Why Does My Sweat Smell Like Vinegar?

Sweat Isn't Supposed to Smell Like Vinegar

Strange-smelling sweat can be caused by either food or health issues. As a result, if someone notices that their sweat smells like vinegar, they should try to figure out what is going on. If necessary, this means visiting a doctor who can provide them with a diagnosis in case it is something serious.

What Causes the Smell of Sweat?

On its own, sweat is supposed to be odorless. However, people often associate sweat with a particular smell because of skin bacteria. In short, what happens is that skin bacteria will break down the acids contained in the sweat produced by the apocrine glands. This results in waste products, which are responsible for body odor.

What Foods Can Cause Sweat to Smell Like Vinegar?

Amusingly, eating vinegar can cause unusual-smelling sweat. In fact, a number of spices and seasonings can have this effect because the way that they are broken down in the body results in compounds that will exit via the sweat glands. On top of this, meat, dairy products, and other foods containing large amounts of volatile compounds can also cause unusual-smelling sweat.

What Else Can Cause Sweat to Smell Like Vinegar?

Hormone changes can cause changes in the smell of sweat. This means everything from puberty and aging to menstruation and pregnancy. Unfortunately, there are health issues that can cause strange-smelling sweat as well. Certain bacterial infections can do this. Similarly, so can diabetes, kidney disease, and trimethylaminuria, which is when the body can't break down the compound trimethylamine.