Diabetes can produce a body odor that is much more different than what you are used to. A sudden change in body odor is never a good thing, unless you have recently switched your diet or have been eating foods like eggs, onions, garlic, liver, fish, red meat, legumes, processed foods, curry, fried foods, or spicy foods in over-excess. If your diet has not changed, but your body odor has, it is wise to see your doctor as soon as possible. Body odor is usually described as the smell of sweat; however, this is only almost true. Sweat is odorless.
Our body produce two types of sweat. The first is eccrine. This is an odorless, clear sweat that is secreted all over our bodies by the eccrine glands. This type of sweat regulates the body’s temperature. The second type of sweat is apocrine. This is a thicker, fattier sweat secreted in the underarm and groin areas by the apocrine glands. This type of sweat serves no actual purpose. It’s something we have not evolved from yet. Apocrine sweat is odorless until it reacts with bacteria on the skin’s surface. Then, it become that unpleasant aroma we all try avoid. Some people smell more than others due to heredity or poor hygiene.
Diabetes can also change the way your body odor smells. Diabetes and people with urinary tract infections will sometimes produce a different kind of body odor. It is a sweet-smelling, almost fruity body odor. Full-blown, uncorrected diabetes can lead to ketoacidosis. When this occurs, the skin of the patient will actually taste sweet and produces an unmistakable pungent odor. Diabetes can also cause an acetone like smell in body odor in the patient from the insulin taken to treat the disease.
To control your odor, you can practice the basics of any type of body odor treatment. Maintain good hygiene, using an anti-bacterial soap when you wash. Apply an antiperspirant and body powder to keep yourself dry, which will lessen the amount of sweat you produce and lessen bacteria production on the skin, thus alleviating some of the smell. Once again, if you notice a sudden skin dryness, sweet smelling urine, tingling feet, or you are constantly thirsty, call your health care provider immediately. These are all key symptoms of diabetes. If your body odor changes rapidly as well, as previously mentioned, make an appointment to see your health care provider as soon as possible. Your doctor may also be able to give you something to help with your body odor caused by diabetes.
