What does sweat smell like

Antifungal creams or powders can also help a person reduce their risk of fungal infections. If a person notices they sweat more with stress, they can try evaluating the sources of stress in their life. If they are able to reduce their stress levels, they may sweat less and reduce any odors that were occurring because of their stress.

A person whose sweat smells like ammonia should look out for symptoms of an underlying condition. If their urine has a strong ammonia smell, this may be a sign of diabetes. If a person notices blood in their urine, or that their urine is foamy, this may be a sign of kidney disease.

Fungal infections may cause rashes, sores, or blisters. A person should contact a doctor if they think they may have a fungal skin infection. To help control body odor, the International Hyperhidrosis Society recommends :. A person can also contact a doctor to discuss the following medical treatments:. Microwave thermolysis is a treatment that uses microwave energy to stop the sweat glands from working properly. A study found that microwave thermolysis was an effective treatment for sweat that produced odors.

The U. Botox can be an effective treatment for hyperhidrosis as it blocks the chemical that signals for the sweat glands to produce sweat. Botox injections can be effective in stopping underarm sweating for months, and possibly up to 14 months. The International Hyperhidrosis Society recommends antiperspirants to help control excessive sweating and body odor. Prescription antiperspirants may contain higher amounts of active ingredients than over-the-counter antiperspirants.

These active ingredients can include metallic salts such as aluminum chloride hexahydrate. Prescription antiperspirants are most effective when people apply them both at night and in the morning. A person can use antibiotics to treat underlying conditions that cause sweat to smell like ammonia, such as trichomycosis.

Diet, exercise, and bacterial infections may all alter body odor. A person living with a health condition such as diabetes or kidney disease may also have sweat that smells like ammonia. A person can try antiperspirants to reduce the amount they sweat, and deodorants to cover up any odors. A doctor can treat any underlying health conditions to help reduce the ammonia smell in sweat. A look at urine that smells like ammonia, which can have many causes. Included is detail on when to see a doctor and treatments for the condition.

Most people will have bad breath at least once in their life, but it is unusual for breath to smell like urine. Possible causes range from nasal…. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that involves excessive sweating. It may affect the whole body or just specific areas. Although it might be embarrassing…. Excessive sweating of the head and face could be due to hyperhidrosis or craniofacial hyperhidrosis.

Learn more. People sweat due to heat, stress, and a range of other causes. One area of the body that commonly becomes sweaty is the feet. Several techniques can…. Why does my sweat smell like ammonia? Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. What is sweat? What is ammonia? Causes of odor in sweat Prevention When to see a doctor Treatment Summary Not all types of sweat have an odor. Causes of odor in sweat.

When to see a doctor. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Kidney disease Kidney disease can alter the odor of your body. Kidneys eliminate urea from the body. Improper working of the kidney can cause urea to enter the bloodstream. High amounts of urea in the body are released through sweat, causing a bad odor. Diabetes Diabetes can lead to a complication called diabetic ketoacidosis. This occurs when your body starts burning fat for energy due to insufficient insulin to consume glucose present in the cells.

Fat burning for energy produces ketones. A type of ketone called acetone can make your breath smell fruity or lead to ammonia-like sweat. Hyperhidrosis If your sweat smells like ammonia, the reason could be hyperhidrosis. This condition can cause your eccrine glands to sweat excessively. Around 15 million of the US population has hyperhidrosis.

In kidney disease, the kidneys may not be able to break down urea, which the body excretes through urine or sweat. This can have a vinegar-like smell. Diabetes is a condition that causes high blood sugar levels. If a person does not control their diabetes, they can enter diabetic ketoacidosis. This is when the body burns fat too quickly for energy if the cells cannot get enough glucose to use. When the body burns fat, it produces ketones, which make the blood more acidic. Metabolites such as acetone are also released into the sweat, which can smell like vinegar.

Trichomycosis , also called trichobacteriosis or trichomycosis axillaris, is a bacterial infection in underarm hair or other areas caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium.

In rarer cases, trichomycosis can affect the pubic hair. A person may have yellow, black, or red nodules that stick to the hairs under the arms or around the genitals and buttocks. The study found that A person with hyperhidrosis will sweat excessively from the eccrine glands. There are two types of hyperhidrosis , primary focal hyperhidrosis and secondary hyperhidrosis. Primary focal hyperhidrosis does not start from another health condition or medication. Focal means that the sweating affects multiple areas of the body.

This can include the underarms, hands, feet, and forehead. Trimethylaminuria is a rare condition. A person with trimethylaminuria may notice their sweat has an unpleasant smell.

This is because the body is unable to break down the chemical trimethylamine, which has a fish-like scent. The body uses energy to digest food. This can increase body temperature, which may trigger sweating. A study found that the body uses more energy when digesting animal protein, such as pork, than plant proteins, such as soy.

This may suggest that eating meat may make a person sweat more, which may produce body odors. Additionally, a small study found that eating red meat had a negative effect on body odor, with participants rating the body odor of meat eaters as less attractive than those who ate a plant-based diet for two weeks.

A person may experience body odor after consuming dairy if they have a metabolic disorder. If the body cannot break down trimethylamine, sweat can smell like fish or vinegar. When a person eats garlic, cumin, or curry, the body produces sulfur-like compounds that can react with sweat and create odor.

Stress can cause body temperature to rise, which can activate the sweat glands. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society , the apocrine glands produce the most stress-induced sweat.

Sweat from the apocrine glands has a stronger smell than from the eccrine glands, and so a person may notice their sweat smells stronger if they are stressed. As hormones change during puberty, menopause, pregnancy, menstruation, and older age, sweat can smell different. This is because hormones can make a person sweat more. For instance, decreasing estrogen levels during menopause may increase body temperature, which can cause sweating.