Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For example, touching iron can produce the ketone 1-octen-3-one, which has a metallic, musty odor. Period blood can have a metallic smell, like a copper coin. "It's certainly not debilitating or anything like that, but I do hope it goes away. Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age and often produces a fishy odor. American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Other STIs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, dont usually have odors. If vaginal pH is elevated from . What Causes Cold Sweats and What Can You Do About It? Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Body odors in particular may be caused by an increase in skin oils or sweat coming into contact with dirt, bacteria or dried blood. Some people develop this disorder due to genetics, an underlying health condition, or while taking certain medications. Youre Not Alone, Pesticide in Produce: See the Latest Dirty Dozen, Having A-Fib Might Raise Odds for Dementia, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox. But if it starts to smell or you see discharge, it could be a sign of an infection or something stuck in your ear. The sweat produced by eccrine glands is mainly salt and other electrolytes. Some people recovering from COVID-19 report that foods taste rotten, metallic, or skunk-like, describing a condition called parosmia. The sweet smell comes from your . Apocrine glands are found in areas where you have hair, such as your armpits and groin. Causes of odor in sweat Prevention When to see a doctor Treatment Summary Sometimes sweat can smell like ammonia. If the change in body odor is subtle and isnt accompanied by worrisome symptoms, it may be due to hormone changes. It also offers tips for controlling body odor. Does she have any dental appliances in her mouth? Additional causes of smelling metal or something weird: 1 Nasal polyps (these are not cancer) 2 Migraine 3 Stroke When to see a doctor for metallic smell? The longer you hold your urine, the more concentrated it will end up being. If you somehow cut or scrape your bellybutton, it could get infected. 4 /13. Eccrine glands occur over most of your body and open directly onto the surface of the skin. The bacteria break down amino acids in sweat into propionic acid which has a structure similar to than of acetic acid in vinegar, hence the similarity in smell. For instance, an infected navel piercing might stink. But do get yourself checked out. If body odor is affecting your life, please give your doctor a call. They also release sweat when you're under stress. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com. A young woman recently went viral on TikTok for talking about her ongoing experience with parosmia, which started around ten months ago. If your skin develops an infection, either new or due to a preexisting condition, you may experience a sudden smell at the site of the infection. Recently, people have reported experiencing an intense metallic taste in their mouth after getting the COVID vaccine. Philipp J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Waking up with smelly breath is normal. Fruity or sweet-smelling pee. The doctor may recommend certain antibacterial cleansers or antiperspirants in addition to regular bathing and laundering clothes as well as any medical treatment if necessary. And if you have diabetes, its easier to get infections. You are probably wondering what body odor disease is responsible for that offending small that just wont go away. Women on their menstrual cycle might also get a metallic body odor. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Check out how to treat each of these infections: If you have the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis where you experience fruity-smelling breath, you should seek emergency medical treatment. Check out the best ways to manage diabetes with medications, alternative treatments, or natural remedies. Trimethylaminuria is attributed to a lack of an enzyme called flavin which then makes the body unable to metabolize sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen. Liver and kidney diseases can also cause body odor. To avoid any dangers, monitor food expiration dates and ensure that smoke and natural gas detectors are functioning properly. BAM! Ketones build up to dangerous levels in the body and are secreted into the blood and urine. So, it's not the bacteria that stink. This comprehensive limitation of liability applies to any kind of damage including (without limitation) compensatory, direct, indirect or consequential, loss of data, income or profit, loss of or damage to property and claims of third parties. Why do I smell iron? Dehydration. It also provides patients with great pleasure. See a doctor if: Sweating and body odor are caused by sweat glands in your body. If you have a vitamin deficiency, a doctor can find out with a simple blood test. For instance, scurvy vitamin C deficiency can cause sweat to smell putrid. Ketosis is the principle behind various weight loss diets in a category known as ketogenic diets e.g. She gets teased for her smell all the time and we have tried everything to fix it. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying and other information you provide via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. The giardia parasite, typically found in untreated water and food, causes it. Conventional wisdom suggests that perspiration is the cause of body odor. Perspiration is the body's way of cooling off; a pea-sized bead of sweat can cool about one quart of blood by one degree Fahrenheit. Dont stop taking any medication until youve spoken with a doctor. Therefore, what foods you eat can influence how you smell. If your hyperhidrosis is secondary to an underlying condition, treating that condition should help your symptoms. Most body odor can be managed with proper hygiene. The condition can also be caused by inflamed sinuses, temporal lobe seizures, Parkinsons disease and brain tumors, plus even an upper respiratory tract infection. 