Have you ever noticed your sweat having an odd soup-like aroma? This surprising body odor can be bewildering and embarrassing. But what causes sweat to smell like chicken noodle soup?
What Causes Sweat To Smell?
Sweat itself is odorless. It’s the bacteria on your skin that causes sweat to smell. Sweat provides a moist, protein-rich environment that allows bacteria to thrive and produce pungent odors as they metabolize and multiply.
The main culprit behind smelly sweat is a bacteria called Staphylococcus hominis This microbe feeds on the amino acids in sweat, releasing thioalcohols — sulfur compounds that give sweat its characteristic odor
Certain foods health conditions and medications can affect the smell of your sweat by changing the chemical composition of the sweat or the types of bacteria on your skin.
Why Might Sweat Smell Like Soup?
A soup-like or brothy sweat smell is likely caused by isovaleric acid. This smelly substance can also make foot odor smell like cheese.
Isovaleric acid is produced when Staphylococcus hominis bacteria feed on certain amino acids and proteins. These include:
- Leucine – Found in soy, chicken, beef, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds
- Isoleucine – Found in soy, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, lentils, beans
- Valine – Found in soy, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, mushrooms
Eating large amounts of these amino-acid containing foods can provide more “fuel” for isovaleric acid-producing bacteria. If you notice a chicken soup smell after eating a high protein meal, this is likely the cause.
Other factors that can increase isovaleric acid production include:
- High stress levels – Stress sweat contains more nutrients for odor-causing bacteria
- Hot weather – Sweating more leads to more bacterial growth
- Puberty – Hormonal changes increase sweat production
- Menopause – Declining estrogen reduces body odor control
Other Causes of Soup-Scented Sweat
While isovaleric acid is the most likely culprit, a few other factors could also contribute to sweat that smells like chicken noodle soup:
Metabolic disorders – Conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, and liver disease can cause the body to excrete waste products through sweat that have a yeasty or brothy smell.
Spices and herbs – Foods like garlic, curry, and fenugreek can make their way into sweat and bodily secretions, releasing asoup-like aroma.
Products applied to the skin – Lotions, soaps, and deodorants containing soup-inspired fragrances can mingle with your body’s natural odors.
Infections – Bacterial and fungal infections, especially in moist folds of the body, can produce a stewed odor in sweat. Yeast infections are a common example.
Genetics – A small percentage of people have genetic conditions that affect body odor. For example, the rare metabolic disorder trimethylaminuria causes sweat to smell like rotting fish, eggs, or garbage.
Managing Soup-Scented Sweat
While not usually a serious medical concern, having sweat that smells like chicken noodle soup can be awkward and frustrating. Here are some tips to help reduce that savory scent:
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Avoid problem foods – Cut back on soy, eggs, chicken, fish, and other high protein foods that contain odor-causing amino acids.
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Use antibacterial products – Look for antiperspirants and cleansers containing antibacterial ingredients like triclosan.
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Apply acids – Wipe problem areas with gentle acids like salicylic acid to inhibit bacteria growth.
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Try probiotics – Eating probiotic foods can balance your skin’s bacteria and reduce odor.
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Freshen up – Change clothes, shower, apply deodorant, and use unscented baby wipes to remove odor-causing bacteria after sweating heavily.
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See a doctor – If no measures help the smell, see your doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
While having soup-scented sweat can be unsettling, in most cases it is just an annoying quirk and not indicative of any serious health issues. Pay attention to lifestyle factors like your diet, hygiene, and stress levels, and take steps to keep odor-causing bacteria in check. With some experimentation, you should be able to bid farewell to sweat that smells like chicken noodle soup.
Medical Treatments for Severe Cases
If lifestyle changes and over-the-counter solutions aren’t enough to control bromhidrosis, medical treatments can offer long-term relief. These options target either sweat production (to reduce the source of odor) or bacteria (to prevent sweat from breaking down into smelly compounds).
- Topical or oral antibiotics: Topical antibiotics work by destroying odor-causing bacteria on the skin before they have a chance to break down and release a foul stench. Two common topical antibiotics for bromhidrosis are clindamycin and erythromycin. Oral antibiotics are used in more severe cases where topical solutions aren’t effective.
- Laser and microwave therapy: For those who want a more long-term solution, laser and microwave treatments work by permanently disabling sweat glands in targeted areas.
