Worried About Body Odor? Here’s What You Need to Know

Have you been worried about body odor for quite some time now? Don't worry because you are not alone! One study reveals that for 98 percent of the entire world, the everyday combat against smelly armpits is real.

You might be wondering what happened to the other two percent. The same study found the remaining part of the world has "odor-free pits."

In spite of having a gene that blocks bad-smelling underarm though, most of these people from the two percent still get up every morning and roll-on or spray some deodorant.

Certainly, it's not every time that the body odor comes from the underarm. And if breath mints and body spray are any signs, experts say, they are not too keen on anybody odor type.

Nonetheless, they continue, body odor or BO is not all bad. First, according to the research Journal of Psychological Science published, it can provide actionable hints as to one's state of health. Researchers have long linked certain illnesses and conditions with distinctive body odors.

According to Tsiporra Shainhouse, Beverly-Hill-based dermatologist, it makes sense when we consider body odor as a result of the chemicals in our sweat glands that interact with bacteria on our skin.

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Sign of Thyroid

The thyroid is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland found in the front of the neck. It may be small, but it is powerful, and it produces hormones helping regulate the metabolic functions of the body, which include how fast the energy is burned.

Meanwhile, according to Brenda Swanson-Biearman, a Duquesne University's School of Health Science nursing practice and assistant processor, if this tiny gland yields too much of the hormones, a condition called "hyperthyroidism," the heart rate, respiration, and digestion can go faster.

Consequently, the body temperature can become high and can result in increased sweating. The more a person sweats, the more his sweat glands interact with the microbes on his skin, leading to body odor.

Certainly, Dr. Swanson-Biearman said, increased BO is just one of hyperthyroidism symptoms, not to mention, a "refined one at that.

Nonetheless, if you've observed such a symptom along with increased sweating, sensitivity to heat, and a strangely rapid heartbeat, it is worthy of checking in with your doctor, specifically, if these symptoms manifest with swelling at the neck's base, which can indicate inflammation in the thyroid.

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Change in Testosterone Levels

For both males and females regardless of age, any change in body odor can be an indication of hormonal changes, said family practitioner Katherine Boling, from the Mercy Medical Center's Personal Physician Site in Lutherville, Maryland.

Say you're a male, and you notice your body odor has turned less pronounced. It could be an indication that his testosterone levels are declining.

Nevertheless, the expert said, never is this phenomenon more noticeable than in "tween-aged boys" When a boy in this age range suddenly starts arising a brand-new and uniquely not-sweet odor, specifically from his armpits, it is safe to presume, puberty has started.

Not only that. Because this is only the beginning, a boy's hormone levels, and specifically testosterone, rise evidently throughout the puberty stage, explained by Dr. Boling.

Testosterone causes the sweat glands to yield not just sweat but also oils that interact with bacteria on the skin.

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