Female Health: Everything You Wanted To Know About Hormones Body Odor

Hormones affect more than just our moods. They enable and impact daily bodily functions, movement, and even reproduction. 

Female sex hormones all have individual roles within the body. When these hormone levels change, this can cause changes to the vagina. From sexual arousal to pregnancy, different effects can have potentially bothersome effects on the body. These changes can influence a change in vaginal smells. So, with different sex hormones producing different effects, let’s take a look at each hormone. 

What’s The Difference Between Female Sex Hormones? 

Ovaries produce two types of sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone. The hormones work together to maintain the health of the female reproductive system. Both sex hormones are vital to regulating menstrual cycles and play important roles in fertility and pregnancy. 

Estrogen 

In females, estrogen (also called ‘oestrogen’) enables several organs to function, including the ovaries, vagina, uterus, and breasts. 

Estrogen is responsible for growing and maturing the uterine lining (the lining that is shed during menstruation) and also matures the egg before ovulation. 

This process can cause estrogen to fluctuate from female to female, especially during menstrual cycles. Estrogen usually rises and crashes twice during monthly cycles. Once during the follicular phase, when estrogen rises before dropping after ovulation. Then again rises during the luteal phase and decreases at the end of our cycle. 

In a nutshell, estrogen controls a woman’s mood and is linked to emotional well-being. For women more sensitive to hormonal changes, it’s more likely to experience medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, and mood swings.

Progesterone 

Like estrogen, progesterone also plays an important role in the female body. The hormone is produced in the ovaries, placenta, and adrenal glands. This hormone is vital in maintaining pregnancy - helping prepare your body for conception and pregnancy. Progesterone is also known to promote sexual desire. As estrogen levels are higher in the body, this affects the libido and promotes sexual desire. 

What Impact Do Hormones Have On Bodily Odors? 

Body odor occurs when your sweat meets the bacteria on the surface of your skin, which produces an unpleasant smell. Odor can be determined by your environment, diet, and, most importantly, hormones. Hormones can cause a shift as sweating increases. Med Express interviewed Dr. Dietz who said, "Women experiencing hormonal fluctuations can certainly experience changes in their body odor," says Dr. Dietz. "When estrogen levels drop during menopause, for example, the body often mistakes this as a sign that it’s overheating. This hormonal change then leads to excess sweating, which can contribute to body odor. Other common symptoms of hormone fluctuation, like hot flashes and night sweats, can also contribute to excessive sweating and increase body odor." 

Pregnancy is another hormonal factor that can also influence body odor. During this time, your sweat glands go into overdrive. This heightens the hormone estradiol, which increases your natural body odor. 

Hormonal Body Odor Prevention 

If your body odor is unpleasant through hormonal changes, you can do a few things to help manage it: 

Stay away from specific foods that may contribute to causing body odor. Spicy foods and garlic can be carried into your sweat. Avoid caffeine and stimulants, as they also have not-so-pleasant effects on your overall smell. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and brussel sprouts can also cause odor. This is because these food groups contain sulfur, which is a stinky compound that

smells like rotten eggs. To prevent odor on all accounts - your breath and your sweat - keep these food groups to a minimum. 

Tight clothing can block air movement through the crotch and underarm area. This can cause increased bacteria growth, which also produces unpleasant smells. Wearing loose-fitting clothing and shaving or waxing the area can help prevent and reduce body odors. 

Avoid the smell completely all year round by trying a yoni suppository. Vaginal suppositories can help with the dryness and provides targeted relief from conditions affecting the vagina. Yoni suppositories also contain several natural ingredients, which help balance the vaginal pH and eliminate other nasty bacteria that cause vaginal odor. 

Body odor can be caused by a number of hormonal changes. Implementing good hygiene, reducing stress, and improving your diet can prevent and reduce body odor.