Is it you they’re talking about?

Once, I was introduced to a very good-looking person whose features were so perfectly symmetrical.  His was a computer-generated-like face that would make a woman’s heart skip a beat.  But as I got near him, I smelled something so foul it could only be described as coming from a gangrenous limb (stench from a part of the body that is dying).  As a result, despite his overly handsome appearance, one’s sexual alchemy with such perfection would definitely turn sour.  So, although physical attractiveness may be reduced to a very specific geo-facial algorithm reflecting genetic value, we still live in an odorous world where pretty faces aren’t always paired with pretty smells.

The human nose contains about 400 different odor receptors.  Together, they can detect more than 10,000 different scents.  The human body, on the other hand, produces a variety of volatile chemical substances that stimulate this sense of smell.  While most of these body odors are considered socially unpleasant, there are a few that are considered benign and some that are believed to serve as attractants.

Living with body odor can be extremely uncomfortable, embarrassing, and frustrating to deal with.  And odors that are considered to be most noxious are produced in parts of the body such as the intestinal tract, mouth, feet, groin, genitals, pubic hair, and armpit. 

Body odor is a perceived unpleasant smell our bodies give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids.  Some say it is the smell of bacteria growing on the body. Body odor usually becomes evident if measures are not taken when a person reaches puberty, that is 14 to 16 years old  in females and 15 to 17 years old in males.  People who are obese, those who regularly eat spicy foods, as well as individuals with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, are more susceptible to having body odor.  People who sweat too much are also susceptible; however, if the salt level of their sweat is too high for the bacteria to break down, body odor does not occur.  Sweat is virtually odorless; it is the rapid multiplication of bacteria in the presence of sweat and what they do (break sweat down into acids) that eventually cause the unpleasant smell.

 Causes of body odor include:

• Physiological or normal — may be due to the following:

1) Strenuous exercises or starvation which tends to produce ketone breath due to the mobilization of protein and protein metabolism or may be secondary to intake of aromatic or spicy food which increases body metabolism.

2) Intestinal tract gas, known as flatus, is a normal product of digestion.  Flatus is generated when bacteria that reside in the gut process the carbohydrates in food that cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes, or from swallowing gas-containing substances such as carbonated beverages or excessive amount of air.  The nature of its odor depends on the types of bacteria that colonize the intestine as well as the types of food that are consumed.

3) Dietary imbalances, resulting in constipation or a deficiency of magnesium or zinc may also cause body odor.  Because of different body chemistries, some people who eat large quantities of meat or who are vegetarians have a very distinctive body odor, which can be quite offensive.  Some individuals cannot metabolize food containing large amounts of choline, such as egg, fish, liver, and legumes, resulting in a fishy smell.  If you are one of these people, cut down on these products and see if this improves your odor.

• Bad breath may be caused by excess bacteria growing on or between teeth that may lead to tooth decay, gum or gingival disease.  In 80 to 90 percent of cases, something in the mouth, such as plaque (an almost invisible film of bacteria) and cavities, can cause bad breath.  A dry mouth also causes an offensive smell.  While saliva’s natural antibacterial action cleans the mouth and washes away food particles, it is its reduced flow at night that causes the “morning breath.”  Smoking and chewing tobacco could also cause halitosis.

• Odor can also be caused by something in the lungs or gastrointestinal tract.  When certain food substances, such as alcohol, onions, garlic, protein-rich or spicy foods, are consumed, their digestive by-products are carried through the bloodstream and exhaled by the lungs — a characteristic odor on the breath can linger on for many hours.

• Pathological causes (internal organ diseases):

1) Diabetic coma – fruity odor.

2) Lung cancer or any other cancer cells release certain chemicals after they start developing and researchers often refer to this as the scent trail.  These changes can be detected and even used as a diagnostic tool to detect the presence of cancer.

3) Renal failure — ammoniac, fetid, fishy odor due to metabolites usually found in urine.

4) Liver failure or severe jaundice — breath of death.

5) Hormonal changes (thyroid, adrenal and ovary problems) — odor of decay.

6) Fish Odor Syndrome (trimethylaminuria).

7) Nervous disorders (Parkinson’s disease, sympathetic or nerve affection, paralysis).

8) Metabolic and hereditary diseases — in children, especially, a variety of genetic and metabolic diseases like aminoaciduria (presence of amino acids in the urine). Increased total urine amino acids may result from metabolic disorders, chronic liver disease or renal disorders. 

9) High levels and low levels of testosterone in males and low levels of estrogen in menopause in females produce different odors in the body.

10) Endocrine abnormalities in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can bring about alterations in body odors, too.

11) Infections of the gums, teeth, throat, and mouth can also bring about unpleasant odors.  Bacterial and fungal infections of the scalp and skin can also cause body odor.

12) Diseases like diphtheria, scurvy, yellow fever, typhoid, and metabolic diseases can also exude special body odors.

13) Medicines used for fever, vomiting, fits, diabetes, hormonal imbalance, psychological complaints often cause fetid odor.

14) Imaginary body odor brought about by psychotic problems (schizophrenia, paranoia or tumor of the brain).

For questions or inquiries, call 09174976261, 09998834802 or 2634094, or email gc_beltran@yahoo.com.