Body Odor

Body odor is one of the many menopause symptoms that some women may experience. It is an indirect result of perspiration that often elevated when hot flashes strike. Contrary to common belief, perspiration itself is odorless but it creates an environment where bacteria thrive especially under the armpit. Body odor can also caused by the body metabolism that gives out odors when secreting waste products.

The area located in the underarm or armpits has the most apocrine sweat glands. During sweating, these glands secrete substances that contain proteins, carbohydrates and lipids which can be easily attacked by bacteria causing body odor. Hormonal imbalance associated with menopause can also cause women in this age period to sweat more.

If the body odor is localized, it is most likely caused by bacteria. Scrubbing with antibacterial soap especially the armpits and groin regularly can help in removing those bacteria. If you have a more serious odor, mild hydrogen peroxide that can be obtained from pharmacy or alcohol solution is also effective in killing these organism.

Food intake also has an influence in body odor. Red meat, onions, garlic as well as alcohol and caffeine are some examples. If you are concerned about the smell of your body, you should monitor what you eat. Try eliminating one type of food for a while and see if the odor improves. Do the same thing with another type of food to establish which one is the major cause. You need to seek help from your close friend as it is difficult to establish your own smell. Smoking should be stopped not only because it cause unpleasant smell in your skin, it can also worsen your other menopause symptoms.

Keep travel size baby wipes handy especially the ones with aloe vera as a quick fix to your sweating problem when you are on the go. When choosing clothing, go with loose fittings made from natural fabrics such cotton whenever practicable as it can better absorb your sweats and enable your skin to breathe easier. If you are already using antiperspirant deodorant, consider switching to extra strength to minimize the body odor.

Certain type of vitamins and supplements can also help in minimizing your body odor. Magnesium, zinc, Vitamin A and B are some examples. You should consult your doctor to establish the appropriate dosage specifically for you. If you are low on zinc, consider adding plenty of green vegetables that contain naturally occurring zinc element instead of taking supplements.

There are also herbs that you can try to control your body odor. Coriander, licorice, rosemary and few others can be used to massage your underarm as it has antibacterial properties. Herbs that are synonymous with natural hormone replacement therapy such as St. John’s wort, black cohosh, ginseng and dong quai can also help in minimizing sweating by stabilizing your hormonal imbalance.

You should consult your doctor prior treating the body odor problem yourself as it can also be caused due other conditions such as fungal infections and disease in the kidney or liver.