Smell of sweat, urine or bad breath: Unpleasant body odors can be signs of illness.
For some, you should see a doctor.
Everyone has their own unique body odor.
This plays an important role, for example, when it comes to partnerships or friendships.
According to a study, close friends have similar body odors.
This is influenced by various factors such as diet, deodorants or perfumes used, personal hygiene and genes.
But various diseases can also have a negative effect on your own body odor and lead to bad or unpleasant-smelling vapors.
You can check for yourself with a few tricks whether you stink.
You can find out here which diseases can cause certain odors.
Body odor: Five odors that can indicate illness
+
Intense sweat odor can be triggered by fever or heavy sweating.
However, a thyroid disease can also be behind it.
© K. Neudert/IMAGO
If the breath suddenly smells bad or the smell of sweat changes significantly, then diseases can be behind it.
Even if other parts of the body have a severe note, those affected should investigate the causes and possibly have them examined by a doctor.
It is not uncommon for certain diseases to be the trigger.
Body odor - 1. Bad breath: Inflammation of the gums can be the cause
Bad breath is usually harmless.
Garlic, onions and intense spices in meals often lead to bad breath.
Often it is also because you have simply drunk or eaten too little.
Coatings on the tongue can also be to blame.
These can be removed with the help of a tongue scraper, which means that the bad breath usually disappears automatically.
However, if it persists despite oral hygiene, not using certain spices or drinking enough fluids, it could be caused by gingivitis.
In the worst case, periodontitis can lead to tooth loss.
Another indication of excessive bacterial colonization can also be foul-smelling dental floss or bleeding in the gums when using it.
You can find even more exciting health topics in our free newsletter, which you can subscribe to right here.
Body odor – 2. Intense sweat odor: Thyroid disease as a possible trigger
An acrid smell of sweat can be an indication that something is wrong with your thyroid.
An overactive thyroid stimulates sweat production.
It is also shown by other symptoms such as weight loss, sleep disorders or concentration problems.
In addition, of course, fever also leads to increased sweating and can therefore be the cause of an intense smell of sweat.
Hyperhidrosis also leads to severe sweating on the hands, feet and head.
This often makes the body smell more intense.
Body odor – 3. Urine and acetone smell: A warning sign not only for diabetics
An acetone smell from the mouth is reminiscent of overripe, rotten apples and can also come from the stomach.
The cause can be, for example, an inflammation of the gastric mucosa, also known as gastritis.
But food allergies (e.g. celiac disease) or heartburn (reflux disease) can also trigger the unpleasant smell.
In diabetics, an acetone smell usually indicates extreme hyperglycaemia, which in turn can lead to a metabolic imbalance.
Accompanying symptoms can be extreme thirst, nausea, exhaustion, dizziness and impaired consciousness.
In such cases, patients are at risk of falling into a diabetic coma.
Therefore, these signs should be taken seriously.
However, both the body and the breath can also smell of urine or ammonia.
Here, too, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible, since kidney failure can be the trigger.
The function of the kidneys is disturbed and they can no longer fulfill their task adequately, so that various metabolic products can no longer be broken down.
As a result, the kidneys produce less urine, edema (water retention) forms in the body and substances that have to be excreted in the urine, such as urea, uric acid or creatinine, get into the blood.
This poisoning of the blood is also called uremia.
Body odor - 4. Pungent odor in the intimate area: indication of fungal infections or cystitis
A pungent odor can also suddenly appear in the intimate area.
Colonization with bacteria and inflammation, for example, create a fishy smell.
The smell in the intimate area also changes with sexually transmitted diseases and fungal infections.
Then there can also be itching in the intimate area, discharge as well as redness and burning.
In addition, however, a bladder infection is also a possible cause of an intense smell of urine.
If you have symptoms, you should therefore consult a gynecologist or urologist.
Body odor - 5. Unpleasant smells in babies: Parents should "sniff" carefully
In babies, smells can also indicate illnesses.
Therefore, the parents are asked here, who should trust their nose.
For example, an unpleasant smell from the ears of newborns can be a sign of a bacterial ear infection.
A urinary tract infection can also be present if there is an unpleasant smell in the diaper.
If you, as a parent, notice unusual body odors in your baby, you should consult a pediatrician.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.
List of rubrics: © K.Neudert/IMAGO