Body odour can be a sign of a serious sickness

Most people believe that using deodorants and perfumes automatically gets rid of their body odour. But as Stella Naigino and Elizabeth Namazzi discover, the problem might be more serious.

Mary always complains about her partner’s body odour. She attributes it to poor hygiene.

“He rarely washes his clothes, yet he expects me to hug him whenever he comes to visit. His armpits have an awful smell. It is made worse when he blends it with a strong deodorant to cover up the odour,” Mary laments.

“That does not help. It is now two years but the problem has persisted even after using so many things to solve the problem. I have failed to get used to it,” she adds.

Sadly, many people have to deal with odour problems, yet it may not be easy. This is because the cause sometimes goes way beyond just being unhygienic.

According to Dr. Stephen Mukasa of St. Vincent Hospital, body odour is strongly affected by what is released by sweat glands.

In most cases, the products of the sweat glands are usually determined by what one eats and the real cause of body odour is the deliberate excretion of toxins that the body tries to get rid of.

Mukasa explains that some people get body odour because they do not change their clothes after bathing.

According to Mukasa, using deodorants is sometimes counterproductive because they block the pores.

“Most cases of body odour have a relatively simple cause such as poor personal hygiene practices and the intake of certain foods such as garlic and other spices, which may be eliminated through the skin,” Mukasa notes.

When the problem is bigger

Mukasa adds that body odour is sometimes the principle sign of a serious health condition. He says if the source of body odour is medical, no amount of personal hygiene will cure the problem.

“If a person lives in a warm climate and undergoes exertion, the bacteria present in the underarm area will produce breakdown products that will give off an odour if the person does not bathe the moist areas,” he explains.

Mukasa says body odour can also be caused by hormonal fluctuations such as those seen in children undergoing puberty, women in their menopause or persons experiencing extreme mental or physical stress.

Certain people may also be genetically predisposed to developing a strong body odour.

These are all relatively “normal” causes of body odour. He says sometimes body odour could be a sign of serious illness like diabetes.

This is particularly true when a person’s blood sugar levels are poorly controlled.

“In such cases, one develops a condition called ketoacidosis, which gives the breath a fruity smell. It can also cause a distinctive body odour. This condition is considered to be a medical emergency and should be treated right away,” Mukasa points out.

Body odour can also be a sign of serious liver or kidney disease where the body is incapable of processing and removing certain toxins due to the diseased organ.

These conditions can be ruled out by blood tests which measure kidney and liver function. Occasionally, an overactive thyroid can also cause body odour.

This is because the patient tends to sweat excessively due to the hyperfunctioning thyroid gland. This condition can also be ruled out from physical examination and blood studies.

Mukasa advises that those who have tried to solve this problem and failed should see a doctor. They can have some simple blood tests done to rule out more serious medical conditions.

Home remedies for odour

Body odour is at its worst during the teen years due to hormonal changes in the body. However, even adults get body odour, sometimes in the genital area. Most people just turn to deodorants, body sprays and perfumes to mask the smell.

 Unfortunately, the odour returns once the deodorant wears off.true

Once the sweat mixes with bacteria and deodorant, a stench that can embarrass even the most confident person is the result.

Fortunately, you can manage the odour by watching your diet, especially if the problem is not a result of a more serious illness.

Grace Muwawu, a 78-year-old retired nurse, tips that the home remedies below can go a long way in fighting body odour.

Keep clean
This helps if you have very active sweat glands and bacteria. So one should bathe at least thrice a day. “You should also ensure that you wear clean cotton clothes and underwear,” Muwawu says.

Baking soda
Use under your armpits to reduce the amount of sweat building up. Mix lemon juice with baking soda and use twice a day.

White vinegar
Vinegar eliminates body odour by reducing the skin’s PH balance. Dilute a small amount of the vinegar with water and apply under your armpits.

Boiled banana leaves and stems
Rinse the offending parts with water from boiled banana leaves and stems.

Bombo or tobacco leaves Squeeze bomb   leaves (scientific name Momordica balsamina, English names are balsam apple, African cucumber and southern balsam pear) or tobacco leaves and rub the liquid under the armpits/ genital area.

Water and lemon
Drinking a lot of water helps. You can add lemon or drink lemon juice because lemon helps in detoxifying the body.

Fruits and vegetables
All vegetables, especially deep green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, chard and wheat grass can help. Fruit juices and vegetable juices can also help.

No-no foods and drinks
Muwawu advises that you avoid meat, fats, eggs, dairy products, fish, oils, chocolate, nuts, beans, most grains and sugar.

“You should also avoid pepper because it affects the amount of sweat you produce while the strong aroma of onions, garlic and other strong spices make sweat smell worse.

 Alcohol, coffee and black tea is also not good. However, herbal teas and green tea can help,” Muwawu advises.

Asking the expert

What type of foods should someone eat to avoid body odour?

Rule out red meat, junk foods, and fast foods. These cause stagnation in the body and decay in the digestive tract. When this happens, they release all sorts of toxins in the blood stream.

To stay safe, stick to vegetables and fresh fruits and you will notice that you do not need deodorants anyway.

Why do armpits produce an awful smell?

Armpits are designed to sweat, but people go to great lengths to prevent their armpits from sweating by using deodorants containing toxic chemicals. Armpits excrete toxins from your body and that is why you need to keep them open and unblocked.Sweating is good for you.

How can I eliminate body odour?

The only way to eliminate body odour is not to mask it with unhealthy deodorants. Rather, clean up your body from the inside to the outside. In other words, if your armpits have a horrible smell, that is an indication that your diet needs adjusting.

As answered by Dr. Stephen Mukasa
St. Vincent Hospital Nsambya