A drop in oestrogen levels in the menopause can leave some women with relatively more male hormone (testosterone). This can cause them to have more bacteria in their sweat, and that sweat may smell more. It's also why acne and skin changes can become an issue in the menopause.
Estrogen and progesterone levels fall relative to your testosterone, while cortisol tends to increase. Higher levels of both testosterone and cortisol have been linked to stronger body odor.
The menopausal drop in estrogen also leaves our bodies with relatively higher levels of testosterone — produced by our ovaries in small amounts — than before. This can attract more bacteria to sweat, making it smell funkier.
Hormone imbalances and body odor often go together. Dips in estrogen can trigger hot flashes and night sweats, meaning you simply sweat more, which in turn can result in more odor.
A heightened sense of smell is a very common early pregnancy symptom, most likely due to elevated progesterone levels. Less common reasons for a heightened sense of smell include anxiety, or where a woman is in her cycle, as some studies suggest that around the time of ovulation, women have a heightened sense of smell.
Yep, the way your body odor can definitely be affected by your fluctuating hormones around your period. Both your estrogen and progesterone are affected, making you not only more sensitive to your own smell, but also giving off varying levels of odor during your cycle.
Since estrogen and progesterone protect the olfactory function, changes in their levels in particular physiological states in women (in pregnancy and posmenopause) exert an influence on the ability to feel and recognize smells.
Your vagina changes as you age. After menopause, you may experience noticeable changes in smell, among other things. There can be many causes for a change in vaginal smell. This change can be confusing and embarrassing to talk about, but it's common among postmenopausal women.
If you're concerned about sweating and body odor, the solution may be simple: an antiperspirant or deodorant. Antiperspirant. Antiperspirants contain aluminium-based compounds that temporarily block sweat pores, thereby reducing the amount of sweat that reaches your skin.
The two B-vitamins that might have some connection to body odor are vitamin B-1 (thiamin) and the B vitamin choline, Jasonides tells Lucy. If taken in mega doses, thiamin is excreted not only in urine, but also through the skin, and this changes body odor.
Hormonal Changes
Body odor might vary according to a change in hormones. In women, hormone levels change throughout the menstrual cycle, throughout pregnancy, during postpartum, or as a result of using medication with hormonal side effects.
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) - This vitamin helps with olfactory dysfunction and thus helps with complete or partial loss of body odor.
Foods such as garlic, onions, cumin, and curry can also cause changes in body odor. The sulfur-like compounds that the body releases as it breaks down these foods can react with the sweat on the skin, producing body odor that may be different than a person's natural scent.
Do not be alarmed. This is perfectly natural, even if it “stinks.” When the sweat from your glands meets the bacteria on your skin, it breaks down into products called thioalcohols. The thioalcohols give off a strong, often sulfurous scent that can also be comparable to onions or meat.
ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA
In addition to bacteria, oftentimes there is deodorant residue and other impurities that are trapped in the underarm pores and within the hair if you have armpit hair.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
When estrogen is too high or too low you may get menstrual cycle changes, dry skin, hot flashes, trouble sleeping, night sweats, vaginal thinning and dryness, low sex drive, mood swings, weight gain, PMS, breast lumps, fatigue, depression and anxiety.
Signs and symptoms of high estrogen levels in women may include [1,4,6,7]: A decrease in sex drive. Weight gain around the waist and hips. Unpredictable, light, or heavy menstrual periods.
Occasionally, an overactive thyroid can also cause body odor. This is because the patient tends to sweat excessively due to the hyper-functioning thyroid gland. This condition can also be ruled out by physical examination and blood studies.
A blood test is one of the most common ways to test hormone levels. This test can detect testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, and thyroid levels. You should order a test that's specific to your gender, as a women's hormone test will look for different levels of sex hormones than a men's test.