2. Exposure to heat, physical activity and emotional stress can all prompt the body to activate its internal cooling system - perspiration. Mitro S, et al. The smell will go away once the food is metabolized, unless its eaten daily. Head trauma can affect the olfactory nerves and they can re-innervate improperly, affecting smell, says Dr. Silvers. Blood is the first one since it rich in iron and can cause a metallic smell when present anywhere on the body. 1. Managing diabetes is all about adequately managing your blood glucose level. 2021;36(1):37-40. doi:10.32412/pjohns.v36i1.1655. It's only then that body odor becomes an issue. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018). Accessed July 6, 2016. Scary Symptoms does not make any representation regarding the accuracy of any information contained in those advertisements or sites, and does not accept any responsibility or liability for the content of those advertisements and sites and the offerings made by the third parties. 2014;23(5):316-7. doi:10.1111/exd.12380. An antibacterial soap also often helps and so does deodorants and antiperspirant. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/. Treating body odor in primary care. Hair holds sweat and makes a good home for bacteria. The odor can be just about anything thats disagreeable, from rotting meat or cheese to fish, something burning or something chemical. Many people who develop this condition experience stress, especially if the excess sweating affects their self-esteem or confidence. Personal Hygiene Poor personal hygiene can cause an overgrowth bacteria and encourage smelly sweat. These individuals describe a condition called parosmia where odors become distorted. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish. Interestingly, parosmia can be a sign of a recovering sense of smell, Schamess said. Onion. Its other symptoms are similar to those of a yeast infection. (2011). Some foods that may cause smelly gas include: If you have a food intolerance or sensitivity, the foods youre sensitive to can also cause extra gas. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency. DOI: Shirasu M, et al. Hyperhidrosis is often diagnosed in people with mental health conditions, such as social anxiety, which may influence its onset. Parosmia is a change in the normal perception of odors, usually taking pleasant smells and turning them into foul ones, R. Peter Manes, MD, FACS, Yale Medicine rhinologist and associate professor of surgery at the Yale School of Medicine, told Verywell. A 2021 study found that almost half of the survey participants who had parosmia and a confirmed case of COVID-19 recovered their sense of smell in about three months. Holding Urine for Too Long. Anatomy, Skin Sweat Glands. Normal odors may even suddenly smell rotten, metallic, or skunk-like. Good luck! This sweat is high in fats and other compounds that smell when broken down by bacteria. If youre uncircumcised, dead skin cells and fluids can build up in your foreskin. Armpits smell due to a fluid produced by the apocrine glands. Interestingly, people who live with hyperhidrosis (a condition known for excessive sweating) usually do not have worsened body odor, meaning the amount of sweat does not always dictate armpit smell. In: StatPearls [Internet]. For others, problems with smell can rob them of the pleasure of cooking and eating. "The mineral magnesium helps in 'deodorizing' our internal organs and also helps with our body odor," says cardiologist Robert Segal, MD, co-founder of LabFinder. Sometimes such smells can be caused by certain medications or handling or wearing metallic objects. Goldsmith LA, et al., eds. DOI: Havlicek J, et al. There are some case studies that looked at the efficacy of smell training for olfactory dysfunction, but its difficult to make a concrete deduction since most people normally recover their sense of smell over time. Soap, laundry detergent, makeup, lotions and other products can also create pungent smells. International Hyperhidrosis Society. 2021;11(10):1497-1500. doi:10.1002/alr.22818, Villar PMAC, Chua RU, Robles RP. Other research suggested that high meat consumption may have a negative effect on body odor, compared to a plant-based diet. Raad N, Ghorbani J, Safavi Naeini A, Tajik N, Karimi-Galougahi M. Parosmia in patients with COVID-19 and olfactory dysfunction. If you're otherwise healthy, the cause for that metallic tang typically is benign. The body odor is usually associated with Trimethylaminuria is usually attributed to Trimethylamine which is produced during break down of foods rich in choline such as liver and egg yolks, saltwater fish and certain legumes. Hamada K, Haruyama S, Yamaguchi T, et al. Your email address will not be published. You can prevent body odor with lifestyle changes like daily showering and choosing the right underarm product. The 15 Best Clinical Strength Deodorants and Antiperspirants of 2023, Tested and Reviewed, Hidradenitis Suppurativa (Acne Inversa) Overview, Vaginal Itching But No Discharge: Causes, Treatment, and More, Microbial odor profile of polyester and cotton clothes after a fitness session, Treatment of axillary bromhidrosis in adolescents by combining electrocauterization with ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin type A injection, Anti-bacterial soap or body wash like Dial. No matter the location, the odor can vary. Use soap or shower gel and lather up thoroughly. The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. They're also common when you're feeling nervous, anxious or stressed. As smell receptors in the nose come back online, recovery of individual receptor types is uneven. Soap, laundry detergent, makeup, lotions and other products can also create pungent smells. Learn about common causes and how to get rid of smelly farts. Metallic. So can metabolic disorders, diabetic ketoacidosis (a complication of diabetes), and gastrointestinal-bladder fistulas. Cleveland Clinic. Ketoacidosis is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Body odor also depends on the type of sweat gland. The two main types of sweat glands are eccrine glands and apocrine glands. 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