Kenneth Gardner

Dear Mr. Gardner,

I have a concern and I hope you can give me some advice. I work out three times a week and I sweat profusely. When this happens I have a really bad body odour. This is really embarrassing and I feel very uncomfortable when people come around me at the gym. Can you tell me what to do and how I can prevent this from occurring ?

- Tamara

Dear Tamara,

Bad body odour is a common problem affecting many people. As you mentioned, this can be one of the unpleasant aspects exercising.

Body odour is caused by the action of bacteria decomposing sweat. Sweat is produced by our sweat glands. Our sweat glands can be activated by an increase in the environmental temperature. An increase in our body temperature, such as what happens when we exercise, will also cause us to sweat. Sweat of itself does not smell, however, the longer it stays on the skin, the more the likelihood that bacteria will act on it, resulting in an odour.

There are other glands in our body that secrete oil-like substances as well as hormones that can contribute to the body odour. The oils that are secreted by other glands can similarly be acted on by bacteria and cause the production of embarrassing odours.

Sweating is a very healthy and desirable body function, even though many of us try to prevent it. Some people are not satisfied if their exercise workout does not cause them to sweat as they use sweating to assess the effectiveness of an exercise session. However, if we are bothered by excessive sweating and the associated discomfort of bad odours the problem can be managed quite successfully.

Managing your body odour

The outfit that is worn while exercising can influence body odour. Loose-fitting, light clothing, made of natural fabrics such as cotton, will allow for free air circulation and the evaporation of sweat. Cotton material will also help in the absorption of sweat and reducing the action of bacteria.

Properly washing and drying your clothes will also help to minimise the action of bacteria. If it is convenient for you to shower after exercising, this will also eliminate the problem. The use of antiseptic soaps are ideal.

Hair traps sweat

Our sweat glands are basically located in the vicinity of the hair on our body. When we sweat, the hair traps the sweat which then becomes a fertile environment for the breeding of bacteria and body odour. Some persons shave the hair in areas such as the armpit to manage their body odour more efficiently. The armpit and pubic region are the main areas of focus in relation to body odour, as these areas are covered. When you sweat these areas remain moist for a longer time which encourages bacterial activity.

Our shoes and socks also retain sweat that will cause a bad odour. The use of cotton socks and footwear that have air holes will help to keep our feet dry. Where necessary powder or cornstarch can be used to keep the feet dry and reduce odours. When we drink adequate quantities of fluid we can control our temperature and reduce sweating.

The foods that we eat can also contribute to the odour that our sweat produces. Spices such as onion, garlic and hot peppers contribute to the potency of the odour of your sweat. Liquids such as citrus fruits juices, coconut water and melon can be quite useful for re-hydration during exercise. These can help to reduce the odour of your sweat.

Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at the G. C. Foster College of Physical Education: email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.