By Tanya Bricking Leach
Medically Reviewed by Shelly Chvotzkin, D.O., F.A.C.O.O.G.Menopause can bring a lot of unexpected changes—including a shift in your body odor. As estrogen levels drop, the body’s natural balance of bacteria changes, affecting how much you sweat, what’s in your sweat, and how bacteria on your skin interact with it. 1 As a result, your body odor may smell different or more pungent than before you entered perimenopause.
”People often perceive an oniony type of smell in menopause,” says Alexandra Golden, M.D., a hormone specialist who studies menopause transitions. Other common descriptions of menopause body odor include cat pee or sour milk smells.
The good news? Experts say that with a little understanding and a few adjustments, you can help your body find balance again—and feel more like yourself in the process.
About the Experts
Alexandra Golden, M.D., a hormone specialist who studies menopause transitions.
Gowri Reddy Rocco, M.D., a women’s hormone specialist and author of Growing Younger: Restore Your Hormones, Energy and Sex Drive
What Causes Menopause Body Odor?
During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes increase sweating and alter skin bacteria, making sweat smell stronger or different. 2
Estrogen and menopause body odor
Hormone changes and menopause symptoms cause body odor due to shifts in sweat composition and the skin’s microbiome, creating an environment where odor-causing bacteria can thrive.
Sweat is mostly composed of water, steroids, lipids, and proteins that interact with skin bacteria. Hormonal changes during menopause can alter its composition, affecting how bacteria interact with it and, in turn, how body odor develops, Golden says.
She adds that dropping estrogen also disrupts the skin’s microbiome—the community of bacteria and microorganisms that help regulate pH, moisture, and odor production. 3
Just like probiotics support gut health, estrogen helps create an environment where healthy bacteria on the skin can thrive, hormone specialist Gowri Reddy Rocco, M.D. says. 4 When levels fall, odor-producing bacteria can flourish, she explains.
Aging and menopause body odor
Another contributor to body odor in women over 40 is a compound called 2-nonenal, which forms when omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids on the skin oxidize. As we age, our skin produces more of these fatty acids as a protective measure—but when they break down, they generate this pungent-smelling compound. 5
Unlike other sweat components, 2-nonenal isn’t water-soluble, meaning it can cling to skin, clothes, sheets, and towels even after washing.
Anxiety and menopause body odor
Perimenopause body odor might come from anxiety driven by hormone changes. During perimenopause, cortisol—the body’s main stress hormone—rises, making anxiety and stress-related sweating more common. 6
This type of sweat is different from sweat that happens when you’re hot, Golden says. Not all sweat smells the same because your body has two types of sweat glands:
- Eccrine glands are found all over the body and produce watery, odorless sweat to cool you down. 7
- Apocrine glands are found in hair follicles, such as in the armpits and groin. They release a thicker, oilier sweat that bacteria break down, which can lead to body odor. 8
When stress or anxiety kicks in, apocrine glands become more active, producing odor-causing sweat that has a different chemical composition than heat-induced sweat, which is why it can smell stronger, says Golden.
Hone Your Hormones, Find Relief
Fatigue, mood swings, menstrual changes—these aren’t just “life.” They could be signals that your hormones need fine-tuning. Our tailored plans uncover the root causes and deliver lasting relief.
Let’s Get Started
Hot flashes, night sweats, and menopause body odor
Menopause doesn’t just change the composition of your sweat, it changes how much you sweat too.
Hot flashes and night sweats affect up to 80 percent of women during perimenopause and menopause. 9 They occur because declining estrogen influences the range of your body’s “thermoneutral zone”—aka the comfortable temperature between the upper and lower thresholds, when you’re either sweating or shivering. 10
When estrogen drops, the hypothalamus—which controls body temperature—mistakenly thinks you’re overheating. It signals your blood vessels to suddenly constrict and then widen, causing a surge of heat.
Excessive sweating from hot flashes and night sweats can leave your skin damp and cause body odor during menopause. When there’s more sweat, there are more proteins and lipids for bacteria to break down. Damp skin traps the bacteria and keeps it active longer and traps it, making sweat odor worse, Rocco says.
Is it menopause body odor, or your sense of smell?
Some studies indicate that hormonal changes during menopause can heighten or distort your senses. 11
More research is needed to know how dropping estrogen affects the part of the brain responsible for smell, but Golden says it’s likely similar to pregnancy, when some scents seem stronger or different.
During menopause, it’s possible your body odor hasn’t changed, but the way you perceive it has, she says. “Sometimes there can be smell aversions.”
If you’re experiencing changes in your sense of smell during menopause, and you think it could be more than a hormonal fluctuation, talk to your doctor. For example, if you notice:
- Hyposmia: A dulled or lost sense of smell
- Dysosmia: Familiar scents smell different or “off”
- Phantosmia: Smelling odors that aren’t there (smell hallucinations) 12
How to Treat Menopause Body Odor
Hormone specialists say these adjustments can help you manage changes in body odor during menopause:
Manage your diet
Limit alcohol and sugar. “Alcohol suppresses estrogen and throws hormones off balance, which can make body odor worse,” Rocco says. Strong-smelling foods such as garlic and onions also intensify sweat odors. 13
Estrogen helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn affects overall body odor. When the hormone declines, this can contribute to body odor. Probiotics and eating a balanced diet can help balance gut bacterial overgrowth and reduce unwanted smells.
Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water can help dilute sweat and flush out odor-causing compounds, Golden says.
Upgrade your hygiene routine
Dermatologists recommend a few key strategies to help reduce body odor during menopause and perimenopause. Start by using a cleanser with salicylic acid or glycolic acid to slough off dead skin cells and target odor-causing bacteria. Begin with a low concentration to minimize the risk of irritation. Antibacterial soaps or cleansers with benzoyl peroxide may also help by further reducing bacterial buildup.
Avoid masking odor with heavily scented products. Some perfumes and deodorants contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates and one study suggests phthalates may raise the risk of hot flashes by affecting hormone levels. 14,15
Consider a vaginal probiotic
Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause affect vaginal bacteria, leading to changes in odor down there, Golden says. Vaginal probiotics, like oral supplements or 16vaginal suppositories, can provide short-term relief by balancing vaginal hormone levels. Vaginal estrogen cream can also help restore vaginal pH in menopausal women, which can help reduce vaginal odors.
Wear breathable clothing
Opt for loose, breathable fabrics. Cotton, linen, and bamboo help absorb sweat and improve airflow. “If you’re already super sweaty and synthetic materials trap it, you’re just creating more of a moist environment for bacteria to grow,” Golden says.
Manage stress
Exercise, sleep, and mindfulness practices can lower cortisol and reduce sweating, Rocco says. Because fluctuations in cortisol influence sweat related to anxiety, it’s important to prioritize relaxation and self-care.
Does HRT Help with Menopause Body Odor?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) isn’t prescribed to treat menopause body odor. But by stabilizing estrogen, HRT can reduce the severity of hot flashes, night sweats, and changes in skin bacteria, which may help with odor control, says Golden.
When to Talk to Your Doctor About Menopause Body Odor
See a doctor if your body odor in menopause is sudden or strong. Rocco explains that hormonal shifts cause gradual changes. But a sudden, intense, or unusual odor could signal an infection or another issue.
The Bottom Line
Menopause can change how you smell, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. Managing stress, staying hydrated, and tweaking your hygiene routine can help. If hot flashes or excessive sweating are making things worse, HRT might offer relief. And if your odor seems sudden or unusual, it’s worth checking in with your doctor.
