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==Causes== {{See also|Biochemistry of body odor}} In humans, the formation of body odors is caused by factors such as diet, sex, health, and medication, but the major contribution comes from [[bacteria]]l activity on [[skin gland]] [[secretion]]s.<ref name="lund-4" /> Humans have three types of sweat glands: [[eccrine sweat glands]], [[apocrine sweat gland]]s and [[sebaceous gland]]s. Eccrine sweat glands are present from birth, while the latter two become activated during puberty. Among the different types of human skin glands, body odor is primarily the result of the apocrine sweat glands, which secrete the majority of chemical compounds that the [[skin flora]] metabolize into odorant substances.<ref name="lund-4"/> This happens mostly in the axillary (armpit) region, although the gland can also be found in the [[areola]], anogenital region, and around the [[navel]].<ref>{{cite book| vauthors = Turkington C, Dover JS | title=The encyclopedia of skin and skin disorders| url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaskin00turk| url-access=limited| year=2007| publisher=Facts on File|location=New York| isbn=978-0-8160-6403-8| pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaskin00turk/page/n383 363]| edition=3rd}}</ref> In humans, the [[armpit]] regions seem more important than the genital region for body odor, which may be related to human [[bipedalism]]. The genital and armpit regions also contain springy hairs which help diffuse body odors.<ref name=Oxford2007/> The main components of human axillary odor are [[Saturated fat|unsaturated]] or [[Hydroxylation|hydroxylated]] branched [[fatty acid]]s with E-3-methylhex-2-enoic acid (E-3M2H) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid (HMHA), sulfanylalkanols and particularly 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3M3SH), and the odoriferous steroids [[androstenone]] (5Ξ±-androst-16-en-3-one) and [[androstenol]] (5Ξ±-androst-16-en-3Ξ±-ol).<ref name=martessbio/> E-3M2H is bound and carried by two apocrine secretion odor-binding proteins, ASOB1 and ASOB2, to the skin surface.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Zeng C, Spielman AI, Vowels BR, Leyden JJ, Biemann K, Preti G | title = A human axillary odorant is carried by apolipoprotein D | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 93 | issue = 13 | pages = 6626β6630 | date = June 1996 | pmid = 8692868 | pmc = 39076 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.93.13.6626 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 1996PNAS...93.6626Z }}</ref> Body odor is influenced by the actions of the [[skin flora]], including members of ''[[Corynebacterium]]'', which manufacture enzymes called [[lipases]] that break down the lipids in sweat to create smaller molecules like [[butyric acid]]. Greater bacteria populations of ''[[Corynebacterium jeikeium]]'' are found more in the armpits of men, whereas greater population numbers of ''[[Staphylococcus haemolyticus]]'' are found in the armpits of women. This causes male armpits to give off a rancid/cheese-like smell, whereas female armpits give off a more fruity/onion-like smell.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Kort R | title = De microbemens: Het belang van het onzichtbare leven. | trans-title = The microbes: The importance of the invisible life. | language = Dutch | location = Amsterdam | publisher = Athenaeum, Polak & Van Gennep | date = September 2017 | isbn = 978-90-253-0692-2 }}</ref> ''[[Staphylococcus hominis]]'' is also known for producing [[thioalcohol]] compounds that contribute to odors.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Bacterial genetic pathway involved in body odor production discovered |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330213947.htm |publisher=Society for General Microbiology |date=30 March 2015 }}</ref> These smaller molecules smell, and give body odor its characteristic aroma.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Buckman R |title=Human Wildlife: The Life That Lives On Us. |date=2003 |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore, Md. |isbn=978-0-8018-7407-9 | pages = 93β94 }}</ref> [[Propionic acid]] (propanoic acid) is present in many sweat samples. This acid is a breakdown product of some [[amino acid]]s by [[propionibacteria]], which thrive in the ducts of adolescent and adult [[sebaceous]] glands. Because propionic acid is chemically similar to [[acetic acid]], with similar characteristics including odor, body odors may be identified as having a pungent, cheesy and vinegar-like smell although certain people might find it pleasant at lower concentrations.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10637054/ | pmid=10637054 | date=2000 | last1=Charles | first1=M. | last2=Martin | first2=B. | last3=Ginies | first3=C. | last4=Etievant | first4=P. | last5=Coste | first5=G. | last6=Guichard | first6=E. | title=Potent aroma compounds of two red wine vinegars | journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | volume=48 | issue=1 | pages=70β77 | doi=10.1021/jf9905424 | bibcode=2000JAFC...48...70C }}</ref> [[Isovaleric acid]] (3-methyl butanoic acid) is the other source of body odor as a result of actions of the bacteria ''[[Staphylococcus epidermidis]]'',<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ara K, Hama M, Akiba S, Koike K, Okisaka K, Hagura T, Kamiya T, Tomita F | title = Foot odor due to microbial metabolism and its control | journal = Canadian Journal of Microbiology | volume = 52 | issue = 4 | pages = 357β364 | date = April 2006 | pmid = 16699586 | doi = 10.1139/w05-130 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.1013.4047 }}</ref> which is also present in several types of strong cheese. Factors such as food, drink, gut microbiome,<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://derma.jmir.org/2020/1/e10508 |doi=10.2196/10508 |title=Cutaneous Bacteria in the Gut Microbiome as Biomarkers of Systemic Malodor and People Are Allergic to Me (PATM) Conditions: Insights from a Virtually Conducted Clinical Trial |date=2020 |last1=Gabashvili |first1=Irene S. |journal=JMIR Dermatology |volume=3 |pages=e10508 |s2cid=226280399 |doi-access=free }}</ref> and [[genetics]] can affect body odor.<ref name=Oxford2007/>
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