

With jam-packed crowds in stations, offices or trains, body odour is both, instantly off-putting and embarrassing - regardless of which side of it you're on. However, it can be controlled once you find the source. So here's why your body could be unknowingly putting up a stink and causing body odour.

1. Are you stressed?

When you're juggling between impending deadlines, nutritious meals and an active social life, stress is bound to play a large part in it. It's also why you could have body odour. Sweat from exercise and activity is usually water and electrolytes. When anxiety strikes causing greasy palms and beads on your forehead, that kind of sweat comes from your apocrine glands and is odourless, until it mixes with your skin's bacteria. So stay calm and apply an antiperspirant deodorant.

2. You drank too much

After a particularly wild night out, you might find your sweat particularly stinky. For that, blame the bottle. When alcohol is consumed, it is broken down by the liver. However, if the intake is more than the liver can handle, it is disposed of through sweat and breath. Combat this by drinking plenty of water which gets rid of remaining alcohol in the body.

3. You don't think about the fabrics of your clothes

Do a mental rundown of your clothing and lingerie choices - are they all made of synthetic fabrics like nylon and lace? Also, are you washing them frequently? Fabrics like these, especially with bras, traps sweat and allows bacterial growth. When not aired or washed daily, this causes stinky body odour and poor hygiene. Instead, choose breathable fabrics like cotton and change into a fresh set of clothes often.

4. You load up on certain foods

It's simple really - certain foods cause a smelly odour that's emitted from your body. Although cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage are good for you, they contain sulphur which will emit a particularly stinky compound from your body. In these cases, drink water to balance it out and keep a body mist handy.