- Surgery (last-resort option): For extreme cases of bromhidrosis that don’t respond to any other treatments, surgical options may be considered: Liposuction or curettage of sweat glands or sympathectomy (nerve-cutting surgery). Both are highly invasive and could result in very serious long-term side effects. Dont explore this option until youve exhausted all other non-invasive treatment methods.
Common Signs & Symptoms of Bromhidrosis
If you’re wondering why you smell like onions or cheese, there’s a good chance you have bromhidrosis. Most of the time, you can detect bromhidrosis from its distinct scent. Common symptoms of this condition include:
- Constant (but not overpowering) B.O.
- B.O. within 30 minutes of showering or bathing
- A cheese or meat-like smell coming from your underarms or groin
- A garlic or onion-like smell coming from your breasts, underarms or groin
- Social anxiety due to B.O.
Doctors can diagnose bromhidrosis by swabbing and testing the bacteria on your skin.
Excessive amounts of Corynebacterium, Propionibacterium, Staphylococcus and Micrococcus usually indicate chronic B.O. Staphylococcus is typically the strongest-smelling bacteria.
Being able to spot the signs of bromhidrosis is a helpful first step in overcoming chronic B.O. But to solve the problem, you also need to understand the underlying cause of your condition.
Bromhidrosis, whether caused by the apocrine or eccrine glands, is marked by a few distinct signs and symptoms that make it easy to identify. While B.O. is something most people experience from time to time, bromhidrosis refers to a persistent, often stronger-than-usual odor that doesn’t go away easily. Here’s what to look out for:
The most noticeable symptom of bromhidrosis is a strong, persistent B.O. that doesn’t improve with regular hygiene practices like showering and using deodorant. This odor is often described as musky, sour, or even ammonia-like, depending on the type of bromhidrosis (apocrine or eccrine).
DERMATOLOGISTS ELIMINATE BODY ODOR
FAQ
Why do armpits smell like chicken soup?
Diet: What a person eats can significantly impact their body odor. Foods rich in certain compounds, such as garlic, onions, or spices, can alter the scent of sweat. A diet that includes chicken or soup ingredients might contribute to an odor resembling chicken noodle soup.
Why do I smell like chicken broth down there?
People with lupus often notice unusual urine smells like chicken broth, ammonia, or fruity odors. Your urine’s smell can indicate important health concerns, as lupus nephritis affects nearly half of adults with lupus and can damage the kidneys’ ability to filter waste properly.
Why does down there smell like chicken soup?
A sulfury, chicken-like odor is also linked to sweat’s interaction with skin bacteria. This may be more noticeable after sex because you’ve just got hot and sweaty.
Why does my sweat smell like stew?
The foods you eat can change what you smell like when you sweat. Foods like garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, red meat and alcohol may affect the smell of body odor. So can medications and supplements you take.
Why do foods smell like sweat?
Sweat can take on the odors of the foods you consume, primarily due to the volatiles released during digestion. When you eat foods with strong aromas, such as garlic or onions, compounds can be absorbed into your bloodstream. As your body metabolizes these foods, byproducts can be released through your sweat glands, leading to a distinct smell.
Why does my body smell like sweat?
Body odor is related to secretions from your sweat glands. When sweat is released from your glands, it’s colorless and odorless. But when bacteria on your body break down dried sweat, a strong smell can result. Bromhidrosis is foul-smelling body odor related to your sweat. Perspiration itself actually has no odor.
Is it normal for sweat to smell like food?
Yes, it is quite normal for sweat to sometimes carry the scent of the food you consume. The body processes various foods differently, and some will leave a stronger imprint in your sweat than others. Foods such as garlic, curry, and spices can significantly impact your body odor due to their strong-smelling compounds.
What foods affect sweat smell?
Here are a few examples of common foods that can influence sweat aroma: Both garlic and onions contain compounds known as sulfides. When metabolized, these compounds can produce strong-smelling substances that make their way to your sweat. This can result in an intense, pungent odor.
Why does my sweat smell like red meat?
Eating a lot of red meat can also impact the smell of your sweat. The high protein content requires extensive metabolic processing. By-products of this breakdown may be released through sweat, leading to a more distinct and sometimes musky odor. Another factor that can influence how your sweat smells is your hydration levels.
Why does my sweat smell like garlic or onions?
So, if you think your sweat smells like garlic or onions, that curry dish you ordered last night might be the answer. Some people also have bacteria hanging out in their pits that might make their sweat smell like fresh onion, according to January 2015 research in Microbiome .