MiddletownJournal.com

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDayNews) -- Ever wondered why you stink when you're sweaty?

Two Swiss research teams have identified several sweat ingredients that lead to body odor, as well as a bacterial enzyme that seems to be responsible for their release.

Analysis performed on the sweat of 30 volunteers revealed the presence of at least eight sulfanyl alcohols, according to scientists with the Swiss company Firmenich SA. These substances are known to produce intense odors even at extremely low concentrations.

However, these sulfanyl alcohols are not directly produced by the sweat glands, according to findings by a second team of researchers with the Swiss company Givaudan Schweiz AG. They are created by armpit bacteria that break down the chemical composition of sweat, releasing the smelly substances.

To prove their point, the researchers created a genetically modified strain of Escherichia coli. The altered bacteria transformed samples of odorless armpit sweat into typically pungent underarm scent within a few minutes.

The research appears in the journal Chemistry & Biodiversity.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more about sweating and body odor.