Body odor facts

• Perspiration is generally odorless, though it has often been blamed for body odor.
• Body odor is the smell of bacteria growing on the body.
• The condition can be known medically as bromhidrosis, apocrine bromhidrosis, bromidrosis, osmidrosis, ozochrotia, fetid sweat, body smell or malodorous sweating.
• Body odor can smell pleasant and specific to the individual and can be used to identify people, though this is more often done by dogs and other animals than by humans.
• Some of the common reasons for having body odor are improper hygiene.
• Most deodorants only mask the smell, and antiperspirants block the sweat glands, thereby interfering with the body's cooling mechanism.
• Although body odor is commonly associated with hygiene practices, its presentation can be affected by changes in diet.
• To help prevent body odor, a person should eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.
• Females detect body odors better than males.
• One of the biggest causes of body odor is genetics.
• A rare genetic disorder called trimethylaminuria, causes individuals to produce a fish-like odor, not only on their breath, but also in their sweat and urine.