Why does exercise affect body odor?

When exercising, the body increases sweating to regulate temperature. Sweat is odorless, but when combined with bacteria on the skin, especially in the armpits, groin and feet, it creates a distinct body odor. People who exercise a lot are therefore more susceptible to immediate body odor than people who are less active.

Meanwhile, people who are less active sweat less, so they do not have a strong odor immediately. However, because they sweat less, they usually only need to shower once a day and change clothes less often during the day. This inadvertently allows light sweat, sebum and bacteria to stay on the skin and fabric for more time, leading to the accumulation of body odor - a smell that smolders and becomes more obvious over time.

Differences in sweat glands

The body has two main types of sweat glands: eccrine (which helps cool the body, less likely to cause odor) and apocrine (which is concentrated in the armpits, more likely to cause odor). Research in the Journal of Applied Physiology (2010) shows that people who exercise intensely have sweat glands that are twice as active as people who are sedentary. This explains why people who exercise a lot are more likely to smell bad in the short term.

On the contrary, in people who are sedentary, sweat glands are less active, so odor often comes from gradual accumulation according to daily living habits.

Genetic factors and differences between groups of people

Not everyone who exercises a lot will smell bad. Research published in Nature Genetics (2009) shows that about 80–90% of East Asians (including Vietnamese) carry the ABCC11 gene variant, which causes the apocrine glands to secrete very little fat – a protein that causes odor. As a result, they can sweat a lot when exercising but have a lighter body odor than Europeans or Africans, where only about 2–3% of the population has this gene variant.

This explains why some people sweat a lot but their body odor is not very noticeable.

Psychological and lifestyle factors

Not only exercise or genes, stress and lifestyle also affect body odor. A study in the American Journal of Human Biology (2014) showed that stress can stimulate the apocrine glands to work more strongly, making body odor stronger even when not exercising much.

That means both groups – more active or less active – can have problems with body odor, but through different mechanisms: people who exercise get smelly faster, while people who are less active are more likely to accumulate odor over time.

How to effectively remove body odor

For people who exercise a lot, showering immediately after exercise, changing clothes regularly and choosing breathable clothing are essential. People who are less active should also maintain daily hygiene and pay attention to changing clothes regularly to prevent odor build-up.

In both cases, deodorants are an important solution:

• Active men should use Breeze Men Dry Protection – odor control up to 48 hours, dry, no worries about yellow stains on clothes.

• Women can choose Breeze Freschezza Talcata Perfume Deodorant Spray for Women 150ml – Sweet powdery scent, effective deodorant, gentle all day long.

Conclude

In short, people who exercise a lot are more likely to have immediate body odor, while people who are less active are more likely to have body odor buildup due to their lifestyle habits. However, genetics also play a role: many East Asians can sweat a lot but have a very light odor. Regardless of which group you belong to, maintaining hygiene combined with a quality deodorant will help you always feel confident in communication.