Most often body odors are associated with a lack of hygiene, but can it be early signs of diseases? Experts believe that many deadly diseases can be diagnosed through smell.
Studies have shown that certain diseases have their own “breath print,” which can be considered biomarkers for early diagnosis of the conditions.
Body odor occurs when bacteria mix with sweat. A person’s body odor is influenced by a variety of factors such as hormones, diet, certain medications and underlying health conditions. Other factors that influence body odors are humidity, genetics, being overweight and exercise.
Researchers have found that hormonal changes such as mensuration and ovulation also cause changes in body odors.
How do diseases affect body odor?
According to experts, when a person suffers from a disease, the way their body works alters. Changes in different biochemical processes can lead to the production of small volatile molecules in the body, which get transported by blood through the body. The body then releases it through breath, urine and sweat.
“According to the scientific literature, there is evidence that the scent may contain markers for lung cancer, breast cancer, diabetes, melanoma and more,” Yehuda Zeiri, a biomedical engineer at Ben-Gurion University’s Kiryat Bergman Campus in Be’er-Sheva, Israel, told Reader’s Digest.
Diseases that can be detected through smell
1. Preeclampsia:
It is a hypertension disorder caused during pregnancy. The complication usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy in women who do not otherwise have blood pressure issues. The condition elevates protein levels in urine that indicate kidney damage and signs of other organ damage. If left untreated, preeclampsia can cause complications for the expectant mother and the unborn child and even can turn fatal.
According to a study published in 2016, preeclampsia can be detected using an expectant mother’s breath print with 84% accuracy.
2. Lung Cancer:
Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lungs grow…
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