The odor occurs on a daily basis and is noticeable to others, despite judicious hygiene. The odor is so strong that you notice it. B.O. may be the fragrance of choice in the animal kingdom, but in the civilized world it's not going to be confused with Chanel No. 5. The popular notion that body odor is the smell of sweat is true . . . Apocrine sweat is a vestige of our prehistoric days and serves no apparent purpose.
Gastrointestinal abnormalities can give the skin a very unusual smell.
Diabetics and people with urinary infections will sometimes develop a sweet-smelling or fruity body odor. Diseases of the past, like the vitamin C deficiency disease scurvy and typhoid fever, were associated with strange smells. In adolescents, B.O. is a sign of puberty, when the apocrine glands are first activated. Aging and metabolic changes can also bring on increased apocrine activity. Symptom Relief T he secret to combating most body odors is to inhibit the body's production of apocrine sweat, decrease the number of bacteria acting upon that sweat or remove the offender.