Body Odor Facts

Body odor is a uniquely personalized thing. Just what kind of body odor each individual person has is determined by a combination of a certain area of their genetic makeup called the major histocompatibility complex and, partially by what they eat. The basic composition of a person’s body odor remains the same, however, and it has been suggested that one of the reasons for it is to help us choose a genetically appropriate mate. Change in body odor has also been linked to the development of certain cancers and viral diseases.

The body odor fingerprint isn't the only thing scientists have discovered about body odor. They found that the older people get the worse they stink. A substance called 2-Nonenal has been identified as the reason some people have a faintly greasy odor about them. The substance has only been found in people over the age of 40 and the older people get, the more of the substance the body produces. Sweat itself is pretty much odorless, but the bacteria that reacts with sweat is what produces the odor.